Goboogo : Hong Kong

Showing posts with label Hong Kong. Show all posts

Sunday, November 8, 2015

The Morning Star to Hong Kong

Oh Hong Kong. Old friend. It has been a while. Five years. A few days ago, I saddled up in row 34 on an American Airlines 777 and flew direct from Dallas to Hong Kong. The morning star as I call it, the sun set just as the wheels touched down on Lantau Island. The light followed us the duration of the journey, all 16.5 hours.

The world's most crowded islands

From an island microslum in Colombia to a haute enclave in central Paris, the ten most crowded islands in the world bear scant similarities in class or culture. In fact, every entry in the top ten comes from a different country. But being islands, each shares the common thread of scarcity - whether it be land, resources, or housing. In general, these islands are prophetical microcosms for an overcrowded earth - finite spaces where self sufficiency governs and demand pierces supply.

With the world's population racing higher and higher, and the "megacities club" accepting new members yearly, some day the earth could bear the traits of one of these densely packed islands.

Gallery: Most crowded islands on earth

Top 10 Hong Kong Travel Guide

Hong Kong is all about balance. Nature and steel. Silt and sparkle. Yin and Yang. This masterpiece of divergences is a Feng shui city bereft of boring angles or a predictable head turn. Spicy aromas billow from a flaming street wok. An animated hawker peddles jade from a humble stoop, his wispy beard blowing in a gust from a passing double-decker. In a corner office sixty floors up, a suited banker creates eastern wealth like a modern day alchemist. Each plays a part in defining the complexities of character forged in this balancing act of humanity. Vertically, Hong Kong is man's answer to the California redwoods - thousands of spires erupting out of the earth like a civilization on steroids. If ever mankind had something to prove, they proved it here on the banks of the South China Sea.

After the Opium Wars in the 19th century, Hong Kong became a British colony. This colonial conquest fostered Hong Kong's character in amazing ways. Compromises were made, the city was built, and the unlikely union created a hybrid society where east met west. The Brits and the Chinese built towards the sun and created a hulking civilization. The end result is Hong Kong - a city lavished in sublime food and breathtaking vistas. It is near impossible to yawn with boredom in this extraordinary city, and these ten experiences are a great foundation to any stay in Hong Kong.

Gallery: Hong Kong

Tai O Fishing Village and Hong Kong

In Hong Kong a stained table cloth is a token of appreciation for a fantastic meal. We have been staining a lot of table cloths. Also, we have been staying out until 2 and 3am every night, so tonight's blog will be a quite silent one, pictures only. I am exhausted. We just landed in Bangkok and have to catch an early morning flight into Myanmar. Meagan left our group so we are officially a tripod. Safe travels home Meagan. Hope your hotel in Taipei is real first class. The pictures from today are of Hong Kong Island and the small fishing village of Tai O in Hong Kong with some other things thrown in.

Hong Kong is 38% parkland, so it is a very green and natural place. This is one of the main reasons that I love this place. It blends modernity with nature so well. On our way to the fishing village of Tai O, we snaked through mountains and dodged strange yak looking cow creatures. Anyways, onwards to the pics.