HK, Day 3 - China Visas, Temple Street Market

Plans for the day: China Visas, browsing street vendors at Temple St. Market, and dinner at Spring Deer.


Highlights:
- Decision to take a side trip to Bangkok. Big thanks to Art and Chris for helping to make that happen. 

- Having the BESTEST girlfriend EVER who was willing to do a huge favor for us regarding searching for and faxing birth certificates! We love you, Cathy! And thanks also to Terri-Ann for leaving the key for Cathy. (For more details, see below in "Waay Out Of My Box" section below.)
- Dining at Spring Deer for their delicious, succulent duck.

Buildings outside the Visa building

Quick stop into a nice hotel.

Dinner at Spring Deer Restaurant in another busy downtown-ish section of HK.

Dinner at Spring Deer restaurant. Known for their duck.

Deep fried donut-like dessert.

Waay Out Of My Box Adventures

- We started off the day at the Visa consulate (not sure of the official name). We needed our China Visas for our Day 8 and 10 excursions into China. Of course we had to spend a couple of hours waiting for our turn to submit applications. When we finally got to the front desk, we were told by a not-so-nice woman (who obviously hates her job) that the kids needed copies of their birth certificates. WTH?! I didn't think to make copies or even take pics of those, the way I did our passports. That's what passports are for, right? Not according to Ms. Not-my-problem-NEXT! Ooh, I did not like her. But one must never piss off a person who has the power to misplace one's passports.  So we spared her a sour smile, muttered a thanks and told her "We'll be back." How did I not foresee and plan and prepare for this? How?! After some deep breaths and muttered mantras, "Walk around the leaf,  just walk around the leaf..."  I was calm enough to think things through.

Long story short, we needed a neighbor to go into our house then our safe, retrieve birth certs, and fax or email us the copies. Pronto. Cathy did all this immediately with no complaints, no questions. Just took her boys to the house--was even greeted by Tobi with the typical sock-in-her-mouth gift--and proceeded to retrieve the needed paperwork. WHAT A PAL! A thousand thanks, Cat. Mission accomplished.