Hong Kong
In 1842, China ceded to Britain forever the island of
Hong Kong, located just off China's southeast coast. This forced
transfer of sovereignty was one provision of the Treaty of Nanking (Nanjing)
that followed China's defeat in the first Anglo-Chinese Opium War
(1839\-42), a treaty usually described as the first in the series of
"unequal treaties" that the Western powers and Japan imposed upon China
between 1842 and 1919.
Hong Kong, a favorite and most popular travel destination
in Asia, where the exotic East fuses with the contemporary west as a
dynamic contemporary city. It is a colorful kaleidoscope of attractions
to arouse the senses: spectacular sightseeing, sensational shopping and
fabulous foods. More than 6.7 million people live in Hong Kong. Almost
96 per cent of the population is Chinese. The official languages are
Chinese and English, with Cantonese the most widely spoken Chinese
dialect.
Many of Hong Kong's visitors come to the dynamic and
bustling port city for one thing only - to dine. Hong Kong's cuisine is
renowned for its exotic fusion of Eastern and Western flavours along
with a wide variety of culinary delights. Its cultural blend, proximity
to mainland China and reputation for quality have made Hong Kong the
world's undisputed Gourmet Paradise. No Hong Kong visit would be
complete without a trip to one of the territory's fine teahouses or
restaurants that specialize in dim sum.
Hong Kong's Central district houses many shimmering
skyscrapers and marbled shopping atriums and malls. Stanley Street is
known for its range and reasonably priced photographic equipment.
Hollywood Road winds above the Central business district and is Hong
Kong's antiques row. Farther west towards Sheung Wan is a bustle of
sidewalk hawkers on Central's stepped "ladder" streets. The market
stalls are where Hong Kong's dedicated shoppers hone their bargaining
skills. A little Cantonese helps but sign language is universal.
The ‘City of Life’ lives by night – most hot in-town
venues don't even get going until midnight. Enterprising sinophiles can
try to get invited along to a local karaoke evening and warble into a
mike, over buckets of beer, to Cantonese pop videos, or head for one of
the unbelievable local discos in darkest Kowloon. Others seeking ex-pat
drinking at its most intense should head for Lan Kwai Fong, a tiny area
of Central with relaxed drinking hours and a vast concentration of bars
and restaurants. Soho (‘South of Hollywood Road’) is a slightly more
chic and relaxed concentration of leisure spots, just off the mid-levels
escalator.
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