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Hong-Kong. Not (Only) What You Thought

Posted on 04. Feb, 2010 by yoyo in Hong-Kong

I think that if you’ll ask al the backpackers in Asia ‘what do you plan for Hong-Kong?’, 99% will probably answer ’shopping, new visa for China, and back to the mainland ‘caus it’s too expensive!’. well, Hong-Kong is so, so much more.
We ‘landed’ here with a bus from Guangzhou (Guangdong province) and you should have seen us on the bus ride. we looked like 2 village kids, going to the (very) big city for the first time. I live in a (much smaller) city, Tel-Aviv, and I felt like it was the first time I entered a real city.
Hong-Kong is huge. not by size as much as by hight and quantity. it’s trully a 3 dimensional city.
What enabled us to enjoy the diversity and beauty of this city is the fact we were hosted by a Hong-Konganese couple, who helped us with everything, from a place to stay, where to eat, where to go trekking (yes, trekking) and anything a backpacker can dream of. John and Gladys, if you ever read this, you have no idea ho much we appreciate everything you did for us.
We enjoyed the crazier sides of Chinese food, things we would’nt try on the mainland, not without a good insurance policy. Shrimps, Dim-Sam (all sorts), Oyster-Cake, Squid, Jelly-Fish, and much, much more. and yeah, we had chicken feet. and it was good. so were the chicken testicles.
Hiking in the parks around the built-up areas was another surprise, where with a short ride on the MTR (the local metro system) we got outside of the city and into the mountains in 20 minutes.
All this is without mentioning Hong-Kong’s unbelivably efficient public transport system. Ferry, Tram (the only double decker tram in the world), Buses (double deckers), Light Buses and the incredible MTR (underground train) make for an extremely quick, quite cheao and very accessible system. almost all paid with the same magnetic (’Octopus’) card. when, oh when will Israelis build something even half as efficient as this…

We even went rock climbing in the near by Tung Lung Island (referred to as Tung Lung Chau, Chau being island in Cantonese), it’s just a 30HKD ride away from the island (the ferry pier is near Sai Wan Ho station, and operates at weekends only, difficult hours, check with a local).

Horse racing in Happy valley was another first timer for me, a 10HKD entrance fee gets you into a gigantic stadium, filled with what could only be described as a great example of Hong-Kong’s wonderful diversity, blonds and black-haired, Westerners and locals, McDonald’s and roasted duck, and all are gambling, laughing, having good time.

The Wetland park, in Tin Shui Wan (506 light train from the MTR) is a great place to dedeicate a few hours for, at the season (winter, mostly). the park is built very well, and very ‘user-friendly’. you can see a big variety of birds, and the telescopes in the watching huts are awesome. we enjoyed it very much.

I really think Hong-Kong has tons of things to offer, from crazy dishes, to gorgeous sceneries, and all easily accessed thanks to the public transport and availability of English information. hell, it makes me wonder about the British mandat in Israel… Naaah, just kidding.

Tags: blogsherpa, China, Hong-Kong