That is the best way I can describe Hong Kong. It feels a lot like New York City which is why I think it’s familiar but then everything else about it, the signs, the food, the language is about the most foreign thing I’ve ever experienced.
The past 4 days have been filled with walking, food, walking, taking in the sites, and even more walking. Hong Kong is split down the middle by Victoria Harbor. On one side is Hong Kong island, and the other Kowloon. Aside from the riverfront on the Kowloon, it definitly has more of a grittier local feel where HK island is more of the touristy metropolitan high end. While we stayed on HK island getting to Kowloon was simple as public transit is plentiful and part of that system is the Star Ferry. A quick 8 minute ride and you’re across the island for 6.5 HKD (.83 USD) so it was economical and a GREAT way to get some epic views! Another mode of transportation I loved was riding the Ding Ding, the world’s largest and oldest double decker tram system and the name comes from the ding of the bells on them. Sitting on the top level and riding around was probably my favorite way to see the island.
Another uniquely Hong Kong quirk is their scaffolding on building. While every other metroplex I’ve visited uses steel, Hong Kong builds all of theirs out of bamboo. After stumbling across it for the first time and being shocked, it became normal to see it and even trucks filled with it bringing supplies to sites.
Exploring was filled with some things we knew we wanted to see, and some things we just happened to stumble upon. One of the most famous attractions (and probably my favorite) is the Big Buddha and Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Located on nearby Lantau island, getting up to the Po Lin monastery where the Buddha is located is most commonly done by way of the cable car. One of the longest at 5.7 kilometers, we splurged and got the Chrystal cabin where everything aside from the roof was clear glass. The ride up lasted about 25 minutes and was filled with epic views of the mountains, the airport, and a few seconds where the ride stopped and my heart sank a little!
After climbing the 268 steps to the top we were rewarded with spectacular views. We also happened to run across a ceremony happening at the monastery in the hall of 10,000 Buddha’s. I wish I could have gotten pictures but just putting the phone down and taking it all in made the experience that much more.
We wandered around the city exploring and found so many unique things. It was a full 4 days and we were able to fit in all the major items on our checklist to do. From harbor cruises to street markets to hunting down graves of kung fu grandmasters, we made every second count! Now onto Macau and hopefully a couple of days of R&R before we join up with a tour in Vietnam.
Leave a Reply