mlchad147
- Apr 2
- 6 min read

March 28, 2024–Hong Kong, China (Day 2)

Yesterday I said that one day in Hong Kong wouldn’t be enough. Today proved me right. We had a good day yesterday, but today was even better. So good, in fact, that I would recommend it as a day one introduction to Hong Kong, assuming that you are able to walk four or five miles, some of it on steep, uneven surfaces. Read on, and I’ll tell you how it went down.

We knew it would be a good day when we made our way from the ship, through the cruise terminal, and to our waiting bus, to discover that our guide for the day would be none other than Patrick, who we found to be so entertaining and informative yesterday. Because this was to be more of a walking tour today in the busy, old town section of Hong Kong City, we actually had a second guide, Coco, on the bus, so that once off the bus we could split into two smaller, more manageable groups.

After motoring from our berth in Kowloon to Hong Kong Island, again checking for leaks as we passed through the harbor tunnel (see yesterday’s post), we were deposited at Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. Built in 1847 and dedicated to the Chinese Gods of Literature and War (think yin and yang), this modestly sized Taoist shrine is surrounded by newer high rise structures, but they can do nothing to diminish this Hong Kong icon. In fact, given the choice of visiting the top of the city’s tallest building, the 108 story International Commerce Centre, or visiting the single floor of Man Mo Temple, I’d take Man Mo every time. That’s where you’ll experience Hong Kong’s rich culture and history.

The temple’s exterior is charming, but step inside and you will be transported to another world. The first thing I noticed, even before my eyes adjusted to the relative darkness, was the strong smell of burning incense. The air was thick with smoke from all the incense and burning candles, adding to the mystical aura I felt as I began to look around me. Everywhere there were statues, shrines and other objects and elements, even overhead, each with a purpose and significance that I couldn’t begin to understand. Worshippers were lighting incense and placing it before some of them, unconcerned that tourists were wandering among them. In one area worshippers could shake sticks in a cup until one fell out, providing the answer to a question or prayer. Our guide let Michele try this, and she said she got a very positive answer to her unspoken question. Hopefully my photos will give you a sense of the temple’s atmosphere, though I had to brighten them to make them clearer. I could do an entire blog post on Man Mo Temple but I need to move on, so let me just say that this place should be at the top of a visitor’s Hong Kong must-see list.

From the Temple we walked up Hollywood Road (it was Hollywood long before California had a Hollywood) past a very cool banyan tree before veering off and winding up and down several smaller streets and alleyways, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the city’s old section. We walked past sidewalk vendors selling everything from trinkets to seafood so fresh that some of the fish were still flopping on beds of ice. There were plenty of small shops too, and so many 7-Elevens that at one point I could see two of them at once. I wasn’t kidding about the up and down, either, and the footing was often so uneven that I spent as much time watching where my feet were going as I did looking around me. Some of the alleyways were so narrow that we could only walk two abreast, but that just added fun and sense of adventure.

Our walking tour also took us to the historic Central Police Station, which dates back to 1864, and which evolved over time into something of a one stop shop, with the addition of the adjacent Victoria Prison, said to be modeled after the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. Now closed, they have been transformed into a popular tourist stop, housing shops and cafes along with exhibits documenting their former life.

Curiously, and a bit unfortunately, we got to see, but not experience the benefits of the world’s longest escalator. Called the Central Hillside Escalator Link, this half mile system of outdoor covered walkways carries commuters between the lower Central Market near the waterfront and the Mid-Levels district up above. Here’s the thing, though, and it’s one more example of why timing is everything. The escalator is a single sloped walkway that runs in both directions, and which direction it’s running depends on the time of day. During morning rush hour it actually runs downhill, in the direction more commuters take to get to work. Around ten o’clock it reverses direction and runs up the hill. As we were headed uphill while it was still running downhill, we didn’t get to use it, though I will admit to looking at my watch to see if waiting a few minutes would improve our luck.

Eventually our wanderings took us down to the waterfront and ferry terminal, where we boarded a ferry for the short trip across the harbor to pick up our bus for the trip back to the ship. On the way we passed the Legendary Peninsula Hotel, famous watering hole of celebrities since its opening in 1928, and appearing in the 1974 James Bond movie, the Man With the Golden Gun. Years before, Clark Gable is said to have taught the bartender how to make a screwdriver. The Hotel is almost as famous for placing the single largest fleet order for Rolls Royces in history. We saw some of them as we drove past, and here’s a trivia fact you can pull out at your next cocktail party. The particular shade of green of those Rolls Royces is called Peninsula Brewster Green, a color we were told the company has trademarked. And that is why you read this blog, because nowhere else will you find this kind of useless and important information.

But on to the ship, where the evening promised a special treat. Originally we were scheduled to sail away around 6:30 pm, but the Hong Kong government invited us to delay our departure until after dark so that we could enjoy the city’s magnificent lights from the harbor as we passed by. How good were they? With the possible exception of Rio on New Year’s Eve, nothing else we have seen comes close. The highrises lining the harbor weren’t just brightly lit, but many of them added splashes of color, and the effect was spectacular. The International Commerce Centre, all 108 floors of it, put on quite a show, with the images on the building changing frequently. See my photo below. Altogether it was a dazzling end to our two day visit, and I leave Hong Kong with some beautiful memories. Who knows, maybe I’ll be back someday.

In the meantime, though, we’re on our way to Taiwan, where more adventures surely await. Can’t wait to tell you about them, so stay tuned.