Today (Tueday 18 March) I took the metro to Wong Tai Sin Temple, according to the guidebook a popular temple with the locals. This was an understatement. I was intrigued to tour the Good Wish Gardens for obvious reasons in its name. It featured relaxing carp ponds and zigzagging stone bridges. The exit from the temple was an arcade filled with Chinesse fortunetellers, some offering English translations. I spent sometime at the very modern Festival Walk Shopping Center at Wong Tai Sin and shopped a bit at H&M. I saw signs to City University of Hong Kong and decided to check out the campus. I hopped on the metro again and took it to Prince Edwards to walk to Yuen Po Street Bird Garden and the flower market. I was distracted by the market stalls and bargained for a new Swiss Army watch for $7 (US), aka "copywatch". (I recently misplaced my silver watch in Boston.) When I finally reached the bird garden, it dawned on me that this probably was not the best place to hang around with the recent bird flu epidemic. So I took a few pics and moved on. I debated about taking the metro to Hong Kong Island, where I was yesterday, and spending some time "ferrying" around on the harbor, but my feet were tired and my camera battery had died, so I returned to the hotel to grab a snack at the executive floor cafe and to wait for Jason. Tomorrow is museum day. The Hong Kong Art Museum & the Hong Kong Museum of History are free on Wednesdays and hopefully I can schedule in a ferryride to Aberdeen.
18 March 2008
My "copywatch" is still ticking.
Today (Tueday 18 March) I took the metro to Wong Tai Sin Temple, according to the guidebook a popular temple with the locals. This was an understatement. I was intrigued to tour the Good Wish Gardens for obvious reasons in its name. It featured relaxing carp ponds and zigzagging stone bridges. The exit from the temple was an arcade filled with Chinesse fortunetellers, some offering English translations. I spent sometime at the very modern Festival Walk Shopping Center at Wong Tai Sin and shopped a bit at H&M. I saw signs to City University of Hong Kong and decided to check out the campus. I hopped on the metro again and took it to Prince Edwards to walk to Yuen Po Street Bird Garden and the flower market. I was distracted by the market stalls and bargained for a new Swiss Army watch for $7 (US), aka "copywatch". (I recently misplaced my silver watch in Boston.) When I finally reached the bird garden, it dawned on me that this probably was not the best place to hang around with the recent bird flu epidemic. So I took a few pics and moved on. I debated about taking the metro to Hong Kong Island, where I was yesterday, and spending some time "ferrying" around on the harbor, but my feet were tired and my camera battery had died, so I returned to the hotel to grab a snack at the executive floor cafe and to wait for Jason. Tomorrow is museum day. The Hong Kong Art Museum & the Hong Kong Museum of History are free on Wednesdays and hopefully I can schedule in a ferryride to Aberdeen.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Hi Laura,
I am avidly reading your account of your Hong Kong experiences. Obviously, much has changed since I visited in my “salad days” as a Merchant Mariner (a half-century ago). I remember Hong Kong and Kowloon at that time already completely built-out. I wonder how many of those structures still exist. Hong Kong was crowded then and I imagine even more so now. I remember fondly the lovely young Chinese women in their ultra-sexy cheongsam dresses carrying parasols to ward off the harsh rays of the sun. I remember a funicular tram that went to the top of Hong Kong’s Mt. Victoria. I’m sure it must still be there. Have you had a chance to experience it yet?
Keep ‘em comin’. I read ‘em all.
Hi to Jason.
Regards,
Bob
PS: I like the links gadget (or widget) on your blog. I’ll try to incorporate something like that in my China-Tibet blog.
Hi Bob
Thank you so much for reading my blog and leaving a comment! (Hopefully you get this reply.) Yes, the peak is definitely on the list. Jason and I are going to try and do that tomorrow, hopefully, depends on his work schedule. Hong Kong is an amazing place. I love it too with all the touring I have done alone, looking like a foreigner, no one bothers me. Hope all is well. :) laura.
Hi Bob,
It is interesting that you mention the women in the traditional dress. I remember in my travels to Japan I would occasionally see traditional dressed geishas on the streets. But here, I have seen no one dressed up. The society is so modern; everyone has cell phones and wears jeans. You can buy by traditional mandarin dresses, but I think that is for special occasions or tourists. Even the wedding couples, I have seen getting pictures taken in the various parks, the brides are wearing the predictable white wedding dress.
:) laura.
ps. Jason and I made it to the peak yesterday, details to follow.
Post a Comment