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Published: April 11th 2010
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A Quick Adventure in Hong Kong Wed 25th Nov Hong Kong was great! We arrived and checked into the Harbourview Hotel on Hong Kong Island. We were upgraded to a ‘suite’, which was very roomy and had full harbour views. It was a good start to know we were staying somewhere nice.
We arrived, but had to recover from our few days with John and Amy in Perth! So we had a few hours sleep before heading out into the abyss. We started with an early dinner at a traditional little restaurant in Wan Chai, near where we were staying. We had the preconception that most would speak English - especially considering Hong Kong had been a British Colony for so long - but this was certainly not the case. We found this out the first night at dinner when Stacy asked for “Rice”. The staff looked at him like he was an alien! So he pointed to it on the menu, and they said “ohhhh…Rie”. Say it right Stace, or you wont get Rie!
After dinner we took a leisurely stroll around the streets for a few hours, getting orientated to the ‘feel’ of the
Stanley
is famous for its markets, beaches and good variety of restaurants city. We didn’t feel overwhelmed, or at risk - the city felt safe and very welcoming. We knew the next few days would be relaxing yet enlightening…
Thurs 26th Nov We woke to a smorgasbord of food at the hotel. It was the perfect start to the day!
The first thing that struck us was the density of the city. The buildings are amazingly tall. Some of the architecture and engineering feats need to be seen to be believed! Some areas are just high rise government housing buildings - stacked in rows.
We started by walking across from the hotel to the Hong Kong Convention Centre which is home to the Golden Bauhinia. The Bauhinia flower is Hong Kong's emblem. It's on the flag of Hong Kong, and on the coins. Which is why the Chinese Government gifted Hong Kong with this Golden Bauhinia Sculpture, when Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty on 1 July 1997.
We have learnt that the best way to get an initial orientation of a city is to take the local ‘topless’ hop-on hop-off bus. The tour took us to:
Victoria Park: Victoria Park is the largest park in
Tall buildings dominate the landscape
The streets are shaded most of the day Hong Kong Island. In 2000 they planted 5500 trees as part of a rejuvenation of the park.
Hennessy Road: This shopping district is one of the most famous areas in Hong Kong. Here you can buy electronics and jewelry at some of the most competitive prices in the world. Unfortunately we were not there to shop, but wished we were!!!
The Peak Tram: This gave us the best outlook to see Hong Kong. We stayed here for a coffee and admired the spectacular skyline of Hong Kong.
The 2IFC Tower: Is the tallest building in Hong Kong standing at 88-stories tall (415m). It was built in 2003. It stands as the 9th-tallest building in the world.
Ferry on across harbour: Hong Kong Harbour is a flurry of activity. Modern boats interweave with traditional Chinese junk boats. It is a spectacular sight!
Avenue of Stars: pays tribute to the Chinese film community. Although we didn’t know most ‘stars’ we did recognise the name Jackie Chan.
Jade Markets: we decided to spend a little and buy some gifts at the jade market.
Night Markets: there was so much good stuff! In the end Stacy couldn’t
Rooftop Bar
Enjoying the night skyline of Hong Kong. go by without buying himself a new wallet.
We took the MTR (Metro) back to the hotel, and got ready to go out for the evening. We started with champagne in the room, and watched the nightly “Symphony of Lights” across the harbour. This show is the world’s largest permanent light and sound show and is in the Guinness book of records. It covers more than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. It was then off to a very classy rooftop bar to enjoy the skyline and night lights of Hong Kong.
Fri 27th Nov We got up, a little dusty after a few too many Caprioska’s at the roof top bar. Unfortunately we had to get on an early bus, and take on the windy roads across to Stanley. We spent some time in the markets and bought David an RC helicopter as a Christmas gift. Being by the water, we also took some time to relax and take in the views.
The day was also sparked up by hundreds of school kids that were out to do an assignment. They had to ask tourists (in English) what they liked about Hong Kong.
The first time we were asked was quite exciting, as we were able to ask the kids what life was like in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, by the sixth time, the novelty had worn off!
That night we went to a local restaurant for BBQ pork and flat rice noodles…yum! The food was always so good!
Sat 28th Nov Today we spent time down on Hennessy Road doing some Christmas shopping! It was a great opportunity to buy the best products on the market, at tax free prices. We stocked up on aftershaves and few other bits and pieces before leaving Hong Kong.
Whilst our trip was short, it was long enough to enjoy the sites, sounds and smells of Hong Kong. The city skyline is incredible, the harbour is beautiful, the streets are vibrant, and food is incredible. We loved Hong Kong, and would recommend it to anyone who had the opportunity to stop-over for a few days.
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David
non-member comment
You made it!
What a pity that you left out the bit about the flight to HK (AKA the flight that nearly wasn't!!). What a great time that you had, judging by the pictures. Hope that you get there again some time.