Hong Kong

Monday 22nd August

We decided today would be a day on Hong Kong Island, visiting places we used to know. We began with one we had never visited though - the Botanic Gardens. We were able to walk there from our hotel, using stairs and pathways. Really, we had quite forgotten how steep everything is, most slopes are 60 to 80 degrees or more, and many have to be stabilised with concrete. Often there are holes on the concrete for trees, so that the appearance is not too bleak. The roads are amazing, many on stilts, very steep, and full of hairpin bends, round which drive double decker buses and huge lorries, at speeds that appear to us to be far too fast. The Botanical Gardens were cool and quiet and full of interesting plants. There were also some animals in cages, mostly primates. We felt, in the whole, that the cages were far too small, especially that belonging to a huge orang utang.

After wandering round the gardens, we walked down to the Peak Tram station and queued for a tram.

We had quite a wait, Hong Kong is full of tourists. The journey was much as we remembered from the only other time we did it, but what a contrast at the top. 35 years ago, there was a viewing platform a bit like a large car park. Today, there is a shopping mall of many floors of expensive shops, with escalators between. The top floor, called the skytower, is only accessed after you pay! However, the views on the way up were quite spectacular, and we had plenty of opportunity to look out at the concrete canyons below.

From outside, we could see all round the island, and it was remarkable the number of ships going and coming.

We raised our hair by catching a double decker bus back down to the central area. There was one place where the bus had to reverse to get round a bend.

Then we walked to the Star ferry and caught it over to Kowloon side. The ferry hasn't changed, in fact I am sure they were the same boats we used in 1977!

We travelled in Meridian Star, and I photographed Morning Star and Celestial Star as they passed us. The fare has doubled now though - it's nearlt 40 pence now!

Kowloon was different too. A lot of land has been reclaimed, so the famous Penninsula Hotel is no longer on the waterfront. Neither is the YMCA, where I took my children to swim in 1979 - in fact, the Y is looking a little run down. They are both about 200 yards inland, and various new buildings, the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Cultural Centre occupy the waterfront now. We had a brief look at the Art Museum, and may go back if time permits.

We were tired by then, so we returned to the hotel by way of the escalator again, for a shower and a rest. The escalator is endlessly fascinating, with views out over the muddle and chaos of the streets - that aspect hasn't changed at all!

We decided to take a restaurant recommendation from my book on Hong Kong, and went to a restaurant described as 'moderately expensive'. We had the buffet meal, and it was lovely, but it was also over 100 pounds! 'Clearly, we have a different idea of 'moderately expensive'!