King (Hong) Kong

King Kong would have been happy in Hong Kong.  This is another city of soaring buildings, both office and residential, in a variety of colors.  It gives a new meaning to high density housing, since the average apartment is fewer square feet than the interior of our tour buses.

Our welcome party consisted of  a junkue and a fire-boat squirting water.

With a day and a half in Hong Kong, we chose the Cultural Hong Kong tour for the first day, leaving the second day for exploration on our own.

Our first stop was a temple that served Buddhism, Confusion-ism and Taoism.  I understand that if you come to Hong Kong and belong to any of thee religions, a visit to this temple is almost mandatory.  I believe it from the number of people there.  Vendors were selling or giving away, I'm not sure which, incense stick to the faithful.  Correspondingly, there were money collection boxes scattered around the temple so people could make a donation to help keep up the temple.  The main room was dark and no one was allowed past the door, so I do not know what it was like, but many people were standing outside inclining their heads rhythmically while holding the incense sticks.  After a while, they stood the sticks up in containers or on sand.  The result was a thick haze of incense. 

There were people from three different religious groups, but everyone got along.  Perhaps there is a lesson there.

The Horse

Yoda, anyone?

In the courtyard, there were larger than life statures of the 12 astronomical symbols.  This is the year of the dog.  Darrell & I were born in the year of the horse.








The next stop was the Walled City Park.  The wall was not a high wall which would not keep anyone out.  At one time, this wall defined the city.  As the city grew, the buildings became higher, looking more like shipping containers stacked up.  there was a thriving economy within the walls.  However, with overcrowding came corruption, gambling , drugs and other vices to the point where police were afraid to enter the area.  Refugees fleeing the Japanese when they invaded China before World War II increased the population.  After the Japanese surrendered, lawlessness continued until the government could no longer allow it to continue.

People were moved out and the buildings destroyed.  The whole area became a park, one of the few places in the city where you can walk or run, have picnics and generally enjoy the out of doors.  I will not say you can enjoy fresh air, because the pollution prevents that.









Hong Kong has suffered many natural disasters, including typhoons, droughts, tropical rains, fires and landslides.  Areas susceptible to land slides have been stabilized.  Fire is strictly regulated.  There is not much you can do about typhoons and droughts.




Our last stop was the Hong Kong Museum.  It is not so much a museum as a walk through time, starting before human habitation and continuing on 4 floors of walk-through scenes and exhibits of life in various times.  As an example, the WWII section has small rooms with video interviews of people who lived through it as well as newsreels prepared by the Japanese to show how well they were treating the people,  In contrast, the true conditions were also shown.  For the early history, each of the 4 main ethnic groups had a life-size scene showing traditions and celebration.  It is one of the most educational and entertaining  museums I have ever seen.  Unfortunately, they do not allow pictures, so you will just have to come and visit it for yourself.