Hong Kong
It's now the start of January 2012 and is nearly a year since my last real holiday. Let's see how much I can remember about my time in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong was my stop-off point on my way home from Sydney following my five weeks visiting Vanessa. I arrived in the evening with heavy bags and wandered aimlessly around the streets as is my wont trying to find my hotel, rather than asking someone. The hotel was on the Hong Kong island side of the city. After walking through a number of elevated covered walkways, I found my way down to some narrow streets with lots of cars and carts trying to squeeze through. I somehow made it to the hotel without being run down.
I went out for an evening walk in the pleasant evening temperature. That was when I first saw it - the escalator! The streets in that area of the city are so narrow that they built these covered walkways above the ground where there is much more space. Then a lot of the city is on the hill, so there is a massive escalator rising up the hill from the business district. I went part of the way before I left the city, but there was still a lot more of it - I could see it rising into the distance.
The other thing I noticed immediately was the massive skyscrapers which formed the famous Hong Kong skyline. On the following morning, I went up in the tram to Victoria Peak and could see the skyline from the car, through the mist and haze.
I caught the ferry across to Kowloon during the afternoon. The Hong Kong skyline was particularly impressive from the Kowloon side. Having been to Singapore a few times, I expected Hong Kong to be similar but dirtier. What I wasn't expecting was to be hassled pretty much everywhere I walked in Kowloon. Did I want a new suit? Did I want a fake rolex watch? Did I want some skunk? I was getting a bit fed-up of saying no to these questions. So, to avoid being pestered further, I went to the night time street market. It was actually very good, although I didn't buy anything. There were some interesting looking items for sale.
On the next day, I went to another famous street market - in Stanley. I caught the bus out there, and it really was a beautiful journey, over the hill and round the picturesque coastline. I didn't find the market itself as interesting as the Kowloon night market, but ended up buying a teapot and cups for Chinese tea.
I did some more wandering around, caught one of the very old and rickety trams across the island, and saw some of the more tacky areas with the bright neon lights. Didn't find any particularly outstanding food during my short stay, which was a disappointment (and another difference from Singapore).
All in all, it was a good trip, but after five weeks with Vanessa it was a bit lonely wandering round a strange city on my own. Couldn't really order dim sum on my own - maybe that was where I missed out on the good food! The light and show every evening seemed to be quite impressive too - various buildings on both sides of the water shone different colour lights in a choreographed pattern - although I didn't find a good place to watch the show in full on any of the nights I was there!
Hong Kong was my stop-off point on my way home from Sydney following my five weeks visiting Vanessa. I arrived in the evening with heavy bags and wandered aimlessly around the streets as is my wont trying to find my hotel, rather than asking someone. The hotel was on the Hong Kong island side of the city. After walking through a number of elevated covered walkways, I found my way down to some narrow streets with lots of cars and carts trying to squeeze through. I somehow made it to the hotel without being run down.
I went out for an evening walk in the pleasant evening temperature. That was when I first saw it - the escalator! The streets in that area of the city are so narrow that they built these covered walkways above the ground where there is much more space. Then a lot of the city is on the hill, so there is a massive escalator rising up the hill from the business district. I went part of the way before I left the city, but there was still a lot more of it - I could see it rising into the distance.
The other thing I noticed immediately was the massive skyscrapers which formed the famous Hong Kong skyline. On the following morning, I went up in the tram to Victoria Peak and could see the skyline from the car, through the mist and haze.
I caught the ferry across to Kowloon during the afternoon. The Hong Kong skyline was particularly impressive from the Kowloon side. Having been to Singapore a few times, I expected Hong Kong to be similar but dirtier. What I wasn't expecting was to be hassled pretty much everywhere I walked in Kowloon. Did I want a new suit? Did I want a fake rolex watch? Did I want some skunk? I was getting a bit fed-up of saying no to these questions. So, to avoid being pestered further, I went to the night time street market. It was actually very good, although I didn't buy anything. There were some interesting looking items for sale.
On the next day, I went to another famous street market - in Stanley. I caught the bus out there, and it really was a beautiful journey, over the hill and round the picturesque coastline. I didn't find the market itself as interesting as the Kowloon night market, but ended up buying a teapot and cups for Chinese tea.
I did some more wandering around, caught one of the very old and rickety trams across the island, and saw some of the more tacky areas with the bright neon lights. Didn't find any particularly outstanding food during my short stay, which was a disappointment (and another difference from Singapore).
All in all, it was a good trip, but after five weeks with Vanessa it was a bit lonely wandering round a strange city on my own. Couldn't really order dim sum on my own - maybe that was where I missed out on the good food! The light and show every evening seemed to be quite impressive too - various buildings on both sides of the water shone different colour lights in a choreographed pattern - although I didn't find a good place to watch the show in full on any of the nights I was there!
posted by Gaz man at 9:18 pm
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