Hong Kong - Victoria Peak, Light Show & a spot of History

The best way to discover ANYWHERE, assuming its on land, I think is on foot. Especially, if you are unsure of both the bus systems and not inclined toward taxi travel.

Having no internet access on my phone unless I was in a wifi spot resulted in a need to, heaven forbid! Consult a map. A paper map. A map… made… of… paper.

I am now VERY attached to this map. It looks like its been around the world in eighty days what with the opening and closing and flapping and folding. I’m also exceptionally proud of myself for having been able to (with only 45% of the time starting in the wrong direction) been able to navigate a good amount of Hong Kong using this age old technique!

Everyone advised me I needed to go up Victoria Peak to see the skyscape… I tried to explain that seeing a spralling city below me was not really my thing, but I was advised that this would be different and I would be impressed… it was definitely worth it. Eh, maybe I was being ignorant.

So this is where we headed on my second day in Hong Kong.

After highlighting my route on my map, packing my trusty kathmandu mini backpack, and looking very un-Hong Kong indeed (there is money here, so people tend to show their money in their attires… lets just say there is no Penny’s or Target. As I stepped out of my ‘hotel’ – lets use that word loosely – I was accosted by shiny shiny shops including Prada, Lacoste (that’s the one with the wee crocodile I’ve discovered!) and other similar words that starred at me, knowingly, I did not belong in this area.

I blew a raspberry at them as I passed and quite happily skipped along the road until I was invariably caught up short by the hordes! People! So may people! Where did they come from? Why were they here? Why was I here? HOW DO I ESCAPE!

I didn’t notice until I surfaced from the melle that I’d been holding my breath. Where I was 

staying was a particularly busy area, the sky scrapers looming, the shops calling shoppers like the bells of church to believers, busses and trams driving on the correct side of the road, however the opposite side of the road as the rest of China resulting in a few close calls for me as I looked RIGHT then LEFT then RIGHT again, rather than vice versa and to beeps of frustration and taxi-drivers head shaking.

This I the most built up city I’ve ever been in. London seems like a village in comparison. Its intimidating and in certain areas I felt as if I’d stepped forward in time, 2035 maybe and almost expected a hovercraft floating bus to zoom above me. It’s as if you are in the middle of an ancient steel forest, everything is dwarfed by the magnitude of the buildings. I wonder how often sunlight touches the streets.

Its impressive, but… me being me, I cant help but think if there were an earthquake… well, need I say more?

Also… what is it that makes all of these people want to live here, to the point that land is so scarce that they must build up and up and up? Brushing the very tips of the clouds.

It impossible to find a restaurant until you realise that they’re all hidden five floors up look up look up! I feel like I’m in a scene from Fifth Element, or what could be worse… Bladerunner (original… lets not be crass).

So the walk wasn’t that enlightening, but I’m glad I was able to experience what it might feel like to be an ant in the grass – not everyone gets that experience.

After hiking up a 90 degree angle road, cursing every cigarette I’d ever lit up, my lungs straining and aching – atleast it was a beautiful day, no pollution which would have just added to the overall discomfort.

Furthermore, I’d been in -5 degree weather up until yesterday, so the change in temperature to a comfortable 24 felt closer to an uncomfortable 30.

Phew! And I was there… well I was in line. Although it was the middle of the week there were people… people and more people and then once I bought my ticket and was lining up patiently, another two busses of people arrived and shuffled past me and my associated onlookers down a separate que to the FRONT of the line.

So, I was in line for a good hour waiting for the funicular to take me up the mountain to Victoria Peak. Fortunately, either side of the waiting line was the story of the vernacular, and nothing like a spot of history to make time fly.

The ‘tram’, although the way it functions is more through a pulley system, started operation in 1888 (of no consequence, but the same year my Great Grandfather was born!) and that first day it took 600 passengers to the top of the peak. It was the first of its kind in all of Asia and it was a Scotsman who commissioned it. Bloody Scots, always trying to get to the top of the hill.

Originally there was even a ‘first class’ area for the Governor and associates. It was the thing to do in nice weather, your servants coming with you in second or third class, bringing with them tea, scones and furniture akin to a Downton Abbey Picnic assemblage.

The tram now takes seven million people a year up the steep peak – which explains why even on a work day, I was but one of a good hundred!

Once at the peak there are… because China… any opportunities for shopping! What luck! Exactly why one would go up a mountain… to shop!

As you get off the tram you immediately step into almost a mall-type construction, then following the signs, you carry on up one escalator, then another, and another, before coming t the top of a relatively newly constructed viewing building.

You emerge from the interior of the building to bright light, flat cement, someone handing you a listening devise and then the view if yours.

During the 19^th Century this, the highest point in Hong Kong, was reserved for the English Aristocracy – ofcourse – and the Scottish gentleman who initiated the construction of the tram system, set up a hotel here, unfortunately it burned down some time later – them’s the breaks!

I spent some time wandering from corner to corner of the viewing deck, taking in the views… it looked like a giant lego display to me. I cant quite associate ‘beauty’ and ‘skysrapers’, I’ll have to stick with more natural views, but I understand the utter feat of construction to create a city… or province like this. But for me, its still a whole lot of buildings. If you moved them, you could see the river better!

However… however… on the way up I spied something that was more ‘me’. Yes, it has something to do with a movie – BABBA GUMPS Shrimp Co. Restaurant and Bar!

Why? I don’t know… but more importantly, I care not! It was here, just for me!

I walked in, my eyes large, having stepped right into Forrest Gump, the delightful deep South décor, the 70’s music, 4 gallon drums with wooden tops functioning as tables… the exceptionally American sports bar, and finally my booth… a table set up at the window, overlooking the ‘view’.

