III. Hong Kong
Day 30 The Pearl of the Orient
Flying straight to Hong Kong from Siem Reap was too expensive, so we had to come back all the way to Phnom Penh just to get a cheaper flight. We have to be at the airport at 5am to check in. Another day, another early wake up call‌
After travelling for one month throughout Vietnam and Cambodia, our stay in Hong Kong is our cherry on the cake. But only a teeny-weeeny cherry then, because with only 30 hours to visit the city, it’s more like a flyover than a real stay. Our flight back to China is at 7pm the next day. It means that we’ll have to be back in Hong Kong aiport around 5pm. But we’ll have time to worry about it later. We’re not there yet. First, we gotta fly from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh. And then, to Hong Kong.
Flying from Phonm to Ho Chi Minh takes us less than 1h. It’s a very short flight.
Air Cambodia – small airplanes for even smaller budgets‌
We have about two hours to wait till our next flight. Something important about airports – you can’t bring any drink with you from outside. If you want one, you have to buy it inside the airport. Of course, prices are always higher there. Everybody knows that. Still, I really think that some cafes abuse their privilege. Seriously? FIVE US DOLLARS for a can of beer or a fruit juice? In this country, you can get a room for the same price! Shame on them.
Our next flight is a bit longer (3h), but it goes well. The view is quite impressive from above the clouds.
Landing is a bit of a surprise because the landing strip starts on the ocean. I’ve never flown so close to the water before.
In the airport, we get an ‘Octopus Card’ that will allow us to use any bus and subway without buying tickets every single time. It’s going to save us a lot of time and trouble.
Then, we hop on a bus to the city center.
Once we are at the right bus stop, we get off and look for our hostel. It’s a bit hard to find. Thankfully, most people here speak English, so we have no problem asking our way around.
Our hostel is on the 14th floor. Better not be afraid of heights.
The room itself is tiny, but clean and convenient. We woke up before 5am, now it’s almost dinner time. Long day. We’re in HK, let’s go for some dim sum!
Quinn has found the address of a good restaurant. Let’s give it a try. But no tuk tuk this time – thank God - we’ll take the metro. HK’s MTR system is really well designed and efficient. It’s so easy to get by.
Instead, finding the restaurant is almost impossible. Most street numbers correspond to huge buildings, malls or skyscrapers. So we never know if we have to get in and look inside or keep looking further down the street. Even people who work on the same street have never heard of the place. After wasting more than 40min, we finally find it. It was in front of us the whole time, but its sign was higher than expected and hard to see at first. The most annoying part is that the people we asked didn’t even know they were working just next door from it and made us walk around in circles.
Now that we’ve finally found the place, I’m too hungry to only get dim sum. I also have a large plate of fried rice with pork and shrimps, and some milk tea with red beans (a popular drink in China as well)
My first real meal of the day since 5am, but the food is great.
Although Hong Kong is famous for its night life, we are too tired to do anything or go anywhere. Instead, we decide to go to bed early to be up and ready for next morning. Because tomorrow is our grand finale - and there’s no way we’re just gonna sleep in…
Day 31 Among the Stars
This is it. Our final day of vacation. We don’t even have a whole day to stay in Hong Kong, but there are three attractions we can fit in our tight schedule. The Garden of the Stars,Victoria’s Peak, and a tour on a ferry. When we get up, the city is still sleeping.
For breakfast, Quinn tries some fried street food. No thanks. A bit too oily for me,when I just got out of bed.
First, we ride the subway to get to the Victoria Peak tram.
The peak is only a couple of stations away from our hostel. When we leave the subway, traffic is still very light.
This building is the Bank of China Tower, one of Hong Kong’s most identifiable landmarks. It was built in 1989 and was the tallest building in Asia until 1992.
Hong Kong definitely has some interesting looking pieces of architecture.
Just like in most Asian countries, people get together in parks for their early Tai Chi workout exercises.
