It’s been about a year since I traveled to Hong Kong alone and I recently realized I never posted my photos from that trip. I’m not a talented photographer but I’m really happy with a lot of the photos I took, and I have so many good memories attached to each one. Since I didn’t visit a new country during my last two vacations, I think it would be nice to relive that trip and share my photos here. I’ll be telling my story through captions along the way!
View from my hostel. It was actually a really nice place, though a bit far from the action. A bit of a trade off for the price, comfort, and view. Thankfully, they had a free shuttle that picked up and dropped off guests at the nearest station.HKD are so colorful! So different from what I’m used to in the States.
LANTAU ISLAND
I visited Lantau Island first to see the main attraction, the “Big Buddha,” aka Tien Tan Buddha.
Had to get a shot of this USA sign–just 12,968 kilometers from home hehe~This large stone gate separates the monastery and park from the tourist shops.
In the distance you can see the monastery, and in the bottom right corner, yes, it’s a real cow.Not sure what these flags are for, but they were bright and beautiful in the sunlight.
The steps leading up to the Big Buddha! Such a climb…These fruits were so vibrant I had to get a picture. I love the ethereal effect of the Buddha silhouette in the background.The angle of the sun made taking photos tricky, but it also added a nice glowing quality to some of my photos, like this one.This statue was built in 1993. It really is impressive to behold, both up close and far away.
I’d love to know the meaning behind this ornament! It looks difficult to make.One of several hiking paths in the area surrounding the statue.More stuff I don’t know anything about – I can only wonder what these wooden posts are for!
Abandoned building, reclaimed by nature
Heading towards the monastery, you’ll find tons of incense.
That little flower bud–too cute!I was really struck by how unique the design of the roof was compared to the Buddhist temples/monasteries I’ve visited in other countries.
Told you, real cows. (Or is it a buffalo?? I don’t know my cattle very well apparantly…But both cows and buffalo live on Lantau island.)This guy represents the year of the sheep – my zodiac sign!
TSIM SHA TSUI
Started off in TST at Kowloon Park.I loved the contrast of nature and sky rises. A nice little oasis in the middle of the city.
SO MANY FLAMINGOS
SO MANY TURTLES
There were tons of statues in the park dedicated to Hong Kong’s animation and comics. I don’t know any of these characters but they certainly attracted my attention!
Super long shopping plaza, more amazing greeneryI was disappointed that the Hong Kong Museum of Art was closed for renovations, but pleasantly surprised to find this outdoor art installment made of photos and post cards. They effortlessly fluttered in the breeze.There were post cards available for the public to write messages and attach to the ever-growing art piece. I didn’t leave a message but I kept a post card as a souvenir.
I believe this dome is part of the Hong Kong Space Museum.This is the Former Kowloon-Canton Clock Tower.I was in Hong Kong right before the Lunar New Year, so there were lots of decorations being prepared on the pier.
My first view of the harbor.Kowloon Public Pier
Old and NewThis type of boat is called a “junk.” It’s a traditional Chinese boat once used for fishing but nowadays you can hire one out as a tourist for a fun trip around the harbour.Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreRiding the ferry
HONG KONG ISLAND
CENTRAL
A “floating” Mac Store – it was built over a road, so traffic passes under it.One of many eye-catching buildings in Central. I really love big cities…
This photo does it zero justice but that Louis Vuitton store was really a work of art.My first time seeing the double-decker trams. They came in every color and design.The longest moving walkway in the world! This set of escalators will take you really far up the mountain! I rode them to the very end just to say I had.View from the walkway. I ended up going into that hat store and also finding a very British sweets shop, too.
Gateway to a MosquePurple on purple
VICTORIA PEAK
Between the escalator rides and the cable car ride up Victoria Peak, I walked down a mountain and found a zoo. I forgot to take pictures in between due to exhaustion. But finally, I got to savor the night view from the top of Victoria Peak! Foggy, but beautiful!
The lights on the buildings constantly change color and pattern, so I tried to capture as many variations as I could. Hong Kong is so vibrant at night.One of the only photos I took on my DSLR at the Madame Tussaud’s wax museum located in the Peak Tower. I got a bunch of really funny selfies here. This room, however, is dedicated to Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who is famous for her love and use of dots.“I’m queen now!” (Apparently someone else though I was funny too.)“Don’t leave us!” (Obama was about to leave office at the time.)
TSUEN WAN
A local market selling goods for the new year celebration. There were lots of flowers, traditional snacks, fruits, and other gifts appropriate for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations.
BACK TO HONG KONG ISLAND…
I believe this church is somewhere between Causeway Bay and Central. I was hunting down a candy shop that sold beautiful handmade candies (delicious too) and found this church along the way.I love museums and art galleries. I’m not very educated about art but it does fascinate me. I found a slew of private galleries in a cluster of buildings in Central. They are open to the public, though I’m sure they prefer to receive potential buyers as opposed to casual looky-loos like me.
Can you believe this piece is made out of…THOUSANDS of tiny beads, actually woven together??? I was gobsmacked.My final jaunt was a ride on this ferris wheel, the Hong Kong Observation Wheel.I got to see the electric skyline one last ime.Riding isn’t cheap but a group of traveling students asked me to join their car. An unexpected surprise at the end of my journey.I hope I can return some day.
BEST EATS:
Sorry for the white gaps, these are from my Instagram and I have a horizontal theme….anyways….This is the famous rainbow grilled cheese from Kala Toast. So tasty, so cheap, so bright and colorful. They use different cheeses mixed with herbs to create the various colors.(Again, from my instagram.) I tried a Hong Kong classic dessert, the egg waffle at a place called Gino’s Gelato while I was waiting in line for the cable car atop Victoria Peak. This one was topped with ice cream, whipped cream, pepero-like snacks, and fruity cereal.I treated myself to my first fine-dining experience while I was in Hong Kong. This odd looking dish was served to me at The Pawn Kitchen by Tom Aikens. This restaurant is in a historic building in the Wan Chai/ Causeway Bay area, which is littered with trendy, even Michelin-rated restaurants. It was PRICEY but sooo tasty. This was an avocado and salmon dish.This is the shining star of my dining experience at the Pawn – the sticky toffee pudding. I will admit, it wasn’t a flawless dining experience but this pudding more than made up for it. I would come back to this restaurant just to order this pudding again.
Well, that’s everything. If you actually scrolled through and looked at every photo and caption, I commend you and, of course, thank you for taking the time. In going through and captioning these photos, I feel like I got to take a mini vacation! And I realized how many more memories I have of this trip that I didn’t capture on film, yet I still remember them crisply. I had a wonderful time in Hong Kong and like I said, I really hope I get to come back and experience it again.
itsveronicaguys 