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The China Adventures of Arielle Gabriel

November 9

This day at Ocean Park is full of joy undercut with some sadness that Joe will leave tomorrow and we may not meet till next summer.
 
We attend to tedious Couple Chores, how he will help me in Canada, and how I can help him in Hong Kong, and lists in our notebooks, and phone numbers and addresses to share.
 
Then we rush to Ocean Park and get there by one in the afternoon.
 
Firstly I am confused by the hugeness of Ocean Park and all lack of maps on the stands. 
 
We decide just to start walking, and I am impressed that you cannot even enter Ocean Park without going through its tourist souvenirs shop!
 
The nerve!
 
Also, it is full of Miss Kitty, and Barbie, and McDonald's toys.
 
We hit the fake Chinese Village right away, and after Folk China in Shenzhen, a truly fascinating theme park with exactly produced houses of folk tribes from all over China, this village is charmingly laughable, with a Big Buddha plunked down right in the village sqaure, and an American voice pretending to the voice of the first famed Chinese Emperor, who sits alone as a carved statue in a tiny house.
 
It is great for photographers, if you take the photos from the right angles.
 
The ocean side aspect of Ocean Park lives up to its reputation, and it is rare to feel such tranquillity in a theme park anywhere in the world.
 
I warmed up to Ocean Park as the day went along, and recommend it very highly, though I would assume week-days are best for avoiding long ride line-ups.
 
We got lost next in The Aviary, a parklet with pink flamingoes and white swans, and the expected pagodas and octagonal houses on ponds.
 
After finding a map, we began a long slow ride to a top level, where we located the Dolphin Circu area, and planned to return for the 3.30 show after hitting a few rides.
 
The rides were quite a suprise, as they were included in the admission ticket, you only had to wait one turn, and you could go on them as much as you liked.
 
Also they were located on the fringe of the park, and swinging above the ocean rather than other amusement rides gave a healthy dimension, as you screamed and your lungs filled with ocean air!
 
The dolphins were boring to Joe, as he had had enough of them in Vancouver, and yet I had never seen any, and loved their brightness and playfulness.  They are really one of nature's most intriguing animals, and the affection between the trainers and the sea creatures produced a popular show.
 
There are a lot of people speaking Mandarin, said Joe. who speaks Cantonese.
 
Maybe the local Chinese have been here a lot already, I said.
 
The park was well laid out once you began to figure it out, with huge spaces of trees and flowers and even near empty roads.
 
We finished with the Panda Bears.
 
i told Joe he reminded me of a Panda Bear, with his stocky physique, solid torso, and huge dark eyes.
 
He didnot know how to take this, though bought me a small panda souvenir at the gift shop, before we went for iced tea at The American Cafe by the exit.
 
I took him out for dinner to say a teary farwell before parting later.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lamma Island * Lantau Island * Cheung Chau Island
Hong Kong * Mui Wo * Peng Chau Island
Tung Chung * Shenzhen * Nanning * Hunan Province
Bobcaygeon * Pointe Claire * Montreal
Peterborough * Lake Sturgeon * Ontario
Vancouver * Richmond * British Columbia

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The China Adventures Of Arielle Gabriel

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