I need a t-shirt that says ‘I love Hong Kong’, because I really do !
Here is a rundown of the pictures :
Bowl-shaped viewing deck of the Peak Tram BUT there was only FOG to view (co-workers Vic and Karl with me); we had a good laugh about that! The view has been like this for two weeks, said a guide, so that made us feel better. The Bank of China building in the Central district on Hong Kong Island is spectacular up close. Orchids on Flower Market street in Kowloon, they go for US$10 for a flower pot with the plant spectacularly in full bloom (I saw South African proteas for sale as well). Birds in cages in the bird market right next to it. A mind-boggling array of street vendors selling brand names, off-brand names, wanna-be brand names in t-shirts, toys, gadgets, underwear, housewares, electronics, you name it, it’s there. The t-shirt with the kitten character Marie from the Disney classic Aristocats flanked by Thomas and Friends and others. Goldfish in plastic bags outside an aquarium store. The high-end stores have stunning neon-lit displays of sea anemones, sea cucumbers, star fish and even coral for sale that matches the best scenes I have seen anywhere! A park off Nathan road in Kowloon where retired men played Chinese checkers and mahjong.
Then we walked south on Nathan road, and Karl bought some pearl arm bracelets; I bought more gold (yes, another one, somebody – stop me! .. it was a very small item, though). Then we were accosted like the tourist guides all warn, by the tailors that solicit business on the street. What an interesting experience to go into the tailor shop – a long story, but I ended up ordering three custom-tailored shirts which were delivered at the hotel and run all of $40 each. They fit very nicely.
Further south is Salisbury Road on the Kowloon waterfront with Hong Kong designer Vivienne Tam’s store 1881 about to open (the heart-shaped flower display in the picture); a store at that plaza sells Vacheron Constantin watches – which I have never heard of – and a stunning gold and diamonds watch with a dragon design was on display. I had the nerve to ask the salesperson the price. It goes for a cool HK$ 546,000 (US$70,000). The next stop at the Chinese Center for Arts and Culture is the one and only place any visitor to Hong Kong must go to. Pictures are forbidden, but I took the one shown of a carving, maybe it’s a block of jade, I don’t know. Some of the antique carvings in bone and ivory there make the word exquisite fall completely short as a description of it.
Next we got on the Star Ferry to cross Victoria Bay back to Hong Kong Island (skyline from the ferry). The tall building is Two International Finance Center, the tallest building in Hong Kong. The next picture shows two of my favorite night scenes : a tram and a building outlined in neon. And as far as I can tell the O’Fama group is a local band.
