Destination - Hong Kong

“You can leave Hong Kong, but it will never leave you.”

Nury Vittachi

The City of Hong Kong

The first time I went to Hong Kong was in 1979.  Hong Kong was still part of Great Britain at that time.  We lived in the Philippines and my daughter was on the swim team at the Navy base that we lived on.  Her team was scheduled to compete against the Hong Kong team, and parents could go along to cheer the team on.  They had a special package set up for parents, at a reduced rate.  I decided to go along.  My husband couldn’t get leave just then, so I went with other parents and we all stayed in the same hotel.  Our kids were not with us at the hotel.  The team had arranged for the kids to be boarded with the families of the Hong Kong swim team families.  My daughter was staying in a high rise apartment with a British family, who had a daughter the same age as Kim. They also had two weiner dogs.  It was a good experience for her, she got to meet people from a different culture, and they treated her as a special guest.  I met them at the swim meet, and they were a very nice family.

We spent the 3 days of the swim meet cheering our children on to what was not victory.  They were a little intimidated by the size of the Olympic-sized pool.  They had been training in a much smaller pool.  We explained they would be going the same distance, just having to turn around less, but it was still intimidating.  Plus, it was a lot colder in Hong Kong than in the PI, which was also hard on them.  So we had no winners, but we had a good time.  At the end of the meet most of the kids and parents went home.  I had arranged for us to stay 5 more days and see the sights of the city.  I fell in love with Hong Kong on that trip, and we went back to Hong Kong 3 more times in the 2 years we were stationed in the PI.



View from Victoria Peak
 It was foggy the day we were there

Now Hong Kong is part of China.  In 2010 I spent 2 weeks touring China.  At the end of the trip I decided to add on a 3 night stay in Hong Kong.  I wanted to see how much it had changed in the years since we had been there.  I was surprised at  how much it had changed, and in some ways how little it had changed.  I found areas that were basically the same, and others that were very different.  Sadly, I found out that the Junks that used to be everywhere in the harbor area had mostly disappeared.  But we had a wonderful few days re-exploring a city that I had loved.

So, if you are planning to go to Hong Kong, what is there for you to see and do in the city?  Here is my list of ideas:

Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak Tram

If a single image could encapsulate Hong Kong, it would be the panorama from Victoria Peak. Looking down at the city from this famous vantage point, you'll see one of the finest harbors on earth.  You can reach the peak via the Peak Tram.  The 120 year old funicular railway departs from its terminus on Garden Road .  The best time to go is a half-hour before sunset, and you can watch the city lights from above.  There is a restaurant there and you could have dinner over-looking the city.  We didn’t do this the last time we were in Hong Kong, but it was a favorite place to have dinner when we visited in 1979 & 1980. 

 

Temple Street Night Market

Night Market

This rowdy thoroughfare in central Kowloon starts at Temple Street's junction with Jordan Road, and terminates five blocks north on Kansu Street and looks like every B-movie director's dream of Chinatown. Under the glare of bare light bulbs, hawkers flog everything from bizarre patent medicines to counterfeit watches.  There are outdoor food stalls and fortune-tellers. Most of the things for sell is junk, but it is certainly an interesting place to walk around and people-watch.  It is part of the experience of being in Hong Kong.



Star Ferry at the Ferry Terminal

Ride the Star Ferry

Another experience you shouldn’t miss is the Star Ferry.  It will take you across the harbor in just 8 minutes, and the cost is very little.  Pay for the upper-deck which is a much more pleasant ride.  You will sail past shipping vessels of all kinds, and get a view of the Hong Kong coastline.  If you are on the 8 p.m. sailing the ferry will stop mid-harbor for a few moments so that tourists can take pictures of the Symphony of Lights, which is put on each evening.

Stanley Market & Murray House

Stanley Market area

Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong which is located on a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. Stanley has been a fishing village since before the British came to Hong Kong. Stanley Market is one of the must-go places for tourists when they visit Hong Kong.  The market is made up of winding lanes stocking a mind-boggling assortment of gifts, clothes, ‘antiques’, watches and other items. There is also a smattering of restaurants woven into the market offering authentic Hong Kong delicacies plus a range of waterfront bars and restaurants close by on Stanley Main Street.

