Beijing me baby, one more time.
My last day in Beijing arrived and sadly coincided with my last day in China. With luggage already 13k over my allowance the main objective was to stay away from any more markets. I was good, I only bought one more thing that day… some Chinese emperor playing cards for my Dad. Another objective was to be a little kind to my digestive system and avoid making the 20 hour long journey home any more turbulent than necessary.
After a hectic day the day before we started this day with pastries and coffees at a local French café. My breakfast featured the best almond croissant I’ve ever sunk my teeth into.
The big dilemma was which Beijing sites to hit. Unfortunately the Summer Palace got bumped for lack of time. I’ll have to go back again. Instead we visited the Temple of Heaven in the morning and the Forbidden City and Tiananman Square in the afternoon.
It turns out that the Temple of Heaven was a good replacement for the Summer Palace, similar to a smaller version. Just off a main road, surrounded by the massive generic concrete buildings, you would not know the treasures beyond the gates.
We walked into a huge park, with many elderly people playing cards under pagodas. Cute. We strolled past the seven and made it up to the main temple. We could have gone on for much further, but after recent excursions I had become a lazy tourist. What was there was a massive temple, many flowers, and a couple of couples having their wedding photographs taken.
After a brief lunch stop over the road at the Pearl Market we went on to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. First thing we did in The Forbidden city? Had a rest on a step and people watched. It turns out that The Forbidden City is a stellar place to people watch. The excellent quality of strangers’ strange behaviour combined with two knackered and lazy tourists meant that we did this a huge lot.
We also walked many steps and slopes to explore the Forbidden City. Whilst the first few squares were quite samey they were also quite magnificent. After a few temples and giant squares to cross it begins to diversify. It was probably the most traditionally ancient Chinese place that I’d come across… the kind of stuff you imagine when you’re planning a trip to China. I got a bit more cheeky with my poses.
Tiananmen Square was busy and big, and I was glad to see it, but wasn’t blown away. It was very official and big. Mao was the sun smiling over all of us sunflowers and that.
Last stop was Wangfujing. After a final green tea latte in Starbucks this was the stop where I had to say goodbye to Lucy before she caught the train back to Shijiazhuang. I won’t lie to you, I cried a lot. Leaving Lucy and China was becoming a bit real.
My antidote to this was going to the street food capital of Beijing (which must be the street food capital of China, if Beijing’s the capital city, right?) I finally got to see really gross stuff BBQ-ed on sticks; cockroaches, testicals, starfish and snakes. All the good stuff. Call me old fashioned but I opted for crab dumplings.
Eventually it was time to pack it in, so mournfully I made my way back to the hotel, picked up my luggage and checked in. My massive win was getting away with 13k over my luggage allowance. Must be my winning smile. 24 hours after check in and I was back in the UK eating a burger and chips in Rickmansworth with my friend, Claire Bear, and wondering if it was all a dream… or an elaborate lie on my blog? (It wasn’t, promise).
The REALLY Great Wall of China.
Excuse my absence. I’ve been conquering international flights, jet lag, cankels, the M25, excitable family members, and two year olds who are a little too keen to show me what they made in their potty.
But let’s rewind a few days*. I’d successfully flown in from Shanghai to Shijiazhuang and had a whirlwind 20-ish hours which included dinner out at More Spice (yum), Chinese French Manicures (less understated than I’d expected), a good sleep (sound), a stark realisation of just how much over my luggage allowance my suitcase was, (13k over btw), and a crazed and panicked ride to the train station, (sweaty). Luckily we made it on to the packed out train, Beijing bound, with a fist full of blisters after carting my obese suitcase up and down many flights of steps.
After a 10 day taxi ride (or at least it felt like it), we realised that touristic excursions would have to wait until the following day. So we took some happy hours which involved build-your-own Bloody Maries** followed by some sublime Peking duck.
Bright and early (ok 9.30ish) we made our way to the bus station. After an epic hunt for the 877 bus to Badaling we were on and travelling, GREAT WALL BOUND.