I couldn’t afford a meal here, but I did treat myself to a cocktail where you got to keep the glass, which have me added value of being a nice gift for my father!

I could of stayed in this place all day and all night given the funds! Instead, I took out my journal and appreciated an unexpected and delightful moment, sipping my cocktail, I seemed to appreciate the sky line much more from this vantage point.

Back down the mountain – or the hill – whose to know, I came across a city park. The light was waning, giving warmth and substance to the leaves of the trees. The mosaicked steps… on the left water trickled down, pooling at the bottom, on the right, a walkway for the strolling.

I headed up and entered what can only be described as a tranquil escape from the city hubbub.

There before me was a still lake, boarded by large stones, over the way the scrapers loomed, but somehow took on a less intimidating form, more like guardians overlooking their charges. Two buildings in particular reminded me of angelic transformers!

Flanked by trees and flowering bushes, I wandered along the rivers edge. Did my eyes deceive me or were there 12 turtles trying to sit on a rock? I spied closer, and yes, there were! Turtels swimming and sunning… How unexpected!

I wandered around the park for a good while, taking in other water features, a water fall, the reflection of the park on buildings, enjoying the light as it changed with the passing of the day.

According to my itinerary, yes – we were still following one! – It was time to see the lightshow from the other side of the river. After consulting my trusty paper map, I headed toward the wharf.

Along my walk I came across the Hong Kong version of the London Eye, which it seems… most cities seem to have adopted now… As with London I was disinclined to spend cash on a slow ascent, followed by a slow descent in order to see what I’d already seen, but I thought of the happy couples who could propose to one another on there, and families thrilling their children with the height and view.

I do love being on the water and for the low low price of $2.50 (HK) you get a trip across the water to Kowloon.

So Hong Kong is made up of a good few islands, I was staying on Jong Kong Island, the major tourist area was on Kowloon, then there is Lantau which I’m not sure whether you can live on or not, then there are some other much smaller islands spotted about.

I intended on spending some time on Kowloon later in the week if my documents didn’t come through, however upon arriving there and wandering the streets to find something for dinner, I realised that this was not the place for me.

Very few steps someone was trying to sell me a watch from within their coat, were grabbing or begging or peddling something. I thought there were a lot of neon lights where I was staying, but nothing in comparison to here. It was Bali on speed and then some.

Eventually I decided to simply head back to the river to wait for the light show, the streets were too busy and aggressive for me.

The ‘Symphony of Lights’ was another one I was told to include on my itinerary… the more and more I listen to people, the less I think I should…

It is pretty beautiful, the city after dark, the lights – pinks and purples, red and orange, they dance on the current of the river. It was quiet while I waited and I enjoyed hearing the lapping of the water on the banks.

At 8pm the ‘show’ began… there was music and some narration (although I came on the non-English day… so I couldn’t understand what was being told). Lights beamed from the buildings across the way in concert with the music. Flashes went up into the sky and then loomed back down toward the audience. It was over in 13 minutes and it was ok… I did expect a bit more pizzaz, but I imagine during New Years and other festivals its pretty impressive. Still, I’m glad it forced me to come and appreciate the skyline at night.

I did return to Kowloon…

The days were dragging and my itinerary coming to an end, it was taking a long time for my documents to come through in order for me to finalise my Chinese visa… so the day before my departure I jumped back on the ferry and headed to the Science Museum and also the History Museum – bypassing the shopping aspect of the island.

The Science Museum was… well, it wasn’t Sci-Tech, I have a suspicion that even Sci-Tech is no longer Sci-Tech, its just a delicious ice-cream sweet memory of me and my Pop playing with gadgets, walking through giant lungs… being a kid and beginning to delight in learning.

Hong Kong has such a… bizarre… history… First its China, then in 1942 it was given to Britain after the First Opium War (so China was disinclined to trade with the rest of the world… Britain was disinclined NOT to be traded with… so the first war resulted in China giving Hong Kong to Britain, the second war apparently resulted in China ceding to international trade and also enabled traders to travel within China).

After the second Opium War, China having dealt with ongoing skirmishes and e associated fallout, Britain approached China asking for a 99 year lease on land that would connect to Hong Kong (Hong Kong having issues providing after to the increasing population) and side note, Hong Kong’s population was growing as people left China for various reasons including the war itself, and rumours of opportunities for wealth, at the same time immigrants arrived from Britain to also take advantage of potential economic benefits.

So the province grew exponentially at an exponential rate! This kind of explains why it is the unique place that it is… the towering sky scrapers trying to house all of the people… It is a lego city, I needed to grow quickly, efficiently, and within a limited amount of space.

Between the ‘take over’ and the ‘release’, Hong Kong dealt with the Sino Japanese War in 1937,it was occupied by Japan in 1941, during which time the Japanese tried to eradicate Chinese culture, language and even its economy. It was only for four years, but the experience has left scars to this day.

The 1950’s see China dealing with civil war between nationalists and communists resulting in refugees fleeing to Hong Kong and again increasing its population.

In 1967 riots broke out throughout Hong Kong, some say it was an over spill of the Cultural Revolution occurring in China, others, the general social unrest across the world, and others, people in Hong Kong could no longer accept the cramped and unhygienic living conditions.

Things settled down and then in 1997 Hong Kong was handed back to The Peoples Republic of China.

The museum was well set up, taking you through the history, the unrest, made you feel you were a part of the experience. Now considered the Asian Tiger of the Chinese Economy, Hong Kong is the place to be for businesses and a tourist hot spot to boot.

But… for me? It had never been on my bucket list, and even given this experience, probably wouldn’t have factored above 50… well, not until I visit the wee islands, that is…

To be continued.