The Chi Lin Nunnery stands alongside the many skyscrapers in Hong Kong (photo by PAM BROOKE A. CASIN)

I experienced a lot of firsts two weeks ago. It was the first time I flew to Hong Kong through Zestair Philippines’ first ever international flight using its newly acquired A-320 airbus. (The opening of the Hong Kong route last October 24 via the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Field, Pampanga is part of the local carrier’s expansion program to Southeast Asian regions.)

It was the first time I saw a priest blessing an aircraft the instant it touched down on the runway (The plane landed smoothly, by the way). It was the first time I walked through an unfamiliar city without feeling totally unsafe and uneasy. And it was the first time I felt attached to a place on a whole new level. 

Two things come to mind upon the mention of Hong Kong: Cheap and trendy shopping delights and Disneyland. But there’s more to Hong Kong than these two. And what the region has to offer I discovered the moment the mini-bus that would take us to our first destination, our hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon City, rolled out from the airport in Lantau Island.

Counting UFOs

October 24. My watch said 8:51 p.m. I looked over the window and saw that Hong Kong is a marvel at night. Emerging from Cheung Tsing Tunnel, I appreciated that all of her skyscrapers on either side of the road are lit up, creating an outstanding skyline like no other. Street lamps reminded me of descending UFOs that are ready to conquer but instead got stuck in mid-air. The spectacle of Hong Kong’s seascapes and her illuminated buildings that fashioned glowing geometric patterns and straight lines made me hum American rock band Incubus’s Wish You Were Here lyrics: “The sky resembles a back-lit canopy with holes punched in it. I’m counting UFOs. I signal them with my lighter. And in this moment I am happy…happy.”

Awed by the scenic night vista Hong Kong provided, I felt like I was in my own version of Shangri-La, like I was closer to fiction than in reality. Overwhelmed, I happily and almost clinically took everything in—from the red taxis that zoomed past the road and the bilingual street and road signs to the overly decorated dashboard of our bus and the warm smiles of the locals that transported me back home.

Of lights and fancy

It took us almost 30 minutes to reach The Mira Hotel, but the ride was definitely worth it. I was dead tired but that didn’t stop me from admiring the vibrant nightlife of Tsim Sha Tsui that welcomed and lured us immediately. All I could think of was to alight from the mini-bus and breathe downtown Hong Kong’s energetic spirit.

Located at the southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, Tsim Sha Tsui is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District. Before Kowloon was ceded to the British Empire in 1860, several villages had already been established there. Now, Tsim Sha Tsui is a major tourist hub and urbanized locale in Hong Kong, what with its many shopping centers and restaurants catering to every resident and visitor’s fancy.

Tsim Sha Tsui adds up to the fastdeveloping economy of Hong Kong, as it features prosperous areas in the region. Nathan Road, where The Mira is located, is the main road in the district. Back in the day, Nathan Road was lined up with colonial-style houses that boasted of verandas and archways. It is now the center of Tsim Sha Tsui’s shopping culture.

Cross Nathan Road and you’ll find Park Lane Shopper’s Boulevard, where an eclectic mix of local and international brands such as Swarovski and Valentino can be found. It is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Walk straight ahead and you’ll find more stores such as The Body Shop, Bossini, and Giordano.

At the corner of Salisbury Road and Nathan Road is the internationally known Peninsula Hotel, built in 1928. The hotel evokes a feeling of affluence and is synonymous to luxury and unparalleled service, what with a fleet of Rolls-Royces set to aid guests in their travel within the region. Granville Road, on the other hand, takes pride of its outlet stores and cosmetic stores — Sasa being one of them.

If branded items and international names are what you’re looking for, head to Canton Road and adjacent Peking Road (Luxury Brand Sts.).

