Hong Kong: Wong Tai Sin Temple

After stuffing ourselves to the brim with delicious Thai food, we shook off the food coma best we could and trekked back over to Kowloon.

 

Back in Kowloon, we pulled out our trusty walk tour pamphlet that we had picked up in the airport.  Armed with our maps and sense of adventure, we easily found our way to Wong Tai Sin Temple.

Having lived and traveled throughout Asia for close to three years now, I have seen quite a large variety of temples and shrines.   Of all that I have seen, this one ranked highly.  It was full of rich history and colorful beauty. 

The temple complex was large.  Right in front of the temple was a set of large bronze statues of the animals of the Chinese zodiac.  To the right of the main temple were several other statues, fountains and shrines dedicated to various deities.  Behind the temple is the Good Wish Garden-a garden filled with ponds, streams waterfalls and flowers.

It was lovely. 

Checking our tour book again, we hopped over to the neighboring metro station and discovered another beautiful garden.  

Hong Kong: Soho and an Escalator

Following the handy tourist signs that are all over Hong Kong, we found our way to the massive outdoor escalator.  Hong Kong boasts this set of outdoor escalators to be the longest in the world.  Following it down (it only goes up, we had to walk down) we ran into what our maps informed us was the area called Soho-which stands for south of Hollywood Blvd. 

This was very lucky for our hungry selves as Soho is absolutely packed to the brim with restaurants of every cuisine imaginable.  The hard part was figuring out what sounded the most delicious. 

 Karl and I like to eat.  We also like to take advantage of location.  Living in Japan, the cuisine diversity is surprisingly limited.  At least, in our small town it is.  When we found ourselves surrounded by a multitude of mostly southeastern Asian cuisine, we were thrilled.  

We settled on a delicious looking Thai restaurant.  

Marinated chicken roasted in banana leaves.  So. Good.

Green papaya peanut salad.  I need to find a recipe. 

Red snapper in chili sauce and fresh coriander.  Delicious.

We were not disappointed.   

Hong Kong: Victoria Peak

Our second full day in Hong Kong we woke up to another cloudy day…BUT!  On this day the clouds were sitting high up in the sky.  The tops of the skyscrapers and mountains had revealed themselves.  Having to play the weather by ear, we determined that we were not likely to get better weather than this on our trip, so we seized this mostly clear opportunity and headed for Victoria Peak.

Hong Kong is by far one of the most fascinating places I have visited.  The amalgamation of Western and Eastern cultures coming together for about a hundred and fifty years during the British occupation  has resulted in a totally unique place.  There is nowhere else like it. 

Sixteen years ago Hong Kong was handed back over to the China mainland government.  A treaty was signed saying that the current system in Hong Kong would remain unchanged for fifty years.  This is known as “one country, two systems,” and seems to be the topic of much debate.  How will the capitalistic society of Hong Kong and the neo-communism of mainland China eventually meld together?  Or won’t they?  I am the first to admit that I am completely unqualified to comment on this issue.  Although I am very interested in learning more about it and seeing what the future holds. 

Sixteen years after the turnover, Hong Kong retains a strong Western influence.  One of the most evident contributions to Hong Kong by the British is the tram system that is still fully operational today.  The most famous tram ride in Hong Kong is the Peak Tram.

Built in 1888, the peak tram became the main form of transportation to Victoria Peak.  Made famous by movies back in the 50's, it has become a favorite among tourists.  

After the relatively short-but nearly vertical-tram ride, you arrive at the top of Victoria Peak.  You can pay extra to view the breathtaking cityscape from the special Victoria Peak observation deck, we, however, took a hike instead. 

There are multiple trails and parks atop the mountain.  We took a lovely little hike around and to the very top of the peak.  It afforded us a fantastic 360 degree view of the area.  We were even able to see some of the outlying islands in the distance. 

Having taken in the view, we decided to trek back down the mountain on foot.  By time we reached the bottom, we were ready for lunch.

Lucky for us, we happened to walk right into Soho…

Hong Kong: Shopping

Why do people travel?  Most people have their own unique desires when it comes to planning their vacations.  Some people want to relax and soak up the sun all day every day.  Some people want to party.  Others want to have cultural, learning experiences.  Still others travel to shop.  

