May 2012 - Day 3 - The world's most powerful toilet!

The Starbucks ap works in Hong Kong!  At least the store locator button works.  This makes me happy.  I shouldn't be this excited I suppose, but a big ass cup of coffee in the morning puts me right.  The registers dont have optical scanners to read the 2D barcode display to charge my account, but cash works just fine.  Finding one is the hardest part anyhow.  It turns out there are three within two blocks of my hotel. 



View from the Novotel Century in Wanchai

The Novotel Century is my new favorite hotel in Hong Kong. The rooms are small, like all reasonably priced rooms in this city (if you consider $300 USD a night reasonable) but the location and the staff are terrific. Its 2 blocks to the MTR (subway) and my favorite pubs, and 3 blocks from the waterfront.

I caught the 1:00 PM ferry to Shekou after locating and purchasing a case of baby formula for Larry.  Larry has a new baby and does not trust the products he can buy in China, and after all of the news stories about poisoinous toothpaste and milk in recent years, who can blame him. 

I am staying at the Nan Hai Hotel in Shekou again, manily because there arent yet any good alternatives.  The Nan Hai was listed as a five-star hotel when it was opened back in the 80's, but it needs a serious modernization, especially the bathrooms.  My first room would not cool down after a full day, despite the thermostat being set to the lowest point, a big problem in southern China where it is very humid and hot this time of year.  I had the staff check into this while I was working one day.  When I returned, I was politely told there is nothing wrong with the AC, but they would be happy to move me to a room where it worked better.  I didn't bother to point out the lapse in logic here.  I just changed rooms and the AC did work better.  A new Hilton is going up next door and should be open within a year.  I cant wait!


You gotta love the blue bath tub

 On the other hand, the toilets (also blue) are so powerful they shake the floor.  It sounds like the space shuttle blasting off.  I swear you could flush a cat down this thing.

Larry arrived from Shanghai around 6:00 PM.  We had dinner at an American restaurant in Sea World which served really good burgers and proper Caipirinhas!  Beef, cane rum, hot humid - I could close my eyes and be in Brazil.  A nice meal.  I do like Shenzhen for this reason - if you get tired of Chinese food and atmosphere, you have options.