Hong Kong Trip - Day 5

Saturday. Had dim sum with my mom's big bro, wife and son at the Pioneer restaurant we had the other day. Ah yes, we experienced the "bill payment" magic trick HK people do and not until after a few experiences did we find it "normal." What happens is... when you ask for the bill, for example, the total comes to $420 and they show you that total. If you present them $500, they will flip the bill book and immediately reveal your change of $80. Or, for the advanced restaurants, they may have two possibilities: present them $450, they will reveal a second layer with $30 change. However, if what you present them is not what they predicted, then you force them to return to the bill counter to get the proper change, or documentation if you're using card. However, this totally speeds up the billing progress, resulting in more turnovers and happy customers, as we all know, HK people must hastehastehaste.

Anyway, after good food, we took the MTR to Shenzhen to get ready for some good ol' pampering. We had to go through HK customs then China customs before we made it to the other side. Quite a bit of work... and just through one way, I get a whole bunch of new stamps in my passport :O! When we arrived on the other side, the malls were packed full of people but the atmosphere was completely different. The stores were small, all looked the same, and all had people standing outside of them luring you in by talking endlessly to your face, trying to get your attention. Here, we keep our bags in front of us at all times, in case of pick pockets. Here, smokers sit on the walking stairs and smoke out in the open public. Here, all the clothing look the same. Here, everything is fake.

We went on our way, walked down this creepy back alley, with dark corners and pathways. Then someone suddenly in the middle of the road, chopping pineapples and selling them on sticks for people walking by. After a bit of walking, we arrive at this prettier building. We were first brought down to the basement to change and shower if you wished, then back up to the upper levels for the initial step -- a foot massage. While you were being massaged, you got to watch (Chinese) TV and order food/drinks if you wished. Just for old times' sake, and because there was nothing else on, I watched a Mandarinized version of Card Captor Sakura... episode 12ish, when Syaoran captures the Time card and the following episode when Sakura captures the Power card. lol. Good times. After the foot massage, we were brought to another level for some body massaging! After all that relaxation, we returned to the basement to shower and change back.

When we came back into the lobby, it was pouring buckets of water. Even just one step outside would leave you drenched. Our dinner plans to eat awesome seafood were ruined. Fortunately, there was a restaurant right next door so we decided to eat there instead. It was decent, 'cept the waiter and waitress were whispering about us... Not that I knew what they were whispering about...

Anyway, after the meal, we took a taxi-like service back to the station and MTR'd back. There was an Indian pervert that snuck a picture of me wtf. He sucked at hiding it. Good thing he left after the first station.

Finally we got back to the hotel, drenched to the core. Not much of a shower at the massage place after all... -_-