Unfortunately I've been back from Hong Kong for a few days already. It was just the break I needed from Taiwan and I'm already planning my trip back! I have to say one of my favorite things about Hong Kong was that I could speak English!!! I felt like I was in another universe and I was in shock everytime I spoke to someone and they not only understood me but responded in perfect English. It definitely took some getting used to. As did the whole driving on the opposite side of the road thing. I had been sitting in a bus for about 15 minutes before I realized this phenomenon. All of a sudden, I noticed a taxi with no driver on the left hand side! My reaction...."Heeey what is he doing over there?" Then it clicked and I realized we had been driving on the left side of the road the whole time. This happened at least ten more times during my trip. The funniest was when I was looking out the window on the ride back to the airport and saw a kid playing a video game in the left hand seat and I had a mini 5-second freak out in my head. Why is a kid driving that car?! And why is playing with his nintendo ds at the same time?!! Oooooh yea I forgot...again. -_- Anyways, I never really thought about all the implications of being in a country where everything is backwards...but I quickly learned. #1(and probably the most vital for survival)-You must look the opposite way when crossing a one way street. I had a little trouble remembering this one and therefore I had a few close calls as well. But by the last day I actually knew where to look when I was crossing the street.
#2-People also walk on the opposite side of the street/sidewalk. In a huge, crowded city like Hong Kong this is definitely a good one to remember. But don't worry, if you have a bad memory all the evil looks you get when walking on the wrong side and consequently getting in a lot of peoples way will be a great reminder! #3-Escalators. Enough said. Don't walk onto the right hand escalator. Do it and you'll get even more evil looks and probably some bumps and bruises along the way. Thank God I only approached the wrong escalator and didn't actually start trying to walk down it. As if I'm not clumsy enough already that would've been an equation for disaster.
OK so enough about backwards land. Foooodddd! The best food I've had...since August! There's so many people in Hong Kong from around the world that you can find pretty much any kind of food you want. Nothing at all like Taiwan (I'm hoping this post doesn't end up sounding like I'm bashing Taiwan). So being on holiday and briefly having access to great food I definitely did a lot of eating. My favorite meal had to be from the Egyptian restaurant we went to on the last night. Yummmm!
The first night in Hong Kong we went to Tsim Sha Tsui and were lucky enough to catch a New Years parade near the harbor. They had some the biggest lanterns I've ever seen and some shaped like dragons and other animals. Here's a few pics!
Hope you guys enjoy all the pics! There's so much to do in Hong Kong I didn't do even a fraction of it so I'm hoping to make another trip. The least I can say is that it was a much need holiday in a very modern, Western place city. Can't wait to go back!!!
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