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Published: December 2nd 2010
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Day 1
We had only a limited time in Hong Kong and had to make the most of it. Hardly had we settled into our hotel than it was time to head off for the Harbour. We chose to stay on the Kowloon side on the first evening in order to best view the free sound and laser light show. It is put on every day for 13 minutes starting at 8pm. Why 13 minutes? Because 13 is a lucky number for the Chinese. What a show! Lights on the main tall skyscrapers moved in synchronisation or syncopation up and down and side to side with the music while green and white laser lights shone out from the tower tops from both sides of the harbour at one another. Then we worked our way back up to the hotel in the thronged streets packed with shoppers and revellers. It was hard to comprehend the scale of the buildings here. 7 million people were crammed into massive tower blocks that gave me vertigo just thinking about it. The majority of them (75%) rent rooms that are little more than boxes so they spend as much time as possible out of their
homes. Because of this HK was all about the senses – sights, sounds and smells! Fortunately the smells were not the drains, though these could be a bit sulphurous at times, but rather that of cooking. We always intended to try Cantonese food while here and found a street set up in the Night market close to where we were staying. Hard to call it a restaurant as it spilled out into the street. However, the food was lovely. Hot and quickly served with no attempt at finesse, on tables and chairs that didn’t match. Sweet and sour pork and spicy beef noodles. Cost very little. The Night market is in a series of streets that becomes pedestrianised after dark and it was here that the fake goods could be found. Strangely no where near as pushy as places like Cairo which was nice. Only occasionally approached to see if I needed a suit run up or a watch. With bodies 8 hours out of sync, too tired then to look closely at the offerings so off to bed.
Day 2
We realised that we would be hard pressed to see much if left to our own devices
so took the option of going on a tour of HK. This meant an early start, after a curtailed sleep for both of us due to the jet lag, and a brisk walk down to the Harbour again to pick up the coach at the Kowloon Hotel. The coach was full of Brits doing the same thing. We set off still in rush hour and soon became sucked into the crawling traffic. Why anyone would want to have a car here is beyond us. Glad we weren’t driving. Through one of three tunnels onto HK island and out past Happy Valley race course to start at Aberdeen, famous for the massive floating restaurants. We had a sampan ride round the bay to get a glimpse of the floating homes of the poorer locals. We had intended to go back to the Jumbo restaurant in the evening but having been round the back of it in daylight we were a bit put off. Next stop was a trip to a jewellery factory – well really it was a shop! We avoided buying anything as there were no bargains to be had but several of our party were tempted. Instead we soaked
up the rays of sunshine bursting through the slightly polluted sky. This is not entirely the fault of HK but rather the drift of pollution from mainland China. Next stop was further out at Stanley. Here we took to the sandy beach and admired the South China Sea. Claire had a paddle. Richard took the photo. Stanley is another place to shop in open markets and did have lots more interesting items but as we were at the start rather than the end of our vacation we were again not tempted. The journey there was full of interesting scenery and took us high up and then down again to seaside level. Many ex pat workers live out in Stanley and there are lots of very expensive properties, including the house of Crazy Chin who paid 7 million $HK for the number plate 8888. You’ve guessed it – a most lucky number to the Chinese. We were also told that the number 4 is unlucky so that explains why there is no number 4 in the lift in the hotel we were in! Also, no Chinese will be put in room 4, 14, 24 etc. You’ve guessed it. We were in
room 14.
Last on the tour was a trip up to the Peak to get a panoramic view of HK from the backside. Normally this would be taken on the funicular tram but we just managed to coincide our trip with the two days when this was out of service. The coach got us there instead. Sadly, air pollution spoiled the view a bit. We went back to Kowloon after that and then took the famous Star Ferry back to the island. The crossing is only a few minutes long but worth the views to either side and only cost about 20pence for both of us. Lunch was taken in a Macdonalds style noodle bar and followed by an experience on the escalators to the Mid levels. Probably 20 or so escalators in total take people effortlessly up high. From the finish the way is then all downhill. We went via the Zoological gardens and saw some very compliant monkeys.
Later we took another Cantonese dinner on Kowloon side and had to ask for the chopsticks as we were offered only a spoon and fork at first – cheek of it!
Day 3
Time for a museum
before the departure to NZ in mid afternoon. Some we wanted to look at presented the great difficulty of being shut on a Tuesday so we ended up in the Chinese Museum of Art. We were very surprised by how there was to see of both pictures and ornaments. We now know where the different dynasties fall in time and have a better understanding and appreciation of scroll painting. It was amazing to realise that the Chinese were making the most impressive glass and porcelain objects 500 to 700 years ago when the English were making rough pottery and bashing on pewter. Toured the Kowloon city gardens later. Nice little aviary and other formal areas. An oasis in a cauldron of sound and noise. Whisked away to the airport for an evening flight to Auckland. Again on time in leaving. Time for some shut eye.
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Sarah Mullen
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And they're off
Hello Just read your first couple of blogs, HK sounds like a real assault on the senses. Hope you have a safe flight to Auckland. Esme refusing to use the cat flaps!! Cat flap training/coaxing continues - Joe is very, very patient (I'm not). Sarah xx