Day 7 First Day in Hong Kong
Around 7am, we tied up at the new Hong Kong Cruise Terminal which has been built on the site of the old Kai Tak Airport Runway. Unfortunately, the weather was very foggy with an occasional light drizzle.
My first overseas trip was to Hong Kong many decades ago and I was keen to visit some of the places I had enjoyed then. We caught the Hop On Hop Off bus which took us from the port terminal which is on the Kowloon side via a tunnel across to Hong Kong Island then via their Green Route bus headed around the island to Stanley.
I had really fond memories of this place, its bustling market and the cute little English pubs, but it has changed dramatically. The road didn’t run into Stanley anymore. We arrived at the top of the hill and got down to Stanley thru a modern commercial shopping development. This had a series of levels joined by escalators. We walked thru a row of brand shops, picked up the down escalator, then to the next level where the process repeated . After four levels of this, we reached a large ground level plaza with Starbucks and Mcdonald’s etc.
Finally escaping this commercial hellscape, we came to the old Stanley. Despite the efforts of the authorities with colourful fish decorations, it was very sad . There were hardly any people, about a third of the old shops, including my pub, were long closed, with forlorn and faded ‘for sale’ signs. Another third were just shut, and out of the final third that were still operating, the operators would appear and desperately pleaded for you to come in. The market was closed and empty.
Just on the edge of Stanley is a beautiful old colonial building, Murray House, which was an Officers’ Mess in its day. We went to have a closer look and we were coming down its stone stairs when disaster struck. I missed a tread and came down very hard on the tread after that, on one leg. I spent the rest of the day limping around in considerable pain.
Back on the bus we continued around the island. You have to be really impressed with the thriving energy of this place, its tidiness and the way they retain patches of beautiful tropical vegetation in the midst of all the concrete towers.
We got off the bus near the Star Ferry Terminal. I reckon this terminal and the old Star Ferries themselves are the only things that haven’t changed since I was last here all those years ago. We hopped a Star Ferry across to the Kowloon side, had a little explore along the waterfront, and got a shuttle back to the ship.
Around 6pm we hopped a bus back to near Nathan Road where we boarded a boat for a night cruise of Victoria Harbour. This was, as always, impressive but their much hyped light show was a bit underwhelming. I mean Victoria Harbour at night is just so special, it just is very hard to top that.
Back to the ship by 9pm, and very late evening meal.
Hardys’ Travels 