No Parking

I was quite sad to see loads of local bars and brothels displaying "US NAVY WELCOME HERE" signs whilst walking through Wan Chai the other day.

It meant that for a few days Wan Chai would change and become a totally different animal. I was with a few friends when we spotted the ominous signs and one of them quite rightly said that for the next three days they were not leaving the flat.

Luckily though I have since discovered that China intervened on our behalf.

"Top U.S. Navy officials sharply criticized China on Tuesday for refusing to allow U.S. warships to stop in Hong Kong last week, signaling a potential fracture in American-Chinese relations just a short time after a visit to Beijing by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.
On Nov. 20, the Chinese refused to allow two minesweepers, the Patriot and Guardian, to come into Hong Kong to refuel and take refuge from a storm. The next day, the Chinese refused to permit the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk and its strike group to make a scheduled four-day port call to Hong Kong for the Thanksgiving holiday" (Source)

It is kind of a shame the Americans could not celebrate Thanksgiving. I am giving thanks though that they never got chance to take over Wan Chai.

bx