HK: Day 10

Woke up at 6:15am to shower and get on a bus for 8:15am headed to China. But when we got to Mong Kok, my mom realized that she had left our tickets back at the flat!! Way to go Ma...
By that point it was already 8:00am and there wasn't enough time to go back and retrieve them and get on the bus in time. Thankfully my uncle was home and he raced to meet us. Also we were fortunate enough to switch our tickets to a later departure time.

After a 3 hour bus ride, we were finally in the motherland. We were greeted by my two (older) cousins, who drove us to the fanciest Chinese restaurant I've ever been to. My family sat at a table that was on a raised platform and surrounded by a pond that housed the biggest fish on the planet. Originally from Brazil and about 4-5 ft long... Holy massive. Holy expensive ($10 000). Not to mention tres ugly.

After dim sum we went to check out the factories my cousin now owns. There, they make lanyards, shoe laces, dog collars and so much more. So cool to see machinery at work.
I also really had to pee, so when I walked into the bathroom, I was really caught off guard when I saw the toilet which was essentially a hole... Never again.

Following our trip to the factory, we visited my family's houses. My uncle and cousins each have their own places, bu they're also all neighbors. Their houses are huge. Very high ceilings, and all 3-4 floors high. The thing my family likes to do is reminisce on the old days and look at old pictures. We saw a picture of my mom visiting my uncle's family at the age of 16. It's crazy to think our parents had lives before us. Oh, it was also here where I was a target for mosquitos...

For dinner we went back to the dim sum place. But this time our family booked a private room. This was our first really huge family gathering (with real family). even though it was with mostly extended family, I'm thankful we got to share that with them. And seeing my Mom with her brothers is a very rare and sweet thing to see. So glad we came.

This last part I'm writing in a very relaxed state. Just came back from a massage. Never gotten one before. A little strange but I think I can get used to it!!
As I write I'm kickin back in a pretty swanky hotel. Jiaxin Conifer Hotel in Shunde. Only opened last year. So nice.
Anyways, I'm gonna sleep in my uber-comfy bed now.

So, recap:
Peed in a hole. Got eaten alive. Well fed. Massage. Fancy hotel.

I love China.