Hong Kong is a fascinating City !

Mohit daga (@MOHIT881923)

Entrepreneur | Traveler | Photographer | Co-founder of myroamingspirit

​Hong Kong is a fascinating city. With buildings kissing the blue sky to vast stretches of ocean washing the floors of the country side. This city has it all. It’s a second home for food lovers.  You could sit over a bowl of noodles in a busy street and engage in endless conversations watching the locals pass by. I bet you would lose the count of bowl of noodles you must have had. 
Not many know, unlike other cities Hong Kong is different. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, located at the southern part of China, and has a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign relations and military defense. The city consists of the half island Kowloon as well as several islands, Hong Kong Island being the most important of them. It has one of the busiest harbors in the world, and is the finance center of ASIA.
If you’re planning a trip to Hong Kong, you won’t have much trouble getting around. It’s a gorgeous, friendly city with a lot to see and a lot to do. What one can never forget to notice is the jumble of markets, street cafes/restaurants and high-rises. For shopping, there is the world renowned Jade Market and The Tung Choi St Market (or Ladies Market) is your go-to, one stop shop from socks to counterfeit luxury handbags, ladies can go gaga about, apart from that a dozens of Cheap( but no compromise on quality) custom tailor stores. If you’re looking to stock up your wardrobe, Hong Kong is the place to do it.
Like many other 1st time visitors I did all the planning for my trip to Hong Kong.  My Hong Kong experience started as soon as I landed.  To my surprise I had to take a train and navigate through dozens of escalators to finally come out of the airport. No wonders Hong Kong airport (HKG) is the fourth busiest international passenger airport in the world and has the busiest international cargo facilities. Before I could gulp down the amazement I took a cab to The Kowloon Hotel Harbour Plaza on 19-21 Nathan Road Tsimshatsui.  Without wasting a minute in the fine luxuries of the hotel, I got ready and packed my day bag and took a city guide booklet from the hotel reception and left to see my 1st location Victoria Peak.
 If a single image could encapsulate Hong Kong, it would be the panorama from Victoria Peak. Looking down at the city from this famous vantage point, you'll see one of the finest harbors on Earth and a skyline so improbable, audacious and lofty that Manhattan's looks provincial by comparison- By Times.com. I was so much awe struck with the view that I lost track of time. I was engrossed in clicking pictures from the camera (DSLR) I rented from Bangalore. I wanted to fully utilize every penny paid for rent. (If you want to experience to be on the Highest point of Hong Kong Island, getting into Sky Terrace 428 is a must.)

Peak Tram Sky Pass
(The Peak Tram & Sky Terrace 428)

                                     Return      Single
Adult                            HK$ 83    HK$ 71
Child (aged 3-11)        HK$ 40    HK$ 33
Senior (65 or above) HK$ 40    HK$ 33

Sky Terrace 428 Opening Hours: 
10 am to 11 pm (Mon – Fri)
8 am to 11 pm (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays)
Source: http://www.thepeak.com.hk/en/5_5_6.asp
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Next destination was the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, which is also located in The Peak Tower. The Wax Museum houses an impressive collection of life like wax sculptures. I just breezed through the wax museum since I wanted to spend the evening in the local markets of Hong Kong.
Ticket Price

Ticket                                                                                                        Original Price     Online Price from
Adult                                                                                                              HK$245              From HK$147
Child (aged 3 – 11)                                                                                        HK$175               From HK$105
Senior (65 or above)                                                                                    HK$175               From HK$105
Family Package (Buy 2 adults get 1 additional free concession)            HK$665                   HK$450

Source: https://www.madametussauds.com/HongKong/en/BuyTickets/Default.aspx
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.
Then I took a break in the open area outside the Peak Tram. Grabbed some vegetarian snacks and gave rest to my legs. The Burger King joint is located across the path way but had very few vegetarian meal to offer. I heard a lot about food in Hong Kong. People consider fish to be vegetarian here, god knows how far is that true. There are actually a lot of nice gardens and hiking trails in Victoria Peak. I would’ve liked to spend a day just exploring the area and finding great angles to shoot the Hong Kong skyline but my limited time just didn’t allow for that.
Just remember that the Peak Tram lower terminus is near St. John’s Cathedral, one of the most known landmarks in Hong Kong. In order to compensate for the loss of time I had to skip St. John’s Cathedral. Later, when I came back to India I came to know I did not witness the rich history of Hong Kong.

Quick Facts on St. John's Cathedral
Site Information
Name: St. John's Cathedral
Categories: cathedrals
Styles: Gothic Revival style
Dedication: St. John
Dates: 1847-49
Status: Active

Visitor and Contact Information
Coordinates: 22.278767° N, 114.159668° E
Address: 4-8 Garden Road Central Hong Kong, China
Phone: 2523 4157
Email: general@stjohnscathedral.org.hk
Hours: Daily 7am-6pm
Lodging: View hotels near St. John's Cathedral

Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

I did not bother to look at my watch until I was late. And I even had to skip viewing the night skyline of Hong Kong from the peak. You can actually pity me.  One can never complete the check list because you don’t have control over the time and situations you are around. I chose to take a cab to the town. Unfortunately, by this time my camera battery died and my phone was also on d verge of dying.
Finally I reached the first stop for street food buffs in Hong Kong, the vicinity of Mong Kok, which is the world’s densest neighborhood and one of Hong Kong’s premier entertainment districts. Street food stalls are on almost every corner, but some stand out more than others………………. It was an easy choice for me; all I had to look for was a vegetarian meal in a street full of non-vegetarian food. Crabs, lobsters, fish, cockroaches, beetle, snakes, bats and the usual meat, pork, chicken, beef were on the menu. The stage was set; outdoor seating on the pedestrianized street, a bowl of steamed veggie noodles and some Dim sum. These restaurants are hugely popular with visiting tourists. Not to miss this experience. If it is not on your list, kindly reconsider making a new one.
Now with my stomach full it was time to get back to the hotel, take a quick shower and hit the bed.
I just saw a tiny glimpse of this magnificent and absorbing city in a day. I have another day lined up. Guess what I’m going to Ocean Park, details of which are written in the next article.

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