It was pretty amazing finding ourselves in a green mountainous region after the concrete jungles*** of Chinese cities. The air became less grey and the sun was shining through a lot brighter. On arrival we noticed that this was heftily balanced out by a neon tourist tack village that had depressed bears and a scabby camel to welcome us and send us off on our climb.
The queues? Well we queued a long time. At the end of the queue we found out that we were queuing in a queue that we didn’t need to be in for something that we didn’t have tickets to. I’m blaming the signage over my lack of Chinese.
I’ll tell you what, though. Once we’d finally made it up on to the wall, it was completely stunning. One of my top China experiences. The wall was a lot steeper than I’d expected and of course everything is more vast and magnificent in real life. It was mainly steps but there were a lot of steep brick slopes to climb. I was wearing flip flops with no grip. It was a few falls before I learnt to go down on my bottom!
We climbed for as far as we could (before a section was blocked) and then made our way back, jelly-legged from the climb. The elderly Chinese ladies, men dressed in full suits, and runners that we passed climbing put my difficulties to shame.
After our sleepy bus journey home (coincided with Chinese nap time), we had an afternoon to play in Beijing. We headed to the Pearl Market and scored some bling. In fact a LOT of bling. Buying pearls is an addictive game. After collecting the pearls that we’d ordered there was a close cut dash to the Chaoyang Beijing Acrobatics show which was a contortionist fest with motorbikes.
Satisfied with some excellent tourism we ate a dinner of deep fried spiky chunked fish and fell into bed with little effort, heart full of warmth for another fantastic and fantastically different Chinese city.
*Still can’t work out how this has all occurred in less than a week.
**Or insert correct plural of Bloody Mary.
***Where dreams are made of.
Wangfujing, Beijing. Street food central. Not for the faint hearted or camera shy…
Street food fun in Beijing. (Taken with instagram)
Happy Hours.
Of all the happy hours I’ve ever participated in, the happiest ones are in China. In Hong Kong and Shanghai there are some seriously swankybars, each with a list of glittering cocktails, making me feel like a child in a sweetshop, were that child inappropriately acquainted with alcohol. I ruined that metaphor well, didn’t I?
The reason happy hours are just SO happy over here? Posh cocktails in exclusive locations become seriously accessible to the likes of I. Half price of BOGOF. Sometimes they bring you mini steak sandwiches too. I’ve been finding myself in bars on the 100th floor of places, or where there are more than 10 options of cleansing on the arm of the toilet seat. I have to admit, selecting the array of squirty/dryer options is particularly funny at the other end of happy hour.
Last night we had cocktails in the Ritz, Shanghai. That’s right, THE RITZ. We even made it into the seating area reserved for the premium hotel guests. Well, Emily and I made a dash for the forbidden area after the first round, but after some negotiation on Nick’s part, we were allowed in the moderate-exclusive area. Our end of the bargain? Buying two more cocktails each… a hardship we endured with what dignity was left.
My shanghai rhythm has been wandering around like a shameless tourist in the day, happy hour then food with Nick and Emily in the evenings. I can’t complain, apart from that I’m now typing this at the airport. My firm favourite is a mojito, but I won’t turn my nose up at a martini or a daiquiri either. Or a fruity margarita variation. Or something with rose in it. Ok, I’m not that discerning. My top favourite was a ginger mojito at the Ritz.
The cocktails have been both tasty and aesthetically pleasing. Diamond ice in pink liquids, maybe with a cheeky straw or stirrer, possible rimmed with cinnamon or sugar, and then put in front of a 1930s style bar. How could I not regale you with my best selection of tipples?
Mango Daiquiri… check the birdcage chandelier. At the Eaton Smart Hotel, Hong Kong.
Ginger Mojito at The Ritz, Carlton, Shanghai. (Pre-bolting onto the guests only area).
Nick and Emily post-bolting into exclusive area.
Post Mortinis at The Morton (geddit?) Oriental Pear Tower growing out of my head.
Sake with teppanyaki. Not a cocktail but noteworthy as it’s in an egg cup.