Along the way, we pass St. John’s Cathedral. Built in 1849, it’s the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastic building in Hong Kong. It was declared a monument in 1996.
After a short walk uphill, we’re now at the Peak tram station. The station is open, but the Sky Terrace we want to go to doesn’t open before 10. We still have two hours to wait. We knew it and we planned accordingly to buy the tickets first to beat the crowd and come back later. So far, so good. In the meantime, let’s go to the Garden of Stars.
The Avenue of Stars is based on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and celebrates stars of the Hong Kong film industry. Set along the waterside, the Avenue makes for a pleasant stroll and offers nice panoramic views across the harbour. For a film lover like me, this is something I don’t want to miss!
But the Avenue is closed for renovation until 2018… Instead, some of the most popular features of the Avenue have been relocated to ‘The Garden of Stars’
From the Peak tram, we ride the subway back to where the Garden of Stars is supposed to be. Weird. According to the map,it should be right here. It’s a garden, it shouldn’t be that hard to find.
Yes it was hard to find. Because when you’re asking someone for a garden, you don’t expect them to say ‘take the elevator to the roof’…
Yep, it’s on the roof. So much for the promenade in a real garden‌ But who cares? Looking at the handprints of our favorite movie stars, we feel like two little kids
A 4.5m reproduction of the Hong Kong Film Award statuette.
Here’s some of the stars that I know of who’ve left their mark in the Garden of Stars.
Chang Cheh was the leading Wu Xia Pian (martial arts movies) director in the 1970s. He made no less than 90 movies until he passed away in 2002. Strong influence on later filmmakers, like John Woo.
Actor, director, producer and martial arts superstar in the 1970s under the Shaw Brothers studios. Often worked with Chang Cheh. Has appeared in over 130 films. He left his mark on the Avenue of Stars in 2004.
Actor, singer, songwriter, musician entrepreneur, and martial artist, Nicholas Tse has won an award as ‘Most charismatic actor’ in 2013. I mostly know him from Tsui Hark’s Time and Tide (2000).
Maggie Cheung has over 70 movies to her credit. She received international fame for her role in ‘In The Mood for Love’ (Wong Kar Wai, 2000). But in my opinion her best performance was in Clean (Olivier Assayas, 2003), for which she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Wong Kar Wai is an auteur filmmaker who received international acclaim with highly stylised movies that combine existentialism, vivid imagery and brooding atmosphere.
Called ‘The Madonna of Hong Kong’ for her tomboy-ish and sexy look, Anita Mui was a very popular singer in the 1980s. She was also a talented actress, often partnered with Jackie Chan. She passed away in 2003.
She has her own sculpture in the Garden of Stars.
One of the most popular singers in Hong Kong,Jacky Cheung also has a sucessful acting career. One of his most powerful roles was in John Woo’s harrowing ‘Bullet in the Head’ (1990).
Actor, director, procucer, martial arts choregrapher, stunt co-ordinator, Sammo Hung was one of the spearhead figures of Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s. He has starred in more than 70 movies and TV series, including many action/comedies. He helped a lot of movie stars launch their careers.
Long time friend with Jackie Chan. According to Imdb, George Lucas originally wanted him to be the lightsaber fight choregrapher for the Star Wars prequels.
Eric Tsang is best known for hosting a variety show called ‘Super Trio Series’. But he’s also a well-known actor, producer and director. I know him from his mesmerizing performance in the ‘Infernal Affairs’ trilogy. (a role played by Jack Nicholson in Martin Scorcese’s US remake)
Gong Li is a multi-awarded Chinese actress who is known for her close collaboration with director Zhang Yimou. She received international fame with ‘Farewell my Concubine’ (Chen Kaige,1993)
Yuen Wo Ping is one of the most influential figures in Hong Kong cinema. A sucessful director and fight choregrapher, his work includes ‘The Matrix’ (Wachowski, 1999), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee,2000), Kill Bill 1 and 2 ( Quentin Tarantino, 2003,2004), and Kung Fu Hustle (Stephen Chow, 2004). Also know for his close collaboration with Jet Li
An internationally acclaimed visionnary filmmaker Tsui Hark is considered the master of contemporary Wu Xia cinema and fantasy epics. His most famous work as a director include ‘Zu Warriors’, the ‘Once Upon a Time in China’ series, ‘Time and Tide’ and ‘Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame’. In 2011, he received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award for his contributions to Hong Kong cinema.
