One of the World's most fascinating cities. Hong Kong.

Bluzmann57

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Mon Aug-03-09 04:19 PM
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One of the World's most fascinating cities. Hong Kong.

I just got back from there and it is a fascinating city where old meets new, high tech meets ancient cultures, food is plentiful and good, and the mass transit system is awesome. I would reccomend that if you ever have a chance, visit that city. But be prepared for crowds almost everywhere. After all, there are 7 million people crammed into a relatively small space.

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panader0

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Mon Aug-03-09 04:24 PM
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1. I went in '67 at age 16

We stayed at the Hong Kong Hilton, visited the border with China, Victoria Peak, Tiger Balm Gardens etc. My folks had Indian tailors make several suits for us, and the tailors (Harililas) provided a chauffered car everyday. My high school in Hawaii had a couple of pen pals in Kowloon and it took quite a search to meet them. Great trip. We did Bangkok the year before. Taipei, Saigon and more.

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AlecBGreen

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Mon Aug-03-09 09:48 PM
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7. oh i bet that was a great trip

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Bicoastal

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Mon Aug-03-09 04:39 PM
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2. Hong Kong doesn't always drink beer...

...but when it does, it prefers Dos Equis.

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rucky

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Mon Aug-03-09 09:49 PM
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8. most interesting!

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Bluzmann57

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Tue Aug-04-09 02:41 AM
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11. When I was over there, it was Skol

Or San Miguel, a Filipino brew. Skol, not bad, San Miguel, I can do without.
One thing about eating in Chinese restaurants over there, there is little decorum like we are used to. Those places are noisy. They just want to eat and screw decorum.

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Tangerine LaBamba

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Mon Aug-03-09 04:41 PM
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3. It's quite an experience -

I love it, but if you're not affluent, it's not such a great place to live. Definitely a city for the rich.

Food, the food is unbelievable, and great little places are everywhere. You just have to be courageous and leave the beaten path.

Still, there's no place quite like it. At night, if you're lucky enough to have a view overlooking the harbor, it's spectacular, isn't it?

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Bluzmann57

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Mon Aug-03-09 08:46 PM
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6. We had an apartment

And, unfortunately for me, it is designed for small people. I am 6' 2" and rather large, so it wasn't the most comfortable place ever. But the cost was just great and more importantly, the company was great. And as far as view, Victoria's Peak is a fantastic view and I wouldn't miss it for the world.

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Old and In the Way

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Mon Aug-03-09 04:53 PM
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4. I second your comments on the mass transit system.

The KBR is a great way to get from the airport to Kowloon. Did you go up to Obervatory Hill? How about the back side of HK? Stanley and Aberdeen are great places to visit. If there wasn't so much air pollution blowing in from Shenzhen/Dongguan it'd be much better.

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BlooInBloo

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Mon Aug-03-09 04:54 PM
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5. #2 on my list of places to go.

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Still Sensible

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Mon Aug-03-09 09:59 PM
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9. I worked there for a few weeks in '87

a really interesting place to say the least. At that time it was about the most pure example of capitalism--with all the good and bad. There was already, a decade out, trepidation about Hong Kong reverting to Chinese control.

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Bluzmann57

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Tue Aug-04-09 02:49 AM
Response to Reply #9

13. Still basically about Capitalism

It is still considered an SAR and there is way too much foreign money in HK for the Chinese Govt. to do any real crackdowns.

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babylonsister

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Tue Aug-04-09 12:04 AM
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10. Can we talk about prices? For hotels, food, etc.? I'm glad you

had fun!

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Bluzmann57

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Tue Aug-04-09 02:47 AM
Response to Reply #10

12. Not sure about hotel prices

We stayed in an apartment, but food prices seemed reasonable. The exchange rate is around 7.7 HK$ to 1 U.S. dollar. When I left I had just over 1700 HK$ and exchanged them for $205 U.S. And if you want fresh food, there are markets which have live fish and at least one street market had live chickens. Did not eat any chicken from that particular market, but did eat a fresh fish. Quite tasty. I used to eat fresh fish out of the Mississippi River, so there is no real difference.

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