Grape Escape - New Zealand

Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Sunday, November 3, 2013

Sun Nov 3rd
There is no doubt about it that HK comes alive at night. As you will see from one of the latest photos posted, the view from Kowloon to HK island is spectacular to say the least. We ate outside at a local restaurant yesterday evening, trying various delicacies of the type not seen in the UK. The pickled ginger with preserved egg was certainly memorable! Geraldine steered well clear!! It was a warm balmy evening and it was just lovely to wander around sans coat and muffler watching the world go by.
This morning, after a breakfast buffet the like of which we have never seen, we took the Star Ferry to HK Island which makes Manhattan seem low rise! Wall to wall concrete and glass, with just the odd touch of green. A miracle of engineering without a doubt, but somehow strangely sterile. Every available area was full of groups of young Filipino maids on their day off, picnicking, gossiping, having a pedicure, doing one another's hair and generally having what for them is clearly a family day. There were hundreds of them in every nook and cranny, sitting on rush mats and taking advantage of the warm weather. We were initially fascinated at home life being lived out in such a public place and eventually rather sad, that this was their only opportunity to remember home and the lives they had once lived.
However, our object was to travel the longest and steepest escalator in the world , which we did and it is mind blowing. On the ascent, one has a bird's eye view of back street life on the Island and the juxtaposition of traditional Chinese architecture with modern glass edifices has to be seen to be believed. I was warned to look out for bamboo scaffolding and boy is it everywhere; cladding enormous buildings under construction, looking I have to say unbelievably flimsy. I know it is stronger that steel, pound for pound, but I'm not sure I would want to trust myself to it 20 floors up! We ended up in the clouds, or so it seemed. The next issue of course was the coming down, particularly for me with dodgy knees However, neatly solved by a passing taxi!

Time for an afternoon rest before hitting the town this evening, which I will cover later.

Note for the meteorologists amongst you, the typhoon has given us a miss. It is hazy today, and very humid, but no wind I'm pleased to say.

This evening has taken us to the Temple St Night Market, something of an institution in these parts I understand. Hundreds of tiny stalls of all types crammed into a neon lit narrow street. Quite a spectacle, although to be truthful mainly tourist tat. Pater and I both bought a carrying bag each and bargaining is the name of the game. This I left to himself, who you will not be shocked to hear was a natural. G&R discovered something of greater interest in the next door alley. As in times gone by, here were dozens of individual stalls of butchers and fishmongers, cheek by jowl. A food hygienists nightmare I can tell you, but one couldn't have said the fish wasn't fresh. All sorts of strange looking creatures were swimming in polystyrene troughs kept oxygenated by running water from a hose. Quite simply, you selected your dinner and took it home with you!
On the corner was The Hong Kong Jockey Club Emporium, of particular fascination to PL of course. It instantly caught the eye, not due to its fabulous decor, but because it was rammed with 'customers' spilling out onto the pavement, studying form and curiously silent in deep concentration. Talk about betting on two flies up a wall, you couldn't have squeezed the proverbial fly in there. Peter made an attempt to insinuate himself but unsuccessfully, no one was giving up their faint glimpse of the screen. It would have made a great photo - PL in the middle of a sea of Chinese punters. Do you think I could have picked him out in a hurry?
We moved on down to the pier to take a Harbour Cruise and watch the Laser Light Show, which was strangely disappointing. We all felt the same. Not sure what we expected, but hey ho it was certainly an experience to see the Kowloon and HK Island waterfront lit up from the Harbour. The accompanying buffet we were somewhat unenthusiastic about. To the forefront of the mind was the recently viewed alley of meat and fish vendors!! A salad is extremely good for you of course.
Returning to the hotel we passed yet another massive construction site. On enquiry, we were told this is to be the terminal for the bullet train that is under construction, linking HK with Bejing. It will be open for business in 2015 and one will be able to take the train to China's capital in 9 hrs. It is currently a 29 hr journey by rail. Did you know that China has 70% of the world's cranes just now? No, I though not - yet another useful fact to squirrel away and on that illustrious note, I'll sign off for now.........Read more