The major street markets in Hong Kong are mostly a variation on a theme… fake designer watches and bags, Chinese-style chachkies and miscellaneous electronics. The hawkers are aggressive and more than willing to make a deal.
The market in Stanley, a beach town on the southern part of Hong Kong Island, offers a nice break from the city markets. We expected heavy crowds on a Saturday, but the streets were pretty quiet. The shopkeepers had quite a bit more variety in their shops and were a lot more hands off. For a more laid-back open-air market experience, Stanley Market is a great choice.
St. Stephen’s Beach is just a short walk to the south from Stanley Market. With lots of shade from trees, it was perfect for a long afternoon of lounging. We bought a couple bamboo mats and a couple bottles of beer and whiled away the afternoon.These kids were splashing around in the shallow surf, occasionally coming up with a small fish. The boy was running toward his mother, excited to show off his bag of new pets.On the way back to the city, we tracked down dinner at Happy Veggies. The food was delicious, but the vibe was even better. Happy Veggies actively recruits its employees from the local Deaf community and uses its profits to support local causes. The menu even had a whole page listing different types of special orders and options (“more spicy,” “no oil”) that we could point at. Both the staff and customers seemed to be having a great time.
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Over the past couple years, giant Buddha statues have become a must-see in our travels. The Great Buddha of Kamakura, the massive Reclining Buddha in Bangkok, and now the Tian Tan Buddha of Lantau Island.
I have to admit, I felt a little cheated when I learned that it was built in the 1990s, but the impressive size made up for it. At 112 feet tall, it can be seen from Macau on the Chinese mainland, about 25 miles away.
Within a minute of stepping off the bus in Ngong Ping Village, a group of fellow tourists stopped to take a picture of what appeared to be some average looking trees. We wondered aloudーas we often doー”what is that a picture of?” We took a couple more steps and saw what the fuss was all about.Near the entrance to the village, this lone cow rested in the grass, then took a leisurely stroll down the path for some lunch, seemingly undisturbed by the visitors. Lantau Island has several feral cattle and buffalo who appear to be embroiled in a turf war with residential developers.There are 268 steps leading to the base of the statue, where a museum allegedly houses some of the remains of Buddha himself, Siddhārtha Gautama.Six bronze statues called The Offering of the Six Devas surround the Buddha, symbolizing the Six Perfections required for enlightenment.At first, the Tian Tan Buddha didn’t seem any bigger than the Great Buddha of Kamakura, but apparently it’s three times taller. And, it’s about 20 times taller than Viktoria.We bought some postcards at one of the shops in the village. the shopkeeper was wearing this Columbia t-shirt that read “Oregon Rules.” We explained that we were from Oregon and he got a little sheepish, admitting he’d never visited and just thought the shirt looked cool. He was right!
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Hong Kong may be famous for its hoppin’ urban areas, but two-thirds of it is covered in natural areas. On Hong Kong Island, the 50 km (31 miles) Hong Kong Trail is a great way to experience forestland, beaches and awesome geology. We tackled the 8.5 km (5.2 miles) section known as Dragon’s Back, named by TIME magazine as the best urban hiking trail in Asia in 2004.
Most of Dragon’s Back winds through wooded areas with some very colorful trees. The browns, oranges and whites on the bark of these trees reminded us of a giraffe’s neck. Oh, and the silence… With all of the hustle bustle over the last couple of weeks, the silence of nature is deafening.About halfway to the summit of Shek O Peak, the skies opened up and made the red clay paths a muddy mess. With the summit in sight, we encountered a puddle the size of a small pond that engulfed the path. Already soaked to the skin, we decided to forgo the swim and enjoy the near-summit views.The views of Big Wave Bay and the South China Sea made the wet walk worthwhile.Established more than 200 years ago by local fishing clans, the quiet, colorful streets of Shek O Village feel a million miles from the city. The vibe was much like the coastal villages of Central America.Finally! We’d been dying for a beach day on this trip and finally got one at Shek O Beach. Despite a decent-sized crowd, the beach was fairly quiet except for the occasional screams of from the kids being swept up in the waves on their inflatables. The otherwise calm waters were perfect for soaking the sore hiking muscles.
