Hong Kong is modern, cramped, crowded and with free internet. Part 1
I ended my visit to another country and I am writing these lines from a ferry plying between Hong Kong and Macau. Once again, I understand that I am not a fan of swooping travel, because it is really possible to understand and see something in 4 days. Therefore, this trip was for informational purposes, and I got only a general idea of Hong Kong. On the other hand, where without it, the next time it will be more or less clear where to go.
I liked Hong Kong, although there are so many people in it that Moscow now seems to me a deserted ghost town. There is Asia with its smells and contrasts, and European civilization, and wild nature, and modern skyscrapers. But most of all, I am glad that a lot has been done for people and there is something to do on the weekend, in addition to shopping. In general, it's amazing how they were able to improve the mountain relief for life and squeeze everything out of it to the maximum, I repeatedly wanted to exclaim «well done!», and all this in such a short time (30 years seems to be all).
The content of the article
- one Smell of Asia and Free Wifi
- 2 Very crowded among the match-houses
- 3 Swimming in the flow of people
Smell of Asia and Free Wifi
Coming out of the plane, you immediately feel not a pungent smell of humidity and spices, it is quite typical for Asian countries. Free wifi is a nice bonus while waiting at passport control, although I didn't have to wait long for documents to be checked. But the exchange rate here is quite bad, you don't need to change a lot of it. From 100 bucks they gave 720 HKD, when in the city they give 770 HKD. By the way, it is convenient to multiply the Hong Kong dollar price by 4 to get the ruble value for the expensive / cheap estimate. And one more thing, prices everywhere in Hong Kong are indicated with a $ icon, not HKD, this is a little confusing at the very beginning.
Grabbing a map of Hong Kong from Information, I took the A21 bus to Nathan Road and our budget hotel in a huge anthill building.
Just like at the airport, there was free wifi on the bus too! Looking ahead, I want to say that free wifi was also discovered in the city park, in some places in hong kong subway and on the waterfront next to Alley of stars, and the speed is quite normal. And in our hotel it was generally 15 megabits! And for those who need an Internet constantly while moving around the city, you can buy a wifi Internet package from PCCW, the prices are quite normal and the coverage is also nothing..
Finally flew with monitors in the seats
Tsing Ma Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world
Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong
Free internet in the metro
Very crowded among the match-houses
The first thing that strikes the eye is the residential buildings, thin, like matches, touching the sky with roofs and built so often that they often form a solid wall that cannot be bypassed in any way. And when you look out of the window or just go out into the street, it is not immediately clear whether it is cloudy today or not. Skyscrapers here are different from mirrored and sparkling, to shabby and rusty. In the central part of a city-country (for example, on the road to Victoria Peak) basically everything is pretentious and brilliant, unless, of course, go into small alleys. A little further away, the houses are getting lower and simpler. And in the new territories, in fact, the outskirts (where did we go to swim) can be quite typical houses for Asia.
In the well of high-rise buildings on Hong Kong Island
As narrow as a match, dwelling house
They live closely, but they all have air conditioners
Sewerage is all outside
Holes in houses for dragons so they don't get angry that they are blocking their way
The laundry is all dried on the street
Streets of Hong Kong - Hong Kong Island
Escalator 1 km long, though not entirely, but in pieces
Streets of hong kong
Throughout the city you can find such fences.
Construction does not stop for a minute
Access to the ventilation of the shopping center is on the sidewalk
Residential multi-storey building
On the outskirts of Hong Kong, the houses are slightly thicker
This urn can be used to return books to the library.
Many long metro passages have travelators
Streets of hong kong
The main street in Hong Kong - Nathan Road
Above only the stars, and then, apparently, only temporarily
Pok Fu Village - this is how Hong Kong used to be
Old and not aesthetic high-rise buildings
These are the streets between the skyscrapers
There are such houses in Hong Kong
Hong Kong at night - view of Hong Kong island
Light show in Hong Kong
Fish Market - Buy the perfect pet for cramped conditions
Hong Kong, like any city, has contrasts. One of them is bamboo «the woods» during the renovation of buildings. Almost cars are already flying around the city, but such a thing remains, it's funny :)
Bamboo forests are still used today
Swimming in the flow of people
The second thing you pay attention to is the number of people, and it is not surprising, according to Wikipedia, there is a density of more than 6,000 people / sq km. Not weak, huh? But this is noticeable most of all on Nathan Road, where, in fact, all shopping and most of the guesthouses and hotels are concentrated. In a crowd, you literally have to maneuver and push, but you can be closer to each other. In the rest of the non-tourist places where I was (sleeping areas, not the main streets), it is quite normal in this regard.
People and signs and nothing more
Crowds of people on Nathan Road
Hong Kong Wet Love Story
They don't wear masks often, barely caught
Here it is, the joy of life!
Filipinos hang out in this place, probably looking for work.
There are plenty of Muslims here too
Many guys have hair on their heads
Gray-haired chinese
Musicians can be found on the local Arbat
I'd love to know what this cripple writes
Walking the dog and dog cart
Straw hats are still in vogue
Costumed Chinese beckoning somewhere
8 people and all photographers, yes :)
There are also moving figures here, you just have to throw a coin
P.S. This is not the end of my impressions, here is a continuation article with with a slightly different Hong Kong. In fact, it, like any country, is very different, and there are not only skyscrapers and crowds of people, here still nature and tranquility, beaches and sparsely populated sleeping areas.