Our First Family Christmas in Hong Kong (plus Weekly Wrap)

We were so happy that it wouldn't just be the two of us for Christmas again this year. Having two out of three kids here with us in Hong Kong is just about the best gift ever ---> if only oldestC could have more time off work.

Planning for Christmas in tropical Hong Kong was obviously different than we are used to (like having a tiny tree), but it was fun being able to do things that we probably wouldn't do back home.

We kicked off the festivities with a Christmas Eve hike on the Lookout Loop trail. We thought middleC might be feeling tired on his first morning in Hong Kong, but he looked as if he hadn't traveled 10 time zones at all. And littleC was finally getting over her bad case of jet lag. Lucky for us it was a popular morning to hike and a nice man helped us with a Santa hat photo on the top.

Later, since the weather was just spectacular, the kids took our iSUP boards out for a paddle. The water was cold, but a calm bay was too much to resist. mrC and I took our turn too, and it was really, really nice to be out on the boards in December.

We loved having the kids with us for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. It was super crowded (that will happen when you normally have four mass times), but we found seats and enjoyed the joyful service.

After opening presents on Christmas morning, we had a big breakfast with pumpkin pancakes ---> I saved the Trader Joe's mix just for this occasion. Wrong season, but totally delicious! We FaceTimed with our family back in the US and enjoyed a lazy afternoon. For dinner, we went with some friends and their kids to Cucina. This restaurant was the perfect place for Christmas dinner. They put party hats on the table (more like New Year's Eve style, but what the heck, it was Christmas!) that added a fun and festive vibe to the evening. Nothing could beat the amazing views of Victoria Harbour though.

mrC and I were thrilled to give the kids a surprise gift to Disneyland Hong Kong! Neither had been to Disneyland before (and often teased their dad about it) and since we live so close to the park, it just seemed like a great time to get them there. Finally! I have to admit, I'm not a big Disney theme park person, but we had a TON of fun. If you're ever in HK, you should definitely go. (We did wait until two days after Christmas though, because the day after Christmas is a public holiday in Hong Kong.)

That's how we celebrated our first family Christmas in Hong Kong!

Here's my Weekly Wrap and I'm linking up with Tricia and Holly:

Monday - Christmas Day!

Tuesday - Took the kids on the tram up to Victoria Peak to catch the views over Hong Kong (evidence below).

Wednesday - Big day at Disneyland.

Thursday - Dragon's Back hike (post coming soon)

Friday - Bodypump and beach time, again!

Saturday - Tiger's Head hike (post coming soon)

Sunday - Church, shopping markets and Pier 3 Bar New Year's Eve Party to watch the fireworks over Victoria Harbour ---> it was cold but super fun!

At the Peak!

For fun, I'm sharing this Never Have I Ever from Run to the Finish! (directions: you get 1 point for each thing you have done)

What was your score? Mine was 11

Happy New Year! 

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

We picked up littleC at the Hong Kong International Airport on Monday evening. After only 4 hours of sleep, she was ready to take on Hong Kong the next morning. We headed to town to join the AWA group tour of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery.

Finding Buddhas in Hong Kong is not surprising, but seeing more than 10,000 in one place is quite impressive. To get to the monastery (this term is used lightly, as there are no actual monks living here), we had to walk a path known for monkeys hanging around (we didn't see any) and then climb about 430 steps completely lined on both sides with golden buddhas.

These buddhas all had very different facial expressions meant to demonstrate the various states of enlightenment.

The monastery was spread out over two levels. To get all the steps out of the way, we went right to the top level. We saw some of the most beautiful temples (there are five in total). I loved the colors in this one.

The different buddha statues continued. It was fun trying to figure out the significance of what they were holding.

The reclining buddha was a big hit. His toes were so big, I kept counting to make sure there were only ten.

The ivory white Kwun Yam statue riding a dragon was a stunning find in the farthest corner of the upper level. With a waterfall behind her, she seemed to be looking over the other buddhas and the village of Shatin far below.

On the main level of the monastery we found the nine story pagoda that is featured on some $100HKD bills. Rumor has it that you can climb up for great views, but it was closed when we were there.