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Our first full day in Hong Kong fell on a Wednesday, which just happens to be free admission day at the Hong Kong Museum of History. The very well-done museum begins 400 million years ago and ends with the transfer of sovereignty to China. The museum seems highly concerned with the loss of traditional Hong Kong culture and focuses much of its collection on customs and arts, such as these puppet heads used in puppet operas.
With Hong Kong’s role as a major part of the global economic ecosystem, it’s easy to overlook the fact that humans have been roaming the islands for 40,000 years. In addition to displaying artifacts like stone tools dating back thousands of years, the museum has also recreated scenes of daily life from the Neolithic era (10,200 BC – 2000 BC).I’ve always loved watching traditional Chinese dragon dancing, especially when the coordination makes you forget there are people inside the costume. The museum offered several opportunities to get closer looks at many of the exhibits, including a pair of dragon models.Several short films played in theaters throughout the museum, expanding on different parts of Hong Kong’s history. One theater featured a film about the various traditional subgroups of people. The theater was decorated with representative clothing and artifacts from each group, including the lanterns which were an important part of rituals in many local villages.Hong Kong’s brilliant skyline is commonly listed among the world’s best. It currently boasts the most skyscrapers of any city, featuring 66 more than second-place New York City. Traditional junk boatsーthe first ones appeared in the second centuryーstill sail in Victoria Harbor today, although they’re now used more for serving expensive cocktails than trading goods.Waiting for the Symphony of Lights showーa light, laser and sound show starring the skylineーto begin. Although I can attest that we actually were there, the photo reminds me of the souvenir package we bought at the Sydney Opera House where we were photoshopped into various Opera House scenes.
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With China in the rear-view mirror, we arrived in Hong Kong right around sunset after the second delayed flight of our trip. Our hotel is in the middle of the craziness that is HK’s Tsim Sha Tsui district.
Although we had plenty of time to get to the airport for our flight leaving Shanghai, we opted for the super-fast maglev train purely for the experience. The line is one of only two maglev trains currently in commercial operation (Japan has the other).Shanghai’s maglev reaches a top speed of 431 km/h (268 mph), making the 30 km (18.6 miles) trip in about eight minutes. The ride was a bit bumpier than expected.The view of the clouds rolling in over the mountains at Hong Kong International Airport made up for the fiasco of catching a bus to the city (honestly, who has exact change when they leave the airport?).It’s easier to find a shop selling traditional Chinese medicine in Hong Kong than it is a Western-style pharmacy. The shops also have large jars full of dried seafoods, commonly used in treatments. I’m not sure what any of these particular ones do, but we swear by Tiger Balm for everything from headaches to sore muscles to mosquito bites.
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After a day of sightseeing, we headed back to our hotel. On the sidewalk in front of a convenience store on the corner of a busy intersection, these two guys locked horns in a game of xiangqi (Chinese chess).
Throughout our trip, we were frequently stopped by students looking to fulfill a school assignment. In the French Concession, these girls asked questions about my view of Shanghai and whether the education system was better in the U.S. or China. Every exchange was recorded on video, so we’ll be making an appearance in a Chinese classroom before long!The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is hidden in the basement of a giant apartment complex, but features one of the world’s best collections of Mao-era propaganda posters and 1930s “Shanghai Ladies” posters. Early posters took on more of an editorial cartoon style while later posters adopted the bold look associated with Soviet-era propaganda. Displayed in order by year, it also offers a visual timeline of the changes in Chinese attitudes during the 20th century.Every afternoon, this man set up his noodle stand (a bicycle with a flatbed and propane gas tank attached) around the corner from our hostel in Shanghai. He’d make stir-fried noodles and rice until late in the evening. We stopped in twice during our stay, getting a filling meal for about $1.50 USD each.On our last night in the city, we were able to meet up with two of our travel buddies from our India/Nepal trip who are teaching English in Shanghai. It also highlighted how reliant we’ve become on internet access… All of our planning had been done via Facebook or Gmail, both of which are blocked in China. We finally found a way to touch base at the last second.
