First Impressions: HONG KONG
In case y’all didn’t know, now you know! I have officially packed up my apartment in Manhattan, rested for a few weeks with my mom in Tennessee, and embarked on a new journey in Hong Kong. It’s been three weeks since I’ve been in Hong Kong and boy, were there some interesting observations and experiences already! To kick off my first post related to my new home base, Hong Kong, here are top 9 notable first impressions for me about the city!
Metropolitan but Traditional at the Same Time. Having walked through quite a few different neighborhoods in both the island side and Kowloon side, the city landscapes has a unique sense of modernity intertwined with tradition. In between the tall skyscrapers with commercial office and western branded retail are small mom and pop type shops for selling fresh vegetables or local herbal drinks.
Amazing Public Transportation. Subways, double-decked buses, ferries, and cable cars are so clean; they also arrive on time and on frequent basis. And the best part is, it’s all available through the Octopus card, which is the name for the local public transportation pass that also work in most of the retail stores as well.
Cheap Cabs. Taxis are pretty easy to get and quite cheap, especially if it’s just within the Hong Kong island. Downside is most of them are cash only, which brings me to my next observation…
Cash is King. I was pretty surprised about this one because Hong Kong is the financial hub for Asia after all. Or maybe it is because of that some other payment mechanisms are less prevalent? In any case, a lot of places are cash or credit card, but unlike mainland, mobile payment is still not at the most preferred method of payment.
So Humid in the Summer. Good for my skin - definitely noticed a drastic improvement in my eczema since moving here because there is so much moisture in the air. Bad for my sanity - especially when the temperature is in the mid to high 80s or god forbid, even higher, it is absolutely unbearable! I am drenched in sweat simply by standing outside for 3 minutes. Not fun. We went on a hike up to Victoria Peak two weekends ago, which I’ll write about in another post but holy cow, I thought I was going to pass out for real.
Less Westernized than I Thought. I have never been to Hong Kong prior to my move so I had a very fantasized impression of it in which it is completely immersed in western influence due to its history with the UK and the fact that it’s the financial hub for Asia. I was pretty surprised to find that other than the fact it is pretty frequent you see a white or occasionally black or brown person walking past you on the street and that the streets and official documents are in English and Traditional Chinese, it is very similar to mainland China in its ambiance (obviously a generalization here but in general it gives off the same vibe).
Less Crowded than I Anticipated. Not much different from New York City to be honest. It is definitely not like Xi Dan subway stop during rush hour in Beijing. Yes, crowded but very much manageable.
Food Scene is…I’m Not Sure Yet. The food scene is definitely big here. And the variety, western, local mom and pop, is definitely present. Perhaps my palette is more on the salty and spicy side for Chinese food, the local Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine is not really my thing so I’ve been a bit bummed out about the Chinese food so far other than one restaurant my friend took me to. The local dim sum shops are super fresh but just not my thing on a daily basis! Happy to explore more and report back on this topic.
Accessibility to Nature. I love the fact that 20 minute ferry ride away there are options for islands, such as Lamma Island with no cars and the beach. There’s also multiple hiking trails throughout the island and Kowloon side with gorgeous views!
Excited to explore more what the city has to offer! Stay tuned!
