New York on Steroids

Bruce Lee on the Walk of Stars

Hong Kong was covered in smog; it stung our eyes, our throats and our lungs.  Don’t believe the blue skies of the photos…there were no blue skies.  We had a really nice harbor view room at the Sheraton and were able to watch the evening light show from both our room and the 17^th floor lounge, the lights only somewhat diminished by the smoky, dusty skies.  The streets were jam packed with both tourists and natives; car and bus exhaust filled you lungs at each street crossing; the smell of soy sauce was pervasive; shops selling Rolexes and Ralph Lauren existed side-by-side with rabbit warren alleyways filled with tacky merchandise.  It is truly like New York on steroids, a mash-up of every New York ethnic neighborhood from Chinatown to Fifth Avenue.  It’s a shopper’s paradise, and I’m not a shopper.  Skyscrapers reached for the sky and many more are under construction.  The most pleasant walk was the Walk of the Stars on a quay around the Intercontinental Hotel.  Resembling the walk of stars at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, it was filled with Chinese school children matching their hands to the hand prints in cement.  The only name I recognized was that of Bruce Lee.   Dwight had fond memories of his previous 3-week stay in Hong Kong, but I was ready to leave after one night.  Been there; done that; don’t need to go back.


Star Ferry Port