Leaving Ourselves Behind

We were on the “Hong Kong” side and heading back to our ferry, when we were stopped by three university students who wanted to interview us. Happy to oblige, but I think our answer might have disappointed them a bit when they asked what our understanding of Hong Kong was prior to our arrival. I waved my hand around and said, ” Exactly this. All these tall buildings.”

They were tourism students, with an emphasis on eco-tourism and sustainability, and they seemed particularly keen to promote the natural environment and parks that are such a crucial part of Hong Kong. We went on to reassure them that we had been really pleased to discover so many parks and outdoor spaces in the city, and how crucial that is for quality of life for residents, and for the enjoyment of tourists as well.

Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The vast majority of people live like this:

Over 90% of the population takes advantage of the excellent transportation system, and when they’re on the streets, it can look like this:

Those who do have cars (albeit Aston Martins), back them into these tiny garages for service.

So it is no wonder that Victoria Peak is one of the city’s top attractions. This is Hong Kong’s highest point, at 1811 feet above sea level, which would be attraction enough, but the lily has been gilded with Madame Tussauds museum, a shiny galleria of shops and restaurants and the Sky Terrace, pictured below, a massive structure offering even more breathtaking views.

Another big attraction is the Peak Tram. Operating since 1888 as Asia’s first funicular railway, this iconic 10-minute ride up the mountain is a must-do, except…it wasn’t running. It had been closed for four days for maintenance, so we went up the first day in operation, only to discover it still needed some tweaking. So, we hopped on a bus and once at the summit, we took a very pleasant one-hour stroll around the Peak Circle Walk. The path was like this the whole way and the views were simply glorious.

As is often the case, we come across signage that leads to more questions than it answers. Now, the “Do Not Climb” sign is posted at several locations along the walk. It would seem obvious that climbing on an old wrought iron fence with a sheer drop of several hundred feet below is a bad idea. Still, at this one location, the police felt necessary to remind the common-sense-challenged of the dangers involved. I wondered,” had there been a tragic fall at this particular spot?”

Just up the street from our hotel is the Kowloon Park – a gem of a spot that takes the edge off the hustle and jive just outside the gates.

Naturally, a backdrop like this is catnip for photographers and their models. It was a champagne day – sunny, crisp and clear – but that did not seem to console this forlorn creature, who turned this way and that, her pretty bored expression never changing. The world is filled with influencers – another aspect of modern life I don’t get.

These women don’t have the same options in life, but they make the best of it. Over 400,000 domestic workers live in Hong Kong, with more than half of them from the Philippines. They are live-in help with household work, childcare and elder care: a mandatory two-year arrangement that pays poorly (although better than their home countries), and allows one day off a week.

Many of these women have children in their home countries and often they don’t see them for years. They find comfort among themselves: meeting in parks and in sheltered underpasses to spend their days off together. It was a bittersweet sight.

Not to draw too fine a line between rich and poor – this inequity exists in every major city and always will. We’ve seen fabulous houses in many other cities, particularly in Mexico City, but we have no idea where the rich live in Hong Kong. We saw a few nice places on our way down from the Peak, but otherwise, we were not in any areas that made us think “Crazy Rich Asians.” I’m sure those neighbourhoods exist.

At least we had the opportunity to gawk at the inestimable Peninsula Hotel. This magnificent hotel, in operation since 1928, is a Hong Kong landmark.

Hotel guests are whisked away to and from the hotel in grand style – a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley. Today we saw a helicopter land on the hotel roof.

A room with sea view is $1500 CAD a night and the famed afternoon tea, served in their stunning lobby, is $165 CAD for two. Now, while that price is steep, it is not beyond our reach and we did contemplate sitting in that sun-bathed room, soaking in the atmosphere.

But… there we were in our rumpled travel pants, our nylon backpacks, our matching waterproof Vessis, and I just couldn’t do it. The sign requesting “Smart Casual” was a reminder of our grubby appearances. If you come to Hong Kong, pack a nice dress (or dress shirt) and treat yourself.

This is more our style – Michelin-mentioned street food that you line up for, get yelled at by the frazzled cashier, and then lean up against a dirty outdoor counter and try not to burn your mouth with your inept use of chopsticks.

Watching the show from our countertop perch.

We were on our way to the neighbourhood of Wan Chai on the Hong Kong side; an area noted for its historic tenement-style houses that have somehow avoided being razed for skyscrapers. On the way, we passed through a street market.

What I have really appreciated about Hong Kong is that the market vendors, by and large, are pretty chill. You are free to look at their products without being hassled.

Not so at this stall. I stopped to check out some men’s and women’s underwear – well, men’s underwear in particular, and was pounced on. I happened to say to Stephen, “what do you think of these?”, and upon closer inspection we decided they would fit a slender 15-year-old boy.

This lady grabbed a pair and then stretched them up to Stephen’s midsection – trying to convince him they were one-size-fits-all. We had a good laugh and moved on.

The Blue House is notable, in part for its bright blue paint, and in part for its historical significance. The Blue House is in a cluster of other brightly coloured similar buildings, which are not houses at all – they are large buildings comprised of several apartments and businesses.

They are built in the Lingnan-style, one of the very few remaining examples left of the balcony type and have been designated Grade 1 Historical.

Blue House is down the street, with the white balconies beside the yellow house.

While it is not possible to tour the building, as it is primarily residential, the ground floor businesses and courtyard are open to the public.

A nearby street – typical of the area.

I couldn’t wait to ride the “Ding Dings” – so named for their ongoing bell ringing as they approach each stop. These historic narrow double-decker trams have been in operation since 1904, and are a really fun way to explore the city. They have two routes – eastbound and westbound and we covered most of them; sitting contentedly on the upper deck, and for two rides, sitting right at the front.

They are slow, they are scenic and they are a big attraction; probably primarily for tourists.

We passed the beautiful Western Market, an Edwardian-style market, built in 1906, renovated in the early ’90s, and is now closed for further renovations. I would love to see this market when it re-opens.

After about an hour, we got off our Ding Ding and walked through this park to the ferry. Little pockets of beauty to be found everywhere.

And finally, we showed up for the Light Show on the harbour. At 8:00 each evening, there is a 10-minute light show that was described as being “must-see.”

I have to say that was overstating the case, as the lights consisted of some spotlights, a dozen or so cruise boats trimmed with lights in the harbour and not a lot more.

Still, it was fun to be part of the huge crowd on the waterfront, the skyline looked impressive and we had a lot of fun watching three little kids chasing each other for half an hour, as do kids everywhere.

And – our all-too-brief stay in Hong Kong is over. I made a long list of things to do and only scratched off half of them. A return visit is a must.

Thank you for following along with our adventures. Although we’re not in striking distance of the Middle East mess, and we don’t feel unsafe at all, the world feels precarious and we’re happy to be coming home.

We’ll see some of you soon, and some of you before too long.

Until next time – big hugs from Ginny & Stephen.