12/30/08 When in doubt, follow the monk

Tuesday, December 30 - Hong Kong
So my ticket is still valid for the double decker bus so I hop on and do the Kowloon side again as there is so much to see and absorb. I then decide that I am in the city with the best mass transportation, I need to venture out and see a few things on my own.
I decide to go to the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery which is only taking one train right by my hotel. My tours book says to hop off the train and follow the "clear signposts" to the temple. Great. So I get off the train and walk about 2 blocks and I am not seeing any clear signposts. I start to think that perhaps I should just head back to the train and my silly double decker bus when out of nowhere a monk walks in front of me. I mean I laughed outloud and thought "OK that's my good karma or the donation I made to Buddha at the Golden Goose Pagoda." Either way, I figure I should follow the monk as he cannot possibly lead me astray. Well, he hops on his cell phone and starts chatting it up and I know I am in good hands.
He leads me right to the Monastery and 10,000 buddhas. I think there is a buddha for every emotion and need out there. The monk turns around as we are climbing way to many stairs and says something to me in a language I do not know, I respond in English and he responds in his language and I respond in English. Yep, that's me, continuing to expand on international relationships! Anyway, cool adventure and I am proud of myself for venturing 30 minutes away from my hotel without a tour guide.
I then took a train to Kowloon and walked Nathan Road from Waterloo to Canton. Again, I cannot describe the shopping. It is truly amazing!
I head back to my hotel and have my first Thai massage. The woman literally climbed on top of the table and walked on my back and legs. I would have laughed outloud had it not been for the lack of oxygen in my lungs. I would have cried "uncle" if a had a breath to take. It was a great massage and I will never forget her walking all over me.