The soul amidst the skyscrapers
It’s red sails in the sunset as we set off in a junk boat -a traditional Chinese boat (in this case a boat built using traditional shipbuilding methods) along Hong Kong’s famed Victoria Harbour on a slightly drizzly evening; as part of a three-day media familiarisation tour by Cathay Pacific Airlines.
A cruise along Victoria Harbour in a junk boat
There is no better place to capture Hong Kong’s old world heritage and glitzy modernity in one frame, as we rock gently to the lapping waves, taking in a 3600 view of the cityscape comprising some iconic buildings in a boat apparently named after a pirate who terrorised the South China Sea at the turn of the 20th century.
We stretch out on the seats in the upper deck, relax, soak in the scene and feel the breeze. If you have time to spend in Hong Kong this is perhaps the place to do so. Take a walk along the promenade, check out the sea of stalls, markets and malls at Tsim Sha Tsui and Harbour city and soon it will be showtime– when about 40 buildings on both sides of the harbour are simultaneously bedecked in coloured lights and laser beams around 8 p.m.
Before we took to the waters, on the previous day we were taken to the popular markets of Mongkok, or at least walked past what was introduced to us as one of the most sought-after markets by both locals and tourists, ‘the Ladies market’ where one can buy anything and everything at a good price as long as you know to play the bargaining game. Strolling through some of the stalls that were now coming alive with homeward-bound shoppers after work, what struck me was the size of the ginger and some fruit such as durian. The gigantic ginger was from China and the durian from Thailand we were told.
The other touristy sites close at hand are the goldfish market, a street dedicated to flowers and the bird garden.
More than the gold fish, that come in various containers ranging from plastic bags to tanks, what caught my eye were the cute puppies and kittens, reminding one of, “how much is that doggy at the window”, in cages that looked clean and not too cramped, but one never knows the real condition the pets are kept in just by passing through a place.
Cathay City (above) and top the Pier lounge
Next, you turn onto the street where you find the flower market and it’s spring time, as you are greeted by a burst of blooms. Row-upon-row, the stalls sell fresh-cut flowers, bonsai trees, orchids (I happened to see our very own Kandyan dancer) and foliage; basically a riot of colour from all over the world, including the land of tulips, Amsterdam.
Although it’s a little sad to see caged songbirds, one of the enchanting little corners of Mongkok is its bird garden. Built on the lines of a traditional Chinese garden, the place is a throwback in time that still keeps a hobby aflutter– old men ‘walking’ their caged birds. Apparently they used to bring their ‘pets’ to this little oasis, to listen to whose bird would sing louder, and the practice continues even in today’s fast-paced world and affords an opportunity for the old men to meet old mates and have a chat over coffee and a game of cards. In addition, you find birds, intricately carved teak cages and all the paraphernalia that go with rearing birds, for sale.
Look at the size of the ginger
After all that walking, it’s time for a quintessential Hong Kong afternoon tea– Cha Chaan Teng. It’s around 4.30 in the evening and the place we step into is crowded with customers awaiting tea. We manage to grab a table and the service is quick. We are soon sinking our teeth into a freshly baked pineapple bun (not sure why it’s called that as it has no hint of flavour of the fruit, as far as my taste buds gathered, but perhaps the crusty top as opposed to the soft middle of the bun resembled the skin of the fruit) with its thin slice of melt-in- the- mouth butter in the middle. I also take a bite of a mini egg tart, another tea-time favourite among locals. And we wash it all down with a great cup of tea. I say great because it was actually tea with milk, with the flavour of tea coming out nice and strong not lost in a sea of milk as one would invariably get back home at a wayside tea kiosk.
On the last day of our stay here we are taken on a ‘Hello Hong Kong Walking Tour’ around Central and Sheung Wan– a must do tour. At one moment we are standing in awe in front of the grand steel architectural wonder of the HSBC building, listening to the tale of the two lions Stephen and Stitt guarding the place and being shown some extent of Hong Kong’s reclaimed land and the next moment we are taking a ‘ding-ding’ tram ride. We step into one of the oldest temples in Hong Kong, Man Mo, enconced amidst two skyscrapers where people pay homage to the God of literature (Man) and God of war (Mo) who stand side by side. We are all intrigued by the cone- shaped huge spiralling kind of incense sticks that hang from the ceilings. Next it’s on to one of the oldest churches, St. John’s Cathedral.
Take a ride in the tram car
We learn about the black plague that killed thousands and destroyed swathes of the city, we walk along one of the oldest streets, Hollywood street-all in all a rewarding tour.
I was excited to learn that a visit to Cathay City, Cathay Pacific’s global headquarters had been included in our tour. Although we did not have much time to spend here and see firsthand its flight training centre, safety training school and a museum that apparently chronicles the airline’s history and track record of success, we did have a chance of visiting a mockup cabin-training area. Here we were given an inkling of Cathay Pacific’s emphasis on little details regarding passenger comfort. We were shown a set of seats with a particular neck rest which apparently had not gone down well with passengers and then we were shown another set of seats with the modified neck rests that addressed those complaints.
There was a kind of buzz in the air when we visited that day as Cathay City was getting ready to take delivery of its first A 350- 900 from the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France, in a couple of days.
All too soon it was time to board the shuttle bus service and head to the airport, which is just a short distance away.
At Cathay City we were told about the airline’s motto that ‘travelling well was an important part of living well’ and the Pier premium departure lounge (one of the many Cathay Pacific lounges at Hong Kong airport) definitely fits this bill. One certainly wouldn’t mind missing a flight and staying over at this ‘departure’ lounge. Everything about it whether it’s the decor with warm earthy tones and lit up ceiling panels, its quirky long wooden table at the lounge entrance and more– apparently meant to give a classy residential feel–to its shower rooms with brass and marble finishes, and the highlight, the luxury of a foot massage, the Pier invites you to soak in that final lap of comfort before take-off.
And for us, after a walkabout in the Central area, a refreshing shower and foot massage were just what the doctor ordered before we boarded the flight back home. So next time you think, ‘what about a holiday in South East Asia?’ plan a trip to Hong Kong; to me a Singapore with more soul, more character and perhaps less orderliness. What’s more it’s just over five hours on Cathay Pacific Airlines’ direct flight from Colombo. -Ishika Amerasinghe
(The writer was in Hong Kong on a media familiarisation tour at the invitation of Cathay Pacific Airlines. Part one of this article appeared last week)