I'm not sure about Hong Kong. It may be just that I'm not in the right mood for it. It may be that after the heat of Sydney it's just a bit cold. It may be that our hotel is a bit out of the way, so we're not really part of it. I don't know the reason, but somehow it's just not hitting the right spot for me.
It brings to mind a society that would run riot if not told not to. There'd be fish freed into lakes, people scrambling over rocks, eating wild mushrooms in the street, while flying kites and feeding the birds. Not to mention sneezing without using a hankie! Anarchy.
It is different, I'll give it that. Surrounded by hills that look a bit murky in the haze; wide streets; clever planning that enables so many people to live and work in such a small space. And it has its idiosyncrasies: the ancient Star Ferry crosses from the main island to Kowloon for the princely sum of 2.5 dollars - about 20p, a price that hasn't changed for many, many years. It has shopping malls galore - there's even one on top of The Peak, the Island's highest point, reached either by a twisty-turny bus ride or by the old tram - a funicular railway that's been running for 150 years. And it has a passion for signs. Signs telling you not to do things: no spitting; no cycling; no smoking; no climbing... In the town's charming Park I took photos of all the different signs I saw - there were 26 in all - and they were spaced every few yards!
It brings to mind a society that would run riot if not told not to. There'd be fish freed into lakes, people scrambling over rocks, eating wild mushrooms in the street, while flying kites and feeding the birds. Not to mention sneezing without using a hankie! Anarchy.
Actually, the park was lovely. It's quite unexpected. Having descended from The Peak in the tram we had a bit of time to kill, and there it was, just across the road.
It has an aviary - a huge area, all enclosed, where if you stand still and quiet and wait you will see the most amazing birds, quite close to.
In the background we could hear the traffic and the sound of building work, but enclosed in the aviary we were separate from it all. A parakeet on the outside obviously felt the same - he perched himself on the supporting structure and called loudly to be let in. Given that we'd seen something far larger than buzzards enjoying the thermals below The Peak, I don't blame him.
Tomorrow, our last day before embarking on the thirteenish hour flight home, we are visiting Cheung Chau Island, which, according to the guidebook is a "tiny, charming island", which has a "sense of the older, traditional Hong Kong". I hope I fall for it.
