Hong Kong Nights

[plural]

Arrived at my hotel in Hong Kong
[The Marco Polo]
fairly later than I had expected
as my flight was delayed
but the car which the hotel provided
to whisk me from the airport
was amply posh to allow the unwinding
of any residual tensions resulting from
the frenetic environment of air travel

so I arrive refresh, if a bit tired
checked in at the hotel
to discover that in an oversight on my part
I had neglected to instruct my travel agent to
secure a room for my sister in addition to my mine
[bad me]
but an oversight the clerk was most able to correct

In the process of checking in
I had discarded the clerks use of the word suite
as being a failure of his english
as the room rate was as expected
and I had reserved a normal room
although I was slightly suspicious something was up
when I was instructed to obtain my key on the 17th floor
[when I had observed the people before me]
[receive their key directly]
but in my life I've learned to discern
between times when one must
go with the flow
versus
rocking the boat

this seemed to me one of the former
so after signing an extra form stating that
I was responsible for any charges incurred by my sister
[and duly warning her that she'd better let me know]
[before incurring any charges which we had not discussed]
we headed up to the 17th floor

the 17th and 18th floor share the same elevator stop
and constitute "The Continental Club"
which in sharp contrast to the modern hotel design
of the rest of the hotel
were wood paneled in a manner reminiscent
of a proper british establishment.

I received my key
and upon opening the door
realized that the clerk had not misspoken
my suite was subtly luxurious
with lustrous wood paneling
and a marble bath
[complete with rubber duckie - the finest sign of luxury]
while not a large suite
it was quite more than I expected
but considering the room rate was as I expected
I shrugged and drew myself a bath
for a quick soak before dinner
leaving the mystery to others

I dressed and met with my sister
we went to a small english styled pub
called "The Friar Tuck"
which had quite tasty food
and to my relief
most satisfactory bourbon

afterward we returned to the hotel
and I checked my email
to find an email from a family friend
informing me that his niece was arriving in HK
[a nice jewish girl from Montreal]
[majoring in business at McGill]
for an overnight layover
and wondering if he could impose on my noted hospitality
to take her to dinner and show her some of the town

I must confess to being a bit suspicious
while I believe entirely in coincidences
this seems a bit much
but regardless, I could not refuse a friend

so, I will pick her up at seven
take her to dinner at one of the floating restaurants
which are so famed for their view of the city harbor
and afterward to Temple Street
which houses an evening market filled with many
shops and persons of interest.

I intend to remain entirely the gentleman
[as always *grin*]
and call it a fairly early night
as I have to be at the tailors fairly early in the morning

of course
that required fresh clothes
of a high caliber than the casual attire
I had selected for myself
for a day wandering around HK and flying home
so I had to rely upon the hotels express laundry service
which while absolutely exemplary in every way
and quite swift returning my clothes in less than two hours
was also quite steep
costing about a hundred dollars
for laundering two complete changes of clothes.

well I'd better head off now
for the preliminary fittings at my tailor
so that I can be done in ample time
to ready myself for dinner

my fondest affection to you all

Comments

[tydestra.livejournal.com]

[complete with rubber duckie - the finest sign of luxury]

::squee::