There is so much to see in Hong Kong whether you are a tourist or a resident. What are some of the most desirable attractions?
Tuen Ng Festival or the Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival held each year on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese calendar.
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Tonight’s the night for Hong Kong’s lights Out” campaign to focus attention on the deteriorating air quality in Hong Kong.
Not everyone is participating, though. Chief Executive Donald Tsang has opted out because he says it “could give adverse publicity to Hong Kong…” This means the Symphony of Lights will go on as usual at 8:00 PM.
Those participating will turn their lights out for three minutes at 8:00 PM in order to draw attention to the pollution issue in Hong Kong. I’m not sure that just stepping outside and taking a deep breath won’t do the job but activists will be …
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Get In or On the Water
It’s easy, in the urban crush, to forget that Hong Kong was, at one time, almost completely made up of small fishing communities. The sea is very much a part of Hong Kong’s history and its present.
Two months ago I posted an item on Hong Kong’s beaches and how much cleaner they were than 20 years ago. I’ve also talked about riding the ferries to see how much of Hong Kong’s commercial life depends on the sea. I’ve mentioned how interesting it is to ride the water taxis in Aberdeen harbor to get a sense of how the thousands of boat people live.
Hong Kong Water Sports Center
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Yesterday, July 1, was the 9th anniversary of the British hand-over of Hong Kong to the Chinese government. It was marked by two very different celebrations.
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Bet!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you haven’t been to the horse races in Hong Kong, you have missed something special. I particularly recommend the Happy Valley track on a Wednesday night.
The ponies run only two days a week in Hong Kong. On week-ends at the new track in Sha Tin - usually on Saturday, sometimes on Sunday or a holiday. The mid-week meeting is usually Wednesday evening at Happy Valley, where the first race was run in 1847.
Happy Valley Race Track
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I recently attended the Hong Kong Food Expo at the Convention Center.
My wife, Pam, and I intended to go on Sunday afternoon, thinking it would be a pleasant way of killing a rainy PM, snacking our way around the hundreds of exhibitor booths.
WRONG! The crush to get anywhere near the entrance was such that we decided to hit the nearby Pacific Coffee outlet and have a light lunch.
The next day, which was the last day of the Expo, I decided to see what all the excitement was about. I figured since it was Monday and the last day the crowds would have diminshed considerably.
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Last night, while on the way to a Hong Kong Philharmonic performance, we stumbled into a new attraction next to the Cultural Center.
It’s a 10 minute water, light and music show and was truly amazing. One of the effects is to project messages and pictures on to a thin sheet of water so that the message moves and disappears as the water falls. The show we saw was at 7:30 PM. As far as I know the schedule has not been published.
The Cultural Center From Victoria Harbor
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This is a continuation of Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #7A:visiting the outer islands.
I wish my wife, Pam, was writing today’s posting since she knows so much more than I do about the outer islands. She’s a hiker so she and her friends have explored many of the smaller inhabited and uninhabited islands.
Peng Chau Island Near the Ferry Terminal
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Visit!!!!!!!!!!
“Visit what?” you ask. Well, not the usual tourist traps but rather the outlying islands, 221 of which are uninhabited and a number of which are barely inhabited.
I’ll start with the three most popular and then talk about the others in a subsequent posting.
Lantau
Lantau is the largest island in the territory and the most visited. It is the home of Chek Lap Kok Airport, Disneyland, Po Lin Monastery and its 110 foot high sitting Buddha, the soon to be opened Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Ride, Tai O with it’s stilt housing and Discovery Bay, an expat dominated enclave. But don’t think it doesn’t have its secret places where you are unlikely to run into many other tourists.
Tai O Village on Lantau Island
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Drink!!!!!!!!!
I don’t necessarily mean alcohol.
There are two types of venues that seem to attract local people. One is the teahouse. Teahouses come in all shapes and sizes and can be found in most every neighborhood. They serve herb teas. Many, but not all, of the teas are intended to help drinkers improve some aspect of their health. Some are just meant to provide a pleasant break in the day. Unfortunately I don’t know what does what for what? If you are curious, check out Dr. Chen’s Herbal Tea Website. The only one I’ve really spent time at is in the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. The shops are usually quite small with low stools for sitting. Some serve snacks or dim sum. If you are at all adventurous check one out.
As a side note, if you are interested in the history of tea and teaware the Flagstaff House Teaware Museum in Central is worth a visit. It is also the oldest colonial building left standing in Hong Kong so if you are into architecture, it’s also worth seeing.
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