HONG KONG: At a Glance

Just an evening it was, wandering in the center of Hong Kong, but this foreigner had enough time to accommodate with Hong Konger’s daily life features: subway, shopping and “getting lost.” As for the first time going abroad, the experience in Hong Kong metropolitan was even more mesmerizing.

Riding the Hong Kong Subway

Riding subway for the first time, lacking most of the experience needed to move swiftly from the ticket machine to the entrance, I struggled with buying them. It was the first embarrassing moment in Hong Kong as I made several people wait. I was with a Vietnamese family whose daughter was about my age, heading for Harbour City for some decent shopping. She was skillfully inserting the coin and withdrawing the ticket with ease thanks to her 2-year-study in Singapore. From Yau Ma Tei Station, we bought the ticket to Tsim Sha Tsui for HK$4.50. I put on the HK$10 bill, but the change would come out like I imagined it would. It only came out when you put your hand into the machine’s opening. Lesson learnt.

The subway was super fast. It took only 3 minutes for a 8-kilometer-route. The air moved along the train dried my sweat by walking easily. Maybe with people whose city is accompanied with a subway, subway is a means of transport. But to me, it was such a convenience.

Shopping Street

I hadn’t seen a busier shopping street like Harbour City. Walking along Haiphong Road, I could see all the brands in the world. Harbour City was a huge complex that could devour your shopping desire (or technically your credit card.) The special shopping experience here is the non-tax price that allowed Hong Kong to adopt a reasonable price even for new arrivals.

I was accompanied by a family of three but I lost their track while entering Burberry store in Pacific Place. But it wasn’t that bad to be “lost.” The skyscrapers famed for being super high, super narrow and super pricey, will left your jaw dropping. I thought every fashion store on Canton Road is a flag ship store because of its hugeness. You can find a four-story-H&M Store, a gigantic Zara shop giving you options from kids to adult clothing. It is highly recommended trying local brands here like Giordano, or Bossini. I loved and bought a pair of I Love Hong Kong shirts there.

The City Lights

There were neon lights from the panel, advertising all of the place. But nothing could beat the Lights Symphony over Hong Kong Skyline. From Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour to Victoria Harbour, every 8 PM, I could watch the city come into life with strong lights slither or laser lights blast off the sky. Hate to stand on your feet? Book a table at a nearby restaurant right at the Ocean Terminal of Harbour City and enjoy the view.