Ron and Amy
Go To China

 

 Day 1
Arrive in Hong Kong
The second leg of our trip was a three and a half hour flight from Seoul to Hong Kong. The airport was still fogged in when we left Incheon Airport but the skies cleared as we approached Hong Kong. We flew over the South China Sea, which was beautiful in the morning sun.We landed on Lantau Island, where the Hong Kong International Airport is located. There's actually quite a number of islands around Hong Kong Island. Lantau Island is directly west of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Kowloon is part of the mainland due north of Hong Kong Island on the other side of Victoria Harbor.
On the bus to Kowloon
Amy had booked a room at a hotel she found on the internet. This hotel, The Man Hing Lung, which was also recommended in my tour book, so we reserved a room for two nights before we left the States. Once we got through customs, we got some Hong Kong Dollars from an ATM. Hong Kong has its own currency which is different from mainland Chinese currency. My book suggested the #21 express bus to Kowloon so we searched out where to catch it and soon we were on our way. It was about a 45 minute ride. The bus had an overhead sign that read off the stops in English as well as Chinese so we were able to figure out where to get off without having to try to communicate with anybody. Our hotel was in this rundown 15 story building known as the Mirador Mansions on Nathan Rd.in the area known as Tsim Sha Tsui. I was immediately accosted by a man in a suit trying to sell me watches, custom-made suits and eventually hashish. We kept walking till we found the elevator that went to our hotel.
The room was tiny and rather dingy but we were happy to put our bags down in one spot - plus, what did we expect for $32USD a night. We wasted no time making a plan and getting back on the street.


Our hotel view

Victoria Harbor

A bronze Bruce Lee and more boats!
The hotel was in a good location - only about three blocks from Victoria Harbor and a great view of Hong Kong Island. This meant that I only had to fend off eight or nine watch and suit salesmen before we reached the promenade known as the Avenue of the Stars. Amy was miffed because they only approached me and never tried to sell her anything. This is where we first glimpsed the Hong Kong skyline - quite an eyeful even for a New Yorker. Not to mention an endless procession of large and small boats.
The Avenue of the Stars is the Chinese version of Hollywood Blvd. right down to the stars in the pavement, which commemorating famous Chinese filmmakers and actors/actresses. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jack Woo were the only ones I recognized but there were many others.


Hong Kong Island from the Peak

more photos

This was obviously a very popular spot for wedding photos - we ran into four or five wedding parties in less than an hour. We both thought we would be exhausted by the time we had made it to Hong Kong after twenty hours en route from New York City. But for some reason, we were still going strong so we got on board the ferry out to the island.

The ferry service runs every five or ten minutes and the voyage itself is only twenty minutes - very efficient. There was a lot of boat traffic as we crossed. The skyscrapers were even more impressive as we approached the far shore. We walked around several of the mammoth buildings and made our way to the Peak Tram station. The Peak Tram is a four rail cars that ascend up the Victoria Peak at what seems like a 45 degree angle - it's a bit nerve-racking at times. At the top we got off the tram at the Peak Tower. The tower itself is a fine architectural specimen, but the inside is a bit nauseating because it is so commercial and touristy. In order to reach the rooftop observation deck, one must ascend four or five escalators past what seems like hundreds of jewelry, souvenir, fast food, clothing etc. stores. There's even a wax museum. Thankfully, we finally made it to the top and saw some amazing views of the city - even though it was quite hazy.
By the time we got down from the peak, we were ready to return to Kowloon, which didn't seem so westernized as the island. We took the ferry back across and began looking for a restaurant. I consulted the book and eventually we found a suitable place. I had some dish with noodles and prawns. On the wall behind Amy, I noticed a sign advertising Deserts. One of them being, "Almond Cordial Fungus" $15 Hot, $18 Cold. I think we must have been getting slaphappy at that point because we both thought it was hysterical that it costs more served cold than hot. After dinner, we wandered around for a short while looking at all the neon signs and strange shops.


Kowloon at night
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