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Published: February 2nd 2006
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The best view in Hong Kong
From the peak on Hong Kong Island OK, I've bowed to pressure and posted more photographs (for this and previous blogs). Any typos in the following blog are entirely down to the fact that I'm finishing it in Thailand, and am so relaxed that I can hardly push the keys. This may be my last blog for a short while, as the travelling continues from here on in at a rather more leisurely pace...
A bit out of my way, but I felt it would have been rude not to visit Hong Kong. Perched on the edge of China, and home to countless number of ruthless capitalists, Hong Kong is a place that I'd heard about often, but knew very little about.
My previous impressions of Hong Kong had come mainly through news media, prompting images of merchant bankers screaming to each other across crowded trading floors, 'Seb, I've got Charlie from Honkers on the line - he wants a price for shorting pork-bellies!', and gated prep schools for the world's Anglo-Saxon elite. Of course elements of this turned out to be true. There were lots of 'Tim... nice, but dim' types around wearing their Ralph Lauren jumpers draped casually over their polo shirts, and a
Happy New Year!
Fireworks over the harbour. number of the older cadre who had blatently failed in their careers in Blighty or were on the run from the authorites. But Hong Kong seemed to be changing now that it's under Chinese rule, and the place appeared to be becoming less of an ex-pat refuge, and more hard-nosed and, well, Chinese. I had a long chat with a tailor who lamented the old ways, while measuring my inside leg.
I stayed in Kowloon, and treated myself to a really nice hotel. The room almost had a view of the spectacular harbour (I use the word 'almost' in the sense that one occasionally 'almost' catches a flight - ie one doesn't). Great to be amongst clean sheets, hot water and obsequiousness once again, and a stone's through from the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island.
The Kowloon peninsula and Hong Kong Island have plenty to keep one occuped for 3 or 4 days, but if ever I go back I'll travel further afield as there's plenty in the outying areas too. I did loads of sightseeing, and aggravated an ankle twinge that I picked up in Nepal. This may preclude me from vigorous excercise in Thailand, and
Hong Kong Island from Kowloon
As not seen from my hotel bedroom. force me to lie on the beach. Ho hum. The peak on Hong Kong island is well worth exploring, as there are loads of trails and viewpoints, each more jaw-dropping than the last. Lots of wonderful markets in Kowloon, although the majority were closed for the Chinese New Year festivities. These sights were replaced by altogether more agreeable ones: a fantastic parade through Hong Kong island (Crozier would have loved it - lots of tiny but deadly martial artists defying gravity) and a spectacular firework display that I watched from the carpark roof of the hotel. The biggest cheer from the massed crowds came when the Hong Kong Californian Cheerleaders Association did their twirl in the parade. Lots of middle aged gawking and evil looks from female spouses.
The food was great: plentiful, very tasty and reasonably healthy (why can't we have such stuff in England?) and the beer was cold. I'm getting to be somewhat of a dumpling obsessive, something that my friends will no doubt have suspected for some time. The city itself was a real joy to stay in - I can imagine spending more time there in the future. Vibrant, exciting, diverse, hot, and great
looking. And for those of you who love shopping, Hong Kong is probably about as good as it gets. I whistfully toyed with purchasing a ludicrously priced Jack Spade bag, but given that I can hardly lift my luggage as it is, I felt it would have been an indulgence too far...
I couldn't resist the lure of the tailor, and have ordered myself a fine pin-striped number to wear in the favelas of Brazil. The process was all rather drawn out, with the squinting taylor measuring just about everything there is to measure on my body. I suspect that the finished article will be rather snug, not unlike my friend Christian's infamous 'skin suit' that he wears for sunbathing in Jersey ('look Ian, there's nothing remotely odd about nude sunbathing - it's the only time I ever feel truly free'). Shudder. Pompously, the finished article will have my name stitched into the lining, a detail that will become all too familiar to any of you who have the misfortune of working with me in the future.
I think it was the renowned paediatrician (note for the people of Portsmouth and readers of the News of the World:
Street scene
Really scraping the photographic barrel now... this is a children's doctor) Dr Sang Ool Hong Song who said of Hong Kong, 'a man who is bored of Hong Kong is bored of life'. I could not agree more. Indeed, if you are feeling suicidal, it's well worth coming here first to see if it really is worth popping your clogs just yet. Incidentally, my brother can often be heard paraphrasing Dr Hong Song by quipping, 'a man who is bored of Rioja is bored of life', prior to falling asleep and spilling wine all over himself.
Thailand next.
Toodle pip.
PS - the hotel smelled like a Las Vegas Casino. Not a bad thing.
PPS - Niki - you should never have left Honkers - it's fantastic.
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Andria in SF
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nice timing!
Great timing to be in HK for the New Year... I haven't been since reunification (in fact I haven't been back since they moved the airport, which was a little bit earlier than that I think). Hoping to make it sometime soon! Have fun in Thailand... indulge in a massage every day - you'll be able to afford it without a problem (maybe even twice a day). Travel safely! (and thanks for the greater volume of photos) Andria