SHEUNG WAN
Near the edge of vertiginous and flashy Central and yet seemingly light years in the streets of Sheung Wan are Chinese historical heart of the island of Hong Kong. Here, no malls and skyscrapers just west trade. The area, full of life and color, retained his Chinese seal and easily walkable. Be guided by your nose into Queens Road West until around Wing Lok Street.
This is where we get the smell of fish wafts persistent neighborhood: you will see a profusion of dried fish and Chinese medicines sold wholesale. Above dried seafood, shark fin stacks attest to the popularity of this commodity, considered here as prestigious, especially at weddings and other festivities. Shops specialize in selling ginseng roots and birds' nests (a swallow type), dangerously collected in marine caves in Malaysia.
These nests, made of drool salangane, enter into the composition of a number of Chinese dishes and especially in soup bird nests, often served as a starter at dinner parties. A little earlier, the west end of Hollywood Road is worth a visit for shopping. We can buy votive papers, like tickets funeral bank (hell banknotes), which will burn for the dead. Nearby, the Man Mo Temple, smelling incense, faces Upper Lascar Row (or Cat Street), another good place to hunt antiques and flea market.
Fortified villages, discover the life of the first Hong Kong
The Earn points were among the first clans to settle in Hong Kong. These "autochones" (literal meaning Earn points) were actually in Canton.
By the eleventh century, five major clans began to settle in the New Territories that is known today. The first and most powerful, the Tang built fortified villages visible today along the impressive Ping Shan Heritage Trail. The most famous descendant of this clan is the creator William Tang. Known for his flamboyant style, it was he who designed the staff uniforms to the MTR (underground) and Dragon Air. The Tang succeeded by Hau and Pang (who swarmed around Sheung Shui and Fan Ling) and the Liu and Man.
Lined with beautiful historic buildings, the Ping Shan Heritage Trail provides over 1 km, an overview of the lifestyle of these clans. And one can even find their food by dining at Wing Wah Dah. Hugo Leung Man-to, the chef of this restaurant is renowned for its ability to perpetuate and sublime tradition. It procures local ingredients in small farms and draws on contemporary creative cuisine.
The Peninsula: peace and tranquility of a legendary hotel
Impeccable service, cozy atmosphere and discreet echo a string quartet on the floor: tea at the Peninsula can taste without breaking the bank in Hong Kong luxury. Both the monument and icon of the city, the Peninsula appears definitely on the list of major international hotels. Dubbed the "finest hotel east of Suez" a few years after its opening in 1928, the Peninsula was part, alongside the Raffles in Singapore, the Peace (now Cathay) in Shanghai and the Strand in Rangoon (Burma ), some of these prestigious Asian palaces where international celebrities descended.
To make tea, you should dress properly (the jacket is not mandatory) and be patient. And it is by waiting that saliva at the sight of cucumber sandwiches, scones and tempting cakes placed on tables. Tea is served daily from 14h to 19h (HK $ 268 for one person, $ 398 for two HK).
We cross the Peninsula a diverse clientele of Japanese tourists to tai tai (women married to wealthy businessmen). The latter are usually seized cuisine, to chat over tea with their friends - usually by phone. Once out (and back to reality), have a look on the other side of Nathan Road, the labyrinthine Mall of Chungking Mansions.
The Peak: take the air at the top of the island of Hong Kong
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| Hong Kong view from The Peak |
Red pillars, roofs yellow, green and blue ornate frame, this temple is a festival of colors. But what surprises more is its popularity among Hong Kong people. They come to many in the late afternoon to pray or seek to know their future. Armed with chem bamboo, they drop these divination sticks from the box on the floor and then interpret them - there are free on the left of the main temple chem. To the left of the entrance to the site, before the main temple, dozens of palmists officiate under the arcades. Some even speak English - and indicated on the panels. The Good Wish Gardens are located behind the main temple on the right. These gardens have colorful pavilions (the Unicorn Hall, doors and windows carved is the best), bridges and artificial ponds.
The temple of Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin is especially popular around the Chinese New Year, the anniversary of Wong Tai Sin (23rd day of the 8th lunar month, usually in September) and on weekends, especially on Friday nights.
Hong Kong Museum of History
This does you will probably not escape: Hong Kong is a city that decision makers have the business acumen ... and their eyes to the future! The remains of the old Hong Kong are all the more valuable, whether they are listed buildings, historic monuments or ancient practices as an altar dedicated to the god of Earth Tou Tei in a shop of 'information Technology. The Museum of History Hong Kong is an interesting walk through time across eight venues. The exhibition starts on the ground floor with prehistory and the natural environment of the country (there are about 6000 years old), and ended in 1997 with the handover to China (2nd fl.). One can also see a video on the theme "Hong Kong over time" (2nd fl.). Among other recreations, there are: the village houses, costumes, traditional beds and even a shopping street in Central in 1881 (with an ancient Chinese medical dispensary) and a tram 1913 movie sequences on the Second World War II, including the testimonies of Chinese and foreigners taken prisoner by the Japanese, also dot the route. But the most heartwarming collection is certainly the mishmash of toys and memorabilia from the 1960s and 1970s, when the Made in Hong Kong was synonymous with shoddy Christmas gifts.
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