The Pearl of the Orient... a Real Gem!

Asia » Hong Kong
May 23rd 2009

Published: July 4th 2009

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Luisa28

Taking It All In

Double-decker bus tour in Kowloon.

Day 1

A perfect girls' weekend in Hong Kong was exactly what I needed to break up the monotony of the blah spring we'd been having back in Korea. As any girl would do, I painted my nails to match all three of the dresses I'd packed for the weekend which were, of course, color coordinated with my friend's outfits. I stuffed my backpack full of all the necessities, cut out of work early, grabbed a Starbucks icy drink for energy and headed with Kathryn to the airport for our evening flight to Hong Kong. We arrived late, around 10:30p.m. but we quickly discovered how easy getting (and fun) getting around the area could be. We spent a few dollars on bus tickets into the city and were excited to see they were double-decker buses! Now I tried to remain calm, after all how lady-like would it be to run and skip toward the bus with my gigantic backpack on, but I did quicken my pace and secured us front-row seats on the top tier! I was pumped! It was a crazy bus ride and I was sure we were going to topple over every time the us made a

Then and Now

An old-fashioned junk sails past a very modern skyline.

turn. Kathryn wasn't quite feelin' it when we were driving across one of the longest suspension bridges in the world though I couldn't be distracted from the city lights in the distance long enough to notice. What I couldn't help but notice was our "ahem" accomodations. The Chungking Mansions, supposedly the building housing the Luxury European Hostel, looked more like the projects than a mansion. It was strange because this building was located next to the Holiday Inn and on the same block as the Sheraton and the Pennisula! How could it be then, that when we walked in, we found ourselves searching for "Block C" amongst hundreds of loitering men who seemed to fresh to Hong Kong from Africa, India, and we later found out, Bangladesh?

We rode the elevator up to the top (16th) floor where we were greeted by an African man named Brown. He could have been one of the men from the lobby or even a guest because there was nothing to distinguish him as an employee of the so-called "guest house." After being told our room was not available for the night, we were shown to a room on a lower floor that

A Star is Born!

The Avenue of Stars along the waterfront in Kowloon.

was easily the filthiest place I've ever stayed. The windows were like factory windows and completely grimy, the door was flimsy and I'm almost certain in hindsight that it didn't lock. Our beds had comforters that were torn entirely down one side revealing the filling, there was no phone (you know, to call for help in case of emergency,) and there were people yelling, doors slamming, and children crying until 2am. Not a good first impression. The next day we went to the supposed 24-hour desk service to find a group of angry Europeans who'd been waiting to check-in for 2 hours! I suggested we call Brown's cell phone and he came up, half-asleep, wholly rude, and in the same clothes he'd been wearing the night before. We arranged for our room to be switched to something resembling what we had actually booked before heading out to the Starbucks across the street to enjoy a relaxing breakfast and regroup after the night we'd just endured.

Our first order of the day was to walk down to the waterfront, where we got our first spectacular view of the harbor. We strolled down the "Avenue of the Stars," pausing to pose

Who's the Boss?

Marketplace scene in Kowloon.

with the hand prints of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Chow Yun Fat as well as several locals who must not see Westerners too often. Over the next 4 days we were photographed by complete strangers 8 times, once from atop a double-decker bus! We felt like celebrities and I didn't mind one bit, after all this was a girly-girl weekend and who wouldn't want to feel like a movie star for a few days? There was a double-decker bus tour, the kind where you can hop on and off at various points and it included both Hong Kong island and the mainland portion of the area called Kowloon not to mention the ferry ticket between the two places. I loved the bus tour! It isn't something I would normally go for but with so little time to see the city, we thought it would be well worth it just to get a general overview of the place. We got to sit on the top deck and there are so many neon signs that hang out into the middle of the streets that it was great fun to drive under them. We got off in Kowloon for some lunch right

Street Meat

Marketplace in Kowloon.

near where they have the Temple St. Night Market, which I will come back to later. We had tasty beef with broccoli and tea for lunch and then poked around the shops and markets. Beautiful dragon fruits, pungent durians, and plenty of dried fish were all for sale and my favorite stall had a cat that was sitting next to the owner overseeing the transactions. I laughed as the cat crawled all over the fruits and vegetables displayed on the table without anyone seeming to notice or care. Of course there were also plenty of ducks hanging in the windows of meat markets as well but I quickly walked past them. The bus picked us up right where we'd gotten off and then we took it to the ferry terminal so we could take the 10 minute ferry across the harbor. Over the next few days I figured we rode ferries at least 10 times and it was so much fun. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and mid 70's to mid 80's at all times which made the boat rides even more enjoyable.

