Hong Kong... after the fireworks

With an exciting night of fireworks behind us, Jen and I woke to our first morning of 2010 to an equal mix of bright sunshine and clouds, not to mention a fabulous breakfast buffet, which fueled our adventurous spirit as we set off to see magnificent Hong Kong Island.

There are several ways to get to the island - the MTR (subway), a taxi through the harbor tunnel, or the iconic Star Ferry. Since this was the first trip to Hong Kong for both of us, we felt it was imperative that we take the Star Ferry. Not only is the ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central HK the cheapest way (3 HKD - or  $0.40USD) into the city, but the view is spectacular.

Once off the boat, the first destination on our list was the famous Victoria Peak, which is famous not only for the fabulous view it provides, but the unique method of transportation one must take to get to the top. The Peak Tram, as it's called, was built in the late 19th century and is made up of two trams attached to either end of a single steel cable. The cable is looped around a large wheel at the top of the mountain, so that the weight of each tram is balanced out by the other - like a counterweight. The two trams run on a single track, except for the middle portion, which has two side-by-side tracks so the trams can pass one another.

We waited in line for about an an hour and 20 minutes before getting on the tram. There were definitely cheaper and quicker ways to get to Victoria Peak, but that would be like going to San Francisco and taking a taxi, instead of a cable car. The ride to the top takes about 5 minutes and it is well worth the hour wait. The tram drops you off at the Peak Tower, a wok-shaped building with a flat roof that doubles as an observation deck. Once you make your way up the 7 different escalators to the top, you can take your pick of viewpoints in the 360 degrees available. On one side of the island, you can see the back side of Hong Kong with Victoria Harbor and Kowloon off in the distance. On the other, the island is very undeveloped with lush greenery and a backdrop of the jade-colored South China Sea. The only problem with Victoria Peak is that it is about 15-20 degrees cooler than the city below, which everyone else seemed to be prepared for, just not us - who packed for Hong Kong like it was Singapore. It's the whole Celsius - Fahrenheit thing... it's just confusing.

Once we got back to warmer climates in the city below, we decided to walk around and see what else HK had to offer. Jen and I agreed that it's like a mix of Manhattan and San Francisco - with hundreds of towering skyscrapers and steep hills. Many of the streets are extremely narrow - only wide enough for one lane flanked by two thin sidewalks. One area we visited, amusingly named SoHo, has a series of escalators that run up the middle of a steep street (no longer designed for cars) and is paired with a walkway for those heading down.

Speaking of walking, navigating the sidewalks of HK requires a great deal of focus and patience. Jen and I have both walked the busy sidewalks of NYC, Chicago, London, and other crowded cities, but Hong Kong is in a league of its own. In the US (and presumably other developed nations), you generally walk to the same side that you drive. In Asia, most countries drive on the left due to the intense historical British influence, therefore, I would assume passing on the left is customary. Not so much... Walking in HK is like watching the battle scenes in Braveheart - people moving in every available direction and walking at any variety of speeds. If you see something shiny in a window, just stop in the middle of the sidewalk - no big deal! Want to walk 3 abreast with your friends while all of you talk on the phone? Sure thing, knock yourself (or someone else) out! In regards to shopping, if you're one who likes luxury brands - Hong Kong (or any major city in Asia, for that matter) is your destination. There's a Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Ferragamo, or any other high end store on seemingly every street. Most have a line outside the store at all hours of the day or night - which we were not sure if the people waiting were there to buy or just gawk at the merchandise - but Western fashion is a big deal in the Far East.

Here's a little montage of Hong Kong's sights we experienced - the Sublime cover song is a little raucous, but I just couldn't resist the lyrics!
Hong Kong is an exciting place with a great deal of energy. It's got a lot of great food and an interesting mix of Western and Eastern culture. One interesting aspect of Hong Kong is the amount of reclaimed land they choose to build on. Much of HK Island is a protected park, so when the Ritz-Carlton wanted to build a new hotel on the harbor, they just pile more dirt along the edge of the island and make room. So, just when one building thinks they hit the jackpot with a harbor-front location, another building comes up and blocks it. According to an Aussie ex-pat I spoke to who lived in HK extensively, he said that the edge of Hong Kong island had expanded almost 1km from its original spot due to years of land reclamation. Overall, Hong Kong was one of our, if not the, favorite place we visited during our travels.