First impressions 8 September 

I don’t know what I expected to see when I arrived in Hong Kong but it wasn’t what I saw.  To be honest for most of the drive from the airport I could have been anywhere in the world.  The scenery was very similar to what you see arriving in Tenerife except that the multi storeys that populated the landscape were not hotels but actual homes.  The only thing that indicated Hong Kong were the busy taxis speeding by on the motorway system with Chinese writing all over them.

THe journey to my hotel took about an hour and for most of that time we were on the motorway.  It was only when we arrived in the city of Hong Kong that I began to see differences.  While the multi-storeys were still there, the shops, the signs, the decorations, and the trees which were either down the middle of the road or along the sides indicated something new and interesting.

It was HOT as in 32 degrees at 6pm and the heat just seems to lie on top of you. 

Out and about: 10-11 September

I woke early this morning mainly because I’m still not in this timezone.  It was very peaceful sitting drinking my first cup of tea watching a wee group of folk go through theirTai Chi exercises in the park opposite my hotel.  It didn’t give me the notion to run down and join them but I don’t remember seeing anyone exercising like that at 7 in the morning at home.

After breakfast I set off to explore.  I decided to start off with a trip on the Star ferry because one of the travel writers / sites I’ve been reading said that it should be on the top 10 of things to do on your bucket list.  The folk here must have been reading the same stuff that I do because it’s on hoardings all over the place.  It’s certainly an experience.  The ferry terminal are somewhat older than the one that the Arran ferry leaves from -think immediately post-war like a bit out of a black and white Orson Welles film and the ferries themselves are about the same age with the kind of seat that you change the back of of depending on which direction you’re going.  Chugging across the harbour you see tiny, tiny wee boats and huge liners, ferries etc all going hell for leather.  None of them seem to be aware of each other but they must be because there are no collisions.  

The skyline of Hong Kong is amazing seen from the ferry.  Morven would say AWEsome.  I don’t know if I can say yet that riding the Star ferry is on my top 10 because this is just my first stop but it’s definitely something I’ll remember for a long while. Maybe it's bringing back memories of the Renfrew ferry.

My overriding impression of Hong Kong is of a modern high rise city that is clearly one of the financial capitals of the world. The history of the colony isn’t always obvious in its buildings.  Now and again you come across a building from another century but it seems as though most of the buildings that would have told Hong Kong’s history are gone.  The majority of buildings that you can see are, at the most, 50-60 years old.  Many of them are designed to show of the wealth of the companies and inhabitants.  Those that don’t show this could be classed as high rise slums.  I’m sure that some of the folk that live in them could almost reach out and touch their neighbours’ flats.  Only those who have the expensive houses and flat on the Peak or outwith the city have gardens.  On the plus side there are trees, parks and play areas everywhere.

Of course most of Hong Kong is built on very steep hillside so that must have something to do with the types of buildings used.  Apart from the buildings nearest to the harbour everything is on a slope and sometimes a very steep slope.  The buildings nearest to the water are built on reclaimed land and there's a lot of work going on to expand this area.
I hadn't realised just how many young British people live and work here in the financial district.  It's quite strange sitting eating and drinking and hearing braod Yorkshire or Aberdonian in the midst of all the Chinese voices.
I'll have to try and upload some more of my photos tomorrow but the internet connections are not always of the best so I'm calling it quits tonight.
Bye.