Quick Headlines and a Hong Kong Checklist
Hong Kong Isalnd Taxi
Cool Taxis – all red and based on a late 1970s early 80s design and are about as comfortable as my dads old Austin Maxi. They have notices in the back telling the drivers to be nice.
- Bird Market – tweetie pie springs to mind
- Nathan Rd trying to avoid cheap watch sellers and suit makers (pretend to be German and you dont understand them)
- Flower Market – Flowers smelt and looked great
- Floating Chinese Restaurant – Long and multi transported journey to get there (Underground, Bus, Boat) – food OK but not worth the trip, but the decor was.
- Up a mountain on cable-car in very inclement weather to see a Buddah in the rain – Hilarious for all the wrong reasons. Videos will tell all.
Small dogs
Dog in a Pram
Well the picture says it all really – Lots of small dogs with small owners but this one had me howling and I got John to take a snap. No this is not a human buggy adapted for a small dog. It is purpose built for pooch. (look over my shoulder)
Disinfection
Yes we have all seen pictures of the poeple in the surgical masks out and about in Hong Kong, but the amount of disinfection that goes on of handrails and other sufaces in public areas is bizarre- its an industry all to itself. The best bit though is that they actually put little germ attracting stickers on everything to say how MANY times a day things are disinfected. As if it makes a difference. Not once, not twice but FOUR times. Beat that handrail sanitiser dude.
Zebra crossings and how different the experience is here
Now you are prepared for there just being throngs of people in Hong Kong, but the actual process of crossing the street on Nathan Road is absolutely terrifying. First the zebras are about 15 metres wide; so you stand there look across the road and see a phalanx of about 200 people poised for the high pitched bat like pelican crossing alert noise to get faster and faster. It then reaches fever pitch and a few brave souls set off and then the little man goes green and it goes crazy.
The 200 people set off towards you and you now understand what it must be like going into battle in the mediaval times as 400 eyes come charging at you. I did think of photographing this experience, but I needed all my wits about me just to get across.
Lots of lights
HK Harbour Lights
Yes it is quite fantastic – at night Hong Kong is just amazing. For a sad little geek like me who is pleased with nice blue lights on his Computer or DVD player; seeing a whole city lit up is just magical and the boat ride across the harbour at night was the highlight so far even though I was knackered having been awake for over 24hrs.
Smoking again!!
Quick word on smoking and Hong Kong. Hong Kong is clean and I mean clean, no litter anywhere, pavements cleaned and get this. There are people who actually clean down the litter bins which are at every single road intersection. Not only this, the tops have ashtrays in them which means that smokers do the right thing and gather round them to smoke or to deposit thier dimps and do not throw stubs everywhere. There thats all it takes, provide the right facilities, put them in the right place and ensure they are emptied regularly and you have a clean city. Oh and dont forget the HKD $1500 for littering or smoking in the wrong place which may have a small contribution to cleanliness.
Not venturing far tonight saving the Peak and the Temple Night Market for our return nearer Christmas.
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>Great! Hope this is adding an extra element of enjoyment to your hols – and thanks for the shout out x
>It is I am actually quite enjoying the writing. Which for the past 18 years if I was writing it was something boring for work. This is much more fun.
>Really enjoying the blog – can share in the excitement of your time away, this excitement has usually been diluted when you get home and back to work, so keep it going and enjoy x