John Stennis (CVN 74) - Naval Cruise Book

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After spending three weeks steaming hard and training harder, it was time for some Uberty. USS John C. Stennis sailed through the South China Sea and into one of the world ' s largest and busiest ports: Hong Kong, China. The daylight liberty boat ride from the ship into the city brought two very powerful images. The first striking image was the towering commercial and apartment buildings of Hong Kong and Kowloon surrounding the bay like teeth piercing the sky. The second impression was the JCS Battlegroup, anchored proudly in formation near the mouth of the harbor. It was obvious to all that the US Navy was in Hong Kong as a token of friendship. The nighttime liberty boat ride was a festivity of spectacular sights as the buildings lining the bay came alive with neon dragons, fireworks and Christmas merriment. It was as if the Chinese were putting on a show specifically for the purpose of welcoming the Sailors with open arms. Hons Kong is the equivalent of New York or LA in the Orient. The city is a tourist attraction in and of itself. Sailors and Marines bought DVD players, digital cameras, MP3 pl ers and watcl%s from the electronics capitol of the world, while others visited Hong Kong Park with its endless gi en acres in theaiuddle of a sprawling metropolis. Likewise, Victoria ' s Peak offered views across the bay into KoN Ioon and Main Land China. Even though Hong Kong is a highly modernized city,-arid appears to be Wdlktemized in it ' s thinking, the city an4port itseHtannot be denied it ' s century old roots and customs, for ther was no rai taking thatthiswas a foreign land.