Stephen Chow (born Chow Sing Chi) is one of Hong Kong’s most iconic stars. His comedies (a creative blend of slapstick/kung fu and trademark nonsensical humour) have garnered multiple awards and established his reputation as one of the funniest Asian actors today. His last film, Mermaid (2016) has become the highest-grossing film in China.
In the male-dominated genre of Hong kong action films, Malaysian born Michelle Yeoh was known for years as ‘the queen of martial arts’ for performing her own stunts. She is best known for her role in multi-award winning ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. She starred as Burmese stateswoman Aung San Suu Kyi in ‘The Lady (Luc Besson, 2011). In 2013, she received the Asian Film Awards for her outstanding contribution to Asian Cinema.
Andy Lau has been one of Hong Kong’s most commercially successful actors since the 1980s. His extensive career includes action/thrillers - Running out of time (1999) and ‘Infernal Affairs (2002), historical epics - Warlords (2007) and House of Flying Daggers (2004) and even intimate dramas - A simple life, (2011) He’s also one of the most popular singers, winning an unprecedented 292 awards.
Tony Leung is considered by many to be one of the finest actors of his generation in Hong Kong. In his broad and diverse career, he has already won 7 Hong Kong Film Awards. He has collaborated with Wong Kar Wai seven times. For me, one of his best roles is in ‘Infernal Affairs’ (2002), also starring Andy Lau, for which he received several Best Actor awards.
Tony Leung watches over Hong Kong – from his couch. (Still from ‘Infernal Affairs’)
In his early career, Chow Yun Fat was often cast in romantic comedies. He only became a megastar when he first teamed up with John Woo in ‘A better tomorrow’ (1986), which became an instant classic and set a new standard for HK gangster movies.
In the 90s, his other collaborations with John Woo as a tough-as-nails badass in ‘The Killer (1989) and Hard Boiled (1992 cemented his reputation as ‘the coolest actor in the world’, according to The Los Angeles Times. In the west, he received a wide acclaim for his performance in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’and he had a minor role in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbeans’ series.
Celebrated for his – much often imitated - highly choregraphed, explosive action scenes, that performed like hypnotic ballets, Woo has become a dominant force of the film industry. With ‘Hard Target’ (1993), he became the first Asian filmmaker to helm a major Hollywood feature. His unique visual style has inspired countless filmmmakers. Tarantino quotes him as a major influence. Evil Dead’s creator Sam Raimi once said ‘Woo is to action what Hitchcock is to suspense’. I first discovered Woo with‘Broken Arrow’ when I was quite young and was blown away instantly. And this is one of his minor films… Since then, I’ve seen all his major movies. I especially recommend ‘A Better Tomorrow’ (1986), The Killer (1989), ‘Bullet in the Head’ (1990), Hard Boiled (1992), Hard Target (1993), Broken Arrow (1996), Face Off (1996), ‘Windtalkers (2002), and Red Cliff (2008).
The eternal rival of Jackie Chan became a Hong Kong superstar following his portrayal of legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hung in the ‘Once upon in China’ series. After playing the bad guy in‘Lethal Weapon 4’ (1998), he has gone to star in many Hollywood action movies, notably ‘Kiss of the Dragon’ (2001), The One (2001) and Unleashed (2005). However, his Hollywood career pales in comparison to his Asian filmography. Try ‘Tai Chi Master (1993) ‘Hero’ (2002), ‘Fearless’ (2006) and ‘Warlords’ (Best HK actor award). Jet Li and Jackie Chan first appeared on screen together in ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’ (2008).
