Don't let the grandeur of the pictures confuse you. HK is not very large. When I was making my list of things to do I figured I could knock out 2 or 3 things a day. Turns out, yesterday I did 9. You wouldn't guess that from looking at the various "Top 40 Things To Do" lists online how quickly each can be done. Here you can walk from one end of the island to the other in a few hours if you walk at a moderate pace. So now I have a quandary, what to do. Wednesday is going to see the Big Buddha (have been told that's 4-6 hours; we'll see). There are a few places I could hike but the clouds (which don't blow away like back home) just linger all day around the peaks so there would be nothing to see when I got to the top.
Good morning Hong Kong
An absolutely perfect day today
A Princess boat in our cruise port
When alone in a safe foreign city and you have a free day, hop on the
subway and play roulette with a stop. That's exactly what I did. Best
part - I found the real Hong Kong.
As good a starting station as any
A few subway stops later... Welcome to Causeway Bay
This is what I expected HK to look like
I had to see how McDonalds was different. It's different alright
Macarons and a coffee anyone? $8 for 5, $15 for 10. Coffee $4
Can't believe all this was $3usd
The street food merchants have been forced off the sidewalks by the Chinese government and back into their store
Really hasn't stopped the amazing food from being sold or people lining up for it
Who doesn't need a sports complex to hit in the middle of the work day
This looks like an interesting alley
Talk about the wide array of merchants
You could tell from the smell of the flowers they were cut that day
Perfect orchids. Easy when it's 95% humidity out. $12
Example of how the old culture is trying to hang in
Still a working monastery
And right in the middle of "classic" HK - modern new construction
Thanks to the power of the internet I've become friends with people all across the globe. As luck would have it I was able to meet up with my London friend (now moved to HK) to catch up and see what it's like living here. Guess what one of the first things she asks me? "Have you noticed the horrible body odor of people here?" Apparently it's not just me that notices it.
More macarons anyone?
8oz, 16oz, 24oz cans of Coke ($1.25, $1.30, $1.50)
A useful tip picked up last night talking to my friend, when doing any big tourist things in the city, do it between Monday and Wednesday. Beginning Thursday many from mainland China board a 30-minute boat and begin their weekend in HK.
The Princess Sapphire ended up staying overnight. That'd be a great way to see the highlights of HK with a two-day visit.
Weather-wise, today is perfect. The clouds that tend to hang around the mountains aren't here today. Temperatures are suppose to be in the high 70s, humidity at a "low" 91%. Time to go see the Big Buddha. I was warned that restrooms at the top of the peak would be Eastern style. Hope you have good thigh muscles. You've been warned.
Getting to the Buddha is fairly simple if you're not afraid of heights. To get to Buddha you take the Ngong Ping Cable car. Take the MTR and transfer to Tung Chung Line. Get off at Tung Chung station, take exit B to the street. Walk a few minutes to the Cable Car counter. Total time to get to the top is 20'ish minutes. If you are afraid of heights you can take a tour bus up the winding roads. That option takes roughly an hour each direction.
Starting in the lower right headed to the lower left (35 minutes)
The train lengths are insane. You can see the front dip and twist as it's in motion
One of the massive development of homes on the way to Buddha
Hint #1 when vising the Big Buddha via the cable car, buy your ticket in advance! Otherwise you'll wait in a line that, on a good day the wait is 1.5 hours. Hint #2, if you're not afraid of heights, pay for the glass bottom car ("Crystal car"). This will cut the line even further. Doing 1 and 2 I spent three minutes waiting to get aboard a car. Hint #3, if you can't see the mountains when in Hong Kong city due to low clouds skip the Buddha that day because the statue will be hidden in clouds too (the car company lets you change your date once for free).
Giving you an idea how large these structures are (and they're everywhere)
At the station, looking where to catch the cable car
Signs. Yup those are helpful
Because you know you need treats before heading up
Hello first line for people to buy tickets
People still in line to buy tickets
Seriously, didn't they read ahead to buy your tickets online?
Tickets purchased for non-glass bottom car yet still in line (left). The center empty line is the Crystal line (pay the $$)
Just like a ski lift
The ride up to the peak is beautiful. There was a nice cool breeze coming off the ocean and into the car. Looking down you'd see large wild firms growing along with some full trees. If you look really close you'll see a path going up and down the hills. Yes, people spend approximately 3-4 hours making the hike to see Buddha via the trails.
Myself and two others, all unsure how safe this setup is
Yeah we didn't care, basically had a dance party in the sky
Buddha coming into focus
Of the beautiful and awe inspiring places I've seen this place may rival them all. Yes, there is a fake "native" village immediately upon leaving the tram but once you walk quickly past that place, the real monastery grounds are awe inspiring. The trip from start to finish (if you do the glass bottom car) will indeed run 5-7 hours (included in that is the subway to/from Buddha). Well worth every minute and every dollar.
The trail winds up and down for miles
At the base of the peak
"Hi mom and dad"
Totally fake, commercialized town
Where the real beauty begins
200'ish steps to the peak
Not hard to do if the humidity would be lower
Pictures don't capture how impressive and massive it is
There is a cafeteria that's on-site which only offers vegan dishes (very reasonable) should you get hungry. I'm not a vegan yet I ate everything I got. It was that good.
My feet have officially quit on me. Too much walking. Thankfully there are no clouds out tonight, temperatures are dropping (upper 70s) so I decided to do tonight's post from the rooftop garden of the hotel. Let's see if I can do a quick power nap then hit the streets of HK for a late night meal/snack.
