Hong Kong, City of the Future?

Hong Kong's famous skyline.

Hong Kong, what an amazing place! The city is full of energy. Its markets are sprawling; its people are always on the go. Parties last until the wee hours of the morning, fueled by bottle shop beers and 24-hour coffee shops. Little dim sum restaurants dot the streets, offering locals and tourists alike a wide variety of Cantonese morsels. Walking around, you get the feeling that this is a city of the future.

Kong Kong was also a lot bigger than I had expected. The territory looked tiny next to mainland China on a map. I thought it would be nothing but a giant city, with little room for nature. But the center of Hong Kong Island is a forested park. Hiking trails take you to The Peak, and its sprawling views of the city below.

I was told that there were also some villages on the outskirts of the territory, where people still go fishing in their junk boats every morning. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time on this trip, so I didn't get to experience anything outside of the city. But I can still recommend a visit to Hong Kong, as a long stopover, as part of a larger trip, or even as a vacation in itself. Hong Kong is more international than the big cities of mainland China, making it an easy stop for those new to Asia.

Here are some photos from my short trip:

The Western Market, near the port where the ferry from Macau dropped me off.

An old junk boat in Aberdeen Harbour.

A row of purple lights, along the shore of Aberdeen Harbour.

Fresh fish for sale at an outdoor market.

There's something about getting your dinner from a fresh fish market by the sea shore.

A cemetery on a hill, leading to The Peak.

There's a forest in the middle of the island.

Here's the view from The Peak. This is where the classic photos of Hong Kong's skyline are taken from. Unfortunately, it was a little foggy when I was there.

Looking north, toward the mainland of Hong Kong.

This Ferris Wheel is in downtown.

From this pier, you can take a ferry to Kowloon.

This is the boat landing at Kowloon. Hong Kong has a tropical climate, full of lush palm trees. In December, it was still warm enough to walk around in a t-shirt.