Burger King, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Still in Hong Kong, the antipode of Ahmedabad. Until yesterday waited for the Chinese visa but Hong Kong is enjoyable and there is a lot to see for one week anyway.

2010-09-02 Visited the China Resources Building and stood in line for an hour to hand in the Chinese visa application. Then visited the ifc mall, enjoyed the cool conditioned air and multiple antiseptic hand sanitizing stations. Adjusted the ferry trip back to Kowloon to coincide with the 8-o'clock light show.

2010-09-03 Visited the Science Museum. Quite informative and fun. Started out late so managed to fully explore only the bottom floor. Had dinner at a mock meat restaurant.

2010-09-04 Completed the visit to the Science Museum (we had purchased a 7-day multiple-museum pass the day before). Then visited the Temple St. Night Market. Considered buying a Chinese iPhone 4 knock-off for 2900 HKD (eventually the price went down to 1000 HKD, i.e. 10x lower than for the original iPhone 4). Didn't buy
because wasn't convinced by the seller's claim that the clone is 99% identical to the original. (Later turned out that at Chungking Mansions the Indians sell them for 450 HKD.) Watched tai-chi at the Kowloon Park.

2010-09-05 Visited The Peak for some fascinating night time views to the Hong Kong Island. Moving around on the Hong Kong Island as a pedestrian is a remarkably pleasant experience as one hardly has to interact with car traffic.
For example, it is possible to reach The Peak from the Kowloon's Tsim Sha Tsui without crossing a single street: first enter the metro at Tsim Sha Tsui and walk underground to the Space Museum and from there to the Star Ferry pier. Then take a ferry over to the Hong Kong Island's Pier 7. Then walk on the elevated pedestrian walkway from Pier 7 to the lower escalator station, and take the set of escalators (longest escalator system in the world!) to as high up the hill as possible. Walk downhill on the sidewalks and pedestrian streets to the Zoological and Botanical Gardens (free entry). From there walk downhill to the lower cable car station, and take it to The Peak.


2010-09-06 Visited Disneyland. It's far away from the centre but easily accessible thanks to the Hong Kong metro system. Hong Kong's Disneyland is very similar to the one in Orlando that I visited in 2006 (maybe that's the point), i.e. apart from the few rides it is mostly about shopping and fast food restaurants. Did almost all the rides, the best is "It's a small world" that takes you through all the main regions of the world (North Pole, Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas, Rainforest, Islands) represented by a set of characteristically dressed up dancing puppets who continuously sing the same song "It's a small world after all" (in different languages).
Also took photos with all the animals who were around (Pooh, Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto), Donald wasn't.


Yesterday collected the Chinese visa (150 HKD for single entry with regular application processing speed). Then visited the 55th floor of the ifc II building. There are 88 floors in total but only the 55th is open to tourists (given that you present your photo ID) because it hosts a museum and a small library of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. More incredible views to the vertical city of Hong Kong. Finally visited some markets at the Mong Kok district (electronic goods, goldfish and other pets, e.g. puppies and kittens in tiny cages, flowers, birds).

Today will try to visit some beaches on the Southern side of the Hong Kong Island and later in the evening some museums. Tomorrow will go to Macau (world largest casinos and a UNESCO World Heritage downtown).