I went to Hong Kong last week!!! For 50 hours total!
Did I travel longer than I was actually there? Yes. But it was so worth it!
There are so many reasons to love Hong Kong. Surrounded by peaceful mountains, lush greenery, and water, it is also a bustling and energetic city full of people, shopping, and all the good eats. It is a must see! Speaking of the good eats, Chinese food is so different in Asia than it is in the U.S. It is fresher, more flavorful, and lighter!
I don't even know if I have ever mentioned this on this space, but I actually spent a good chunk of time in China before!
The summer after my freshman year in college I spent almost a month in Southeast China. I went with a group and we taught English at a summer camp for Chinese students. The group I taught was 8 - 10 year olds. It was one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences of my life! Because of that experience, China has always had a little special place in my heart and I've wanted to go back.
When I lived there in college, I stayed in Guangzhou, which is pretty close to Hong Kong. Getting to go back to that part of China (even for such a short time!) was an experience I could not pass up! Thanks to my mom and her job that allows her to travel everywhere, when she asked me to go, I had to say yes!
It was also an early birthday present to me, (best birthday gift ever!?!) and now I'm sure Kyle is wondering how to match that up. Just kiddinggggg. :)
I walked all over and saw as much as I could, all while consuming as much dim sum as possible. Did I mention it was their Lunar New Year celebration?! Happy Year of the Dog! Sibbie and Scout would be so honored.
Hopefully I can go back someday and stay much longer! There was so much I didn't get to see but am grateful for the opportunity to have gone even for a little bit!
Here are a few things we did in Hong Kong:
Tian Tian Buddha - I took the cable car up the mountain and that alone was breathtakingly beautiful! Once at the base of the buddha, there are a bunch of shops, stores and restaurants all around. There is also a stunning temple and tons of lush greenery. I highly recommend getting there early. When we got there (around 9:00am) there was hardly a line, but on the way back the line was wrapped around the street!
Ladies Market - This is the place to go for all the fake louis vuittons, longchamps, etc. They have pretty much anything you can think of here! Get ready to bargain. After the first price they give you, walk away "uninterested" and then they will usually ask you what price you would like to pay. Be prepared to bargain some and it's worth it!
Banfang Dumpling - I loved this place! It was close to our hotel so we went twice just to get a box of dumplings to go. My favorite were the crispy pork dumplings!
Tim Ho Wan - This is the place to go for dim sum! We waited pretty long in line for a table, but overall I think it was worth the wait. Everything was so fresh tasting and delicious. Whatever you do, make sure to ORDER THE BAKED BBQ PORK BUN (sorry for yelling, but it is incredible!).
Markets - I'm not sure which one we went to exactly, but checking out a local food market is a MUST. There is such a variety of produce and other pantry items that we simply do not have here in the States! I loved getting to see all the meats and fish for sale too. So fascinating!
Walk around and sightsee - My favorite part of visiting other major cities is simply walking around and taking in all the sights. It was so crowded everywhere we went, but it was cool people watching and getting to celebrate their lunar new year with them! Make sure to get some bubble tea at a stand or egg tarts from a local bakery as fuel for your walk!
