Ignorance is a state that yields mixed results for travelers. Sometimes, the reprecussions can be unpleasant, as in "who knew traveling in Chile was so expensive?" But at times, a certain sunny blankness of expectation can be just the clean canvas that invites unanticipated adventures.
Such was the case in Hong Kong. A simple Wikipedia search would have told me that Hong Kong is the world's most vertical city, and also has the highest rate of participation in public transportation. But despite the countless advantages available to us in this information age, Brianne and I arrived in Hong Kong without ever having cracked a guide book or run the simplest of internet searches. Luckily my more proactive aunt helped arrange a lunch date with a former coworker, Martin Tang, and we looked forward to the chance to ask for some insider's advice.
"What are your plans for Hong Kong?" he asked us. "Nada," we admitted. "Well then," he replied, "why don't you take my personal car and driver, make an itinerary with my assistant, and take a tour of Hong Kong island?" "Well..." we answered, "that's certainly better than anything we've come up with so far."
So thanks once again to the generosity of strangers, to my fabulous aunt, and to a rather incredible stroke of luck, we found our two days in Hong Kong packed with sights: kaleidoscope views of the city and harbor, chic sidewalk restaurants, surprisingly secluded beaches, and bustling urban temples. I've included a sample of our photography haul below:
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| View of Hong Kong harbor at night from the Peak |
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| Across the harbor near our shoebox-sized hostel room |
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Street market near Soho
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| Repulse Bay |
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| Incense burning outside a small temple in Stanley |
After two busy days, our conclusion was: Hong Kong is pretty happening. As cosmopolitan and hip as London, it still has a flavor all its own and just the right energy to jump start our Asian adventure.
That last pic is perfect for my refrigerator.
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