Seymour Digital Consulting, LLC

Category: Asia

  • First day in Hong Kong

    20261001 – Update – Many years have passed since I wrote my nightly notes there in our motel room in Hong Kong. Years later, back in the States, I posted them here to this site.

    I have added and updated content and technical aspects under the hood.

    It’s also been a few years since I’ve updated this website, so please bare with me.

    Note – All images are quick, low-res scans from slide film on a flatbed scanner. One of these days, I’ll re-scan at hi-res the better ones. As they say, ‘Content is King’, so…

    View from the Hotel Balcony

    This was my first real view of Hong Kong, and it was amazing. There were so many sights that were new to me, and processing them was difficult as I jumped from one thing to the next.

    Main Assignment for the Day:

    – Get my Visa into China

    Walking around Hong Kong

    I was overwhelmed as I walked around.

    Interesting Building 02
    Interesting Building 02
    Between Buildings
    Between Buildings
    Close-Up on the Bank of China
    Close-Up on the Bank of China

    Cable Car to the top of Mt. Victoria

    We took a very steep cable car ride to the top of Mt. Victoria, where we walked around the top.

    The view from on top of Mt. Victoria 02
    The view from on top of Mt. Victoria 02

    At one point, you can see the other side of Hong Kong.

    The view from on top of Mt. Victoria
    The view from on top of Mt. Victoria

    We then took a taxi from the top, all the way down, and into Kowloon, where dad was getting new glasses.

    At one point, I remember crossing a bridge, and seeing a big banner sign saying in English “Real Chinese Food”, and it struck me as very odd in such a location.

    Looking over Hong Kong
    Looking over Hong Kong

    Walking around Kowloon

    I had a “Fast Food” Chinese meal!

    Dad and I walked along the water front.

      Looking back at Hong Kong
      Looking back at Hong Kong
      Side of a Museum
      Side of a Museum
      Museum Sign
      Museum Sign
      Hydro Foil
      Hydro Foil

      Took the Star Ferry back to Hong Kong

      Star Ferry
      Star Ferry

      Sat on the Motel porch
      and watched the life before me

        The Museum from Hong Kong
        The Museum from Hong Kong
        Construction 01
        Construction 01
        Construction 02
        Construction 02

        On the way to dinner, I saw forests of apartment buildings!!

        I have been to New York city numerous times, especially since my companies headquarters was located there, and my father was born and raised there too.

        But the was something different about how the builds where built that reminded me more of a forest then a collection or group of building. I was also told, that area was one of the most densely populated places in the world.

        Dinner on the Floating Restaurants

        These were the restaurants features in one of the James Bond 007 movies.

        Sitting in the Emperor's chair
        Sitting in the Emperor’s chair

        While waiting for our table, a Chinese man, very eager to try his English with me, started with several small words, and then a simple phrase, and then “I’m a SEX MACHINE!“

        Trying not to laugh right in his face was one of the hardest things I things, I’ve ever done!

        – Andrew
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      • Last Day in Japan

        LAST DAY IN JAPAN

        Asahi Evening News (English Newspaper)

        Macs in their TV commercial

        09:30 Pick-up & Over to the Akasu’s

        Pictures of the family

        Mrs. Akasu’s family scroll

        • She has an Imperial background which is over 1000 yrs. old
        • The original scroll is in a museum

        Mrs. Akasu offered to me a bowl and (2) cups made by her great grand father over 150 yrs. ago

        Soba lunch with the whole family

        We looked at the pictures of my trip

        Mr. Akasu & Yuri accompanied/drove me to the Bus terminal

        “Normal” traffic for a Sunday

        Under the Overpasses, they have set-up areas where people can play baseball, basketball, etc.

        At the Airport

        The Concierge lounge was as packed as the main terminal

        Mailed my Post Cards via a gate person/women

        17:55 – UA Flt#801 – Tokyo/Narita->Hong Kong (11H)

        On the plane to Hong Kong

        Walter ???, sat in the chair to the left of me. (See Bus. card)

        Hong Kong the First Night

        Stuffed into Buses

        Customs

        Dad and Brian meet me at the airport

        Staying in the Grand Hyatt

        Nightcap

        The waitress was Filipino and I got her to try and teach me some words

        • Shea Shea – Thank you (Mandarin)
        • Doo Chea – Thank you (Cantonese)
        • Salamack – Thank you (Filipino)

        – Andrew
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      • Kamakura, Japan

        Note – All images are scanned from slide film.

