Hong Kong is a "Special Administrative Region" of China. In the 19th century, Western
countries, including Britain, France, and Germany, became increasingly interested in China vast
resources. Mutual mistrust led to many confrontations between China and the West, resulting
in wars ending in defeat for China. After the first Opium War (1842), Hong Kong was parceled
off to the British in the Treaty of Nanking. In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to China, and
China designated the island as a "Special Administrative Region". Hong Kong has its own
currency and flag. It is allowed to keep its own social and economic systems for until 2047, but
China is in charge of its foreign affairs and defense. Today, under the "one country, two
system" policy, Hong Kong is still a thriving city with a robust economy.
We have only 1 day in Hong Kong. There is too much to see in Hong Kong and we are all
extremely tired and wish we were home. However, we arrive around noon on Thursday,
September 23rd, have a good Cantonese lunch, and plan our "must-see" attractions.
After lunch we all get a second wind. We decide there is only time to do two things,
recommended by all guide books for those with little time.
We hail a cab and head for Victoria
Peak, the most exclusive residential
area in Hong Kong. The Peak
Tram takes you from the base
station in Central District to Peak
Tower, on tracks with slopes
reaching 45 degrees. At the top
there are restaurants and shops
with terraced views overlooking
Central District and Victoria
Harbour. Across the Harbour is
Kowloon. We take in the views
and have a snack while planning
our next attraction.
The 2nd must-see attraction for a short stay in Hong
Kong is the Star Ferry ride across Victoria Harbour to
Kowloon. In fact, the best view of Hong Kong's
Central District, and once of the world's most
photographed vistas, is the view from Kowloon, or
from the ferry in the harbour.
We ferried North to Tsim Sha Tsui, the city on the
Southern most tip of Kowloon, to get a glimpse of
Hong Kong's Central District from the other side.
Tsim Sha Tsui is a shopper's Mecca. If your into
haute couture, walk up Nathan Rd and the area
surrounding it, and you will see showrooms for
almost every major clothing, shoe and jewelery
designer.
After some window shopping, we return to Hong
Kong Island via the Star Ferry. It is dusk, and the
view from the ferry is the most breathtaking
cityscape scene I have ever experienced. Within
minutes from the time we took the last pictures on
the Tsim Sha Tsui dock, the Central Distict begins to
light up against the blackness of the mountains in the
background. When we reach Hong Kong island, we
walk directly below the one of the tallest buildings on
our way to the airport shuttle. I couldn't resist
taking this picture, representative of our view of
Hong Kong, and our last memory in China.