Arriving on Hong Kong island, we easily found our bus to continue our tour of the

Koala Towers!

These matching buildings are nicknamed the Koala Towers because they resemble koalas hugging a tree trunk.

city. We decided we wanted to see Victoria Peak and so we listened to the narration about the architecture, the nicknamed "Koala Buildings" and Bauhinia Square but stayed atop the bus until we pulled up to the bottom of the Peak. After waiting in line for about 45 minutes, it was finally our turn to push and shove our way onto the tram car that would take us to the most breathtaking views of Hong Kong. Atop the peak, we embarked on what must have been at least 1-1.5 mile trail circling the top. It was beautiful to see the different vantage points, whether looking out over the South China Sea, gazing down on the boats coming and going in the harbor, or getting dizzy taking in all the skyscrapers. As a Chicago native, I know a little something about tall buildings and let me sum up Hong Kong by saying this: we may have built the first one but Hong Kong has taken the technology and run with it and the results are awe-inspiring! After our little hike, we hit the "mall" that resides on the mountain and sampled the most delicious dim sum on the patio of an

Symphony of Light

From Kowloon's "Avenue of the Stars" looking across to Hong Kong.

eatery over-looking the city. That night, we caught the ferry across the harbor and docked just in time to witness the "Symphony of Light", a laser light show involving lights shooting from building tops, perfectly coordinated with the soundtrack that played over the loud-speakers along the "Avenue of the Stars." The spectacle also claims to be the largest, on-going light show in the world for those interested in that kind of detail.

Day 2

On our second day, we lived many a girls' dream by taking out Starbucks breakfast over to the Tiffany's just down the street from us. We had breakfast at Tiffany's and then took a few pictures in front of the Pennisula Hotel, which, for history buffs, is where the papers where signed to hand over control of Hong Kong to the Chinese. Afterwards, we hopped a ferry and headed to Lantau Island for a true cultural experience. Arriving at Mui Wo, we took a bus to the monastary at Po Lin, home to the largest bronze Buddha (Tian Tan Buddha) in the world! I have to laugh when I think that I went from having never seen a Buddhist monastary just a mere 10

Bathtime for Buddha!

months ago, to now having not only visited many, but seeing both the largest Buddha and the largest bronze Buddha in the world! That doesn't even take into account my visit to the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, the most important Buddha in Thai Buddhism. These are the things I look back on once in awhile just to gain a little perspective in my life. Anyway, the monastary was beautiful and we were there at just the right time...Buddha's birthday! The place was adorned with flowers there were offerings of fruit, and many people (myself included) took turn bathing the smaller Buddha by laddling holy water over his head. The bronze Buddha himself, sat well above the monastary and was completely encircled by other, non-bronze, figures who were making offerings to him. We climbed the long flight of steps and when we reached the top, very sweaty and thirsty, we were rewarded because there were magnificant views of the surrounding hills and mountains and I could even see what looked like a lake or resevoir in the distance. With swarms of worhippers and tourists around, it wasn't as tranquil as I imagined but well worth the trip anyway. After our descent,

Spooky

Fishing boat near Tai O.

we wandered in and out of various little temples before grabbing some lunch and having a very chance run-in with one of our friends from back in Korea who was backpacking through HK and Singapore. Our reunion was cut short when our bus to Tai O pulled up and within minutes we were off to what was to be one of the most unforgettable parts of the trip.

