I was so excited! I had been in Taiwan for 3 months and hadn’t seen anything of the rest of Asia. So we did something about it and traveled to the metropolis Hong Kong and Macau!

Day 1

Our flight from Taichung to Hong Kong arrived after 1.5 hours of flight time. We all bought the Octopus-Card, which you can use for every public transport and even payment. Then we took Bus A21 to inner city. I was really excited, because I hadn’t been to a mega city before and also it was another Asia country than Taiwan. At our hostel – Tabi88 – we checked in and hit the City. The location of our base was perfect at the MTR station Tsim Sha Tsui, so we could go in every direction to explore the city very easily.

On the first evening our “tourist”-group went to the night market for some delicious food, before we watched the light show at the harbour, that takes place every day at 8 PM.

Afterward we took the night ferry over the river, dividing the city, to land on Hong Kong Island. The skyscrapers are impressive and back then I could not stop to marvel.

We went together to the Lan Kwai Fong – the party street of Hong Kong – to meet up with friends of one of us. As you all know me, we drank, danced and had a good time until the last of us arrived back at the hostel at 2 AM.

Day 2

With a slight hang over we went to the nearest McDonald’s for an awesome breakfast. It was a rainy day and we did not expect to be that fresh, so we had been a bit unprepared when we hit our next target – Tian Dao, the Big Buddha. Because of the fog, we decided to take the bus instead of the cable car. Arriving at the top, we faced Buddha at 10°Celsius. Or better, we tried to find him in the mist, that was all around. In fact, it made the statue looks even more mystical.

In the afternoon Jacek and me planned to go to Macau. Because the ferry tickets for the 3PM-ride had already been sold, we booked to seats for the one at 6 o’clock PM. To shorten the waiting time, we visited the Museum of Science and it was amazingly interactive. I loved it.

Back at the harbour we took the ferry for a one-hour ride to Macau, accompanied by the puking of at least 15 people. We even jumped once really really far between two waves with the Katamaran. In Macau we took the taxi to the old town, where we had been astounded by the uncanny resemblance of a Portuguese city. Unsurprising, because Macau had been a colony of Portugal until 1999.

We ate awesome food, which was a mixture between Portuguese and Chinese and had a good time at the Portuguese Tomato Restaurant. Our sightseeing trip led us to the Old Fort as well as to the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral and many more.

The Las Vegas of China provided a beautiful hybridization of European and Asian architecture and culture, but our Room-Mate-Trip had to end. We did not gamble, but went home to the hostel to recharge energy for the next day.

Day 3

The weather was way better so we decided to go for a hike on Dragon’s Back in the south of Hong Kong island. The 2,5 hours-trip was amazing! The view, the nature, the path, almost everything. After wandering in the woods we arrived at Big Wave Beach, were we took the Bus home.

The next station was Victoria Peak. It is located on Hong Kong island too and provides an amazing view for you and 100000000000000000000000 other tourists on the visitor’s platform over the beautiful skyline of this City. Unluckily we missed the sunset, but I will watch it together with Jacqueline in January.

Our failed attempt to watch the light show from the other shore did not drain our hunger for the One-Michelin-Star restaurant Tim Ho Wan, which speciality is serving Dim-Sum (dumplings). I know it sounds fancy, but without knowing, I would never think it has a star. After dinner we went home, exhausted from the hike.

Day 4

The majority of our group left on Monday, we were three people. Sabrina and me first visited the Science Museum (I did not finish it with Jacek, that’s why I came back). Then we teamed up with Thomas and went to the 10.000-Buddhas. The place in the north east of Hong Kong was utterly amazing. The pathway, halls, and everything was ornamented with different Buddha idols, so I bet, there had been at least 25.000 statues.

The place could also be named 10.000 monkeys, because we saw 20 wild monkey observing us from their trees. Until they decide to rob the next tourist group behind us. One monkey was luring one women into protecting her child, while another animal grabbed a plastic bag with food inside from the lady. It was organized crime!

In the afternoon we went into a shopping mall, where I could eat a pancake topped with ice (“Eispalatschinke”).

In the evening we went to the next Michelin-Star restaurant – this time it was noodles.

Day 5

On my last full day, I was the only remaining individual of our travel group. Initially, I booked one day more to see cool stuff on my own. Due to the approaching deadline of a part of my thesis, I decided to use the day for writing. First I was sitting in a Starbucks located in the Cultural Centre at the Harbour. Then I moved on behalf of a grumpy cleaning woman to look for a new place to write.

My try to get to the highest tower in the City – Sky 100 – failed, as well as my approach to find other cosy cafés to continue writing. So I went back to my hostel room. There I befriended the other guests and we had a good time. I finally acknowledged that I won’t finish my dues today so I let it be.

In the evening I was with Kex, a friend from Hong Kong, whom I met in Tainan. He and his friends showed me an All-You-Can-Eat-Hot-Pot-Place; and damn, I ate almost all I could eat. It was a wonderful evening and I even learnt nice Cantonese words such as: “Dui”, “Sao Pei La Lei” and “A0 (AZero)”!

Day 6

Finally, my days were count and I went home. Reflecting on the amazing experiences I’d made, new friends I’d got and things I’d seen I jumped into the plane, already looking forward for my next stay in January with Jacqueline.

Hong Kong & Macau, I loved It!

Deutsch

Ich habe 6 Tage in der Magacity Hong Kong verbracht. Ich habe es geliebt! Als mein erster Staat außerhalb Taiwans in Asien war ich mehr als begierig, etwas zu erleben. Hier meine Tagesliste in Kurzfassung:

• Tag 1: Ankunft, Nachtmarkt, Lichtshow am Hafen, Ausgehen in Lan Kwai Fong
• Tag 2: Big Buddha, Museum der Wissenschaft, Macau: Hl. Paul Ruinen, Befestigung, Portugal überall
• Tag 3: Dragon Back (Drachenrücken) Wanderung, Viktoria Gipfel, Lichtshow, Sterne-Restaurant
• Tag 4: Museum der Wissenschaft, 10.000 Buddhas und 10.000 Affen, Einkaufszentrum
• Tag 5: Masterarbeit schreiben, einmal quer durch die Stadt, All-You-Can-Eat-HotPot mit neuen Freunden
• Tag 6: Heimreise