Now, of course, there are multiple factors that go into a persons decision on how and where to travel.  And these goals change over time.  For myself, I like to learn.  I could look at museums all day long and only occasionally get bored.  (Information saturation is a real thing!) 

But at the end of the day, after a full day of cultural experiences and adventures…it is nice to have some retail therapy. 

In Hong Kong, there are a few places that most tourists head to for their souvenir shopping: Temple Street Night Market and Ladies' Market.  

We went to both and didn’t buy a single thing. 

These are the types of stalls that are crammed together in rows with no wiggle room.  As you walk down the market row, the products repeat every few minutes.  You will be hard pressed to find unique items at both of these markets, or things of good quality for that matter. 

Still, they can be fun to walk around-but be ready to be bombarded by people eager to sell you anything and everything they can. 

Another place we went shopping (and actually bought some things) was on Hong Kong Island at a place called Stanley.  The shops there had much of the some things as Temple Street and the Ladies Market, but we dug around until we found something we liked.

If you are serious about wanting something of high quality and unique, be sure to go to Chinese Arts and Crafts.  There is a store right next to the Star Ferry pier on the Kowloon side of the harbor.  If you go though, be prepared to spend a bit more.  Also, there is no bartering.  We bought a gloriously beautiful set of silk placemats and a table runner there. They sell everything from furniture to jewelry. 

One of the last places we went to shop was the Jade market.  As you might imagine, this market specializes in jade, though we found several types of jewelry at this market.  Unlike the other street markets (whish are open till late), this one closes at the early hour of 4:30.  Unless you are a jade expert and can verify the quality yourself, barter the prices down to something reasonable. 

We purchased some pretty little things, had a fun time bartering our prices down to less than half the asking price and then left before we were roped in by other prowling salespeople.

A Short Guide to Bargaining (Based on my experience.)

If you show the least bit of interest in anything-the following will happen: Salespeople walk right up to you and start shoving bracelets on you wrists and putting necklaces around your neck. They will then proceed to thrust a mirror into your hands and prompt you to admire yourself in your newly acquired beauty.  (Did you ever imagine you could ever look you beautiful! And YES that is DEFINITELY your color.) 

You fall for the flattery and ask for the price. 

800 dollars, but for you morning discount.  600 dollars.  Only for you. 

You are now swooning at the flattery.  But you must STAY STRONG.  Do not show any emotion or attachment to the item in question.  Offer a much lower price.

200 dollars.

WHAT?! Nonononono!  This is high quality.  Is no fake! Real jade!  You give me more!

250 dollars. 

More!More!More!  Is no fake! Real jade!  You give me more!  You walk away, no deal!!!

Now you have stayed strong, but if they don’t take what you offer, walk away.  This will usually trigger the response you want-even if they threaten you otherwise. 

Once you agree on a price, don’t be surprised if they try to sell you more items.  It happened to us. 

And remember, if one sale doesn’t work out, there are dozens of other salespeople dying to barter with you for something that looks identical to the item you originally wanted. 

Also, have fun.  This is not something you get to do anywhere.  All you need is a healthy dose of shrewd skepticism and you should walk away with some great deals. 

One other short note about shopping in Hong Kong: You will more than likely be asked about watches and handbags.  

Lots of times.

Hong Kong: Tian Tan Buddha

When we had finished lunch, we stepped outside to find no rain.  We felt like we had won the weather lottery.  Well aware that the rain could start again any minute, we got right to seeing the sights.  

The main temple of Po Lin Monastery was beautiful.  Surrounded by trees and flowers, it rose upwards towards the cloudy skies.  Red and gold, the Chinese colors for happiness and prosperity, adorned almost everything inside the temple.  The sounds of chanting monks floated through the air as we wandered about soaking in the beauty.  (I am sure the chanting was either a pre-recording or from a microphone, but despite this it still provided lovely ambience.) 

From the stairs of the temple we could see the Buddha: our next destination.

