Feeling refreshed after lunch and a short rest, it was back out on the MRT again to Central from where we walked across to the Mid Levels Escalators.  These are a series of connected, outdoor escalators that take 25 minutes to reach the top.  During the mornings, the escalators run downwards and then reverse in the afternoons to enable commuters to get up and down the steep hills with ease.

On reaching the top, we walked a short distance downhill to the Hong Kong Zoo and Botanical Gardens.  These were built in the Victorian era and the gardens include some exotic vegetation, fountains and sculptures.  There is also a small zoo and aviary.  From there we headed downhill, stopping at the gates of Government House. This colonial gem was the former official residence of 25 British Governors of Hong Kong prior to the handover in 1997.

Our final stop of the afternoon was at the International Finance Centre (a luxurious shopping mall near to the Star Ferry Terminal) for some afternoon tea and a look around some of the stores in a cooling, air conditioned environment.  We returned to the hotel for awhile and our final visit of the day was to Jordan, and the Temple Street Night Market.

The atmosphere there is bustling, cheap clothes, souvenirs, watches and an abundance of fake labels are on sale. Best for us was the inviting aroma of Chinese cooking from the many open air street stalls known locally as Dai Pai Dong’s.   We dined in one of these, the food arrived freshly cooked and it tasted good, too.

My chopstick eating skills were improving as well. After taking the metro back to North Point, it was the end of another day in this fascinating city.

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