Day two – Hong Kong

After a rather average breakfast – we chose the Asian offering from the lesser of two options in our kinda Disney-locked hotel – we finally got up and out of the complex. The night’s sleep was pretty reasonable, given the three hour time diff. hence us being up pretty early. We trained it into Hong Kong on the MTR – which is a VERY fine piece of public transport infrastructure. But it did lead us into a near disaster. There are lots of lines, and the one we caught in from Disney (apart from the first bit being a special Disney themed line) took us through KOWLOON station before crossing under Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong. With a couple of stops to make in Kowloon, we got off there – but found that the station was in the center of a very large shopping center, from which escape proved near impossible!!

I don’t quite get the naming conventions, but this Kowloon (while in Kowloon) was not really near anything but itself!! We eventually had solve the dilemma by catching a cab outa there. Man! This was a portent of things to come for me – the un-shopper – as I was to discover the whole of Hong Kong is one bloody big shopping mall!!! Indi was chuffed when the cab dropped us up in Mon Kok, at Sneaker St. This section of the urban sprawl that is Kowloon is renown for its sports footware, and Indi had her heart set on one pair in particular. We were there at abut 9.30am – which is far far to early for Hong Kong shops – many didn’t open till 11…so we were trawling for these particular pumps from shop to shop as they pushed up their shutters. What was so special about these particular pumps, I hear you ask? Well, they were high-heeled sneakers. Indi had see them on the ‘net and was pretty durn keen on them. Apparently they were a special anniversary release– but from shop to shop we didn’t see a pair. We were just about to give up hope when the shop she’d seen in a blog somewhere came into view, and low and behold – there they were!! Purple, gold trimmed, with a couple of extra inches on Mik and not too expensive – Indi was a happy camper.

As we’d been searching the shoe shops the Ladies Market had been setting up in the area – making the already tiny streets even more lane-like in the process. It’s a strange environment. The lower levels around Fa Yuen st are all chrome and plastic, then as you go up a level it’s all advertizing for another story – but above that half a dozen floors of very average living is apparent. Rusty ac units compete with laundry for space along the window ledges – the density of people in this part of the world is amazing. If it’s not rooms above shops, its rooms in pencil thin high-rises – all little boxes on little boxes.

The Ladies markets would come as no surprise to anyone who’s done time in an Asian town. Lots of cheap stuff – “copy watch, mister?”, a common call – and we succumbed before finally making our way down to the right station in Kowloon this time – the main one near the ferry pier – for our new goal was the Star Ferry, said to be the best bargain in Hong Kong. Can’t argue with that one. For about A$0.50c you get a short but memorable trip across one of the most amazing waterways in the world. Chugging between Kowloon and Hong Kong, the ferry draws you further from the seedier parts of the old colony, towards the high-tech town that is Hong Kong. Chrome and concrete fill every space as we pulled into a pier itself part of an only partially completed land reclamation project. (the airport’s on reclaimed land – the hotel we’re in is on reclaimed land – it’s a big deal in these parts.

Anyway, great ferry ride – even though it did deposit us in yet another shopping center. We had a plan, and aimed for the bus stop that would send us over the island towards Stanley – away on the other side. And a very cool idea (of Dino’s) it was too. The double decker bus wound its way from the center of glitzy Hong Kong, through the surrounding suburbs, before climbing impossibly steep roads to the top of the island. How some of the buildings hold on to the cliff sides is truly amazing – and that they then get up to thirty-odd floors seems to defy gravity, meteorology AND common sense!! What a great trip! Even though it did end up in yet another shopping precinct!! Though it must be said, the Stanley Markets were a cut above the Ladies Markets – not as crowded and more about decent stuff than rows and rows of junk. Yes, more shopping was done – I even bought something!!

The bus ride back was nearly as much fun – though we took the express and went through the island by tunnel rather than over again – then once again ended up on the Star Ferry back to the Kowloon foreshore just as dusk was falling. Yes, a long day – but there are two Hong Kongs to be seen – one doesn’t even think about coming out till the sun sets. All that chrome and steel is lit with thousands upon thousands of globes, leds and lasers – and at 8pm it all comes alive as the different building show off their high-tech glory, resulting in a lightshow on a scale you could only imagine – and all reflected in the harbour’s waves. It’s beautiful.

Back on a few trains, more station-to-station walking, before another ride on Disney’s shuttle bus and we’re ensconced in the hotel again. Phew – the kids are sleeping well! And a good thing too. Tomorrow is Sasha’s day – Disneyland day. I’d better get some sleep myself!