Hong Kong Day 4: Like a Star at her Peak*

Wednesday January 22^nd, 2014

*The title was supposed to be a silly pun but now seems misguided. It stays!

I had grand plans (kind of) for my last full day in Hong Kong, but instead I did a total of two things, three tops. I started off the day with my usual lazy morning, then took the metro to get to the ferry, and stopped to have lunch at Café de Coral (Hong Kong fast food). My meal was an octopus/chicken/mushroom hash over rice, and it was delicious.

Following lunch, I went to the Star Ferry, got my token, helped a couple who couldn’t read English or traditional Chinese get theirs, and flirted with an adorable baby. The ferry was AWESOME.The smell and breeze were wonderful (I love love love the water).

I had heard and read about a tall building with great views, and saw one upon debarking from the ferry. I wasn’t sure if it was the right building, so I went in and asked. Turns out it was a correct building! The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, 55^th floor. Too hazy for great views, but it was still nice to see the city and harbor from that high.

I later found the bus to get to “The Peak”, and did the 2.8km “Peak Morning Walk”, except at nightfall and alone (oops). It was beautiful, with stunning views of the city and harbor at and after sunset, but it was also terrifying. I did a piece of a Next to Normal chorus (“I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m so alive!”) with a dance-spin when I got to the end. All in all it was something I would definitely do again, but earlier in the day or with a buddy if at night.

After waiting in the horrendously long line for the bus, I took the ferry back to Tsim Sha Tsui (the port/harbor on the Kowloon side), then ate dinner where I had lunch (same meal,too—it was that good) while reading No Reservations. I have a newfound crush on Anthony Bourdain and part of me now wants to be a chef. To complete the night I walked around Tsim Sha Tsui again, and a random man enlisted himself as my photographer after I asked him to take one picture (which was not as creepy as it sounds).