Advertisement
Published: April 11th 2006
Edit Blog Post
Foggy Vista
Victoria Peak We arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday morning. Prior to our departure from Taipei, Jon (our host in Taiwan) set us up with accommodation at friends of his who had lived in Taipei a few months earlier. Philippe and Michelle allowed us to stay in the apartment - we had a set of keys and our own bedroom. Since we've read that there is a lack of clean budget accommodation in Hong Kong (we also heard first hand stories from a few people staying in Hong Kong hostels), we were very grateful, to say the least. Their apartment was located in the New Territories (close to the China border) which was about a 30 minute ride on the KCR to HK Island or Kowloon - just like taking the E or F from Forest Hills to Rock Center. Except for the spotless and televisioned trains, it was the same. And, also, the station displays the arrival time of the trains (this was also Taipei) - this would be absolutely lovely at home. How long is it going to take to get this installed?
Our first day in Hong Kong was a long one. We left our bags in the central
terminal and picked up a Hong Kong walking tour guide (provided by HK Tourism) and started our walk. Since Jill and I are big city people, we loved Hong Kong. It is quite busy (much like NYC) but it is clean, organized and tourist friendly. Most of the financial district (central) is connected by bridges (like Minneapolis for anyone that's been there) so you never have to step on the sidewalk -not that you would want to because all the restaurants and shops are located on that same above ground level. Our first task was to submit our application for a Chinese visa. We then proceed to Victoria Peak via a tram ride and took a quick walk at the top of the mountain. Because it was overcast, we didn't see as much as we would have liked to, but it was nice, nonetheless. That first day for lunch, we found an In-N-Out wannabe and since we had been craving Hamburgers since week 1 in India, you can imagine our reaction.
Second day in HK was a continuation of the Hong Kong walking tour guide but this time we started in Kowloon and made our way down to the
Bird Market
For pets, not food Hong Kong Island. Kowloon is north of HK island across the harbor; it's a big tourist spot especially for shopping overall and electronics especially. We walked through several daytime markets - this marked the beginning of fake goods for us. We came out of Hong Kong with a couple CK boxer briefs and some small trinkets. In the evening, we took the ferry across the harbor to meet Michelle and Phillippe at a Irish Pub for St. Paddy's - it was packed with only foreigners so we walked a block to a different bar offering $1 Coronas. It wasn't Guinness, but $1 is $1 - these days, that's how we do.
Next day was spent at Lantau Island to see the Big Buddha. There's also a 6 hour walking tour here but it was too late in the day. And, not to mention, I jammed my toe so I was limping all over the place. These days I prefer flip-flops, as the weather allows. And since I am usually walking around holding the map, I tend not to look where I am walking and have jammed my left big toe three times now. Anyway, Lantau is a great escape
from the city (and only a subway ride away) and seemed to have some great hiking through the mountains. That was one of the nice things about HK is that you can jump on the MRT and be in the countryside within 40 minutes.
On Monday we took the high-speed ferry to Macau (we tried to do this Saturday but didn't realize we needed passports which were at the Chinese embassy) after we picked up our passports/visa in the morning. Anyway, like HK, Macau is an autonomous region with China. It's a former Portuegese colony so on that island, you either get Chinese or Portuguese - less English than HK. It also has retained alot of its Portuguese flavor, from the buildings to the food. The highlight for many in Macau is casinos since they are illegal in mainland China. We did visit one casino and were rejected from another (inappropriate footwear) - casinos are more similar to Atlantic City than Vegas, but the city itself has alot more to offer than AC. On this day, I stubbed my big toe again; but, luckily, it was my right foot...broken nail. I'm a mess.
It's been almost a month
Mirador Mansions
This is where we would have stayed if we did not have accommodation since HK so I'm struggling for details. In honor of my dad, we stopped at the local racecourse for a couple races - not much exciting going on there. That's about it.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.115s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 61; dbt: 0.0855s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
jake
non-member comment
Nice Meal
Did you eat the frogs??