Hong Kong - Into the clouds
Trip Start
Apr 10, 2006
1
17
47
Trip End
Jul 24, 2006
Hong Kong,
Hong Kong
Sunday, April 30, 2006
I had taken the ferry from Kowloon (circa 20p) and just 10 minutes later was walking up towards The Peak Railway, all well signposted. En route I came across a protest march - hundreds of people were marching, chanting, playing instruments and carrying placards and banners in protest of atrocities to various peoples in China. I'm not sure this march would be allowed in China itself, and maybe the current liberal tolerance here in Hong Kong will at some time become a thing of the past
A shoppers dream!
. Tentatively I took a few pictures, wary that the police might have powers to deny photos and freedom of speech and even take my camera or arrest me. It was OK though, they let me and others carry on.I walked past a registry office and watched a happy couple having their photos taken outside, then spotted more bride and grooms, it was a big day for weddings!
The station for the train, started close to where buildings end up the steep banks of Hong Kong, and having bought my ticket I was ushered onto a small platform with other passengers. The track rose out of the station at a ridiculously steep angle. Having clambered aboard the train, we sped up hill, forced into the backs of the seats by the sheer incline. You could feel the power of both trains motor and steel cable tugging you upwards. It was an impressive ride.
The terminal at the top was being renovated and once out you were faced with a sprawl of restaurants and a small mall complete with viewing galleries and the obligatory McDonalds!
The day was overcast and even drizzly, so the view was not as impressive as it could have been, but basically we were on top of Hong Kong and the city and island of Kowloon were spread out before us
Atrocity protest march!
. The group of hilly islands that make up Hong Kong are green and fertile with much woodland and are quite beautiful. The waterways are full of traffic and the populated areas consist of a multitude of high rise buildings which seem to blend in to the rising hillsides.With more time it would have been good to explore more of the islands and I probably would have had a different perspective on the area as a whole from the one I had of Kowloon and Hong Kong city.
Having travelled back to earth - the seats remain facing up hill (backwards) for the decent, as all 80 odd passengers would end up in a crumpled heap around the drivers cabin if they were forward facing, I walked towards the conference centre, and then onto the main food mall, where I enjoyed supper in an Italian restaurant.
I took the ferry back to Kowloon, and peered back at the light show above the great skyscrapers of Hong Kong city - it had been a fun day.
