Having just spent the past month and a bit in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, we were in for a little bit of a culture shock as we headed to Hong Kong. Gone were the dusty roads and noisy tuk-tuks. It was like we had done some time travel and were now Back to the Future.
To me, Hong Kong is the perfect place to dive into Asia with just the right balance of East meets West, with lots to do both during the day and at night. Coming directly to Asia from home could leave you a bit overwhelmed if you’re not ready for the large number of people all around you and the lack of English being spoken. Hong Kong has a great balance a large population, yet with the “comforts of home”. In my mind Hong Kong is a great Gateway to Asia.
As you may know, Hong Kong used to be under British Rule up until 1990 when the process to hand Hong Kong back to China began. Many remnants of those days remain, including many of the street and shop signs being in both Chinese and English, and we were generally able to find people who spoke English when we needed help with directions.
The city has a great spirit of both modern and traditional life. The skyline has tall, glass and steel skyscrapers…
…and plenty of green space mixed in for good measure.
How about orchids just growing right on the trees?
We also visited Hong Kong’s Olympic park and the girls took the opportunity to do some stair running up in the stands! Talk about being inspired!
While not as huge as huge as the Olympic parks we saw in London, Athens, and Ancient Olympia, it was nonetheless a beautiful and inspiring space to be.
The city has a wonderful waterfront area. It is a beautiful place to stroll with the family and take in the views of boats in the harbor and the modern Hong Kong skyline.
One of the interesting things we did was to visit Victoria Peak. By taking a trolley up into the hills, you get a spectacular view over the city – you can see for miles. I was a little surprised when we got to the top that the “observation deck” is part of a shopping mall they have built. It’s kind of like going to an Ikea store – as you make your way to the observation deck you pass about a dozen stores trying to lure you in and spend your hard earned money. What we didn’t realize was that when we got to the top of the mall there was an additional charge to go up to the outdoor observation deck. We decided it wasn’t worth the cost, and managed to find two other locations (one outside the Burger King <I know, right?> and the second was a short walk outside to a small patio which gave a fantastic view of Hong Kong). We also learned that if the lineup for the trolley is too long (can be up to 2 hours!) there is a city bus (#15C) which will take you up as well.
The view is spectacular!
While we didn’t visit any modern art galleries, we did see modern art installations as we walked the city.
And some lovely water fountains. I found the combination of water and 3D mosaics quite interesting.
There are also trams on some of the streets of Hong Kong – similar to what we would consider a street car in Toronto, but these ones are all double-deckers! And…they are FREE!
There’s certainly money here, with plenty of stores selling name brand, high end goods (no knock-offs in these shops!)
One of the coolest things to experience on Hong Kong Island are the street escalators. In some areas the streets are so steep that they have installed outdoor escalators to move people up and down the hills more easily.
One of the most spectacular things we saw was the night light show at the waterfront. The buildings are all list up with bright lights, flashing colours and projected animations with the occasional laser thrown in for good measure. The show is choreographed to music with the colours and images changing with the musical beats.
If you are planning to go to China at some time in the future, I would highly recommend making Hong Kong your first ‘port of call’. It is easy to navigate (especially for us “English speakers”) and is a great transition to the Chinese lifestyle.
Comments
3 responses to “Hong Kong – The Gateway to Asia”
Great post … Harriet and I are so impressed by your family trip and the experiences you have created for your entire family … wonderful parenting!
We will be near Toronto for a few days over Christmas this year. Would be nice to visit.
Phil
Hi Oliver,
Loved the blog!!!!! Is that teapot and accessories, “Royal Albert.” It certainly is a “Work of Art.” I never knew that orchids can grow right on a tree!! This is certainly a beautiful city!!!!!! Thanks for sharing, Love, Mom P.
Was there in 1986 and was overwhelmed at that time by the density and crowdedness of the city. The ‘city’ on the water and the clear delineation of time periods when the high rises were built. Also the contrast of beauty and filth side by side…is it cleaner now?