Impressions of Hong Kong

Thank you everyone for the well wishes. I'm doing a bit better and have stopped feeling sorry for myself (a little). So without further delay, here the impressions of Hong Kong from a few weeks ago. One of the reasons I procrastinated doing this post was because I was born and raised there, which makes picking suitable photos that portray such a diverse city a little tricky. Another reason is that even though I know the place very well... I don't actually. It's been over 10 years since I moved away and despite visiting at least once a year, HK changes so quickly that within 12 months, 20 new buildings would have popped up, half the stores I know would have moved or shut down and new restaurants would have taken over hot spots I didn't know existed. (Note: all images can be enlarged by clicking on them).

The Hong Kong skyline (and Kowloon across the harbor) as seen from The Peak. Most of the high rises are actually residential.

It's fast paced, modern, busy, crowded, overpopulated and has happily embraced a Western look. But at the same time it also remains traditionally Chinese - a cultural diversity stemming from its history as a former British colony that has since gone back to China. It is essentially still an island... or a cluster of 236 islands to be precise, which means that beyond the expansive skyline, you'll find beaches, country parks, nature reserves and reservoir lakes. What does break my heart though is the rising pollution (a result of fumes from factories in China) most evident by the smog that blankets the skyline on most days, and the reclamation of land from the harbor to make way for new building sites.

Hong Kong Island's hazy skyline as seen from Kowloon.

A few of the landmark skyscrapers, incl. Bank of China (top left), Lippo Centre (lower left), HSBC (lower middle), the IFC (lower right) and residential high rises of the Mid Levels as seen from Hong Kong Park (top right).

Land being reclaimed from the harbor. The construction site used to be all water... the shore of the harbor used to stretch right up to the buildings.

View of downtown Central - Hong Kong's business district and home to plenty of shops of course.

A few remaining colonial style building, though the tea museum (left) is a replica. Right: the Court of Final Appeal.

The cheapest and easiest way to cross the harbor is to take the iconic Star Ferry (top). Occasionally you'll see a lone junk or dinghy in the waters as well.

One of Hong Kong's many beaches. Here: Repulse Bay. And yes, I realize that name doesn't sound enticing, but the beach is pretty.

A Chinese temple near the beach.

Cheung Chau Island, a former fishing village and still renowned for its great seafood can be reached easily from Hong Kong via a ferry. Here a few of the fishing boats along the pier.

The rugged shore of Cheung Chau and some of its hiking trails.

You are never alone.... bustling crowds and a mix of old and new buildings in Causeway Bay's shopping area.

No visit would be complete without eating Dim Sum (the dish on the lower left is rice & chicken in a lotus leaf).

Aside from being a financial hub, many people associate Hong Kong with being a great place to shop. It is... and it isn't. The city's shopping scene is slightly bizarre to those who've never been to big Asian cities (or Dubai). Very much a mall culture where real estate is precious, few shops or even department stores can afford to be housed on street level, making multi-storey shopping centers a common sight. Big name luxury brands are the most prominent, with excessive branding visible wherever you go. Despite the fact that locals were once obsessed with anything adorned with a big Chanel or Dior logo, they have since embraced less glitzy labels, whether it's A.P.C., Comme des Garçons or Tsumori Chisato.

Forget The Gap and food courts... shopping center 'The Landmark' is filled with every designer boutique imaginable, whether it's Balenciaga, Stella McCartney or TOD's (above left). It even houses a Harvey Nichols (lower left) and a Michelin-star restaurant courtesy of Joel Robuchun, if you do get hungry.

Unfortunately none of the Western and Japanese brands are cheap here, with items retailing for up to double the price of what they are in Europe or the U.S. Even though sales were on, discounted items were more expensive there than their full-priced counterparts in Paris. One explanation is the money flowing in from visiting mainland Chinese who can't get such products in their own country and happily pay any price requested for the coveted designer brands. Even the more obscure designers such as Margiela, Isabel Marant or Ann Demeulemeester have standalone flagships in Hong Kong... which might seem strange considering the latter two don't even have boutiques in London or NYC. Needless to say, the big brands are still available in abundance: there are at least a dozen Burberry stores in HK... London has four; Prada has 10 boutiques on the island... Milan only five. Even my beloved Lanvin is represented three times, whereas Paris only has the one flagship. Crazy? Perhaps. But they're all well frequented.

This is only a fraction of the branding visible throughout the city. These are not adverts... they are actual storefronts, with large logos emblazoned on mulit-storey buildings. The Chanel one is particularly blatant, as the logo appears on a bright LCD screen.

Nonetheless, local and indie brands are there if you look close enough (or keep reading this blog). Smaller shops are scattered around Central's Soho area, Causeway Bay or the busy streets throughout Kowloon... and for something cheaper, you can always head to one of the bustling markets.

Another shot of Hong Kong from above. Slightly different from the image at the very top, this one also shows the stretch of harbor towards Wanchai and Causeway Bay.