Follow this link to see the rest of our photos from Hong Kong and Macau!:
Hong Kong did not look impressive when we first arrived. The city was covered in smog so that we couldn't see any buildings in the distance as we drove from the airport. When we got into the city, many of the buildings seemed so old, and the sidewalks were narrow and busy. Hong Kong reminded us of a giant version of New York’s Chinatown.
We grew to like Hong Kong, though, as we spent more time there. There's a lot to see, with central Hong Kong spread out on both sides of Victoria Harbor. I was impressed by how dense the city is. It's very vertical in many parts, and the streets are always crowded. We tried to take the Peak Tram up to Victoria peak, but found a line of at least 2 hours! Dave gave up and I walked almost an hour up the hill. It was worth the hike :)
 |
| The skyline everywhere is filled with skyscrapers. |
 |
| A busy street. |
 |
| View from Victoria Peak. With the thick smog, the buildings actually become more clear at night when they are lit up. |
Further afield in Hong Kong, we visited the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island. Nearby is the small fishing village of Tai O, where we saw many stilt houses built on the water and every form of dried fish imaginable. The next day, we ventured out to the beaches of Repulse Bay and Stanley, on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. There were many locals enjoying water sports and hanging out at beachfront eateries. It's great that there are so many places to get away for the day in Hong Kong. We heard that there's also a lot of good hiking around. We didn't get to try much though, since it was pretty hot while we were there.
 |
| The Big Buddha |
 |
| Tai O, a small fishing community on Lantau Island. What a contrast from Hong Kong Island! |
 |
| A relaxing day at Stanley, Hong Kong |
We also hopped on a fast one-hour ferry to Macau for a day. It's amazing how many people do this trip! We went on a weekday morning, and even with multiple ferry companies running at least several boats an hour, there was a one-hour wait.
Being a former Portuguese colony, Macau's historical district is scattered with interesting Portuguese architecture. The highlight of Macau, though, is seeing its numerous casinos. They are filled with interesting decor, good restaurants, and countless entertainment venues, much like Vegas. The gambling scene is continuing to expand, with a whole strip of casinos that opened in the last decade and new ones still under construction. We actually got lost going around Macau and ended up taking a long bus tour of off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods - it looks a lot like residential areas in Hong Kong or China, very much unaffected by the blooming tourism industry.
 |
| Lots of casinos |
 |
| Remnants of the Sao Paulo Cathedral, Old City |
 |
| Vegas or Macau? Several of the casinos in Macau, such as the Venetian, look just like their counterparts in Vegas. |
 |
| The Galaxy Macau - only Phase I of the construction is open, and it's already huge and glamorous. |
No comments:
Post a Comment