I’ve been meaning to visit Hong Kong for years; it’s only an hour and a half flight from Taipei! And while Americans need pre-arranged visas to visit mainland China, Hong Kong lets us in with just a tourist visa, making it a lot easier to visit. So with a four-day weekend for Children’s Day and Tomb-Sweeping Day, I headed for Hong Kong!
After getting into the city (an easy bus ride) and checked in at my hostel (a cramped hole in the wall, like most of them are, but clean and not sketchy), I headed down Nathan Road to the harbor. First stop was actually at Mammy Pancake for a Michelin-star egg waffle.
Of course I’d heard about Victoria Harbour and seen some pictures, but the view really takes your breath away in person. The harbor cuts right through the city, and while the subway runs under the water and is an easy way to cross from one side of the other (there are also traditional ferries!), it’s almost hard to believe that such a populous and thriving city exists with this big body of water right in the middle.
That evening, I went on one of the Aqua Luna tours of the harbor on a replica Chinese junk boat (like the one in the picture above). It’s a fun way to get closer to both sides of the city and a nice precursor to the nightly laser light show (though honestly, the light show was a bit underwhelming, considering the hype and that it’s won international awards).
The next morning I went on a free walking tour, like I always do in a new city. In terms of information about the city, it wasn’t the most interesting tour I’d been on, but given the current political state of Hong Kong, it was fascinating to have a chance to talk to a resident.
Every country and region in the world has its own unique history that has helped shape its current status, but Hong Kong’s is especially remarkable. Officially known as Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region), Hong Kong has only been formally a part of China for about 20 years.
Prior to that, Hong Kong had been under British control since the 1840’s, after the First Opium War. To sum up 180 years of history, under British rule, Hong Kong developed a democratic, capitalist society touting ideals of free speech and freedom of religion, which is in stark contrast to China’s communist and very restricted society.
On July 1st, 1997, Hong Kong was officially returned to China with the agreement that Hong Kong’s capitalist system would remain unchanged for 50 years. This arrangement is called “One Country, Two Systems,” meaning “we’re all China, but Hong Kong is capitalist and mainland China is communist.” Interestingly, leaders in China often point to “one country two systems” in an effort to entice Taiwan to rejoin the motherland, but few people here find that prospect remotely appealing, and I doubt many Hong Kongers would recommend it over full autonomy.
In practice, the current situation means that Hong Kong has its own currency (with really pretty bills!), passports, judicial system, and border control. They also vote for their regional government officials, except the CEO of Hong Kong, who is directly appointed by the government in Beijing (there were protests about this several years ago, as the residents of Hong Kong believe they should be able to vote for their leader).
I saw free speech in practice when the leader of my free walking tour (when asked how she feels about China), proclaimed “F*ck China. I hate China, and because we’re in Hong Kong, I can say that out loud.” There was also a public memorial of those killed in the Tiananmen Square Massacre, a horrific event which is officially downplayed and minimized in mainland China.
In a way, I felt that Hong Kong was an ideal version of America. Americans claim to take a lot of pride in the rights guaranteed by our Constitution and Bill of Rights (though mostly we seem to lump everything together under the word “freedom”), but I think to a large degree we only like these freedoms when they work in our favor, rather than respecting that they also protect those with whom we disagree. And I’m not excluding myself here!
Hong Kong, however, has a sword over its head poised to fall in 2047. That’s the expiration of the 50 year agreement with mainland China, and no one knows what will happen after. It’s likely China will try to integrate Hong Kong into its communist system and remove the autonomy that the city currently enjoys, but again, most people that I spoke to dread this outcome.
This ticking clock gives people in Hong Kong an extra appreciation for the rights and freedoms that they currently enjoy. Not only are they embracing them to their fullest now, but it seems like they’re also hoping that the more firmly entrenched they are, the harder it will be for China to take them away. Americans have such an idealized view of our country that we can’t imagine anyone taking our rights away (though they are often chipped away at in ways we may not even be aware of).
In contrast, the residents of Hong Kong are very aware of what they stand to lose in just less than 30 years, so they don’t take their current rights for granted. My walking tour guide was really pleased to tell us about the large mosque in the center of the city that hosts open days several times a week so visitors can come in to see what a Muslim service is like. She also pointed out several churches in the area, but admitted to being unaware of the differences between them, because she’s a Buddhist.
While places of worship are under literal attack around the world, this Hong Kong Buddhist was practically glowing with pride as she described the various religions and ethnicities that make up the population of Hong Kong.
And now, back to the story of my trip and fun photos. I just wanted to share my very surface-level impressions of the current state of the city!
After the walking tour, I took a Star Ferry across the harbor. These iconic ferries date back to 1888 and you still see them regularly chugging across the harbor, carrying tourists and people looking to avoid rush hour on the subway.
No trip to Hong Kong is complete without a visit to the top of Victoria Peak. The tram is the most popular way to get up there, and if you’re considering it, I can’t discourage you enough.
I took a bus on the way up (a lot cheaper), but I thought I’d try the tram on the way down. The wait was about 45 minutes (and when I got to the bottom, the line to come up was at least 4 times as long) and the trip was not the least bit exciting. Sorry tram, but it’s true.
I was lucky that I went up the Peak on a clear day, and the view was absolutely stunning.
And the food? It’s not all about Michelin-starred egg waffles; my first bite of dim sum left me speechless.
For my second full day, I took the subway to Lantou, one of Hong Kong’s numerous and nearby islands (also where the airport is). I jumped on a cable car for a ride that rivals Taipei’s Maokong Gondola to see the Big Buddha (officially the Tian Tan Buddha).
It’s situated near the Po Lin Monastery, which I explored as well. I even stumbled across a Buddhist “service” (not sure if that’s the right word!) in the temple and stayed to watch for a bit (this was allowed, though we couldn’t take pictures).
From there, I took a bus to Tai O, a small fishing village on Lantou Island that has become a bit of a tourist destination, mostly due to its stilt houses.
I have a lot of questions about these houses, but mostly: is the only way in or out by boat?
After walking through the extensive market that was mostly fish products, I took a boat tour that gave an up-close view of the stilt houses then went out into the harbor where we were lucky enough to spot a Chinese White Dolphin!
I also saw lots of platters of egg yolks drying/curing in the sun. I wasn’t compelled to try one, but they did look cool.
Overall, I really enjoyed my two and a half days in Hong Kong and hope to have more time there in the future! There wasn’t any one experience that made the trip so good, it’s just a really fun city. The food is incredible, it’s as convenient as Taipei, and there’s lots to see and do. Plus, if you enjoy history and strange political situations, like I do, it’s very interesting.
Going Out Your Door 
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