Bonkers in Honkers

Feb 15 arrived in hong kong. After negotiating the somewhat confusing

Chris at the Peak

public transport system we made our way into the city by bus trying to

admire the views through the early morning mist over the city. Having

crashed out for a few hours we set off into town to hunt for some

dinner. Honkers is nothing if not excessive. Lights, buildings, people,

markets, traffic - everything is loud and bright.  We ploughed

through our first of many bowls of noodles in an Aisen Ramen (with a

cool sliding door) just off Nathan street, the backbone of Kowloon.

Pleased we were the only whities in the place, reinforcing our false

belief that we are masters of travel skipping effortlessly between

cultures, and not a couple of camera toting tourists who got lost on

Hong Kong Lights

the way to Mcdonalds, we decided to head out and brave the markets.

We were under the impression that Honkers was excessive during daylight

hours, but nothing could quite prepare us for the assault our senses

recieved as we stepped out of the noodle bar and into Hong Kong at

night. No wonder China are opening a new power station every 4 days,

they

need to just for this city. I swear if everyone turned their lights on

at the same time in Hong Kong, the southern hemisphere would short

out. If you own a shop anywhere in Kowloon, then the God of Neon owns

your soul! Aside from the bright lights, after dark, thousands of

people start to fill the streets, making walking on the pavements more

One of the tallest buildings in the world

of an Olympic event than a means of getting anywhere, and making it

necessary

for the key shopping areas being closed to traffic. The heat got more

intense as the crowds thickened and small booths opened on the road

side much like a punch and judy stand armed with their loud microphones

demonstrating their latest "must have" products.

We spent much of the first evening just cruising round the streets

looking a bit bemused, before heading down to the harbour to witness

the son et lumiere show on Hong Kong island. Great lights - awful

music. Four words to sum it up. The buildings were illuminated with a

smorgasbord of beams, neon strips and New Year decorations topped off

with the name of every home appliance manufacturer you can think of,

The Lippo Towers

whilst the music comprised the worst clichés of synthesized 80's pop.

Not

good. Jen has pretentiously but will argue accurately described Honkers

as being the lovechild of a one night stand New York once had with

Bangkok.

Viewpoint at The Peak