Chocolate Mortini and steak sandwiches at The Morton. A traditional combination.
Cocktail with actual rose petals in at The Eye Bar, iSquare, Hong Kong.
Appletini at the Morton. Waited till after taking this photo to lick the cinnamon sugar off.
Mojito at the Eaton Hotel. THERE’S A SNAIL ON MY PLATE.
Nick drinking an ever-so-manly Chocolate Mortini. Total emasculation prevented by steak sandwiches.
A rose tea in Qibao… everything in moderation, right?
Shanghai Scenes.
I’m living in a movie. A constant buzzy, noisy, smelly, surprising, delightful, disturbing, panoramic one. I’m probably played by someone British and elegant like Kate Winslet. Apart from I’ve got coriander in my teeth. One difference.
Shanghai is known as the Paris of the East, and I can see why. It’s arty and cosmopolitan but it’s also bohemian, adding a touch of edgy to it all. I would love to live here but suspicious that prolonged time here would make me increasingly bankrupt and increasingly spherical. It could go the other way and I could become an Imogen Heap-type artistic soul. (That’s what I dream).
It is completely other than what I already know. Hagglers are harsh, fruit sellers carry their goods balanced in scale-like structures, Starbucks are embedded in historic sites, gleaming buddhas shine out amongst thick incense hazes and there are people absolutely everywhere.
This city is vast in size, in diversity, in its surprises and treasures. A feast of the senses… although really I can only (in part) capture the visual. Here’s an attempt…
Ten things I’m thankful for Tuesday… (Shanghai)
Crikey, it’s Tuesday again? How did that happen? So last Tuesday I travelled from Shijiazhuang to Hong Kong, this Tuesday I’m in Shanghai, next Tuesday I’ll be back in the UK. That’s the way life goes… but I wouldn’t mind putting it on pause here and there.
1. Safe travels and dancing flight attendants.
2. A beautiful time in Hong Kong, exploring it was an utter privilege.
3. Lovely hosts in Shanghai. Nick and Emily are being so wonderful and generous, plus have given me ace directions and tips.
4. The tiny bit of Mandarin I’m getting my head around. TINY.
5. Good reads- I just finished The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards it was lovely and sad.
6. Shanghai itself… I really am relishing it. It’s so different to everywhere else I’ve been… much more cosmopolitan and arty. It’s probably my favourite.
7. Cocktails in beautiful locations. It’s a hobby.
8. Cats that are married. Everybody loves a newlywed.
9. That it’s stopped raining today!
10. I’m thankful for all that I have in the UK that I take for granted. China travelling is offering me a fresh perspective on all kinds of things.
Cats are spooning in the French Concession.
Winding my way through what seems to be the definition of Bohemia, enchanted by ceramic hand painted jewellery and poorly translated prints about mental health, we stumble on this café. In fact I am drawn to it by the couple sitting in the window.
I saw sitting, but actually they are spooning. One is ginger and one is brunette, one is wearing a bow tie, and one is wearing a suit-tie. And they have four legs (each, eight between them). And they’re cats. Cool.
Walking in and finding our table I am charmed by the cute vintage twee decor. There are lampshades with tassels, embossed wallpaper and many many photos of the cats. I also note that the cats move very little despite frequent manhandling. I’m relived to see their chests rising and falling with breath at least.
The waitress comes over to take our order; a peach blossom iced coffee for me. Floral coffee has completely sold this place to me and I shall mourn it every day when I’m back in the UK. She then announces that the cats have recently got married, before turning on her heel. Yes, I am describing something that actually happened.
This is a snapshot of the weird and wonderful treasures of Shanghai. I am especially taken with the ‘Old French Concession’ and would love to spend every day of my life in it. I’m considering appealing to the newlyweds to take me as a lodger. It’s arty and cool, and completely original, plus there are a whole load of fairy lights. The eateries are both great and strange; the Thai restaurant having a teddy bear theme, The Teddy Bear Thai Restaurant.
I have truly found my spiritual home.
Goodbye my lover…
My lover being Hong Kong. No holiday romance goss… sorry to my co-workers who may have got their hopes up back in Woodbridge.
