Hong Kong Impressions

Despite the warnings in the guidebooks the sheer number of people in Hong Kong can be overpowering. Everywhere we go, day or night, there are crowds with a walking pace resembling an ambling tortoise. As a consequence what looks a short distance can take much longer to cover than one would imagine. Nobody seems to get upset about the speed or the constant bumping into other people, HK seems to be well mannered, polite and orderly (apart from the hotel minibus driver who's just been pulled over for cutting across a police motorcyclist).

On our first full day here we decided to explore Kowloonside harbour area, this is one of the iconic areas with lots of views over Victoria Harbour to HK Island and its many skyscrapers. Sue tried to find a tailor to make a suit but they were all either real backstreet establishments or too expensive. A tailor showed us how to identify good quality HK tailoring (they have to be made by second generation tailors and feature curved linings). He told us that many of the cheaper tailors outsource their work to sweatshops in China and often employ child labour. This last point really put Sue off the idea.

We had quite a long walk along the waterfront, ending at the Walk of Stars (they must have known we were coming). We resisted, just, putting our hands in the hand prints of Jackie Chan or posing in front of the statue of Bruce Lee (although most other people succumbed). Afterwards we decided to walk back to the hotel along the Golden Mile as Nathan Road is known – strange how is evokes Blackpool. In the same way there is lots of neon (as much as Las Vegas strip) and touts selling “copy Rolex sir” and “copy handbags madam”, so it was a welcome relief to have a quiet walk in Kowloon Park with its flamingos and fountains.

In the evening we had booked an open top bus tour. We were picked up from the hotel by a company rep called Royce (most HK residents seem to have an anglicised name). The journey to pick up other customers was as entertaining as the tour itself. The tour consisted of a visit to a might market, which Sue pronounced to be full of tat, she was much more interested in the vegetable market in the next street and, especially, a meat stall selling flattened chickens and ducks. The open top element consisted of a drive down Nathan Road (impressive neon signs) and views over the harbour and the tallest building in HK. By the time the tour was finished it was a little chilly and Royce was complaining of the cold.

Today we have been across the harbour on the Star Ferry and then took an open top bus (we seem to have a job lot of these) all around the main areas of HK island. The sheer scale and number of skyscrapers is astonishing. We took the Peak Tram to the highest point on HK Island which has a monstrosity of a mall and viewing area at the top. Although it has been hazy the views were still impressive. We had decided to do a circular walk around the Peak, and this took us though leafy lanes passed very expensive properties, the Black Kites wheeling overhead added to the atmosphere and this was a welcome quiet interlude. We rejoined the bus tour at the bottom terminus of the Peak Tram and went through the main commercial and financial areas of Central HK back to the Ferry Terminal.

Back at the hotel our feet are tired and we are trying to work out plans for the evening (Ladies Market I think, but Sue is reluctant to let me have one) and tomorrow. A good start to the trip but I will be pleased to lose the crowds.