Hong Kong is my kind of town: seven million people jammed on a handful of square miles, squeezed between mountain and sea. A place where the brashest capitalism still calls on primitive, hand-lashed bamboo scaffolding to build the world’s most daring skyscrapers. Where street markets of old China and the quaint-and-proper red phone-booths of British Colonialism stand their ground -- exposing the layers of history that nourish this high-tech city-state.
I find it all nourishes me, too. So whenever I head for the Far East, I try to connect via Hong Kong and linger a few days. (The last time was on my way to Bali in February 2002.) There are direct flights from New York; at fifteen hours, the longest in the world.
I have a great little secret for affordable lodging there with a fabulous view. It’s the Salisbury YMCA. Located at 41 Salisbury Road in Kowloon (the mainland side of the city), it has many rooms facing Victoria Harbor and the breathtaking skyline of Hong Kong Island. It also has a 75-foot swimming pool, ideal for unwinding from a long flight. My harbor-view room on the 9th floor was US$95. http://www.holidaycity.com/ymcahk/
The Salisbury Y is right across the street from the Peninsula Hotel (compare a harbor-view room here at US$600). This five-star classic is a perfect setting for a cocktail or light meal in the lobby.
Both places are only a few steps from the Hong Kong Cultural Center, where you should check out what national and international performances or museum exhibits are on.
For a great meal on the cheap, I love the night market with all its crazy cacophony. There I can choose live seafood prepared right before my eyes and served on tiny tables set up on the sidewalk. Temple Street night market is near the Jordan MTR subway station.
The subway system is state-of-the-art and provides fast transit around the city. And using most of the public transportation in Hong Kong is actually fun. To commute across the harbor there is no better way than the cheap, five-minute ride on the Star Ferry. Then, once on Hong Kong Island, take a ride from one end to the other in the vintage double-decker trolleys.
Winter
days are mild, though often foggy. If the weather is clear, I love to
take the tram up to Victoria Peak. There is an ample choice of restaurants
there; most with panoramic views.
Another oddity of people-moving that fascinates me is a succession of
exterior public escalators that hug the steep hills. They climb from
the financial hub (known as "Central" district), rising through
the hip neighborhood of Soho (in this town that stands for "South
of Hollywood"), and ending high up at the residential towers of
"Mid Levels."
I haven’t scratched the surface of all Hong Kong has to offer. Of course, guidebooks will lead you right to the major and minor sights. And will definitely recommend you take advantage of the shopping -- like the tailor shops that give you the world’s best prices on the best custom-made clothes. But the kind of fabric I love is not from these shops. It is the city’s one-of-a-kind "urban fabric." The unique world of Hong Kong -- ultra-modern and ancient, cosmopolitan but pure.