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The umbrella-lined path at Shanghai’s People’s Park is a real-life Match.com. Every weekend, the Shanghai Marriage Market draws the parents of unmarried men and women looking for a suitable match for their child. In an ever-changing China, the market is one way traditional family involvement in the matchmaking process is being preserved. China is also facing a gender gap due to the so-called “one child policy.” By 2020, studies project China will have 24 million unmarried men unable to find a female partner.
At Shanghai Museum, a young artist sketches on of the Qing-era bowls on display.A dragon head watches over the collection in Shanghai Museum’s Chinese Minority Nationalities’ Art Gallery. Artifacts from Tibet, Mongolia and others show another side of China’s past.The sign for fast-food chain Real Kungfu features a very Bruce Lee-looking character. Maybe their motto should be “Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick. Eat when you have to eat.”On our first morning in Shanghai after a rough overnight train from Xi’an, I stumbled on this street market down an alley near our hotel. The narrow market sells fresh fruits and vegetables in the morning while food stalls begin to pop up later in the day. By the third day, the lady with the kung pao tofu was serving it up before I even asked.The red chili pepper is a major component of Sichuan-style cuisine. The local market had no shortage of this key ingredient.The market was the real-deal, selling live eels, frogs and turtles. Upon completion of the customer’s order, this vendor killed and cleaned the bullfrogs right in the street.
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After three days in the mountains of eastern China, the final night of our North China Getaway tour brought us back to Shanghai. Our group headed into Pudong—Shanghai’s skyscraper district—to see the skyline at night, highlighted by the dazzling light display of the Oriental Pearl Tower.
Three behemoths of the Shanghai Skyline. At left, the World Financial Center houses the world’s second-highest hotel. In the center, Jin Mao Tower was once China’s tallest building. At right, China’s current champion is Shanghai Tower, the world’s second-tallest building.
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After the epic day of hiking on Huangshan, a day wandering the tranquil-ish village of Hongcun was a welcome break. Along with neighboring Xidi, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 as a preserved look at rural Chinese life dating back to the 14th century. The village’s appearance is still so authentic that it was used as the backdrop for the international blockbuster Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, set in 19th century China.
Other than the scooter speeding down the cobblestone alley, it’s easy to imagine life in feudal China as we wandered the streets of Hongcun. The duck wandered in from nearby South Lake, undeterred by the possibilities of becoming someone’s dinner.Many generations of the Wang family have lived in the village and the family temple overlooks the Crescent Moon Pond, but this scene is more famous thanks to its inclusion in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Also a fine example of the photobombing skills of our tour guide, Jason.Founded by the family of a Han Dynasty general, the village thrived thanks to the merchant trade. That trade continues today as villagers create art and food for the throngs of tourists who visit each day. This shop topped its simple fried tofu with different blends of spicy pepper relish—equal parts fiery and delicious.Nothing like a frozen treat on a hot and humid Chinese summer day. Viktoria snapped this photo of her pineapple pop as I caught the eye of the lady entering the background. She was really getting a kick out of the level of artistry going into the ice-sucker selfie.The angles, lighting and colors of the ancient village were a major draw for artists, many of whom lined the banks of South Lake to capture the reflection of Picturesque Bridge in the still waters.
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Asia boasts some of the world’s most famous mountains, but China’s Huangshan (Yellow Mountains) remain a bit of a secret outside the country despite its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One Chinese visitor even asked a member of our group how we learned about Huangshan, surprised to see foreigners mixed into the summer holiday crowd.
Our visit coincided with the end of the rainy season. The floating fog and mist is part of what makes Huangshan such a sight to behold, but the rainy weather made clear views of its twisted peaks a rarity.There are two ways up for tourists—a cable car ride or a 7.5 km hike—but for the supply guys, the only option is carrying it up the old-fashioned way. The prices at the top reflect the labor.
On the 1,000 meter hike from the bus station to Lotus Flower Peak, we logged more than 17,000 steps–the first 5,000 of which were straight up steep steps.At Bright Summit Peak, lovers tie padlocks to the railing and toss the key into the valley below, ensuring an eternal bond.Hiking with a few thousand of our new Chinese friends. Especially crowded due to the summer school break, we walked much of the 14 km queued up behind the masses.
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