Asiatic Tour, part 1/4: Hong Kong, the city of skyscrapers

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finally we are. . after a long summer program is part of it borders on the South East Asia! Rome-Hong kong flight with Cathay Paciific good company of 11 hours (!) between a movie and a bit of music, great food makes the time away fast enough and I'm in the airport in Hong kong.
23/09/09
The first feeling is that I've read many travel stories. . . a hot and crazy humidity, sweating after 5 minutes and I miss you already, you realize it when you enter wherever you shoot the air condion 5 degrees that will freeze instantly. . . And then of course that incredible mix of smells that he feels lonely in an Asian city. . . perfumes, scents of spices, fried foods, incense, sweat, anything possible. . . Welcome to Hong kong! Even if the thing that struck me most was once out of the MTR (underground room, very efficient and punctual) to see this swarm of high-rises everywhere, tall apartment blocks where they live massed thousands of people, a human hive, as well 6. 000 inhabitants per square km: third world. . and now understand why a lot probilmente will leave you speechless, you too, especially if like me you live in a city where there are no skyscrapers.
The time to start a fight with the sticks (alas it was a lost battle from the start!) And so for the first lap in the island city of Kowloon, with a visit to the Wong Tai Sin temple, where the smell of incense is strong enough to make me run away and Cho Lin Monastery, which is nice because immersed in a beautiful park, where you can feel the calm and quiet typical of Chinese cities. . . no one makes noise, you hear a noise. . . Peace reigns. The evening ended with a ride on one of the most beautiful things in Hong kong, Victoria Harbour, the views of the bay between the island of Hong kong and Kowloon, and dell'Avenue of Star, the road of stars, very similar the most famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, from which you can see the stars of the likes of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Stephen Chow and Bruce Lee, which was also dedicated a statue.
24/09/09
Day exploring the northern part of HK. . first stage, the tiny but charming Man Mo Temple, where you can see very large circular incense hanging from the ceiling, and a look at the Mid Levels, one of the smartest things invented in the city: a sliding scale of 800 meters connecting the business district to North middle-class neighborhood in the morning just goes from north to south to allow people to go to work, and in the afternoon and laser them back north to their homes, all fast and free. . .
also one of the thousands of tiny streets and alleys I find myself facing the beautiful cathedral of St. John, surrounded by a park, it's really hard to find; parks can be found everywhere and many people to escape the hustle and smog of HK takes refuge in them for a moment of peace (who else plays bowls also..). . . I do the same and take the opportunity to give me a ride in 'HK Park, a beautiful park nestled in the heart of Central where I see the view of the Lippo Center, a pair of identical skyscrapers, which seem made of Lego bricks! Time to get out and finally take the Peak tram to go to, certainly the most beautiful sights of HK. . . the other is a beautiful city view, impossible to count all the skyscrapers around! Do not forget to choose a sunny day. . . is common to find cloudy days, and you would see absolutely nothing!
25/09/09
I have to say that time is making me a nice favor, sun today. . . but it was the rainy season?! Travel to the port to catch the ferry to the island of Lantau, is famous because the largest sitting Buddha in the world. . . . and actually see it from the bottom up is really amazing, and after a climb of 250 steps, you can see the view of HK and its dozens of islands. Just 150 meters away, the Po Lin Monastery, very nice for the interior with different Buddhas and exceptional carvings. . . and a village where you can shop and snack, although you can buy a vegetarian meal at the entrance of the stairs for a fraction of the cost. . . I had read that the city was very expensive, but honestly Oslo or London to take two examples are from another world!
In the evening we return to the base, this time with the bus and then the subway to see the view from the Peak at night. . . . The best thing about my trip to HK, a show of colored lights fairy tale, the sight of hundreds of skyscrapers and the harbor all lit up, not to be missed for anything in the world!
26/09/09
The alarm clock goes off early as usual. . . today is to explore the southern part of the 'island of HK, and maybe even take a swim in the sea! Took bus number 6 (but you can also take the 6A or 6X) I head first for a ride to Stanley. . . a very nice neighborhood, where else is a nice market where you can buy many cheap, and a beautiful promenade where you can relax and enjoy the tranquility and views of the bay. Even more different is not far Repulse Bay, (also accessible by the same bus), where in addition to seeing the typical Chinese very funny statues of dragons and phoenixes, it seems the typical California beach, with plenty of lifeguards and beach patrol to mileage when many people take the blessed sun tan. . . How different HK! The evening ends with a visit to Ocean Park, a very famous amusement park, where there are already the theme nights for Halloween, despite missing over a month (!), Very nice because everyone is already dressed in theme and full of attractions, including a cable car that takes you from one side of the park on a cliff where I really saw stars!
27/09/2009,
Last lap in Kowloon between Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok, the immense Nathan Road, where there really anything you can imagine. . . Whatever you are looking here, you love shopping and / or junk? go there!. . . It's time to take the ferry to Macau, the second leg of my tour. What can I say. . HK is really so beautiful as different, just out of the chaos of the center to find peace and tranquility, it seems another world, where there are no skyscrapers, smog, no traffic, where you can breathe the air of old China, markets, The only written in Chinese, not English, people who speak only Chinese, real Chinese food and the genuineness of the people who are doing everything to help you if they see you in difficulties.
HK is this rich and cosmopolitan city where skyscrapers and scorching heat they are the masters. . but if you have time also take a trip to the islands, discover a world apart!