We walked over to the base of the enormous Buddha.  Just barely two decades old, this is the largest seated outdoor Buddha statue in the world.  It was magnificent.  Perched upon its plinth which rests at the top of a staggering staircase, it maintains a commanding position amidst the mountains of Lantau Island. 

A small museum is inside the Buddha.  We were able to read about the history surrounding the Buddha and see many beautiful articles linked to its creation. (Pictures were not allowed inside.)

When we had had our fill of the magnificence, we made our way back to the small “village” of Ngong Ping.  (It’s really just a street full of tourist related stores and attractions, not an actual village.)  We stopped to see the small production called, “Walking with Buddha.”  Though somewhat clichéd in its presentation, it did provide some interesting information on the origins of Buddhism. 

We happened to be passing by a tea shop right as they were offering a free tea ceremony demonstration.  We stopped in to have a cup.  It was delicious, though not quite as fascinating as the tea class we would attend the following week. 

Before catching the ropeway back down to the train station, we had some delicious lychee gelato.  Lychee is a ubiquitous fruit in Hong Kong.  We found lychee flavored sweets everywhere during our stay, which is nothing to complain about-they are delicious! 

 

As we began the journey descending the mountain, it began to rain heavily again.  We could not believe our luck!

Hong Kong: Po Lin Monastery

The best time to travel to Hong Kong is not when we went.  All the travel research we did said to go in the Autumn-October and November are the best.  Winter is cool and cloudy.  In Spring, the rains begin.  In Summer, the humidity is unbearable.   But alas.  Our vacation time is somewhat rigid.  So we had to go when we could.

So spring it was.  We crossed our fingers and prayed for no rain. 

Doing our best to will good weather to come our way, we hit the ground running.  On our first day, we set out to see one of the biggest attractions in Hong Kong: The Po Lin Monastery and the enormous Buddha on Lantau Island.

There are three ways to reach the mountains  on which Po Lin Monastery and the Buddha are perched: bus, walking, or ropeway. 

Always up for adventuring, we headed for the ropeway.  The weather was behaving at sea level, but the tops of the mountains were shrouded in suspicious looking clouds.  Hoping for the best, we began our thirty minutes ascent.

Less than halfway up the mountain, we were enveloped by low clouds.  We couldn’t see anything but white.  Then the wind picked up.  And the rain started pouring.  We swayed precariously back and forth, praying to God the wind wouldn’t get worse. 

We finally made it.  Our only greeting at the top was a sign informing us of a “hoisted thunderstorm warning.”   Yikes.  

Some people turned around and went right back down.  Some pulled out their rain gear and braved the pouring rain.  Some just waited.

 

We stood and waited for about fifteen minutes.  The rain eventually lessened enough for our wimpy umbrellas to handle, and we made a run for it. We made it to the first goal: the Po Lin Monastery vegetarian restaurant. 

As we sat down to eat our simple lunch, we hoped the rain would go away… 

Hong Kong: Arrival

The school year has just turned over in Japan.  There was a short week and a half long break between terms.  Just enough time to squeeze in a trip.  After all, when you are living in this part of the world, it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity of proximity to great travels. 

So off we went.  This time, to Hong Kong.

We began planning our trip to Hong Kong this past January.  Two years ago, we had a trip to Hong Kong all ironed out, but the big earthquake put the brakes on our plans.  We instead took the time to travel back home to put our family and friends’ minds at ease. 

I am used to horribly long flights from Tokyo to the American mid west-typically lasting somewhere between eleven to fourteen hours.  Ugh.  The flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong was a mere four hours, give or take thirty minutes.  A breeze. 

After researching our accommodation options that fell within our budget, we booked a room at USA Hostel.  If you are planning on traveling to Hong Kong, do not let these pictures fool you.  The hostel-though not the most awful place at which I have ever stayed-was pretty…adventurous. (I did not take pictures-sorry.)

Our flight touched down an hour late.  We tried not to panic as we rushed through the airport.  We had one hour to make it to our Hostel before forfeiting our booking.  Fortunately, we had done enough research to know exactly how to get there.  After a very fast train ride and a reasonable taxi fare, we made it-with fifteen minutes to spare.

Whew. 

We fell into bed, ready to recharge our tired bodies for our first day in Hong Kong.