In June, 2013, I traveled to Hong Kong for a week. This was an outstanding trip. Hong Kong is one of the truly beautiful cities of the world. While there I saw the perimeter of Hong Kong Island (including Stanley Waterfront) as well as Hong Kong and Kowloon, using various bus tour routes. There are three different routes (red, blue, and green lines) which can take you to all these areas. I also visited Lantau Island and the Ngong Ping cable car ride (this was absolutely spectacular) and the Ocean Park amusement park resort.
Hong Kong is not just a city. It is an approximately 200-square-mile area of the southern Chinese coast which is known as a Special Administrative Region. There is lots of lush countryside and coastal scenery there, and some of the most beautiful vistas you will ever want to see. Plus, Hong Kong has some of the best food you will eat anywhere. I had great weather while there, though a visit to Hong Kong in June could put you at the risk for typhoons. To get to Hong Kong, I flew nonstop from Chicago, which at something like 15 hours and 7,800 miles, is one of the longest nonstop flights in the world.
Nighttime view of Hong Kong skyline from Kowloon, across the harbor.
Myself on Lantau Island
Ngong Ping cable car ride up the mountains on Lantau Island. This is an unforgettable ride. For an extra fee you can ride a glass-bottomed cable car and see the trees and hiking trails seemingly right beneath your feet. Hong Kong's international airport is at the base of the mountain and clearly visible from the cable car ride, though not really in this photograph.
View of southern Hong Kong Island from an observation tower ride at Ocean Park. The town of Repulse Bay is visible in the background.
Freeway signs at night in Kowloon. Freeway signs in Hong Kong are white-on-blue, as opposed to the white-on-green we have in the United States. Also, they drive on the left in Hong Kong - just as in the British Isles - while the rest of China drives on the right, as in the U.S., Canada, and mainland Europe. I find that left-driving geographic areas call for some special attention when crossing the street, to make sure I look in the correct direction.
This is the waterfront area in Stanley, Hong Kong Island.
Myself with Kowloon in the background. The skyscraper in the background is one of the five tallest office buildings in the world.
View of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak. This is one of the "must-sees" for practically every visitor to Hong Kong. A special tram ascends the mountain at a steep incline to reach this spot. A huge, oddly shaped building is on top of the peak with all manner of restaurants and souvenir shops inside.
.Hong Kong at dusk.
View of Taiwan on the flight home. One hour in the air, 14 more to go!
Famous Buddha statue located on a mountaintop on Lantau Island. I was lucky to get this picture; clouds shrouded my view of the statue for most of the time I was on the island.
This is one of the boats that ferry people across Victoria Harbor from Kowloon to the city of Hong Kong proper, and back. The trip is incredibly routine and takes just a few minutes. But of course it is picturesque.
This is me at the Ocean Park amusement park resort on Hong Kong Island.
This is one of the tour buses that took me all over Hong Kong. These buses offered three lines: a red, green, and blue line offering travel through, respectively, Hong Kong Island (including Stanley Waterfront), Hong Kong proper, and Kowloon. I took all of them.
Hong Kong is not just a city. It is an approximately 200-square-mile area of the southern Chinese coast which is known as a Special Administrative Region. There is lots of lush countryside and coastal scenery there, and some of the most beautiful vistas you will ever want to see. Plus, Hong Kong has some of the best food you will eat anywhere. I had great weather while there, though a visit to Hong Kong in June could put you at the risk for typhoons. To get to Hong Kong, I flew nonstop from Chicago, which at something like 15 hours and 7,800 miles, is one of the longest nonstop flights in the world.
Nighttime view of Hong Kong skyline from Kowloon, across the harbor.
View of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak. This is one of the "must-sees" for practically every visitor to Hong Kong. A special tram ascends the mountain at a steep incline to reach this spot. A huge, oddly shaped building is on top of the peak with all manner of restaurants and souvenir shops inside.
.Hong Kong at dusk.
View of Taiwan on the flight home. One hour in the air, 14 more to go!
Famous Buddha statue located on a mountaintop on Lantau Island. I was lucky to get this picture; clouds shrouded my view of the statue for most of the time I was on the island.
This is one of the tour buses that took me all over Hong Kong. These buses offered three lines: a red, green, and blue line offering travel through, respectively, Hong Kong Island (including Stanley Waterfront), Hong Kong proper, and Kowloon. I took all of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment