Busy streets in Kowloon - Hong Kong, China
Popular street
Walking Nathan Road
A look over the harbor to Hong Kong Island
The tall building is the Two International Finance Centre - 25th tallest building in the world
Mountain behind skyline on Hong Kong Island
More city shots
Famous Clock Tower
Thought this was interesting
Crowds at the Symphony of Lights Show
Symphony of Lights - big draw
Spectacular views
Two International Finance Center
Great views
There it is - Hong Kong Island at night
1 more pic of the skyline
Busy nighttime streets in the Kowloon area
City comes alive at night in Kowloon
Interesting boat - Symphony of Lights
Alrighty then -- I'm back in the game! Coming to you live at 11pm local time on Tuesday, July 19th from the 8th floor of the Luxe Manor Hotel in Hong Kong, China. Good to be back. The obvious question one may be asking is: "If this guy is in Hong Kong, China (which is apart of China), how is he able to get on certain websites and post this blog?" That would be a very good question. The answer - "I'm not sure". All I can say is Hong Kong is as different from mainland China as the US is from mainland China. Hong Kong has different money, a different language (Cantonese vs. Mandarin - and I'm told that one cannot understand the other), they drive on the opposite side of the road, and have completely different rules in regards to website access. Honestly, I really don't get it ---- and, it would take a lot of effort to understand the politics. So - I'm just going with it.
Today's label is TRANSITION. Transition to travelling alone, transition to a different mindset, transition to a different city. I've spent the better part of the day getting caught up on the blog - but have taken several breaks to get out and see some sites.
Travelling alone is different. It really does require a new mindset. You no longer have a backup to lean on. Nobody to get you to your hotel, remember the room number, coordinate travel to site locations, etc. I can do this -- I just need to get up to speed a bit. The other difference for the next 2 weeks -- I truly have little planned other than the areas I'm going to. That means - I need to figure out the cities and areas I'll be travelling - and do it in an expedited fashion. Again - I like this. It's challenging. What I've come to understand when trying to make this happen --- be willing to use your resources and ask a lot of questions. I spent 45 minutes today in the main visitor center going over a city map with a very helpful lady. I have a plan in place for the remainder of my time in Hong Kong.
First thing to know about Hong Kong - it's made up of a number of islands. The main 3 being Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. According to my research, the main sites are focused on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
Today, I did the Kowloon portion. I walked the better part of the city. Nathan Road is the main draw with a number of shops and restaurants. The streets feel a lot different here than in Beijing or Shanghai. It's safe to say if I wanted a nice suit, a rolex, or a massage --- I would have no problems on making that happen. Because - on every corner I am approached by someone with a flyer, etc. Some of this is due to the fact I'm male and travelling alone, but I think there is more to it than that. I'll have to give it another day before making any opinions.
Being that Hong Kong is made up of a bunch of islands - the water and waterfront play a big part in this city. I just got back from the Symphony of Lights Show. Every night at 8pm, on the waterfront, they put on this 15 minute light show. Really cool stuff! I was able to get some great pics - see above.
In addition to seeing the waterfront and walking the streets of Kowloon (Nathan Street), I did a walk through Kowloon Park as well. It's located on the western section of the city. Interesting area - not a lot of folks -- the big crowds are down in the city proper. I saw the famous Clock Tower. It is the only remnant of the original site of the former Kowloon Station on the Kowloon-Canton railway. Built out of red bricks and granite, the Clock Tower peaks at 44 meters in height.
Being that I didn't do a ton of stuff today, I thought I would post a couple Top Ten List. Randy/Wendy and I talked a lot about population of countries and size of countries during our couple weeks. Because, when visiting Asia - the size and population density of the major cities is a really big headline when it comes to understanding things and how to get around. These lists are really interesting to me. Notice how China, the US, India, Russia, and Brazil make both lists. 7 of the Top 10 most populated countries are in Asia. The first European country in population is Germany at #17 (81 million). California, Texas and New York would roughly equate to the population of Germany.
Most Populated Countries in the World
(1) China - 1.367 billion
(2) India - 1.251 billion
(3) USA - 321 million
(4) Indonesia - 256 million
(5) Brazil - 204 million
(6) Pakistan - 199 million
(7) Nigeria - 182 million
(8) Bangladesh - 169 million
(9) Russia - 142 million
(10) Japan - 127 million
Biggest Countries in the World
(1) Russia - 6.59 million sq. miles
(2) Canada - 3.85 million sq. miles
(3) USA - 3.72 million sq. miles
(4) China - 3.70 million sq. miles
(5) Brazil - 3.29 million sq. miles
(6) Australia - 2.97 million sq. miles
(7) India - 1.27 million sq. miles
(8) Argentina - 1.07 million sq. miles
(9) Kazakhstan - 1.05 million sq. miles
(10) Algeria - 919,352 sq. miles
It's midnight now -- I am done writing on this blog today. I've said just about everything I want to say at this point. I'm excited for the next 2 weeks. Hang with me - and let's make some miracles happen!
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