Xiamen/Gulangyu Island

Unfortunately, if I don't write every day, I seem to forget what came in between. However, I know all of us were quite annoyed in Hong Kong because there was satellite interference, and we were without the internet for a few days. When it finally came on, I had 36 messages, and the very first one was using up about 9 megabytes of space, and after 2 hours, it had still NOT completely downloaded, and then it went dead, which meant starting all over again! I thought I had requested a long time ago that no one send me such long emails. Anyway, I finally cleared it off my screen by getting up at 04:30h and trying again (while no one else on the ship would be using email) and this time, within 10 minutes the offensive email cleared, and the rest of the messages downloaded. It was a bunch of photos which I still haven't looked at! Fortunately, I signed up at the beginning of the cruise for maximum time on the internet, so the 2 hours didn't actually cost me any extra.
After the cooking course in Hong Kong, I didn't go ashore anymore, although we remained in port for two more full days. I have great difficulties in walking any distances, due to pain in my left hip. I will check it out when I get home.
Yesterday, we were in Xiamen, and the weather was miserable, but I took a tour of Gulangyu Island which was quite interesting in spite of the rain. The only traffic on the island is by electric cart, and there are statues all over that I would have liked to photograph, but the cart didn't stop for anything, and it went so fast that I had no time to focus, and therefore ended up discarding many of the photos I did take. The highpoint of the tour was a Chinese Puppet Show at the University Art School, and that was fantastic! My other problem was that there was a great deal more walking required than had been announced, and I was very uncomfortable (and wet!).
In the evening, I had dinner with Pat Laster and her son, at the Silk Road and that was quite enjoyable and very good (as always). Pat is my Yoga teacher.
The night before was the Captain's Welcome Cocktain Party, and I joined the "Swiss contingency", Werner and Beber, both of whom live in Zürich! 0ops! I'm going to be late for Bridge lessons: Have a good day, everyone. I will post my pictures, separately, later.