Hong Kong

Market on Hong Kong Island

I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to go to Hong Kong for two weeks at the end of October/beginning of November after finishing my thesis. It’s always been a city I’ve wanted to visit and there’s so much to see amidst the organized chaos and convergence of east and west. I found it really easy to navigate the public transportation system, even though it’s a bit overwhelming at first. The MTR is so clean and everyone queues up in an orderly single-file line to get onto the trains. There’s also this weird robotic quality to the whole MTR experience because of the number of escalators and arrows you have to follow on the floors, while everyone is deeply entranced by their huge Samsung phones. The Hong Kong tramway (or “ding ding”), the buses and the ferries are also super easy to use. The ferry from HK island to Kowloon is also an iconic ride.

Big Buddha, Lantau Island

Week 1: I stayed on Des Voeux Road West with my friend, Chris, who works in HK, which is in the dry seafood district in the Sheung Wan neighborhood on Hong Kong Island. My first full day there (Wednesday, October 29), I explored HK island and went to Western Market (they mostly sell fabrics there) and wandered along Hollywood Road where there are a bunch of antique galleries and neat little shops. Thursday, I met Chris in Wan Chai for lunch near his office for Malaysian food and then I went to the Hong Kong history museum. It’s a great museum and takes you through the details of the SAR’s natural history and pre-historical settlements, up through contemporaneity. Friday, Chris took off from work and we went to Victoria Peak together via the tram and then we did a bit of hiking at the top. Obviously a must-see for any HK visit. Saturday, we went to see the Big Buddha on Lantau Island via a cable car and then went into Kowloon and walked along the Avenue of the Stars. Sunday was a rest/movie/peanut butter and noodle bowl day. Monday we went to the HK art museum, which was a bit underwhelming because they were in between installations and so it was pretty sparse. The following Tuesday, I went to Mongkok to check out the umbrella revolution/occupy HK protests. Lots of tents blocking the streets, but there weren’t a ton of people there and everything was peaceful. I also went to the Ladies’ Market to get some gifts, which is an iconic market that sells clothes and jewelry and the likes. From there I headed to Tsim Sha Shui (TST) to Nathan Road to see Chungking Mansions, which is supposed to have the cheapest tourist accommodations and known for it’s gathering of South Asian minorities (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans and Nepalese). I was warned that it was a bit sketchy there and being alone made it a little bit more so. After wandering briefly and two different probably innocuous incidents where people got too close to comfort and touching (nothing wildly inappropriate), I decided to leave.

Occupy Hong Kong, Mongkok

Week 2: Wednesday, November 5, I went into the New Territories to walk the Ping Shan heritage trail. There were a bunch of old temples and old study halls and HK’s only remaining ancient pagoda and it was all through a small little town. Thursday, I went to Lamma Island and hiked for several hours. There are amazing views and since it’s a fishing village, there are great seafood restaurants by the pier (Rainbow Seafood is renowned in the area). Lamma is also home to really large, terrible spiders. Friday, I met Chris near his office and got lunch at a place called Life Cafe and then I went to the Dr. Sun Yat Sun museum. Saturday it rained so it was a rest day. Sunday we went to Stanley Bay to walk around–there’s a small beach there and a market and bunch of restaurants. on the water. Monday (my last full day in HK), we went into Macau–went into the Grand Lisbon and saw the ruins of St. Paul and the Old Fort and then took a bus to Taipa Old Town and ate at a Portuguese restaurant. To be honest (especially because I don’t gamble) Macau wasn’t too noteworthy. The architecture was cool, but there was a bit of a dingy, grey aesthetic to the whole place (it was also an overcast day, so there was that as well).

Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island

Although it’s a big international financial city with such a large ex-pat population, I think that it lacks that misery that underscores life in New York City. I may also be mistaken because I was merely a visitor looking in from the outside, but the abundance of opportunities to do something outdoors (hiking, etc.) and the geography of the archipelago and topography of the islands seemed to take the edge off of the proliferation of designer brand stores and financial establishments in Central. While there is hardly any crime there and I felt super safe the entire time I was exploring, the murder of two Indonesian women by a British banker occurred during my stay. It is a strange city where money affords ex-pats the opportunities to indulge into their respective vices (drinking, partying, hookers, cocaine, etc.) and Wan Chai is known for its seedy bars and sex workers. I would also like to think that this ex-pat culture doesn’t completely overshadow the rich cultural history of the SAR.

Now for the next trip…