Also located on the waterfront is historic Murray House a restored colonial building dating back more than 160 years. It is now home to the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. 

Harbor Cruise

Aberdeen - Floating Fish Restaurants

If you have the time a harbor cruise is a great way to see Hong Kong from another angle.  Some Harbor Cruises will take you over to Aberdeen where you will see the boat people and the Aberdeen Floating Fish Restaurants.  There are also night cruises, where you can see Hong Kong’s lights at night.  Be careful of cruises that advertise that you will cruise on a Junk.  We only saw one Junk in the harbor when we were there, but we booked a cruise which said it would be on a Junk, and it was not.  It seemed most people on the boat did not know that it was not a Junk, but I did.  You should get what you pay for.

Aberdeen Harbor

You've probably seen Aberdeen Harbor many times in movies and on television.  The fishing junks, the people, and the ubiquitous seafood restaurants. For an experience to remember, try taking a boat ride in a wooden sampan across the harbor, or have a meal at one of the huge floating restaurants.

This was our tea
 at the Penisnsula

Tea at the Peninsula Hotel
The Peninsula Hotel is one of the oldest and nicest hotels in Hong Kong. It is famous for its afternoon tea. It is a very traditional English tea, with scones, and little sandwiches and sherry. It is an event you should not miss. Yes, it is a little pricey, but it is such a nice way to indulge, and to relax your weary feet after a morning of sightseeing. I do recommend it.


Visit the Bird Park and Flower Market
If you like pretty flowers then walking through the Flower Market is a nice side-trip.  And after you walk past all those flowers, head to the Bird Park next door.  What is the Bird Park?  It is a park, with paths and trees.  It is a place that men bring their pet birds (in cages), so that they can get some fresh air.  There are also vendors who sell supplies, food for the birds and birds in cages.  Both the Bird Park and the Flower Market are on Yuen Po Street.

Bird Park
Bird Owners giving their birds some fresh air in the park

Giant Buddha on Lantau Island

Cable car ride over Lantau Island
to get to the Giant Buddha

The world’s tallest outdoors seated bronze Buddha, the Tian Tan, is a sight to behold and is located near Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. It was built to symbolise the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. A major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong, the imposing image is also a popular tourist attraction.  There is public transportation that will take you over to Lantau Island.  From there ride in a cable car over the mountain.  I loved the views from there.  Once you arrive you can climb up to the Buddha and you can also visit the temple.  There are also shops and restaurants.


Symphony of Lights Tsim Sha Tsui

Hong Kong from the Revolfing Restaurant
Watching the Symphony of Lights

This nightly light show is a wonderful sight to behold. The show creates an all-round vision of coloured lights, laser beams and searchlights performing a stunning, unforgettable spectacle, all synchronised to music and narration. You can see the lights from almost anywhere in Hong Kong.  It starts at 8 p.m.  We went to the top of a revolving restaurant on one of our nights in the city.  The restaurant is on top of the Hopewell Center.  We had dinner and watched the lights.  The restaurant takes 66 minutes to make a complete revolution.

Man Mo Temple and surrounding area

Man Mo Temple

The Man Mo Temple is one of the most important in Hong Kong. Located near Hollywood Road, it was built in 1848 and is named after Man, the god of literature, and Mo, the god of martial arts. Inside, the air is thick with the smoke from coils of incense paper burned by worshipers. You can also see statues of the deities, Man holding a calligraphy brush and Mo holding a sword.  If you take the Star Ferry and then the mid-levels, it is easy to get to this temple.  The mid-levels is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world.  It makes getting up the hills on Hong Kong Island much easier.  The streets around the temple are quite interesting to walk through.  This was an area that I remembered from my earlier trips to Hong Kong, it had not changed much and made me nostalgic.  There are little shops and even people sitting on the street selling interesting things.  One of my favorite souvenirs of all time was purchased here.  It is a small bottle with a frog on it, and a red cap.  I love this area, it is more like Hong Kong of yesterday.

