Peanuts was busy coordinating a trade show, so instead she gave me a map of the subway system and loaded tons of money on her Octopus Card (an electronic card thats used on subways, ferries, trams, buses, etc..)
My first stop was riding a cable car up Victoria Peak to get a survey of the city. I'm probably making this up, but I'm gonna state that Hong Kong has the world record for highest density of skyscrapers. I've been to metropolitan cities like New York and Los Angeles, but it just doesn't compare with how cool it is to walk in a towering forest of steel and glass.
Hong Kong is truly a fusion of the East and West. Pictured above is the "Chinese" style squat toilet. Not pictured but to the right is a "Western" seated toilet you are probably more used to. Now if you were to use the squat toilet, which direction would you face? The wall or the door? My approac...if I was taking a poop, I'd face the door.
Other interesting facts I learned about bathrooms. Owing to it's colonial past, people in Hong Kong call bathroom's "Loos". Peanuts and her friends also call bathrooms "Johns" but I have forgotten their reason for that.
Tired and hungry from walking around the city most of the day, exploring the areas of Central, Hong Kong Park and Admiralty, I hopped on the MRT to Wan Chei. I ducked into a pub recommended by the Lonely Planet guide book, called the Pawn. There I ordered figs wrapped in bacon and washed it down with a draft english beer. Only later would I discover that Wan Chei has a well known red light district, I'll have to save that for next time =)
The next day I explored Lantau Island where Peanuts lives on the island in the city of Tung Chung. The island is the largest and greenest part of Hong Kong. I took a 25 minute cable car ride from the Tung Chung to Ngong Ping to see the Big Buddha; apparently it is one of the largest seated Buddha figures. It is a 200 step trek up steep stairs, but getting to see the figure up close makes it worthwhile.
On the way back I visited the Po Lin Monastery. There I walked around soaking in the serenity and spirituality of the location. I watched a procession of young monks in training goofing around with each other as they ate ice cream. I also lit incense sticks and prayed for a safe journey as we continue this South East Asia adventure. The picture above is one of my favorites. The incense sticks are intricately decorated with dragons and in the background you can see the Big Buddha.
Later that evening, Peanuts and I met up with her friends in the party district of Lan Kwai Fong. Before starting a long night of drinking, we had an incredible dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Izote. We had cold, refreshingly fruity sangria, light your mouth on fire chorizo, but the best dish was the roasted chicken which they sliced for you tableside. LKF (in the local lingo) is a strip of bars, clubs and restaurant, where hip hop and 80s music explodes from speakers, shots are shared and the party spills out onto the streets. Many bartenders in HK are Filipino, so you're liable to get free shots if they see their fellow countrymen. We didn't get home until 5 in the morning. In a city full of great memories, that night was the highlight of my visit to Hong Kong.
During my last full day in Hong Kong, Marianne (Peanuts friend) was kind enough to take me on a tour of her neighborhood. We visited the Man Mo Temple, where we cam across this beautiful sight. Coils of incense slowly burn and the shafts of light streaming in are quiet beautiful
Many people in Hong Kong are cremated. We visited temples, where you could see rows and rows of boxes, with pictures and dates identifying the deceased. One of the really interesting things I came across was the concept of "Dead Money". During cremation, paper replicas of items are burned along with the body. Here you can see origami of McDonals fries and chicken nuggets, so that the person who has died can fulfill their junk food craving in the afterlife.
During my last night in the city, we walked through the Central neighborhood. These towering skyscrapers are brightly lit up at night. The city never sleeps.
Peanuts and I enjoying one last drink at a club called Tivo in the SoHo neighborhood. I really dug the cool shadow box lighting effect of the bar. Good times.
Seriously, if anyone has a computer job for me in HK, I would move there. Get your couch ready for me Peanuts =)
No comments:
Post a Comment