So on May 12th Hong Kong’s number was up. Not ultimately, just in terms of my travels. As usual it was hard not to think about all the billions of things I would do if I had longer… the south coast of Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island, Macau, some of the new territories, the museums. And meet Bruce Lee, of course.
Yet I took a step in decadent and lavish’s direction on the last day by ‘wasting’ time having a stonking great lie in. My poor feet had got to a point where it looked like they’d gone through the lawn mower a few times and the bags under my eyes were beginning to get some haggle-y offers in the markets. The lie-in was right on the money.
My super gorgeous hotel let me leave my luggage with the concierge, (who was disappointingly un-French for such a title), giving me some time to kill. I wandered Kowloon one last time, ate the local speciality of wantons and fish dumplings at a diner, popped into Kowloon park which was adequately picturesque, discussed the development of European economics with a rather bold woman who apparently stopped me with this topic in mind, and read some more of The Memory Keeper’s Daughter with a green tea frapuccino.
After this… a short taxi ride, airport express train, awkward trip to the toilet with a rigid suitcase and massive hand luggage, trip from terminal 1 to terminal 2, multiple escalator/lift/more train rides around the intimidatingly futuristic airport (“passengers please alight at the next stop and consider the escalator”), a few check-ins, luggage scans and pat downs, a last ditch attempt to give Starbucks ALL of my Hong Kong dollars… and there I was, on a plane gearing up for Shanghai.
A sadness of sorts, but also ready for the next adventure. Thought I’d finish with some top threes to round up my experience…
Top 3 Hong Kong experiences:
3… Exploring Kowloon for the first time. Totally buzzy and exciting and unlike any other experience.
2… Victoria peak- especially the tram.
1… Tian Tan Buddha. Somehow always new that was going to be my fav.
Top 3 Hong Kong finds:
3… The ‘Eye Bar’ in the iSquare restaurant. Great spot to view the harbour lights… if I were to do it again I’d go for the 8pm light show. Pricey cocktails but I viewed it like an activity rather than just the cocktail… which was rather marvellous though.
2… Taking the tram to Victoria Peak before 10am is a good call because you’ll avoid some heavy queuing. I sailed in and out and felt like I owned the place!
1… Crystal Cable Cars… glass bottomed cable cars are the way to do Ngong Ping.
Top 3 Hong Kong people:
3… The lady who taught me how to dim sum, when I was just dim.
2… The man who I passed every day in the town who first started trying to sell me suits but eventually just made a point of chatting and smiling. We became friends and even shook hands when I said goodbye.
Joint 1st… Annalisa- the wonderful founder of Bez & Oho who let me into her Hong Kong world for a privileged few hours and Kate & Rebecca- new Hong Kong friends on business who let me join in on food and shopping evenings and were total God sends.
Top 3 Hong Kong eats:
3… Dim Sum tea houses… loads around Soho on Hong Kong Island. More for the experience than the food to be honest, although I wasn’t disappointed.
2… Seafood restaurants around Temple St. Crab is a speciality, and I could have eaten there for every meal happily, if it wasn’t for everything else that I wanted to try.
1… Eating at Ladies Market, Mongkok… there’s loads of great food for VERY cheap.
Top 3 Hong Kong Rebeccamendations:
3… Pace yourself. It’s easy to fill every minute of time but you’ll get run down in the humidity. It was a hard lesson to learn but I think it’s better to do a few things well than beat yourself up over what you have to fit in.
2… If you’re going onto mainland China save the shopping. Everything is much cheaper elsewhere; even in the popular tourist destinations of Shanghai and Beijing. Stick with your Hong Kong specific goods and haggle down the prices as best you can. You’ll get better prices at the end of the evening markets too.
1… Comfortable shoes! I just missed amputation, but the combined humidity and busyness could finish all your piggies off. Invest in comfy shoes and you’ll be laughing.
To making it count…
I found out the my last full day in Hong Kong was a minefield for tourist guilt. What could I do that was worthy of a last day activity? All the while I had Jack Dawson’s mantra whirring round and round; “make it count”. (Opportunity for a sneaky Titanic reference must never go amiss).
