Victoria Peak

Wow! The pictures say it all. We were not sure exactly why we came to Hong Kong. When we got here, we knew why.

The Victoria Peak Bus

The Victoria Peak bus station is right outside the Star Ferry terminal. The best thing about this bus today was the fact that the Octopus cards worked wonderfully.

The Victoria Peak Bus will take you directly to the Victoria Peak tram station. At the tram station, Mary and Connor waited in line while I went on a quest for an ATM.

The Octopus Card

It seems like every city has their own version of the Pasmo. In Hong Kong, it is the Octopus card. What makes the Octopus card so special is that you can use it at the subway, busses, 7-11 stores, and vending machines. The Octopus card is basically a pre-paid card for a lot of different services.

When you purchase the Octopus card, it requires a deposit. Buying our three cards completely drained all of our local currency. We really put our faith in the Octopus card because the next thing we needed to do was to catch a bus.

The Hong Kong Skyline

The view of the Hong Kong skyline from the Star Ferry is great. Enjoy a couple of pictures.

The Star Ferry

If you want to cross to the other side of the harbor, there are several ways to go. The most fun way, is to take the Star Ferry. The Star Ferry is basically a water bus. Pay the fare, hop on, and it will take you to one of several stations on the other side.

What is hawking?

Connor and I went for a stroll in the morning. As we were walking, Connor asked me “What is hawking?” I did not know so we both stopped to read the sign. It finally made sense.

In China, lots of people feel that it is OK to clear their nose and throat and spit on the street. China has been working to stop this practice prior to the Olympics with limited success. On a cab ride in Beijing, the driver stopped rolled down his window and “hawked” three times before moving again.

Hong Kong ... Initial Impressions

Hong Kong (at least where we are staying) is like London with Asian looking people. This makes sense because; Hong Kong was a Crown colony of the United Kingdom until 1981 and was only transferred to China in 1997. The cars drive on the wrong side of the road. There are markers on the street reminding you which way to look (just like in London). It is even possible to hear a British accent on some people. Many people here speak English. We are definitely closer (culturally) to the United States than anywhere else on this trip.