Hong Kong, the cultural hub of Southeast Asia.

we explored all the wonders Hong Kong had to offer, taking in the sights and soaking in the local culture.  for five days, we ventured into downtown Hong Kong and nearby Kowloon. whether it's history, science or the arts, Hong Kong offers a Plethora of sites and attractions.

Hong Kong is full of gardens and museums and other sites to see that will keep you busy until you leave offering more sights and attractions per square kilometer than anywhere else in the world. its entire spectrum of sights, from traditional Chinese temples to the rural New Territories and outlying islands to the bustling dynamic metropolis, can all be seen with ease in a surprisingly short time. some of the most visited places in
Hong Kong:
Zoological and Botanical Gardens. in the mid-19th century, six hectares of land above the Governor's Residence were made into a botanical garden.
zoological exhibitions were added later, and the garden now contain many endangered species. this is also an excellent place to watch local residents
practice their tai chi chunn (shadow boxing) every morning.

Victoria Peak. rising to 554 meters above sea level, this is the most prestigious residential address in Hong Kong island. it can be reached in just eight minutes from downtown by rail. the summit offers a superb 360-degree view of virtually the whole territory as well as the islands of the South China Sea beyond. the new Peak Galleria, a three-tiered complex featuring restaurants and shoppes (my favorites), is also located at the
peak.

Hollywood Road Lok lu Road. this is the heart of Hong Kong's antique district, where you can find Chinese porcelain, rosewood and blackwood furniture, paintings, curios and chinoiserie. the Cat Street galleris house four floors of arts-and-craft shops and an exhibition gallery.

Man Mo Temple. situated on Hollywood Road, the temple is one of the oldest and the largest of its kind in the territory. it is dedicated to Kwan Kung, the god of war, and Man Cheong, the god of literature. (reminded me of Willy. he likes to hunt. and Uel nu'ng bata pa s'ya. nagra-rasyon ng d'yario at nagpa-pasita ng komiks! o, baka maniwala ka!)

the Star Ferry, the most famous of Hong Kong's ferries, plies the shortest route between Hong Kong island and Kowloon daily giving passengers the ideal vantage point from which to photograph the fascinating harbor scene on both sides. on the Kowloon side, the most frequented places are located not too
far from the ferry station.

Hong Kong Cultural Center. Hong Kong's largest venue for the performing arts, the facilities are among the most up-to-date in the world. they include the Concert Hall, Grand Theatre, Studio Theatre, an exhibition gallery, shops, restaurants and bar (the last two are my favorite hangouts). adjacent to the Cultural Center is the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Hong Kong Space Museum. beneath this distinctive dome is one of the world's largest and and most exciting planetariums, as well as exhibition halls on astronomy and space sciences (naa-alala ko tuloy 'yung ating field trip sa Manila na kasama natin si Mil. binisita natin ang kanyang kuya (na nasa langit na) sa Ateneo University and we were taken to the meteorology lab na kung saan ay pinakitaan tayo ng madyik ng isang D'yeswit na pari, remember? na kung paano pinagliliyab ng 'ozone' ang elementong nasa loob ng flourescent tube.  wow! glows in the dark!  at doon din ako napahiya ng napakalaki (sa harap pa naman ng aking mga sintang ka-klase) ng sagutin ko ang tanong ng pari, "What's meteorology?"  ang sagot ko, e di "study of minerals!"  e, puti kasi!  that's why, from then on, i vowed to learn the language and learn it good!). Sky Shows and Omnimax shows are presented in the Space Theatre daily, except Tuesday, and simultaneous interpretation on
headphone is available. (come to think of it, 'di ba si Ed Nicdao ay may na-meet na chick who joined us hanggang sa Luneta? i remember we spent the night at Mil's brother's place kung saan natin binigyan ng iba't-ibang interpretasyon ang letter Z.)

Kowloon Park. Kowloon Park boasts extensive recreation and sports facilities, including a swimming pool complex, games hall, gardens, an aviary and a children's playground.  the "Sculpture Walk" and Hong Kong Museum of History are major attractions.

Sung Dynasty Village. here, one could experience life in China as it was 1,000 years ago, with everyone in the village dressed in period costume. entertainments include a Chinese wedding parade, Chinese acrobatic shows and kung fu demonstrations; enjoy traditional Chinese snacks (my favorite!) and watch artisans at work.  there is also a Wax Museum.

i had the opportunity to visit the New Territories, a rural village of high rise housing development created to accommodate the influx of mainland Chinese who trek across the border at the rate of 1,000 a day (according to our tour guide).  we went to the Temple of the Wishing Tree. tradition says that one has to write a wish on a note of good fortune attached to an orange
by a string.  he then toss the orange up into the tree branches and hope it gets caught.  the higher the branch the orange get caught, the faster whatever wish is on the note is supposed to come true.  i made a wish. and it get caught.

sightseeing may have been a favorite leisure but, shopping was arguably the most popular activity.  Hong Kong's cultural wealth perked the interest of the thousand foreigners who set foot on this island enclave during our port visit. whether it was seeing the world's largest Buddha, frequenting authentic Karaoke lounges, or just strolling and doing whatever in this vertical city (the New York of Asia), Hong Kong had a world to offer. i had a
chance and took it. 

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