WHERE IN THE WORLD: HONG KONG, CHINA

By George Fontana

Where to begin? Dawn at the entrance to Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor is an appropriate beginning, both chronologically and geographically. We slipped into the expansive harbor as the sun rose over the hills of Hong Kong Island. Along with Macao, Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR), having been returned to the government of the People’s Republic of China by the British in 1997. Hong Kong has greater freedom in self-governance than the rest of mainland China. The official policy is “one country, two systems”. I prefer the more poetic description of the arrangement between Hong Kong and the Chinese government: “one bed, two dreams”. Much of the area bordering Victoria harbor is reclaimed land; indeed all of Hong Kong is a work in progress. In addition to land reclamation, most of the building projects reach skyward at a dizzying pace. We were told the bulk of the world’s construction cranes are located in China, with Shanghai and Hong Kong claiming the lion’s share. Long lines formed to take the cog tramway to Victoria Peak. Once at the top, John and I hiked the rim trail around the Peak. The views were dazzling. We were docked hard by the Kowloon Star Ferry Terminal with a catbird seat to the constant parade of ferries, working sampans (yes, they’re still in existence), all manner of freighters, some quite specialized, and pleasure boats – all crisscrossing Victoria Harbor as they pursued their individual agendas. On the less congested south coast of Hong Kong Island, we visited the charming and laid-back beach towns of trendy Stanley Plaza and Aberdeen, where we enjoyed a sampan cruise. Hong Kong, we agreed, is one of the most exciting, most vibrant cities we have visited on our world tour.

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