Hong Kong sunset
It’s Monday, February 23 in Hong Kong. The Academy Awards are finishing up right now in Los Angeles as I’m boarding a 12 hr plane headed there. This marks the end of my international journey. I am glad I decided to stop in Santa Barbara and Seattle with Devon. At least this way I’ll be easing back into (semi)normal American society.
Hong Kong is best for shopping and hiking. I’d doesn’t feel like I’ve done much here because I spent a good chunk of time relaxing in my room watching television, movies and the Oscars, but I’ve actually done quite a bit. The first night here on Friday, Feb. 20, I went to see a special premier performance of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra playing “Music about China 3 – Guo Wenjing’s World of Chinese Music,” at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. It was Chinese music composed by an internationally reputable Chinese composer as part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival. It was really excellent. I was blown away by the percussion performance and by the fact that none of the instruments were familiar to me. It felt like going to the symphony in Syracuse, but the music was entirely different.
On Saturday, I swam in the pool at my hotel, then I walked around and went to several markets in Kowloon, among them the goldfish market, bird market and shopping. I saw the lights over the harbor. Every night at 8 p.m. a light show happens utilizing many of the buildings within sight of the water. Sunday I walked around Hong Kong, saw the longest escalator in the world, hopped the Peak Tram to Victoria peak (but couldn’t see much due to cloud cover which was consistent through the weekend) and went to the Jade market ing Kowloon. I wanted to and thought about doing a hike, but my feet hurt from walking already and the clouds were disappointing, so I passed. Next time I would definitely like to get out to some of the surrounding islands.
On Monday morning, I watched the Academy Awards in my hotel room as I packed, then I visited the Art Museum, which was delightful. For how serious the Chinese come across as, their art is surprisingly comedic. It was fun to see calligraphy drawings of animals. The artist’s humor made me giggle. I enjoyed the Chinese culture that I saw and would like to see more of it.
Hong Kong at night
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra performing "Music about China 3 - Guo Wenjing's World of Chinese Music," at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall
Hong Kong intersection
the ever present 7 eleven
flower market
bird cages
bird market
onlookers
shopkeeper
parrot
the awed crowd
be my friend?
goldfish market
goldfish
street in goldfish market
aquarium reflection
Hong Kong street at night
foggy light show
close soon
longest escalator in the world
longest escalator in the world
I was there
foggy view from Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak Tram
construction
Japanese Chestnut Mango Cake
