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July - October 2003

China, part II

Brett Voegele
2005-11-18 19:08:02

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Hong Kong

As per my norm, I ended up with an extremely small, terrible room in one of the world's most modern cities - it was basically a walk-in closet, with an entryway closet sized bathroom. I ended up spending 10 days in Hong Kong. It's an expensive city, but not simply the concrete jungle I had envisioned. It consists of Kowloon and the northern part of Hong Kong Island across the harbor. If you're like me, this is your idea of Hong Kong - skyscrapers and shopping. However, there is the southern part of Hong Kong Island, the outlying islands, and the New Territories that offer a quieter, more traditional way of life, as well as some good hiking opportunities through less developed areas. Even within the looming skyscrapers one finds some great local markets and streets of shops selling wares - dried fish, traditional medicines, goldfish, flowers, birds, jade, etc. It's easy to get around - subways, buses, trains, and ferries can get you about anywhere, and English is widely spoken. I spent my time visiting some fantastic museums - hands on and educational, admiring the skyline at night, taking in the panorama from Mt. Victoria, walking some of the trails, enjoying the lazy tram journey through the north of Hong Kong Island, checking out various markets, and simply wandering aimlessly. Unfortunately I was there when a typhoon passed nearby, so had to deal with rain and gloomy skies on most days. I was there over a few weekends so witnessed the weekly displacement of the Filipina domestic helpers. They are 'kicked out' of their employers homes on the weekends, so they take to the streets, parks, and covered walkways. The chatter is incredible as you walk through this throng of women talking, eating, playing cards, or just relaxing. There was also a large queue outside something called PNB, which I can only assume stood for Philippines National Bank. Interesting. I didn't know that many were employed ...