In addition to the spectacular skyline, most travel brochures feature 3 other iconic symbols of Hong Kong. The Peak tram was built in 1888 and was used mostly by colonial Brits to escape the heat at sea level.
It’s a rickety old thing but considering its age and the number of tourists (and some residents) who regularly use it, it’s done well. it only takes 7 minutes to climb from 28 metres to a height of nearly 400 metres.
When I first made the trip to The Peak many years ago, there were a number of open spaces to enjoy the spectacular view of Hong Kong Harbour. Sadly though, endless commercial greed has taken its toll and what was a delightful and reasonably peaceful place to go walking and to enjoy the scenery has now been enlarged (by building a sort of boat-like construction on top of the original building) and turned into yet another shopping and restaurant precinct.
There is still one smallish area where you can get a decent (albeit slightly murky) view of the Hong Kong skyline.
Before the Chinese took back control of Hong Kong in 1997, the tallest building near the waterfront was the HSBC tower. So, not to be outdone and to save face, the Chinese erected the Bank of China building which took the number 1 tallest spot by dint of having some sort of rugby goalpost stuck on the top which made it 367 metres high (right hand side of the picture). But their No 1 status didn’t last long as the International Finance Centre building (middle of photo) eclipsed the China bank building by an extra 45 metres. And recently, the International Commerce tower on the Kowloon side (on the left, in the distance, (looking like a chimney stack) took the crown at 460 metres high. When will it end?
The best (albeit not the quickest) way to get from Hong Kong island to Kowloon on the mainland is by the famous Star Ferry which, by pure chance, also opened in 1888.
Although it is highly functional transportation ferrying thousands of people back and forth across the harbour every day, it’s probably the best 25ps worth of tourist activity anywhere in the world
where, amongst other things you get a fairly spectacular and closer view of the second tallest building in Hong Kong – the tallest being near the border with China.
The skill of the captains of these ferries is astounding as they weave their way through the heavy nautical traffic that also uses this waterway.
Back on Hong Kong island, preparations are well under way for the New Year celebrations
and close to my hotel I very nearly got run over by another Hong Kong travel icon
as I had just spotted this enormous advertisement that has appeared overnight close to my hotel.
Maybe they are running a special promotion over the holiday period! Not that this would would be of any interest to these guys
who, like so very many others, are fixated with texting and walking at the same time. I fear this may well just be an accident waiting to happen.
It’s my last full day here tomorrow so I must make a plan.
Phileas
thelasthurrahsite 