On this level there were several pavilions, more and more buddhas and the main temple with more than 10,000 buddhas inside (no photos or video were allowed inside).

This place was just so interesting! We might have rushed a bit because winter temperatures have arrived in Hong Kong and we were really cold.

5 Days in Budapest - Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of our Budapest adventure. I had to do more than one post because I like to share a lot of pictures. This is your warning ---> there are a lot of pictures.

If you haven't already, check out 5 Days in Budapest - Part 1 first.

Here's a look at how we spent days 3-6 in Budapest (I've added links where I think they will be helpful to others who may be looking to visit Budapest. Some of them are affiliate links):

Day 3 - We started the day with a run along the Danube and across a couple of bridges (I wrote a post about running in Budapest here). Afterwards, we hopped on the tram with youngestC and went to visit her neck of the woods: Corvinus University. She showed us where she lives and then took us to a popular spot nearby for our first taste of Hungary goulash.

Day 4 - While the kids are away, the adults will play, haha. mrC and I purchased some Hop-On Hop-Off (HOHO) tickets and our first use was the boat tour that cruised right past our hotel. We jumped off at Margaret Island and spent an hour exploring until the next boat arrived. There was much to see and on a better weather day, we could have spent a lot more time there. We did find several fun things: the perfect spot for tourists to take photos, a very nice couple let us sit in their rental cart, lots of interesting restaurants, and the musical fountain. Here's a list of fun things to do that is worth a look.

TIP: Always carry change with you for the toilets. This is something as Americans (and expats in Hong Kong) that we were not used to. Even inside a shop you will probably have to pay for use.

We spent the afternoon exploring Castle Hill when youngestC finished her classes. We rode the HOHO bus (using our passes) almost to the top and then took a lift (had to pay) to the main grounds (if it sounds confusing, it was a little - but we got there ok). The place is huge and we did a lot of walking ---> loved the cobblestone but it's hard your feet after awhile. Doing our own self guided tour, here are the main parts that we saw: Royal Palace, Eugene of Savoy monument and Matthias Fountain, Sandor Palace (President lives here now), Matthias Church (we toured inside too), and the Fisherman's Bastion.

We took the funicular down from Castle Hill (we did not have great views - I recommend getting in the "bottom" car). Instead of waiting for the next HOHO bus, we walked across the Chain Bridge back to our favorite bistro for some dinner on the Danube. It was chilly, but they offer fleece blankets for people sitting outside. After dinner we used our HOHO passes for the night boat tour. This is a must-do if you are in Budapest. The city at night is stunning.

Day 5 - After a very busy day 4, our final day in Budapest was a bit of a rainout. mrC and I trekked through the rain to visit the beautiful St. Stephens Basilica. The ferris wheel was closed, but the views would have been amazing. We toured the inside of the basilica and even braved the pouring rain to visit the cupola. (side note: my Athleta rain coat was a lifesaver! I've had it for a few years, but here is a similar one.)

We took our workouts to the Marriott fitness center and were dully impressed with the facilities. Another good way to avoid the rain is to shop, so we visited Váci Street for some souvenirs and food.

Day 6 - Our final day was really just a morning. We took advantage of the good weather and another chance to run together. We took the tram to the Margaret Island bridge and ran to the island from there. On our run we got to see a little more of the island including a small zoo that seemed to feature deer and the ruins of a convent.

TIP: You probably know to travel with a converter, but this one is by far the best I have used. youngestC got hers at Target, but I ordered mine from Amazon.

What we missed (aka saving for next time? I like to be optimistic):

Thermal Baths - I was so sad not to get to do this since it is literally a must-do when visiting Budapest. The Rudas and Szechenyi thermal baths right in city center came highly recommended.

Ruin Bar - A popular way to have a drink is to visit a bar that is set up in the ruins of a parking garage, factory or any dilated building for that matter. We had hoped to have at least one drink at Szimpla Kert, known as the original romkocsma (ruin bar), but the weather again limited our plans.

We had an amazing time with youngestC in Budapest.

If you've been to Budapest - what was your favorite part? 
Do you like to run in cities that you are visiting?
How do you feel about heights?