Hong Kong Impressions

It was just last summer that Hong Kong nearly dominated the news media. There was considerable political unrest going on in the city. Protestors in Hong Kong were upset with concerns about losing freedoms which they have enjoyed that the rest of China has not. News reports showed protestors invading the airport and shutting down the light rail system. With the daily news reports about significant clashes between protestors and the police, tourism was definitely in decline.

Our visit to Hong Kong occurred before these political events. As a result, I cannot say whether Hong Kong is currently a good place to visit or not. Perhaps the city will never be the same again. Nevertheless I thought I would share some of our experiences while we were there a year and a half ago. My wife and I had visited Hong Kong just before we visited Taiwan.

Our first impression was not particularly positive. When we arrived at the immigration station in the airport, we did not feel well treated. My wife had reached in to get her phone for something, and the guard thought she was going to take a photo. He approached her and told her she couldn’t take a photo. She started to say that was not her plan, and he became argumentative with her demanding she put her phone away. It was quite uncomfortable.

As we approached the immigration agent, we could only go up one person at a time rather than as a couple which most countries allow. My wife went first. As she finished, she acted as if she was going to wait for me, but the guard immediately insisted she leave the area completely. The whole experience did not make us feel very welcome despite the sign.

Fortunately from there our experiences improved. One of the first things we learned was how to use the light rail system known as the MRT. This is essential for getting around the city. The system is like many other places we have traveled. We purchased a card that had money on it which we then used to get through the gates and onto the trains. We used it again to exit, and the card was then debited for the distance we traveled.

Crowded trains are the norm, and seats were seldom available. Sometimes the trains were so crowded it was hard to get on. The good news is they come very frequently so if a train is too crowded, the next one is not far behind. There were only a few times we rode it when it was not crowded. One just gets used to it.

The stations are usually pretty large with various exits and entrances so we had to think about which exit to use that would be closest to where we wanted to go. Fortunately there were maps around to guide us in the right direction.

On the day we arrived we were able to take the MRT to a stop just a few blocks away from our hotel. We had chosen a hotel in a non-tourist part of the city. Around us were various businesses which was interesting to observe as we walked by as it gave us a greater sense of what the everyday life in Hong Kong was like.

Our hotel was very tall and narrow. The lobby was quite basic and took up the first floor. Each floor had only two rooms, and they were quite small. Space is at a premium in Hong Kong, and apparently hotel rooms in general are quite small particularly when compared to rooms in the United States. The staff was young but very helpful. We appreciated their willingness to answer our questions.

When we arrived in our room we discovered two single beds with barely enough room to move sideways between them. There was no closet or place for our suitcases. The wide window sill became the catchall for some of our things. The bathroom was fairly roomy considering the rest of the space. The best part was the view. At night the view from the window was beautiful.

Hong Kong is a very crowded city. From our hotel window we could see the apartment buildings around us. While at night the lights were beautiful, during the daytime we could see that many of the buildings looked pretty shabby. With so many people crammed together in such a small area, there are few new buildings, if any, around so many of the buildings look to be from the 1950s or 1960s. Buildings that old obviously need updating, but few exteriors show that has happened.

The mid-century architecture shows up in other parts of the city besides apartment buildings. This church definitely has a mid-century design.

One thing we learned pretty quickly was that summer may not be the best time to visit Hong Kong. The weather was hot and humid which tends to suck one’s energy pretty quickly. There is air conditioning in most of the buildings and trains, but walking outside was pretty tiring.

However, even in the midst of this huge city we found a place of peace and quiet at a park surrounded by tall buildings simply named Hong Kong Park. One of the advantages for us was it was cool due to the trees and plants around. A waterfall into a pond is one of the main attractions. We enjoyed looking at the flowers and the pond which had turtles as well as koi fish and huge lily pads. Part of the park gives tribute to Hong Kong’s participation in the Olympic games. The park has some historical buildings, but we just enjoyed the water and plants.

While Hong Kong is a large city, it is also a territory that includes islands and some more rural areas. After a day or so in the crowded city, we needed a break from the noise and rush of the city so we took a boat trip out to one of the islands. The trip itself was enjoyable Going out into Hong Kong harbor gave us a view of a lot of different locations that we did not actually travel to. The boat trip itself was worth the money.

We went to Peng Chau Island. We weren’t quite sure what to expect when we arrived. There is a sleepy little town there, especially compared to Hong Kong. It was quiet, although still hot and humid. We followed a path along the waterfront thinking it might take us around the island, but it didn’t. It did lead us to some old buildings where they used to make lime. They burned shells to produce this important building material. The business declined in the mid 1900s, and all that is left now are some ruins.

Coming back to the town we walked in the other direction and came to a causeway that led to a very small island. We discovered a small beach there where we could relax, but what we really wanted was some shade. Eventually we wound our way back to the village, found some seats near the water’s edge, and entertained ourselves by watching some workers unloaded a boat tied up nearby.

After relaxing a bit and enjoying the quiet, we boarded the boat to enjoy our scenic trip back to the city. While we visited just the one island, there are others that one can visit. Some offer accommodations if staying in the city just doesn’t suit what you are looking for.

There are a lot of places to explore within the territory of Hong Kong. With just a few short days we were not able to see much of the outlying areas. However, it is important to remember when planning a visit that Hong Kong is more than just a major city. There are lands just outside the city to enjoy.

Back in Hong Kong it’s hard to escape the fact that it has been seen as a destination for shopping. Next week I will explore the shopping opportunities of Hong Kong. Rich or poor, there is something for everyone. Whether rich or poor be sure to subscribe to Battered Suitcase to receive weekly notification of new posts. Just find the subscribe button.

Acknowledgements: The following photos were taken by Silvette Lee: Airport “Welcome Sign,” “Holding On,” “MRT Passengers,” “Our Hotel,” “Crowded Apartments,” and “Ready to Unload.”