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| The
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre has been
voted Asia's best exhibition and convention facility
time and time again. |
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Photo
courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board |
| Click
on the image for larger version |
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HONG KONG is very
much 'abroad'. Now that the near continent is easily accessible, countries
such as France, Spain, Italy seem to merge styles and culture to become
one generic Euro-Country. In contrast Hong Kong feels like a foreign country.
It also has reminders of a colonial past, so your trip there as well as
being a trip to a foreign country is also a trip into the past.
Hong Kong is also a brash mixture of Western and Eastern
cultures, a meld of designer clothing, electronic consumables and Chinese
superstitions. Modern apartment tower blocks, very Western in style and
decor, do not have floor numbers ending in '4' as the number 4 in Cantonese
is very close to the Cantonese word for 'death'.
You will also stand out as a tourist amongst the Chinese
rather than being able to blend in with other Europeans as you would nearer
to home. And unless you're an exceptional linguist there won't be any
attempts to converse in Cantonese with the locals. But don't despair,
thanks to its history and a large ex-pat community most Chinese, at least
in restaurants and shops, will be able to speak English. Most of the street
names and signs are in English as well as Cantonese.
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| The
Tsing Ma Bridge forms part of the link between the Hong
Kong International Airport and the downtown areas. At
2.2 kilometres long, it is the world's longest road-and-rail
suspension bridge. |
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Photo
courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board |
| Click
on the image for larger version |
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The first thing you will notice about this lively place
is its modern, efficient mass transit systems. Arriving at the new airport,
Chek Lap Kok, you essentially walk in a straight line from gate through
baggage & customs onto a (usually) waiting train that takes you right
into the heart of Kowloon, a popular hotel and tourist district. For exploring
further the subway system (MTR - Mass Transit Railway) is very cheap and
clean with air-conditioned trains and stations.
Taxis are also plentiful and very cheap, thanks to the
fact that most people do not run their own cars and rely instead upon
buses, taxis and the MTR.
It is a good idea to get the name of your hotel printed
onto a card in Cantonese so that you can make yourself understood to the
taxi driver when you want to get back to your hotel.
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