Tai O is a small, simple fishing village on the island of Lantau, that sits on stilts and straddles the boundary where the mountains meet the sea. First, we decided to try our luck and we hopped into a little boat and set off in search of the pink dolphins that call those waters home. Luck was on our side because not only did we catch several glimpses of the pinkies, I also managed to get a few pictures (albeit not particularly great ones!) Almost as fascinating as the dolphins were the fishing boats that lurked off-shore. They were bat-like in appearance with many arms and beams extending out over and into the water. The overcast skies only aided in creating an almost eerie scene. Our boat operator briefly motored through

Tai O by Sea

Small fishing village on Lantau Island

town and all the homes on stilts with motor boats tied to their docks and the women using buckets of ocean water to do the household laundry reminded me very much of a few Thai villages outside of Bangkok. After disembarking, we strolled along what I could only assume was the main drag through town. There were of course no cars since everything was accessible either by boat or by foot. Locals selling dried fish, shrimp, and squid along with fruits and a curious thick shrimp-y paste were lining the path through town. There were a few restaurants though none could accomodate more than 2 or 3 tables and we had to make a stop a smoothie stand where I got my first, refreshing taste of dragonfruit! Mmmm...it looked like a white kiwi and it instantly rejuvenated me just when the heat was beginning to take its toll. After we made it past the shops, we took a left turn into the neighborhood. People were living in homes that literally opened right onto the street. They had garage doors instead of front doors and they would slide the door up to open the house up. Walking by, their living rooms

Streets of Tai O

Marketplace scene

were fully on display and set back mere inches from the sidewalk! True to my expectations, the living conditions were extremely modest, at times bordering on poverty-level, but when I walked along the tin and wooden plank sidewalks that rose above the sea, I witnessed the diligence of the "villagers" as they went about their daily routine. Whether it was the man selling dried fish, the mother washing laundry, or the elderly woman under the traditional hat tending to the small park at one end of the town, everyone knew that hard work was the only way for them to survive and yet I saw no hints of resentment, laziness, or the attitudes that have become so commonplace back home. As grueling as their lives could be, I couldn't help but admire the spirit and cooperation of the people in Tai O.

All that said, the heat was getting to us and I could think of no better solution than Cheung Sha Bay! Now, admittedly the bus ride could have gone smoother. Before leaving Tai O, I insisted on picking up one of the traditional hats I saw several older woman sporting when working under the scorching sun. (For

Just Beachy!

anyone who knows me, my affinity for hats should come as no great surprise.) We boarded the standing-room only bus with no clear idea of where the beach was or where to get off, and my giant hat in tow wasn't making the journey any easier. (I have learned that when traveling, sometimes these kinds of little inconveniences are necessary!) Within minutes, we saw the sandy beaches on the right and hopped off. As hot as it was, I was a bit surprised to see so few people, though it was late afternoon and so we grabbed some refreshments and wandered down the beach in search of the perfect backdrop for our photo shoot! It wasn't what we set out to do but after splashing a bit in the water, I noticed a jellyfish had washed up onshore, the cameras came out, and well, the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Once the sun started to get low in the sky, we headed back to Kowloon, this time via subway. It was my first and only time on the subway in Hong Kong but they were the cleanest, newest, most efficient subway system I've seen. Korea has an

Hong Kong Harbor

Breathtaking view from Victoria Peak.

extremely efficient system but these trains were impeccable! You could have eaten of the floor, they were so sparkly! Back in Kowloon, we decided to take in the city and some dinner. Walking around, we found what looked like a diner but with a menu full of the local favorites. We had a great meal, and the place really had that diner feel right down to the "Grease" soundtrack playing in the background. With our bellies full, we took off for the Temple St. Night Market for some souvenirs on our last night in the city. This was maybe the most touristy part of the trip, as people trying to sell faux jade bracelets, Hong Kong postcards and magnets, and paintings of the skyline, lurked in every tent. Locals having dinner at picnic tables from the restaurants that lined the few blocks of the marketplace, watched the bargaining going on in spite of the drizzle that was starting to fall. After we made our purchases, it was back to the Chungking Mansions where we checked the BBC news for a swine flu update, baracaded the door (literally...with the end table,) and got a (not good) night's rest. Macau was up