Hong Kong: Asia's World City

InterContinental
View from our room at the InterContinental
Morning Tai Chi lesson with Master William

Junk ride on Victoria Harbor
Stanley Market
Cooking class

Cooking class
Space Museum
Temple

Our living room at the Peninsula
Salon de Ning's Ski Lodge Room
Transport to airport in Rolls

Hong Kong never fails to impress me. The airport is very nice but the best part is the transportation into the city. After exiting the baggage area there is a transfer desk where we purchased a train ticket into the city, and without leaving the airport we boarded the fast, clean train for the 30-minute ride into Kowloon, one of the main districts of Hong Kong. Once the train arrives in Kowloon there is an elevator up one level to the bus that goes to our hotel. The bus is included in the ticket. It is so smooth and hassle free which is important as our flight from JFK was 16 hours. Getting around Hong Kong is painless, too, which especially amazing considering that Hong Kong is located on several islands. But between the bus, subway, and ferry systems it all works smoothly and senior citizens are half price.

Hong Kong is considered one of the world’s most expensive cities but the Hong Kong Tourist Board has one of the best tourist programs we have ever run across. Their Kaleidoscope program offers many free tours based on the culture, history, and nature of Hong Kong. We have taken several. This time we signed up for the Chinese Cake Making class. John and I joined eight other people at the Wing Wah Cake Shop to learn how to make Wife Cakes. Wife Cakes are actually made by men for their wives. It seems that long ago a wife sold herself into servitude to get money to pay for medical treatment for her father-in-law. The husband was so impressed by her sacrific and wanted his wife back so he created the Wife Cake which he sold in the market. They became very popular so he was able to earn enough money to buy his wife back.

Most of the Kaleidoscope programs are free but the junk boat ride which is also offered by cost about $5. It is the only authentic junk boat still plying the waters of Victoria Harbor. The views of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island from the junk boat are incredible. Hong Kong Island is lined with skyscrapers that continue back from the waterfront and seem to climb up the mountain. The average residential skyscraper is home to between one and two thousand people.

The junk boat, named Duk Ling, dropped us on Hong Kong Island where a short walk took us to Exchange Square where we caught a bus to Stanley, best known for its bargain market. Hong Kong is a shopper’s delight offering everything from the most exclusive shops to unbelievable bargains.

Our first three nights we spent at the InterContinental right on the waterfront. Each morning at 6:30 we meet Master William Ng on the pool terrace for a free Tai Chi exercise class. Every night there is a laser light show emanating from both sides of the harbor.

The last three nights we spent in the Peninsula Hotel, considered the best hotel in the world. They have a fleet of Rolls Royce cars to serve their guests, their own helicopter, and just added two Mini Coopers, which they say are perfect for shopping trips. Walking into the Peninsula’s pillared lobby is like walking into another era. The in-house musicians play while people enjoy afternoon tea. No matter how many times we visit Hong Kong there is always something great to see and do.

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.