The architecture is unlike any other city we have visited either at home or abroad. The shapes and contours are astounding. The materials used are colorful. Each new building attempts to outdo the others in remarkable features. The tops are stunning. The accents are complementary. The impact is artful.
To add to all of this their are lighting elements built into the facades. These are computer controlled, and vary in color, shape and motion. The skyline becomes a light show at sunset.
But this is daylight. We went ashore at about 10:15. When we left the gangway we followed a path into the terminal. Terminal? This was an enormous mall with shops of every kind. The only things missing were discount stores and hawkers. Everything here is very high end. The prices match. A long walk took us to an exit to the street level. Just a block away was the ferry terminal and the tourist information center. We got maps, and looked for the Hop On Hop Off office. We had decided to use the HoHo to get the most out of our 3 day stay. It is said to offer a good commentary as you ride.
The first HoHo "office" we encountered was an enterprising young lady on the street. She offered a good explanation of the myriad of ticket options. We chose the deluxe two day pass. This included 48 hours of bus rides on three available routes, a night tour to see key markets lit for the evening, passage on the tram to Victoria Peak, a one hour harbor tour, admission to the Maritime Museum, a Sampan ride in the harbor at Aberdeen and as many ferry tickets as we needed within the 48 hours. It was 11:08 on Wednesday. Our last departure on one of the three routes would have to start before 11:08 on Friday. All aboard is 7:00 Friday evening. We were all set for transportation and activities. Time to get going.
It was sunny and hot. The HoHo girl had suggested that even though it was hazy this would be a very good time to go up to Victoria Peak. The haze was significant in our opinion, but visibility not obscured. We took the ferry to Central on Hong Kong Island. This would be the first of many such trips. Ferries leave about every 10 minutes for the short ride across the harbor. The loading and unloading is very efficient. This makes for a pleasant journey. On arrival we walked to the bus stop and boarded a green route bus. Victoria Peak station would be the first stop on this line. On the red line it would be the 8th stop. We did not want to waste any time.
On arrival at the base station a HoHo agent exchanged our vouchers for admission tickets and led us to the priority entrance to the tram line. The line was still pretty long and we waited for the third tram before we could board. This cable driven two car train made its way up the by steep grade to the top station. The ride up is interesting. The views are great. The angle of the car makes for some interesting effects as you look out at the vertical high rises. The station at the top is new since our last visit. It offers a maze of escalators that take you past shops and exhibits. When you reach the rooftop viewing platform you are offered a handheld audio visual device to learn more about your view. This is free to use. Along the railing are pictures of the view with highlights numbered. Keying the number into the device activates a video with a narrative about the object. These were very well done. We spent over 1&1/2 hours up top. On the way down to the tram station we shunned the many fast food restaurants.
When we exited the tram at street level, a red line bus was waiting to transport us back to the starting point at the ferry terminal. Here we explored the terminal in search of a nice place to eat. It was after 3:00. Nothing. The HoHo agent directed us to the long pedestrian bridge that led into the office district. Off we went. This 1/2 mile trek took us past a turn off that went to the Apple Store. We proceeded to the next stairway down to street level. We could see a Starbucks. Maybe lunch was near.
We entered the beautiful lobby of the building housing Starbucks, and noticed a sign indicating food on the lower level. A ride down the escalator brought us to a very nice restaurant with both Asian and Western food. We opted for sandwiches. As we waited for our food we became aware that we were the only Westerners in the whole place. The locals were enjoying some of the large local offerings. Our sandwiches arrived with fries and cokes. They were excellent and just right for the time of day and our appetites.
Satisfied, we left to visit the Apple Store. We knew from visits to other stores that the wifi would be excellent. This store is located in a building connector that bridges a major highway. We found seats on a ledge overlooking traffic, and logged in with no difficulty. The speed was great. The flow of traffic was almost as fast. I was able to upload my blog posts with pictures in a very reasonable time. It was after 5:00 when we left.
View from the Apple Store. They are going under us.
We were back at the ferry terminal shortly after 5:30. At 5:45 we boarded the bus for the Night Tour. It left at 6:15 and took us along the waterfront highway to the tunnel to Kowloon. Here we traveled Nathan Road to view the glitz and glitter of this major shopping venue. We also passed the Lady and Night Markets before wending our way to the endpoint behind The Penninsula Hotel.
It was 7:50. We tried to find our way to the ship for the light show over the harbor that would start at 8:00. I made a wrong turn, and we ended up near the end of Harbor City, the cruise terminal mall, farthest from the ship. Fortunately this maze of shops has good information kiosks and desks. We got to the ship at 8:15. This was just after the laser light show ended. We stopped for cookies and drinks in the Lido. Dinner service was over. Then we went out on deck 8 to enjoy the lights on the buildings. We did not need the faint music and lasers we had missed. This provided a fine end to our evening.
Sleep came quickly and soundly. A delightful day.
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