I decided to explore the island a little more. First stop, Central Plaza. Central Plaza is a massive building in Hong Kong… which is pretty much how the Hong Kong building’s come. It’s swanky and is the tallest building made by fortified concrete (or summit like that) and has a viewing tower open to the general public on the 46th floor.
I saw open to the general public, but I was clearly out of place in my New Look short and tank top grasping camera and guidebook combo. But I’d recommend it to any tourist, even for the opportunity of seeing inside the building, let alone the stunning views from the top. It was quite an overcast day, but high up is still high up, right? Not to be sniffed at. The people looked like ants etc.
Next was Sheung Wan, the oldy style area of Hong Kong island. this means the older looking buildings were more abundant as were the older style goods; calligraphy pens, massive vases (I assumed Scooby Doo had hidden in a few) and eastern apothecaries selling medicinal birds nest soups, dried starfish and antler bites.
Whilst I was in the traditional Cantonese mood I opted for a dim sum restaurant. I picked the Lin Heung Tea House fresh out of the guide book. Possibly my most hair raising experience yet. I was seated at a large and crowded round table where a militant/kind older lady instructed me as best as she could, despite the language barrier, about how to dim sum well. This included washing my chopsticks and bowl in the tea, putting the tea and the soy sauce in the correct receptacles and grabbing a steamy dim sum basket on the way past, hoping that it didn’t have any tripe variation. They didn’t, I think everything I chose opportunely happened to be minced pork and shrimp.
Tummy full of dim sum I said my wordless farewells to my new Cantonese buddies, paid up (cheaper than chips), and headed up the peak via the escalators built for commuters. This was an opportunity to gaze on Soho and through local peoples’ upstairs windows.
At the top I helplessly wandered before staggering to the zoological park. Finally on arrival my heart leapt for joy whilst my physical self slid to the ground, legs past function. Not really, I just took my jelly legged self around the bird and monkey cages. The monkeys were the best because they were good at swinging and because there was a bench next to their houses.
I pulled myself together and made my way down the steep road to Hong Kong’s central MTR station… and pretty much crawled my way back to my hotel. I had some down time, took my shorts off, skyped my friend Sarah. That kind of thing.
Ready to face the busy Hong Kong streets I went up to Sham Shui Po, a stunning fabric market. Once again I wished I worked in fashion. It seems all the cool kids in China work in textiles or fashion, and I want to play. There were also multitudes of dodgy electronics and meat, plus a man who offered to take me out for a drink at McDonalds. I like the fabrics best. I didn’t invest in any, mainly because I was too intimidated to order, but partly also because the nicest fabrics seemed to be ones you had to bulk order. I couldn’t live up to that kind of expectation.
I travelled on down to Tsim Sha Tsui (by the harbour) to walk back up to Jordan and find somewhere to eat along the way. This would have all been well and good if I wasn’t overtired. I got the hunger shakes (and emotion, I’ll be honest). This reached a peak when I realised my iPhone was missing.
I summoned my last strength and marched up to my hotel prepared to pay the price for some hefty international calls. Orange- cut off sim card and blacklist phone. Lloyds TSB- to inform my phone insurance. Orange were great and swift, Lloyds TSB dragged out the international call and couldn’t quite cope with concept of why I might not be able to get a call back so easily.
I decided to make the best of a bad situation. I dressed up, put lippy on and ate at my hotel’s swanky restaurant. I opted for a mojito, a daiquiri and the buffet. I ate a snail for the first time and sushied like it was 1999. It was fabulous and I felt like royalty. I even requested chopsticks like a pro. Evening rescued, and all it cost was the same amount of money I’d spend on my food over the rest of my time in Hong Kong.
Got back, wrote updated some saintly Facebook status/tweets about how I’d soldiered on despite my sad loss. The comments flowed back in kind response. How I know? My phone vibrated underneath the bedsheets to alert me. Red faced I confessed and picked up the phone again to Orange asking to be un-blacklisted before the sun set on my last night in Hong Kong… the international call charges to be settled in the morning.