Hong Kong Disneyland

I have to mention this because there are many Disney fans who would probably go to Hong Kong and spend a day here.  It would not be my idea of a way to spend a day in Hong Kong, but it is there for those who are interested.  There is convenient transportation to the park. Themed areas there are Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

A bit of nostalgia - I wish I could also tell you to visit the Repulse Bay Hotel.  However, that is no longer there.  When we visited the 4 times back in 1979 & 80, it was our favorite place to go.  We never went to Hong Kong without going out there, usually several times.  It was a wonderful old hotel that sat on the hill overlooking Repulse Bay.  It was a Southern-style mansion, with columns.  They served the most wonderful breakfast on the verandah.  You were served on silver trays, and everything was impeccable.  They also did a wonderful buffet brunch, and a buffet dinner.  I never ate anything there that I didn't love.  And the view alone was worth going for.  It was a wonderful place, and how the people of Hong Kong allowed that to be destroyed, I will never know.  I was so disappointed when I went back in 2010 and discovered it was gone. 



Giant Buddha on Lantau Island

Whatever you do while in Hong Kong you will find the city to be exciting.  There is never a dull moment.  It is a bustling city, with wonderful restaurants, lots of shopping - from high end establishments to the cheapy touristy stuff.  There is ample opportunity for people watching, and lots of sights to see.  It is different from mainland China in so many ways, and yet similiar too.  Enjoy visiting this wonderful city.

Typical street in Hong Kong

Souvenirs of our Travels

"Souvenir collecting can be a lot of fun when you travel. Whether they're free, cheap, or pricey, the souvenirs you gather and the souvenirs you create become symbols of special places you visited or experiences you had."  

Susan Breslow Sardone

Bronze Statue from Thailand

Souvenirs – why do we bring home those knickknacks and mementos of our journey?  And why do they sometimes mean so much to us?

I always say that I am not going to buy anymore “things”, I have way too much stuff around already.  So this trip I am not buying anything!  It never works.  Inevitably I see something that is different, that I just can’t live without. 

Tree Root which stands in our entrance area

I have purchased some unusual things over the years.  We have a tree root from the Philippines that has been with us since 1980, when I saw it alongside a road.  It was an unusual shape, and it had been polished up, and when I saw it, I just had to have it.  A man was selling it for practically nothing.  Now I will have to admit, that if I had been traveling where I had to think about getting this root home in a suitcase, then I would have had to pass it up.  But we were stationed there for 2 years, and all our household goods would be shipped home by the Navy, so it became ours.  And it has always held a place of honor in our home.  It is one of my favorite purchases from my travels.

While we were in the Philippines I also brought home close to 100 baskets, some of which I have kept, and some I have gotten rid of.  Wood carvings were also popular there, so we have a large wood caribou statue that we use as a door stop to our bedroom, and a carving of a Ho Tai Buddha.  We also bought a small bar, that has a capiz shell inlaid top and when you open it there is a built in wine rack and space for glasses and other bottles - again something I wouldn't have bought if not for the Navy shipping everything home for us.

Plate from Rhodes, Greece

While in Greece a few years ago I purchased several souvenirs.  I love my little owl that is made of metal and stands on my shelf.  The owl is the symbol for the goddess Athena, and is also the symbol for the city of Athens.  And in Rhodes, Greece we discovered a pottery place that had hand painted plates that were made in their shop.  I bought several for gifts, and kept one for myself.  When I look at these items, I remember our trip to Greece.

 My husband doesn’t tend to purchase much in the way of souvenirs.  He seems to be mostly immune – I think it’s a guy thing.  But he does have a weakness.  Everywhere we go he drinks some of the local beer.  He then finds a beer mug that has the name of that beer on it, and he purchases it.  Most of the time he asks at the bar where he drank the beer if he can purchase the glass there, and about 95% of the time, they have given him the glass free.  He actually hasn’t had to pay for the mug very often.  He has a huge collection of mugs now, from around the world, and he is running out of shelf space in his den.  But that doesn’t stop him from getting another. He just brought back several from our last trip.

