Bunks in the "soft sleeper" rail car. They are stacked 3 high, and the top bunk is cheapest.

Countryside in Hubei province.

These mountains reminded me a lot of northwest Arkansas.

I think these are apartment buildings.

I wanted to stop and explore the area, but thought better of it.

In the soft sleeper car, there are little tables with jumpseats where you can eat. They're not very big.

I don't know the name of this river, but it was pretty.

I made it! KCR train in Hong Kong.

As in the UK, you are advised to "mind the gap!"

Nathan Road, the morning after my arrival.

I had to keep reminding myself that the dollars were Hong Kong dollars.

Street scene near the Mirador Mansion.

Mirador Mansion interior. There was a filthy, scum-covered and trash-strewn courtyard at the bottom.

My room at the Man Hing Lung guesthouse. Not recommended.

Out the window of my room at the Man Hing Lung.

It's a long way down! This picture was taken in between violent thunderstorms that shook the windows.

Near the Tsim Sha Tsui subway station.

I never figured out the payphones in Hong Kong. There are several different brands.

If you've been to the UK, this will be familiar. Except the part written in Chinese.

A PCCW payphone. Unlike the UK, phone booths in Hong Kong aren't covered over with advertisements for prostitutes.

Pond at the Royal Garden. I had dim sum here--highly recommended!

Harbor ferry.

Central Hong Kong across Victoria Harbor.

It's too big to fit in one picture!

British-style double decker bus

This sign, posted on the Mirador Mansion, essentially warned not to hang any more electric signs or the building would fall down.

Another picture out the window of the Mirador Mansion. You can see all the way to central Hong Kong.

Like mainland Chinese, Hong Kong residents love their neon!

The subway system, as in Japan, is very clean and efficient. Unlike Japan, it's also cheap!

I was surprised by the lack of traffic in central Hong Kong. It's much less crowded than Kowloon.

A reference to neighboring Macau, perhaps?

The flags of Hong Kong and the Hang Seng stock exchange accompany the Communist Chinese flag.

Inside the stock exchange

Ever since SARS, the Hong Kong government has sought to promote good hygeine

The Stanley Tourist Market--not recommended!

A beach near the Stanley Market

Stormy skies... not quite beach weather!

The signposts resemble those in London

This looks a lot like Stanley Park in Vancouver, oddly enough

Across the harbor

Most of the Hong Kong shoreline is rocky

Christianity, obviously, isn't the predominant religion--this church was in a small storefront

On the second deck of a double-decker bus!

A popular beach in Hong Kong. It was too rainy to visit.

Threatening skies envelop the mountains

The harbor was completely jammed with cargo ships

A radar installation crowns this hill. It is used to track vessels in Hong Kong waters.

The Peak Tower--this is where most tourists to Victoria Peak visit.

Central Hong Kong from Victoria Peak

Central Hong Kong extends all the way to the sharp slopes of Victoria Peak

Looking toward Kowloon from central Hong Kong

I took this picture with the timer in my camera. Predictably, it's lousy.

I should probably not have been surprised, but I was disappointed to find cheap American beer

Central Hong Kong from the Peak Tower

Central Hong Kong. The weather finally started to clear up at night.

Central Hong Kong is primarily a business center, and is noticeably cleaner than Kowloon

The money in Hong Kong is mostly issued by private banks

Hong Kong's efficient solution to living with parents until marriage! Young couples flocked to this place.

Mong Kok at night. This area is controlled by the Triad gangs, but felt mostly safe.

The endless expanse of neon reminded me of Shinjuku in Tokyo

If you like mobile phones, Hong Kong definitely has something for you!

The mobile phone business is intensely competitive. I counted 6 different carriers competing on the same block!

Two other mobile phone carriers

Mister Softee!

Hong Kong high school girls in uniform.

To my surprise, I encountered a number of shops in Hong Kong selling US military surplus goods.

Chinese people like any clothes with English printed on them--or in this case, something that looks like English.

I thought this neon sign looked cool

If you're a mobile phone nut, you'll love Mong Kok. This place had 3 stories of mobile phone shops.

It was jammed full of people

Price competition was intense

Hong Kong residents must like Japan...

It's hard to illustrate just how big this place was!

This place actually takes apart and repairs mobile phones.

Another Japanese themed mobile phone shop

Uh-oh. Is that porn, in dowdy China?

Indeed it was. Porn, sex toys, and all sorts of things you'd never find in Beijing!

Hutchison Telecom markets itself as a premium service. They were at the edge of the fray in their own building.

I was surprised to stumble upon an ongoing soccer game, late at night, in the middle of a busy shopping district.

California is viewed with prestige in Hong Kong, so 24 Hour Fitness proudly advertises that it is a California-based establishment.

I stumbled upon this little greasy spoon under a busy street near the Mei Foo subway station. If you go, try the fried rice--it's excellent!

There are personal video displays in the AirTrain seat backs.

My last glimpse of Hong Kong. It figures that the weather cleared up on the day I left.