Tuesday – rain finished.

Met a local on the elevator. American woman living here for the past couple of years. Some interesting comments:

1. USA press used to exaggerate the situation here, but now getting worse and coverage is closer to fact.

2. Friend of hers came in from the Mainland – meaning China – and her friend expected, based on how news coverage is in China, to be in the midst of constant protests and disruptions.

3. Main effect of the protests on those living here and the tourists has been the inconvenience of public transportation and road closings.

She got pancreatitis here and spent 24 days in a private hospital. Bill was one tenth of USA. Procedures were offered with prices: your CT scan will be $350, OK?

Beer at the penninsula. Stopped into the Peninsula Hotel, one I visited often 25 + years ago. Clearly maintained. Notice the persons opening the doors, colonial.

Star Ferry Water tour of harbor. Usual tour, this one with fewer comments about each structure on the water. The harbor here was mentioned as one of the three best deep water ports, San Fran and Rio in Brazil being the others.

Few places to get Rx drugs, have not seen pharmacies. Asked concierge about it, mentioned only a few places. Separate system of course for Chinese medicine.

Virtually no people begging people begging or homeless on the streets here.