We take full advantage of the comfy surroundings with a bit of a lie in before breakfast, at half ten on our own. The slightly dry throat I wake up with disappears, no atypical pneumonia, just dry air from the air con. The mist of yesterday seems a bit heavier and becomes heavy rain. Not the best day for sightseeing. Arguably a good idea to hole up with SARS floating around but I think we'll just have a lazy day and maybe do some (window) shopping later.
Later is about half two -- at least the rain has stopped. 
The plan is to head west, do some shopping and eat tea. We hop onto the metro, a very easy to use, efficient and clean system where all the carriages are joined as one so you can see a long snake of people writhe around corners and over rises. Then you arrive in one of the huge a dozen exited stations -- a bit like Paris.
Referring to a handy street and feature map and a 3D view of the station we eventually escape and view the HSBC building not just the most expensive in the world but surely one of the ugliest. Apparently HK has a dozen of the top twenty tallest buildings (by floors) and you certainly get that impression. Not necessarily the prettiest but certainly tall. We wander for a while looking for shops and in one mall are frustrated by the "Tenants use only" notices on the toilets -- a SARS provision? Even in the one missing the sign I find myself at the urinal for "Exclusive use of Pacific Coffee ltd." By coincidence I also use their washbasin.
We decide to head for Soho, the eating centre d'ville and on the way stumble (not literally) across the world's longest escalator which mostly runs people from the harbour 800m up to the "mid-levels" (identified by having lots of skyscrapers but being halfway up the hill). Actually it's lots of normal sized escalators with lots of short walks in between -- I preferred the one at Charles de Gaulle airport. We come back down on foot (you're only escalated down in the morning rush hour) and drop into a nice looking cafe for a drink to while away the time -- and some very nice cauliflower and shiitake samosas.
After looping around we drop into a Spanish restaurant for some very nice nosh (and a top wine) leaving the place packed (we'd turned up before 7(!) and were the only ones in for a while). Down the hill and we jumped on one of the trams that rattle along the main drag. There are no clues at the tram stop so we jump on the first to "Happy Valley." Suffice it to say it doesn't go to North Point and we jumped off a Times Square and walked home. Wearing my "say no to sharkfins" T-shirt hasn't invoked any violent reaction against me, indeed, no reaction at all. Invisible protest.
Newton Hotel, Hong Kong N22.28836 E114.19273 Elev. 25m
Copyright 2003 Ian Fitchet. All rights reserved.