(That was a metaphor. The sun has set by 8pm at this time of the year in Hong Kong, actually.)
Some spectacular views from Hong Kong International… #hkia (Taken with instagram)
MORE HONG KONG TRAVEL BLOG/BRAG
Day 2. Phew. After all the tourism activities I’d completed the day before, I had some leeway to slack off. Cue no alarm. On natural awakening at 10am I pilgrimaged up to the 21st floor. The roof pool. That’s where they put the pool in the roof.
I found the sun there, and using simple logic I thought I’d even up my disgustingly burnt shoulders (with bow marks from previous days outfit) with a little more mild-to-moderate sun bathing. This incorporated frequent dips into the pool to survive the sunbathing.
Having made it off the roof, slightly looking like one of the roast ducks I see hanging in most restaurant windows (although my neck remained untwisted to that horrifying angle) I hopped on the MTR (Hong Kong’s underground) to Mong Kok, home of markets. The Ladies Market was open again so I had a brief look around. I stopped for both the cheapest and best sushi I’ve ever eaten, feeling smug about my excellent restaurant choosing skills (see previous posted picture).
Then more markets. Having stocked up on glittery nail varnishes, Princess Diana themed packs of cards, waving gold cats and disturbingly profound stationary, you would think that China had nothing left to offer. Don’t underestimate the extensive range of the Hong Kong markets my foolish readers*. I still had the goldfish market, the flower market and the bird market to explore. I’ll give no prizes for guessing which of the three was the most sweet smelling.
From Mong Kok (lol) to Prince Edward I perused the gold fish market. I feel this name is a little exclusive considering the wider array of pets on offer, (puppies, kittens, rabbits, turtles, mice), plus the diversity of fish. I did find the small fluffy things cute but I also found it shocking the way many were boxed in the heat. All very different to the UK.
Next was the flower market which was a dream. I have a floral heart and felt that in the flower market I’d found a spiritual home. Apart from the bouquets of leaves and cuddly toys. Those were weird. I couldn’t resist and picked up a bouquet of bright peonies for the friend-of-a-friend I was off to meet. (More on that in a bit…)
Then the bird market. You can see it a little below in a video I recorded. There were parrots and everything. I definitely felt out of the clique without my own birdcage containing a berserk budgie in it. But I could cope with that, it left my hands free for shameless photography of natives’ ordinary lives like the utter tourist that I am.
Next stop, Bez and Oho. Annalisa who created and runs this amazing company is a friend of our mutual friend, Sally “coolest kid in Chorleywood” Freeman, who insisted we meet. Good call Sally. I loved Annalisa and what her business is about; they make and sell awesome bags (check and buy from the website here) linked to a project that works with vulnerable women in Hong Kong. Learnt a lot in a small space of time and left feeling really inspired and encouraged about a unique and profound form of ministry. I also took away a new friend, and new ACCESSORIES!
I briefly made it to Hong Kong island but felt suddenly poorly… so headed back for a lie down and painkiller pitstop. On recovery I rectified the evening by visiting the Temple Street Night Market. All right but not the best, and I was a little marketed out so I grabbed a spot in an outdoor seafood restaurant. After a wee while I noticed a few sparse rain drops and asked to be moved under the awning. Literally within seconds of being rehoused, as if from nowhere, the heavens opened and I had prime seats to watch Temple Street go crazy in response to the Biblical flooding it was receiving.
Seafood consumed, rain dwindled I was ready to move on. My aim? A very high up bar. I eventually found an appropriate spot in the ‘iSquare’ tower on Nathan Road. In the ‘Eye Bar’ I ordered a very fancy ‘Ricky’s Number’ cocktail that had rose petals in it. Alone I sat sipping and watching Hong Kong’s neon skyline. It was all very romantic and bohemian, I like to think.
