In November, 2004 my friend Rita was examining students in Hong Kong. I agreed to go out for a long weekend so that we could spend some time together. The Air France flight out was not an unqualified success - they managed to lose my luggage at Charles de Gaulle and it arrived in Hong Kong in time for me to bring it back again! I arrived on Friday, 26th November 2004 and used the new airport railway to get into Hong Kong, followed by a free bus to get to my hotel. I'd decided to stay in the old part of the Peninsula Hotel, although the views are more spectacular in the new tower block (which boasts a helipad on top).
On Saturday, 27th November it wasn't long before Rita and I were making the classic trip across the harbour to Hong Kong Island on the Star Ferry. I know there are lots of alternatives these days but to me the Star Ferry means Hong Kong.
Then we went to Macau, deciding that the hydrofoil was the best option. To make good use of our limited time in Macau, we hired a taxi to take us around. Macau was, of course, a Portuguese colony and it still has a rather different 'feel' to Hong Kong. The various islands are linked by bridges to a small enclave on the mainland, where there is a border with China 'proper'. Its economy is sustained by legalised gambling. Large numbers of Chinese travel to Macau to play the Casino. All too soon, it was back to Hong Kong by hydrofoil and an evening meal in the Peninsula.
We planned an even more ambitious trip for Sunday 28th November - to Guanzhaou (Canton) in China. We were taken to the Hung Hom terminal of the famous Kowloon Canton Railway to catch the express electric train through the former New Territories to our destination. We formed part of a small group in the charge of a guide who sorted all the formalities of admission to China. The pace of building all along the route was staggering. On arrival, we joined a tour bus for a trip around the city which included a visit to the massive hall dedicated to Dr. Sun Yat Sen and an old temple. Back on the bus, we headed South by motorway to a 'country park' overlooking the Pearl River. The 'country park' includes a number of temples which do a brisk business in what one imagines is a rather uneasy partnership with the communist regime. It was a beautiful place and a joyful place and it was intriguing to glimpse how faithful many people have remained to the old beliefs, whilst also embracing communism. Another lengthly bus trip returned us to Guanzhaou for our train back to Hong Kong. A tiring but fascinating day.
On Monday, 29th November my friend Rita was back at work, so I'd promised myself a trip to one of the 'outer islands'. The Star Ferry took me to Hong Kong Island and a walk took me to the Ferry Terminal for the Outer Islands. There are a variety of destinations served by conventional and fast ferries. I decided on the conventional ferry 'Xin Chao'. These ferries carry a fair amount of wheeled-on or carried on cargo. There was also a fairly excited school party. We pulled away from the dock and slowly sailed by the improbable-looking skyline of Honk Kong Island, all skyscrapers and mountain, threading our way through a variety of water traffic from hydrofoils to sampans. As the skyscrapers fell behind, we passed various small islands, mountainous and lush and passed through the 'roads' where numerous large ships waited their turn in the huge container port at Hong Kong.
In less than an hour, we were docking at my chosen island (sorry, I've currently mislaid the name) and I disembarked at a small fishing town, obviously Chinese but as different from the high rise of Hong Kong as you could imagine. I walked through the town to discover a beautiful, sandy and deserted beach. The quiet was briefly disturbed by the school party from the ferry, happily marching to some sort of camp a little further on. Then I explored more of the town and docks, watching the coming and going of various boats. The arrival of a small ferry proved too much of a temptation and I took it, not knowing the destination which proved to be Lantau Island. We had a wonderful cruise in the late afternoon and I took the 'arty shot' which accompanies this post. On arrival at Lantau, I was lost for a while, before discovering that the ferries back to Hong Kong left from a completely different ferry terminal about 3/4 mile away. And so, tired but happy, I was whisked back to the bustle of Hong Kong on a large, fast catamaran.
Of course, I fitted in other explorations by the Hong Kong Mass Transit subway system and by tram before I had to return to the airport for my flight home.
More photographs here.
