Neverending walk in Hong-Kong

24 septembre 2012

Neverending walk in Hong-Kong

Thanks to Miss E., I had the most wonderful stay in Hong-Kong, and my 5 days-trip was rich enough to give me the feeling I have been there for 2 weeks. I had the pleasure to discover a strange, quirky city with kilometers of stairs - steps up, steps down, you can't walk straight without meeting stairs every two minutes.Even if everything is, actually, very clean (it's clear when you take the subway), the wet muggy climate and the air contamination tend to make everything grey and sticky. Exotic plants push their roots in the ground, in the walls, everywhere, as if nature had not admitted yet the edification of the global city on its territory.

Here is glimps of unfamiliar Hong-Kong!

Central

Central Station is a trendy area in Hong-Kong, located just in the shadow of Victoria's Peak. The skyscrappers and the close mountains make you feel like little bugs crawling on the floor, and there are medecine shops everywhere.

KowLoon

In the heart of the "nine dragons" area, there is a peaceful park with flamingos - yeeees, flamingos - where you can have a quiet walk far from the rumor of the city.

Sheung-Wan

Sheung-wan, the area of Miss E., and the HK version of the "Marais" in Paris. Antique shops, designers, artists, trendy bars and bakeries... And a wonderful escalator crossing the city from down to the top, to let us have a break from all these stairs!

Lantau Island

The glass-floor of the ropeway to Lantau Island is quite impressive: yes we fly! The giant Tian Tan Buddha at the top of the mountain is not exactly the greatest historic monument of Asia (it was built in 1993...) but its beauty it beyond compare. When you see it appearing in the skyline... Emotion!

The six smaller statues at the feet of the Buddha are offering charity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom - your ticket for Nirvana!

Last but not least: a veggie feast at the Monastry! Photo credit to Miss E. - I just love this picture!

The Stars Avenue

It was a kid's dream. I have seen a picture of Bruce Lee's statue on Hong-Kong Bay in a geography school book when I was in junior high school, and I remember that I had wondered "Maybe one day... would it be possible to go there?...". The answer was: YES! Bruuuuuce...

Bruce Lee! Jet Li! Wong Kar Wai! Maggie Cheung! Tony Leung! Hong-Kong stars!

The Zoo

Free access to the zoological park at the feet of Victoria's Peak. For the first time of my life, I got the feeling that the animals were happy there. They were all fat and colourful, in their first class wide and clean cages, with as much green inside that you can dream of, and little falls, and rocks... A first-hand zoo for spoiled teddy bears.