HONG KONG

The next leg of my Asia trip after China was Hong Kong, a former British colony. Many street names are westernized and plenty of ex-pats inhabit pockets of the city, namely the hip Soho neighborhood in the Central District. For the most part, the old part of the city is known as Kowloon while the newer and gentrified areas like Central District are on the Hong Kong side. Many locals speak English with the exception of taxi drivers. Getting around via public transportation (MTR) is very convenient and easy but taxis are also very inexpensive, even cheaper than Uber which does exist in HK. I also noticed that their public transit system mimics the UK's system. You purchase an Octopus card, fill it up with cash, and whatever amount you don't consume, you can get reimbursed just like the UK's Oyster card. Like most of Asia, many establishments, including public transit, only accept cash. Larger institutions like shopping malls and the nicer restaurants (the non-hole in the wall ones) typically will accept credit card transactions. 

Food always seem to be a focal point for me when traveling, especially in Asian countries, and Hong Kong did not disappoint. I had my share of both hole in the wall/local dishes and fancy, hipster eateries. Soho boasts many of these more hip restaurants. I tried the popular Yardbird (Japanese Yakitori), Little Bao (reminiscent of NY's Baohaus and any other popular NY restaurants known for their baos) and Fish School (amazing contemporary seafood) in Soho. Every single one of them was delicious so I'm almost certain that you can't go wrong with any restaurant in this neighborhood. Just expect to pay more than local, traditional Chinese restaurants - which you should absolutely have as well. Try the street food in Mong Kok. In fact, we found a wonderful noodle house called Eat Together (actually a small local chain) in Mong Kok and it was amazing. Don't forget to go to a dim sum restaurant and try all the dessert spots you see - there are many Taiwanese ones. Again, they are ALL delicious. My tip is to go to the places where there are locals! It's almost a guarantee that the place will hit the spot! HK is also the first place I had ever gone to a Michelin rated street food vendor (I didn't know there was such a thing). I went to Mammy which offers the famed egg waffle (eggettes), a traditional dessert they put a spin on by mixing ingredients like chocolate chip or sesame into the batter. 

Even though I attempted to stay on a budget, shopping in HK was hard to resist. You can find many unique fashions from Japanese and Korean brands and at reasonable prices. Some awesome spots to hit up are Langham Place, the One, and K11. Fun and cheap souvenirs can be found at the night market in Mong Kok (Ladies Market). It's also just a fun place to wander around and photograph. 

For the photographers out there and those who are simply looking for an unlikely tourist spot to visit, I discovered the Yick Fat Building that many avid photographers flock to. It's basically the courtyard of a residential building that is unique. Simply look up once you are there and the geometry formed by the top of these really tall apartment buildings makes for a unique picture. It's been reported that Michael Bay even filmed part of a Transformers movie in this small area. Just a quick tip - there are multiple buildings with this name so make sure you have the right one. If you are taking the MTR, you'll get off at Tai Koo Station, walk out of Exit B and go west for 2 blocks on King's Road. It is not marked, so you will need to make sure you've mapped it out. 

I also had the opportunity to visit Tian Tan Buddha, aka the Big Buddha, situated at the top of Lantau Island. The giant bronze statue stands at 112' high and tourists must ride on a somewhat long and very high gondola ride that provides sweeping views of Hong Kong (if it isn't foggy). When you immediately step off the gondola, it is noticeably touristy and very commercial. However, if you are looking to venture off the beaten path, there are hikes, challenging ones, that lead you through Lantau Island to the Big Buddha. I would love to have done that but, unfortunately, I didn't have the time. Another popular sight which I also did not have time to see is Victoria Peak, named after the Queen herself. I believe there is a hikeable path to reach the peak which offers astounding city views or you can opt for the easier, tourist route which is to ride the tram to the top. 

Tian Tan Buddha

Eat Together Restaurant

CHINA

In the first leg of my 3.5 week Asian tour was in China. In mid-September, I made stops to Shanghai and Beijing and a quick day trip to Shenzhen. I did not anticipate enjoying certain aspects from what I had heard and read about the country before. Most of it had to do with widespread pollution, lack of manners (public burping, spitting, cutting in lines), and massive crowds - all of which I did experience first hand. However, I did get to see important historical sights and finally had really good Chinese food.

I've taken public transportation all around Europe and Asia and I've found that subway systems in many of these countries are so much more easier to figure out than in the US (i.e. NYC). The same can be said for China's transit system. You're also better off taking the subway in places like Beijing where traffic is notoriously awful. Their system is very easy to navigate through and is much faster than taking a taxi often times. However, while they are not strict, there is a security checkpoint at every single subway station. Additionally, many people do not speak English (except maybe for Shanghai), so taking a taxi, as a result, could prove to be challenging. 

The Great Wall in Beijing was the highlight of this trip.  There are 3  that are the most popular: (1) Badaling which is the most crowded as it is flat and the has the most restored path, (2) Jiankou which is more wild with mostly an unrestored path and good for someone looking for a hike but dangerous during unfavorable weather (there are many other similar entrances), (3) Mutianyu which is both restored and unrestored and is steep. I took the Mutianyu path as it came highly recommended to me and I would recommend it to others. It was not crowded, the views were astounding, and I was able to reach the peak of the Wall on this path. To get to the peak, you have to jump over the end of the unrestored section and climb up to the beginning of the unrestored part. So needless to say, you must be somewhat fit. On the Mutianyu path, you also have the choice of taking a Toboggan down - I did not partake. 

A trip to Beijing is not complete without a visit to the historic Forbidden City. There is a difference between seeing the area at night (when everything lights up) versus the day. The lights at night make it seem commercial and flashy. I preferred seeing it during the day where you can see everything through the haze of the city. Standing in the middle of Tiananmen Square, you of course cannot help but think about what took place in 1989. The image of the unknown "Tank Man" who bravely stood in front of a line of Communist tanks come to mind. Unfortunately, the Chinese government has censored much information from the massacre of pro-democratic protestors during this time.

Shanghai is a new, sparkly city built on top of an old, and run-down one. It has gentrified and westernized itself greatly. However, I did come across the older and more poor part of the city as I walked from the upscale downtown area to the Jade Buddha Temple. I found locals selling street food and many local shops specializing in different industries. I found everything from cheap Xiao Long Bao to bubble tea along this path. Randomly, I also came across a furniture gallery/store/museum called the Design Republic. It impressively displays modern Chinese interior designs along with other contemporary designers like Denamark's HAY. This is its only location and occupies an old fire station. There is an equally hip and modern brunch restaurant connected to it.

Now to go back to the Jade Buddha Temple - it's worth visiting. Large statues of gods and the golden Buddhas sit in different chambers throughout the temple. What it is known for are two Buddha statues made entirely of white Jade,  one of which cannot be photographed and is housed in its own building on an upstairs floor. What I did find odd about the temple and other temples I encountered in China was that an admissions fee is required and gift shops are located inside temples. Both seem to be uncommon in temples I've visited around the world and takes away from the spiritual experience.  

Shenzhen is not a major tourist destination. But it's one of the largest cities in China other than Shanghai and Beijing. Many of the worlds' retailers' factories are located in Shenzhen so you will find an infamous black market here. This is also where I had my favorite authentic, Chinese meal…

Forbidden City

Jade Buddha Temple