Hong Kong - Revisited

Harbour Plaza Hotel
The Clock Tower where the train from London use to stop
Visiting the HK Historical Museum

Hong Kong Park
Tea Museum
Tea Appreciation

Peninsula Lobby
Our sitting room
Our Jacuzzi tub

Cooking Dim Sum - Peninsula's Chef
It's all the how you fold it
Evening in Peninsula's Salon de Ning

Hong Kong is considered an expensive destination with many high-end hotels but there are many free things to do. So my idea is to pick an awesome hotel then take the free tours offered by the Hong Kong Tourist Board. Their Kaleidoscope offerings focus on culture, history and nature. A couple years ago John, my husband, and I took the Cantonese Opera Appreciation Class. It was incredibly informative, and while it will never be our favorite music, it led to an appreciation of an art form that has lasted more than eight centuries. The tour started at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum's Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall where we learned that the high pitch of the actor’s voice allowed everyone in the very large crowds to hear and the artistic makeup made it easier to see facial expressions. We learned to identify specific characters by the color of their attire. The opera companies would travel by boat stopping at villages where they would build their own stage and put on a performance. Our tour ended with attending a performance. Amazing, once we understood what was going on it was quite enjoyable.

On this trip I wanted to take the tour to the Wing Wah Cake Shop where chefs teach visitors how to make Wife and Moon Cakes but there was no room in the tour. Some free tours fill up fast. So, we took the Tea Appreciation Class. There is so much more to tea than sipping it. I was surprised to learn that all tea comes from the same plant. The difference between green, oolong, and black teas has to do with the fermentation and temperature during drying process, with green tea not being fermented at all. We learned the proper way to drink the tea and about flower teas. Watching the dried jasmine flower opening up after pouring hot water on it was beautiful. Of course, the tea it made was delightful, too. Another day we took the subway to see one of the oldest homes on the island, the small Hakka House was an incredible contrast to the skyscrapers. There are a slew of other free programs that include tai chi, learning about Feng Shui, and nature tours.

Most museums have free admittance once a week – usually Wednesday. We visited the Hong Kong Museum of History with its permanent exhibit called The Hong Kong Story. The eight galleries detail the development and culture of Hong Kong. Right next to the History Museum is the Science Museum with a variety of displays dealing with motion, the body, and electricity.

There is always something free to do near to a hotel. The Harbour Plaza fronts on a walkway that goes all the way down to the Walk of the Stars with a Bruce Lee Statue. From the Conrad Hotel, on Hong Kong Island, it is just a short walk to beautiful Hong Kong Park where there is a bird park, waterfalls, and a tea museum that is free. The Peninsula Hotel is a near Kowloon Park and across the street from the Museum of Art where works of art are displayed outdoors. Next to the park is the best place to watch the nightly laser show that lights both sides of the water. More than any other city we have visited, Hong Kong has more free things to do.