Osaka

From HKDL we took a flight to Osaka, with a long layover in Shanghai. By the time we arrived in Osaka it was night, so we found our hotel near Nagahoribashi Station and went to bed.

Friday morning we made our way up through arcades of shops to the Hard Rock Cafe where we had lunch (Number 9). 

We then continued north toward Osaka Station, where we checked out a Pokemon Center store and a mall, and watched Captain America: Civil War. We took the train back to our hotel.

HK Disneyland Day 2

Wednesday morning we were asked to help open the park. It was a very nice day and we enjoyed most everything the park had to offer, although we just did a walk through of the Toy Story area. 

Although there were cute shuttle buses running between the hotel and the park, that morning we decided to walk in, and stopped to look around the Disneyland Hotel. Both hotels are pretty nice.

We hadn’t ridden Autopia the first day due to the rain, so we did it first thing on the second. In Hong Kong, the cars are electric. There wasn’t a lot to do in Tomorrowland as the Stitch show and Space Mountain were being refurbished, and their Star Tours was being converted into an Iron Man attraction.

There was a nice parade and we enjoyed the Mickey and the Wonderous Book show. It was also interesting seeing how the Jungle Cruise and other attractions differed from the ones in the States. We ate lunch and dinner at quick serve restaurants in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.

At the end of the second day, we rode the Big Grizzly Mountain coaster as our last attraction, then watched the castle fireworks show. HKDL is a pretty small park, but it was definitely worth a two day visit.

HK Disneyland

On Tuesday, our third day in Hong Kong, we transferred to the Hollywood Hotel near Hong Kong Disneyland. We spent two days and two nights at the HKDL resort before heading to the airport for a flight to Japan.

After checking in and dropping our luggage with Bell Services, we headed into the park. It was decorated for Easter, with eggs decorated as characters throughout the park.

We enjoyed the park and the hotel quite a bit, especially the new Mystic Manor ride, which we went on multiple times, although we did get quite wet on the first day, due to torrential downpours. We ate lunch at the Asian quick serve restaurant next door to Mystic Manor.

The first night we left the park early, having done most of the available rides and shows. We ate at the Chef Mickey's at the hotel, and went for a swim.

Hong Kong Part 2

Monday we spent the morning at the zoo, then spent more time riding the Hop On Hop Off bus.

In the afternoon we visited the Maritime Museum and went on a cruise on the bay.

We had dim sum for dinner. 

That night we walked around Whampoa.

Hong Kong

Sunday morning we took the hotel shuttle to the Star Ferry terminal, then the ferry to Hong Kong Island.

We took the tram up to Victoria Peak, where we had lunch, then went around the island to Stanley Bay on the Hop On Hop Off bus.  

For dinner we continued my quest to eat at all the Hard Rock Cafes (Number 8).

After dinner we crossed back over to Kowloon and rode the hop on hop off bus there, then caught the shuttle back to our hotel.

Graduation Trip

To celebrate the kids graduation from college, Susan and I told them they could take a trip wherever they wanted. They decided to take a trip to Asia. On Friday morning we left Portland on a small plane to Vancouver, BC.

 

From Vancouver we flew Air Canada to Hong Kong. It was a long flight, and every time they made announcements during the flight they did it in four languages. 

 

Saturday evening we arrived at the Hong Kong airport, and took a taxi to our hotel near Whampoa in Kowloon, northeast of Hong Kong Island. Our rooms were on the 22nd floor.

Spring Update

We haven't made any big trips in the last few months. The kids have been busy preparing to graduate, and running the business fraternity at their school. Last night they held a banquet to install next year's officers.

Susan and I continue to make trips to Bend. Recently we bought a house in Bend and started moving some stuff in, but we're still mostly living in a rented a house in Beaverton. 

We've also moved some of our stuff out of storage and into our pole barn south of town.