An island half a world across the sea

The conference has arrived in Hong Kong. We're staying in nice dorms at the Hong Kong Baptist University in Kowloon (check out the map below). Before I get to HK though, I will recount my last few days in Beijing.
We remained busy throughout our time in Beijing, with the exception of one day when we were able to explore Beijing (pictures in the previous post), during which we ate Peking duck, went to Tiananmen, and explored Wangfujing (a street full of strange snacks and souvenirs) and Houhai (an area of bars and restaurants surrounding a man-made lake in the center of Beijing). We had a Model UN-style Rio Conference in which we worked to safe the world from itself, which we of course did, with yours truly named best delegate (I should have warned you earlier, but yeah, I am going to brag to my blog every once in a while). On our last night, we had an exquisite meal with a gigantic cake followed by a wild night of karaoke, which we extended until about 4 in the morning, when we got back to the hotel, packed, showered, and got on the bus for our flight to HK.
Our first evening in HK was free, which several delegates and I took advantage of to go to the Temple Street night market for a dinner of crab and rice (I had never picked crab before - for those of you who are as uninitiated as I was, it is quite a task) and some shopping. I got back early enough to get a good night of sleep to make up for the long night of KTV (karaoke).
A quick note on the differences between HK and the mainland (running under "One country - Two systems"). I think HK is accurately described as a place where traditional Chinese culture meets western culture, put into a separate political and economic system. The cultural differences are subtle, but the political ones are glaring and immediately obvious, with campaign posters all over the city in preparation for an election on September 9 (HK runs on a strange, partially-democratic system, with half of the legislators chosen by popular vote and the other half by interest groups and the CCP - the executive in charge of HK is elected by a similarly convoluted system that strongly favors the government in Beijing). I am sure there are many other differences that I haven't noticed, but that is a glaring one.
Today, we had two excellent lectures at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology about US-China relations and on the effect studying abroad has on the world views of Chinese students. After a lunch of dim sum at the school's canteen, we left in groups to explore HK. The time here has been a lot of fun so far, and it seems like the HK IMUSE staff planned a little better than the Beijing staff (there was often confusion and overly busy days in Beijing). I am getting to know the other delegates better and better, and I think I will have several lasting friendships come out of the conference.
Also, one interesting thing about the conference is that it has kept me so busy with events and outings and social gatherings that I feel like I have gotten accustomed to China without even realizing it. A nice feeling for ten days into a year long stay.

 Beijing traffic

 On The HK Baptist University campus

 Some delegates at the night market on Temple Street

 A man examines jade to check its quality

A woman playing on her phone because who wouldn't if they were staffing a booth full of sex toys 

 A beautiful view for the HK University for Science and Technology

 View from the Peak

 A banner denouncing Japan (Japanese nationalists recently raised a Japanese flag on some islands north of Taiwan, which has led to anti-Japanese protests throughout China - your fearless protagonist bravely took this picture with a Sony camera)

 A rainbow in Victoria Harbor at night