My dragon from York

I have purchased Murano Glass in Italy, and Waterford Crystal in Ireland.  And I have a full set of dishes that are oriental in style - service for 8, that I bought in Hong Kong back in 1980, but while I like those things well enough, they are not the kinds of things that become favorites.  It is usually the little things, the things that are slightly different. 

I have several other souvenirs that I am particularly fond of.  I have a ceramic dragon that I purchased in York, England back in 1989.  It is whimsical and it makes me smile.  I remember a song from my childhood, The Reluctant Dragon, and he reminds me of the song.  I also purchased a few cottages on that trip, and when I got home they grew into a whole collection.  I now have my dragon sitting next to a castle from that collection. 

Hand-Painted from the inside,
Bottle I bought in China

 And while in China last year I bought a glass bottle with a tiger hand-painted on it.  The painting is actually done with a very fine brush, on the inside of the bottle.  I watched the person paint one like it, and the talent it takes to paint such fine detail while reaching the brush inside the small bottle was fascinating to watch.  I will always treasure that bottle for the talent of the artist. 

I also bought a very small glass bottle on a little street in Hong Kong.  An old guy was sitting on the street in front of a makeshift store, and he was selling all sorts of unusual items.  Mostly knifes and tools.  But mixed in with this was a small bottle with green frogs and a red cap.  I loved it when I saw it.  It has absolutely no practical use, but it appealed to me, and I bought it from him for just a couple of dollars.  Some of my favorite purchases over the years have not necessarily been expensive, but they are priceless to me.

Frog Bottle from Hong Kong

Unlike the standard souvenir junk that is found in every tourist shop in every city – the T-shirt, dish-towel, keychain or whatever, a real souvenir is yours alone, and has real meaning.  When you look at it, it brings the trip back to you.  You remember the street where you found it, or the person you talked to as you purchased it.  It is a tangible memory of your vacation.

Now, I will admit, that when I travel I see a lot of crap for sell.  And like everyone, I have sometimes bought some of that crap.  There are times I have come home from a trip and looked at my purchases and think "now why did I buy that?"  And then sometimes you just can't resist, even if it is very touristy.  I remember that in the Philippines we came across a small barrel man, and when you pushed the barrel down, up popped a huge penis.  At the time we were part of a small theatre group on the Navy base, and we were putting on a play.  We decided to buy several of those barrel men, we took them back to the base and spray painted them gold, and after the play we gave them out to certain actors as awards – kind of like a Tony Award, only we called them Fred Awards.  We gave one to the actor who made the biggest goof, or who did something funny during rehearsals.  They were well received, even if they were really tacky souvenirs.

Metal owl from Athens

So, is it okay to bring home a souvenir if it makes you think about the area you visited, and about the culture of the place?  Is there a moral pass on a souvenir, if it makes you chuckle?  (Like the guy with the penis jumping out of the barrel in the PI)  This is one of the reasons you travel, for the memories and the fun.  Bringing home little fragments of the trip, makes you remember your trip for years after you are home.  So will I continue to buy things as I travel?  I’m sure I will.
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Delilah

Years ago, my older sister took a trip to Germany.  While she was there she purchased a small carved donkey.  She purchased it in a shop in Oberammergau.  Shortly after her return I visited her, and she showed me that donkey.  She told me she had named it Delilah, and she was obviously very proud of the carving, which was quite well done, and had probably been fairly expensive.  That visit was the last time I saw my sister.  I left for the Philippines a few days later. My husband was in the Navy and we were being stationed there.  My sister had said she would come visit us during our stay there.  But 2 months later she was killed in a car crash.  I flew home for the funeral.  While there my mother asked me if there was anything of Donna's I would like to have.  My first thought was of the little donkey Delilah, and her delight in telling me about her trip and purchasing it.  That donkey has always had a special place in our house and when I look at it, I think of my sister.  We all have a list in our head of what we would grab if our house was on fire, after family and the dogs, Delilah is the next thing on my list.  Some souvenirs just become very special for reasons you never would have dreamed of when you bought them!
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My next posting is an extension of this one - sometimes you don't know what to do with something you have brought home, but don't despair, hold on to them, and sometimes a brilliant idea will come to you.  If not, well you can always gift it.