Cultural cornucopia
   
October 25. For those who want to know more about Hong Kong’s history and cultural development, a trip to the district’s museums is a must. Half of the museums in Hong Kong are located in Tsim Sha Tsui. Some of them are the  Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Space Museum, and Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Chinese antiquities, fine art, and calligraphy can be found at the Hong Museum of Art located in Salisbury Road. Astronomy and space technology can be learned at the dome-shaped Hong Kong Space Museum. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre, meanwhile, is home to the classic performing arts, both Western and Asian. The three cultural hubs are located in one large promenade.

At the end of it is the old Clock Tower. One of the landmarks from the Age of Steam, the old Clock Tower is part of the original Kowloon-Canton Railway Terminus. Completed in 1915 and became fully functional in 1821, the old Clock Tower survived the demolition of the railway station in the mid-‘70s and was declared a monument in 1990.

Near the old Clock Tower are the Star Ferry stations to Central, Hong Kong Island and Wan Chai. The iconic Star Ferries have been operating since 1898. They say that the best seats in the house are on the left side of the ferry, as it offers a more stunning view of the harbor. The ferries carry over 70,000 passengers a day or 26 million a year across Victoria Harbour.
       
East meets West

Hong Kong is a melting pot of Eastern and Western cultures. While it was claimed by the British in 1842 following the First Opium War with China for 155 years under the Treaty of Nanking, she still retained her Chinese traditions. Temples and monasteries are still ever-present and protected in the cosmopolitan region particularly in the New Territories and in Lantau Island.

Not to be missed in Kowloon City is a large Buddhist temple located in Diamond Hill called the Chi Lin Nunnery. More than 33,000 square meters, the temple complex includes a nunnery, temple halls, Chinese gardens, water ponds, visitor’s hostels, and a vegetarian restaurant. According to our tour guide Koko from the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the temple hall houses statues of the Sakyamuni Buddha, the goddess of mercy Guanyin, and other bodhisattvas made from gold, clay, wood, and stone.

A feeling of calmness enveloped me as soon as I entered the temple hall’s threshold. Monks launched into melodious chants and prayers for the well-being of the mind and body. These were prayers that beseech balance of the yin and yang. Founded in 1934, the nunnery was rebuilt in 1990 using the Tang Dynasty style of architecture. Present-day structures are made from wood without the use of iron nails. The construction technique followed the special interlocking system the Tang Dynasty used more than 1,000 years ago. Koko mentioned that the buildings in the nunnery are the only structures built in this style in modern day Hong Kong.

After our quick visit to the nunnery, we took the Star Ferry and headed to the Central-Mid Levels in Hong Kong Island. The 800-meter long covered escalator is the world’s longest. Linking Des Voeux Road Central to Conduit Road, the escalator proves as a very convenient way to get a glimpse of the effervescent city hillside which is home to varied holes-in-the-walls and shops. Traveling the entire length of the escalator takes about 20 minutes.

The escalator also runs through SoHo — considered as the dining district of Hong Kong. There, you will also find a culinary spectrum of coffee shops and funky and tongue-in-cheek bars.

In the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island is Stanley Market. Traveling there offers a grand view of the South China Sea. Locals and tourists can reach Stanley via bus or taxi. Stanley Market is known for its large open-air marketplace selling bargain buys — Chinese dresses, silk clothing, toys, ornaments, luggage, souvenirs, and Chinese arts and crafts. A branch of Dymocks Booksellers and a quaint Häagen-Dazs ice cream parlor complement the energetic ambiance of Stanley as well as the many Western and Chinese restaurants along its main street.

Bye, bye fragrant harbor

October 26. My watch said 4:30 p.m. The sun was setting. I looked over the window and saw Hong Kong seemingly saying goodbye to me. It was hard for me to leave her. I grew quite emotional on our way to the airport — frantically absorbing all her diverse and now all-too-familiar cultural backdrops.

First impressions do last. And Hong Kong made an impression on me unlike any other because it felt just like home. I hope to see her again.

*Author’s Note: Zestair’s introductory fare to Hong Kong is US$70 inclusive of taxes and surcharges but exclusive of international charges and country travel tax. Bookings or flight information may be coursed through Zestair’s reservation hotline at 855-333. Log on to www.zestair.com.ph for more information.