Hong Kong

On the way form Czech to Australia I have decided to arrange a 3-day stopover in Hong Kong. I think that the possibility of having a stopover is a great opportunity to see new places while undergoing long tiring flight from one continent to another, or from one side of the world to another or maybe from the north to the south hemisphere :o). There are many places you can visit on the way from/to Europe to/from Australia such as Bangkok, Seoul, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Peking and many others…

While I was booking the flight ticket I though that 3 days in Hong Kong would be enough…Well, I was terribly mistaken!!! I love to travel, get to know new places and once I go somewhere I am willing to get up early in the morning and go to sleep late just to have more time to see more. Even after all this effort 3 days is just too short.

After checking out from the airport and leaving the nice air-conditioned building I was struck by a terrible heat and humidity. That is something we are not used to in Europe. I have never ever experienced anything like that and it felt little uncomfortable breathing and moving around, but eventually I got used to it. I have booked a room in a hostel in advance. First thing after I entered the room (I was already sweaty and yucky) I saw a picture of a pig having bath in the bathroom – UNBELIEVABLE!!! Thanks for the warm welcome and pointing out the unbearable truth :o).

Evenings in the city are great. There are a lot of people on the streets walking, chatting, selling and buying staff, eating – it looks like an ant colony. Every building seems to have installed lights or neons on the outside, so the city glows like a large colorful bulb. What surprised me was that I couldn’t see stars; it was only possible to see a moon. Usually stars are less visible because of the city light, which is reflected by the sky. However, in Hong Kong there is so much light that you cannot see any stars at all!!!

I was advised to go out of the city to see the Big Buddha and surrounding fishing villages. It was actually a great idea, because the statue and monasteries of the Big Buddha are spectacular. It is said that it is the biggest bronze sculpture of Buddha in the world. I think that even the stairs to the statue are the longest – at least for me haha! The small villages around look like from a different world in comparison to very modern Hong Kong. It seems that time just stopped there 100 years ago and the life just remains the same since then. People there look very poor, but they live in a peaceful place.

Well, that is pretty much all I managed to see in those 3 days… Have you been there? What did you like about Hong Kong? Or why would you like to go there?