Yin and Yang on the Yangtze, Part Two
Hong Kong – a Chinese city with multi-Asian and Western elements
We departed for Hong Kong about 5:35 PM and upon arrival were required to pass through immigration and collect our own luggage before proceeding to customs. Because of the long, long walk from our gate to where our bus awaited us, our guide had arranged for anyone who wished to be transported by a wheelchair, the only method of getting around the airport except by foot. As much as I disliked being treated like an invalid, I appreciated the ride, especially when I was whisked through special lines for immigration and customs.
Hong Kong is designated as a SAR or Special Administrative Region. It was a crown colony of the United Kingdom from 1842 until the transfer of its sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997. The Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People’s Government is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign affairs, while Hong Kong maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organizations and events.
We arrived at the Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel, our home for the next three nights, shortly before 8 PM. Kowloon is situated across the harbor from Hong Kong Island. This very modern and luxurious hotel is right on the waterfront and our room had a beautiful view of the many types of harbor boats and Hong Kong’s nighttime skyline. After our long exhausting day, Don and I chose to have a quick dinner in the hotel’s casual café and relax in our room.
The next morning we departed for a sightseeing tour of Hong Kong Island. We began by taking the tram to the top of Victoria Peak, the highest point within Hong Kong. Our bus took us partway up the Peak to the tram station where we had easy (no steps) access to the tram car. At the top of the Peak, we disembarked the car and walked down a small ramp to the viewing areas. We were lucky to have another clear, sunny viewing day and the sights from the Peak are quite breathtaking. The toilet facilities were modern and ramps and escalators were available in the buildings housing shops and restaurants. We descended the Peak via elevators that took us down to our bus which had by now climbed up the mountain. Our trip down the winding roadway gave us different views than the tram ride.
Our next stop was at Aberdeen Harbor where I finally had an opportunity to take a sampan ride around the harbor where many people live on their boats. Floating Jumbo restaurants cater to the boat people and tourists. Because this sampan was larger than the ones on the Lesser Gorges and in Zhu Jia Jiao, I was able to climb aboard from stone steps at water level without too much help, keeping my balance as the boat rocked. The cruise around the harbor was a wonderful cultural experience, moving among boats whose occupants may never come on land.
Our last stop of the morning was at Hong Kong’s famous Stanley Market. Although a bit touristy if you are a tourist, it will certainly help you to cross off all the items on your souvenirs-to-buy-Aunt-Jane shopping list. I chose not to shop, but Don bought his fourth cap of the trip. Luggage is a popular and inexpensive item here so one man in our group bought a five-piece orange set. He was going to nest the set and take it back to Bermuda as one piece of luggage. It used to be that Hong Kong was considered a shopping mecca and travelers were told that they could get whatever they were looking for cheaper there than at home.
Today's Hong Kong, although a duty-free port and with no sales tax, is not as cheap as it once was. Our guide told us that if we saw something we liked as we toured China, buy it, because we shouldn’t assume that we could buy it cheaper in Hong Kong. Souvenirs that are specific to a site should be bought there, since you probably won’t see them in Hong Kong, such as the three hats that Don bought at various tourists sites along the way.
Frommer’s has some good tips on shopping in Hong Kong such as what are the best bargains and when to buy. Sharpen up your bargaining skills because bargaining is a way of life in the shops and stalls of Hong Kong and in some other places in China, too, although not all shopkeepers are willing to bargain these days. Don and I practiced our skills when purchasing some jade jewelry and assorted souvenirs. The experience was a lot of fun and we convinced ourselves that we did save money.
We returned to the hotel for lunch on us and an afternoon at leisure. We had wanted to try a Dim Sum meal so we ate at the hotel’s Shang Palace restaurant that served this Chinese specialty. Dim sum literally translated from the Cantonese, means dot-hearts, small treats that touch the heart . Since we found it sometimes difficult to capture these mostly round treats with our chopsticks, we resorted to stabbing the food if it was in a sauce or eating it with our fingers if it was not sticky.
We had planned to take the Star Ferry over to Hong Kong Island that afternoon (seniors ride free), but access to the ferry and its preferable upper deck was up several long flights of steps with no elevator or escalator available. I decided to relax for awhile in the room and catch up on my reading while Don explored the area and took lots of photos. That night we dined with friends at the Angelini restaurant in the hotel — Italian cuisine and a gorgeous view of Victoria Harbor.
The next day was both our last in Hong Kong and the last of the tour. We spent the morning visiting some of the minor tourists spots of the area: the Bird Garden, popular with Chinese seniors who enjoy displaying and comparing their feathered friends, Wong Tai Sin Temple, an excellent example of a traditional Chinese temple, and the fishing village at Lei Yu Mun, where all kinds of fish and shellfish are on display.
The afternoon was at our leisure, so we took the opportunity to do some last minute shopping, specifically for jade jewelry. At the recommendation of our guide, we visited the Rio Pearl wholesale jewelry shop just down the street from the hotel. They are known for good quality, low pressure, and something for everyone and every budget. After some bargaining over price, I bought a beautiful jade ring for myself and a jade pendant for my daughter. Many of the women on our tour shopped for pearls. For our last lunch in Hong Kong, we decided to try one of the non-Chinese restaurants and settled on a small German one around the corner from Rio Pearl. The food was surprisingly authentic and the beer choices were German. That evening we had our farewell cocktail party and dinner, a lavish affair held in a beautifully appointed private dining room in the hotel. The menu was continental and delicious, the best meal of the trip. We all took pictures, shared addresses and e-mails and sadly said goodbye to our travel companions and outstanding guide, Annie.