        Kamakura Train Station
        Temple Front
        Temple Roof Detail
        Sake barrels
        Little girl elaborately dressed
        Apex Detail 01
        Statue Detail 01
        Apex Detail 02
        Children Statues 01
        Children Statues (Detail)
        Bronze Buddha
        Bronze Buddha (Head Detail)
        Incense Burner (Detail)
        Open Air Market
        White Dragon protecting a coin pond
        Watering Stand w/Cat
        Bronze Dragon Shrine
        Dragon at the end of the tunnel
        Which way to go?
        Walk way into Cliffs 01
        Looking out from a tunnel
        Map (General)
        Map (Detail)
        Prayer Wall

        Temple/Shrine Island

        This was a fascinating island.

        After walking through a small little town with many open air markets, we proceeded to the top of the island.

        Once at the top, you are greeted by a White Dragon protecting a coin pond. We briefly stop to make an offering, and then continue down the walk way.

        As you walk, you see many more Shrines and Temples…

        • Watering Stand w/Cat
        • Bronze Dragon Shrine
        • Prayer Wall

        Ocean Side of the Island

        Map (General) & Map (Detail)

        Once you get to the back side of the island, which faces the ocean, there is a wood walk (green) way that is built into the cliffs.

        In two separate areas, there are tunnels (yellow) that go into the cliffs.

        • Walk way into Cliffs 01
        • Looking out from a tunnel
        • Split in the tunnels

        At the end of the tunnels, there are mysteries to be found!!

        Train back was during late “Rush Hour”

        Dinner at Akasu’s

        During Dinner an Earthquake of a magnitude 3.0 hit

        When I first felt the quake, I thought that it was a large truck, but as the Akasu family looked around, and a door swung open, I began to know there was something more to this.

        The Akasu family informed me that I had just witnessed an earthquake!!

        After some time, the local TV stations began to report the tremors.

        – Andrew
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      • Culture Day – Japan

        Note – All images are scanned from slide film.

        Tokyo Tower 01
        Guard Gate 01
        Guard Gate 02
        Dwarf Pine trees
        Samurai Warrior Monument
        Tokyo Tower 01

        Culture Day (Japan)

        This morning I woke up around 04:00 A, and I have been puttering about the room. Getting the presents together to
        take over later.

        07:00 Breakfast

        09:00 Meet Mr. Akasu in the lobby

        Back to his home for the first time

        • We exchanged gifts
        • We watched the Waterloo Gardens tape

        First experience on the Japanese train system

        See the young men walking around in full decorative dress with wooden shoes that sounded like horses on
        a cobble stone road.

        Bus tour took us by…

        • Emperors place
          • Walked around the Emperor’s Place…
            • 500 yrs to build
            • 2013 Dwarf Pine trees in the Main Compound
            • Over 3 miles in circumference around the compound
          • Monuments
            • Samurai Warrior
          • The small stones around the gates where used to detect when someone approaching
            • Guard Gate 01
            • Guard Gate 02
        • The Diet (Japanese Government Building)
        • Russian Embassy
        • Tokyo Tower
          • Tower 1
          • Tower 2

        Dinner at the Akasu’s

        Agadashi and Delivered Sushi!!

      • Start of the Adventure

        10:00 - UA Flt#195 - Philadelphia->Chicago/Ohare (2B)
12:30 - UA Flt#881 - Chicago/Ohare->Tokyo/Narita (3A)

        Once again, I managed to sleep through my alarm!

        Holly woke me up with her phone call.

        We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.

        I checked in and went to the First Class lounge, were I had two cups of Cappuccino and then called Brian with a final check in.

        On the plan from Phily to Chicago, I noticed a very tall black man moving through the First Class cabin.

        As he took off his long leather jacket, first I noticed that the jacket was as tall as I was! I also realized that it was Julius Erving!! a.k.a. “Dr. J”!!

        The flight for the most part was uneventful. The gentleman next to me, did have a death grip on his seat during some of the turbulence.

        In Chicago, Dad was waiting for me at the gate, and then we headed to the First Class lounge. We did wait and see “Dr. J”.

        Finally, we got on the plan for Tokyo and we settled in. Your personal area was huge! One could fit another seat in front of you.

        The first meal that was served seemed to me endless. Caviar, smoked salmon, crackers, cheese, fruit, etc.

        For my main meal, I got the Japanese meal which actually turned out to be quite large, and had some beef! After that, there was another round of cheese & fruit, then the desert, which I did not partake in.

        The two movies shown were “Speed” and “The Shadow”. I had already seen “Speed” on my trip to LA last week.

        I was never able to sleep during the plane trip. I tried on several occasions, but I would sleep for 5-10 minutes and then wake up!

        I do remember flying over parts of Alaska. The endless ranges of snow covered mountains. So isolated. Nothing in sight. Just snow and mountains.

        – Andrew
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