Kong Hong

Fun Fact: Hong Kong is the only known place on Earth where you can pronounce the name without moving your tongue and your lips.

Last weekend, my friends Kim and Henry and I ventured to Hong Kong for Kim’s birthday weekend and our second to last weekend in China (!!! What !!!). Lucky for us, we missed the weekend in Beijing where the pollution got above 500 and we got to escape the cold weather and we got to trade it in for 70+ degrees.

Stepping into the Hong Kong airport made me realize how much of an adjustment returning to the States is going to be. First of all, the money in Hong Kong was “dollars” though the exchange rate was more similar to the RMB. So it was a little unsettling to see lunch being sold for $180. Next, just having to adjust to meals being around $10-$20 US Dollars was also odd, because in Beijing I’m so used to getting food for around $3 a meal. AND, just the amount of foreigners was an unfamiliar sight because I’m so used to standing out and also banking on the fact that no one around me can really understand what I’m saying.

Hong Kong was a mix of Beijing and Shanghai in my opinion. Unlike Shanghai, it has been open for many years, allowing the city to develop and modernize at a normal rate. We stayed on the China mainland side, though we were about a 2 minute walk from the water and subsequently the ferry that took us across to Hong Kong Island.

Kim and I spent our first day wandering the mainland side where we ate huge baozi and went shopping before we met up with Henry and explored even more. Walking along and looking at the skyline of the Island is one of the most awe-dropping experiences I’ve ever had. A nice man we met told me that Hong Kong has even more skyscrapers (maybe even the most in the world) than Shanghai, and just to see everything all lit up but to smell the smells of the water was so relaxing. There was a light show that we stayed to watch, but contrary to the name, was just a mini movie on the side of the Cultural Center.

Saturday, or Kim’s Birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM) was our big day. We woke up early to cross the river and headed to Victoria’s Peak. We took the tram up to the top, which is perhaps the steepest ride I think I’ve ever been on, but the view from the top were gorgeous. We then headed down to the entertainment district of the Island and got brunch before heading to the Ferris Wheel on the water where we got to see the sunset from within the cars (couldn’t have timed that better at all myself.) Kim and I ended our journey on a rooftop overlooking the city, which we have made it our mission to do in any city.

Sunday, our last day was spent eating Dim Sum and one of the better known Chains of Hong Kong (the line was over an hour long and they made you fill our your order in line so that they could get people in and out very fast).

I do have to say, Hong Kong airlines was one of the nicest ones I’ve been on. Besides giving me a tasty gluten free meal, which if you know me you know I’m weird about food, they also had tvs with remote controls that had a video game controller on the back. After all our crazy travel experiences, it was nice to end it on a nice note.