Summer Adventures in Asia: Hong Kong

July 23, 2015

After graduating from grad school this past May, my husband and I went with my in-laws to Hong Kong, Meizhou, Guangzhou, and Beijing. Although we had planned to stop in Tokyo on the way home, we ended up staying in Hong Kong for an extra week to spend more time with loved ones (no regrets!). We ate a ton of delicious food, shopped, walked along the Great Wall, rode ferries, and marveled at the beautiful, expansive city skyline - oh, and caught the flu in the midst of a MERS scare -_-

Hong Kong is one of my favorite cities in the entire world and where my husband was born. The first time I visited was back in 2007 when I was single and living in China. Hong Kong is on the southern coast of China, is inhabited by over 7 million people, and was once a British colony. Although the population is huge, the land mass is not. This results in a beautiful and unique skyline composed of the highest highrises I've ever seen. Not to mention, Hong Kong is located along a harbor.

On this trip, one of the most memorable experiences was attending the Tiananmen Square Massacre Vigil. If you know about the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the political atmosphere of China, then you'll understand the significance of so many people being free to gather together to remember those who lost their lives. This is something we would never see in Mainland China.

Hong Kong is a great place to visit with its unique culture and well-developed transit system. English is one of the official languages so communicating and getting around isn't much of an issue. Although the airfare to Hong Kong may be pricey, there are plenty of low-cost and even free things to do there.

Photos: iPhone 5



 










Favorites:

- Star Ferry: riding across the Hong Kong Harbor at night. One way costs less than $1 U.S.!

- A Symphony of Lights: watch a light show put on by the entire city, along the harbor, and at night. Free!

- Hong Kong Observation Wheel: Another fun way to view the city from way up high.

- Victoria Peak: Beautiful, aerial-like view of the city at night and during the day. There's an observation deck here as well, but there's always a line and it costs money. You can still get a gorgeous view of the city from here without going out on the deck.

- Walking around the city at night with the lights, the crowds, and all the amazing places to eat.

- Eating, eating, eating.

Have you ever been to Asia? If you could go to any country in Asia, where would it be?

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