This left me in good stead to meander my way back to the hotel through Kowloon, from Tsim Sha Tsui to Jordan… pausing in Starbucks to pick up a bedtime green tea latte. Yes, if you’re wondering, I am planning a new exercise regime on arrival back in England. Once the flip flop blisters have receded. I went to sleep content, with one full day left in Asia’s World City… [to be continued with more stories about how fabulous my life is this week PLUS an awkward incident with my phone]
*JOKES. Please carry on reading…
Unbelievable sights, indescribable feelings…
Heck, all the lyrics of Aladdin’s A Whole New World apply to this adventure.
Hong Kong is breathtaking. The incredible contrast of the mountains and coast next to the neon signs and sky scrapers is surreal. The islands that surround the mainland are jagged peaks, and further back into the mainland are more peaks.
Yesterday was my first full day and I quickly got down to peaky business. First stop was Victoria Peak, the highest peak in Hong Kong, on Hong Kong island, which I visited by tram. Sounds quaint, but felt like a slowed-down version of a roller coaster… the incline feeling near vertical at times.
It was good to get there keeno early, because there were no queues… straight up and ready for happy snapping. It was bright and cloudy, and kind of cool seeing whips of clouds come and go around me. It felt like I was in a Harry Potter movie. Ish.
I stopped for a quick iced cappuccino and to purchase a pair of Croc shoes. In my defence, they are like a flip flop design… and my feet were killing me already. What can I say? Haters gonna hate. Sadly it transpires I’ve got to an age where I need more foot support in a way that Accessorize’s seagrass flip flops just can’t give.
After a seamless tram ride down (my technique was to kneel on the seat with my arm and camera out the window) I hot footed it (ok taxi-ed) across to Hong Kong station and hopped on the subway to Lantau Island. Island hopping is just made too easy here.
At Lantau Island I caught cable car to Ngoing Ping, home to the Po Lin monastery and Tian Tan giant buddha. It’s the largest outdoor seated buddha, in fact. So stick that in your incense burner and smoke it. I took the glitzy option and lavishly upgraded to the holographic ‘Crystal Carriage’ where the floor of the cable car was glass. This was pretty cool… but would have been cooler if I’d ridden one of the journeys lying on my front, right arm outstretched like Super Man. I didn’t, for the sake of the other five passengers, but regretted this decision after some of them didn’t do me the courtesy of not passing wind in a sealed glass container over a twenty minute ride.
You know that thing where you’re so in awe of something that you take a photo of it from every possible angel at every possible zoom? Just look at your friends with babies Facebook pictures if you don’t know what I mean. Needless to say my camera memory is pretty much 98% buddha, with about 1% of those being interesting to the average viewer.
I wandered around Ngoing Ping for a while before heading back to Kowloon, mainland Hong Kong, where my hotel is just off of Nathan Road, the major road running straight through it. I had a swim (posh) and a nap (I’ve already said something about ageing right?) before heading back out into the hustle and bustle.
Next was the ‘Symphony of Lights’ at the harbour. It’s a light show that all the massive buildings lining the facing coasts of Hong Kong island and Kowloon participate in. I won’t lie to you, I was expecting miracles. It was fun but not up to my ridiculous expectations. Partly because I was sitting behind a sign, I think. However, without the light show the view is pretty breathtaking, so I’ll give the poor habour a break.
I then met up some new friends and had dinner in an Irish pub. What a tourist. Then the Ladies’ Night Market for desert. Here you can buy any number of iPhone cases or novelty cards. I bought a Princess Di pack of cards. You have to get your haggle on here… which goes against my desire to be best friends with everybody. In short, I got done over many times. But I am now the proud owner of ALL THE TACK IN THE WORLD.
Then I got back to my hotel and did something radical. I went to sleep without setting an alarm. Such a good move. Today’s been splendid and rich and full, but a bit more restful. And another story… I’ll catch up tomorrow. Frankly I’m impressed if you’re still reading this novel of a post. Gush much, Dean?
The bird market… can’t quite capture it all. Imagine the smell of a run down bus stop whilst hanging around a steam room.
This was my lunch for less than a fiver in Mong Kok. Best sushi ever as well. (Taken with instagram)
