Hong Kong and Kowloon
Hong Kong boasts a skyline more impressive than NYC, which is difficult for a proud New Yorker to admit. After long walks through the streets of Hong Kong and Kowloon for days on end, I think we got a feel for the ultra-modern urban mecca that is still culturally rich in tradition.
Immediately impressed by the level of tourist support at the airport and the general clean and modern vibe from the travel infrastructure, I smiled the whole way during my 21 minute train ride to Kowloon from the airport. After passing mega hotels like the Peninsula and the Holiday Inn, I received a splash of cold water to my ego when we reached OUR hostel for the evening. Mostly, I was turned off my the pushy touts at the entrance. I thought I left all that behind in Kathmandu! I also didn't love finding roaches outside our door. The next days we searched for cleaner pastures on Hong Kong island, and we ended up in the Causeway Bay district. Hong Kong hostel, or the hostel formally known as Wang Phat, was all the rave in Lonely Planet. BUT, being under new management, the prices had gone up, and the free internet was one computer to be shared among all the guests. So it's free, but you have to wait for an hour to use it for 15 minutes. Time is money people.
After the initial cringe of spending so much on accomodations, we started exploring city. Such a fun mix of the modern, the traditional, and the just plain weird. Here are some questions I'd like answered by those who understand Hong Kong better than I:
Why is "the Peak" not the highest hill? That's just silly.
We all know that the sea turtles are endangered right?...so why can I buy still buy them in the Hong Kong seafood market?
How do these traditional chinese doctors really KNOW that flattened lizards on a stick are good for the back?
Can we airlift the HK public library to New York City? I could spend every saturday there for the rest of my life.
Can you swim across the bay from Hong Kong to Kowloon? wait...let me finish...can you swim across the bay without getting cancer?
Overall, I loved HK. My bank account on the other hand is still recovering. We finally departed our dear HK (pun intended) for Yangshuo on the mainland. We're loving it here as well. It's what I thought China would be like before I left on this trip. It's atmospheric, tourist friendly, and cheap (yay!). I'm glad we saved the best for last!