The one and only. The most lovable and respected Hong Kong movie star. He has a dizzying array of awards, serving as an actor, director, screenwriter, singer and stunt choregrapher. He holds the record of Most Stunts performed by a living actor (Guinness Book 2012). After his major breakthrough with ‘Drunken Master’ (1976), he took the world by surprise with his unique combination of slapstick comedy and amazing stunt work. His critical highlights include the ‘Drunken Master’, ‘Police Story’ series, ‘Armour of God’, ‘Crime Story ’, ‘Rumble in the Bronx’, ‘Project A’, ‘Who am I?’, ‘Gorgeous’, ‘Rush Hour’, ‘Shangai Noon’, and ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’. Jackie Chan has remained popular with children due to his good-natured acting style and light-hearted comedy. He played himself in his own cartoon series (‘Jackie Chan adventures’) that aired from 2000 to 2005. Despite his household name however, in the 2000s, he grew tired of being typecasted as an action hero, and started to look for more emotional roles, such as in ‘New Police Story’, ‘Little Big Soldier’, and ‘The Karate Kid’. He has left his print on both the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Jackie Chan and Jet Li may be action movie superstars , but Bruce Lee remains the greatest icon of martial arts cinema who’s ever lived. Had it not been for his movies in the 1970s, Eastern cinema may have never come to the attention of Hollywood and influenced mainstream cinema as we know it today. Through only a handful of movies, he paved the way for a new wave of Hong Kong actors and filmmakers who’ve had a successful international career. And he started a new interest for Chinese martial arts in the West (he is the founder of Jeet Kune Do). Thanks to his genuine charisma and lightning fast moves, (the guy could play ping pong with nunchucks!!) he became a world phenomenon and a pop culture icon of the 20th century. He passed away in 1973, but his legacy still lives on.
The view of the bay from the Garden of Stars. When we’ve seen all the handprints, we head back to the subway station.
Nearby, a metro station has been developped as a gallery, with original movie posters, famous title fonts, and a chronological history of Hong Kong cinema.
I’m not familiar with pre-1960s Hong Kong cinema. But starting with the Shaw Brothers ‘s martial arts movies, I’m now able to recognize some of the most famous ones. Here’s Cheng Pei-Pei in ‘Come Drink with Me’ (1966). She was known as ‘Queen of Swords’ for her magnetic agility. Decades later, she would receive global recognition as the villain in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ (2000).
Here we have 3 martial arts legends. Jackie Chan in ‘Drunken Master’ (1978) Bruce Lee in ‘Game of Death’ (1978) Gordon Liu in ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ (1978)
A bit of trivia: Tarantino gave the same black and yellow jumpsuit to Uma Thurman in ‘Kill Bill 1’ and he casted Gordon Liu as one of Crazy 88. Liu also appears as a Shaolin Monk in ‘Kill Bill 2’.
After more than a decade of successful martial arts movies, Hong Kong filmmakers turned their interest to the new genres of ‘crime dramas’ and ‘heroic bloodshed’, which would become immensely popular from the 1980s onward. Here’s Chow Yun Fat in Ringo Lam’s ‘Prison of Fire’ (1987).
Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung’s shenanigans in ‘Project A’ (1983).
Stephen Chow’s hilarious debuts in ‘Fight Back to School’ (1991). Jet Li in ‘Swordsman 2’ (1992).
The cast of ‘Infernal Affairs’ (2002). One of Hong Kong’s most widely acclaimed movies to date.
Mc Dull is a famous cartoon piglet, really popular in Hong Kong, who has been featured in several movies, TV shows and comics. A celebrity in his own right, he even has his own statue in the Avenue of Stars.
We ride the metro and come back to the Peak Tram. The ticket office is now packed with tourists waiting to buy their tickets. Fortunately, we already have our own. We take the first ride up to the peak.
The Peak Tram is one of the most popular attractions in Hong Kong. It has been taking visitors to the peak since the late 1870s, making it one of the oldest continuously operating cableways in the world. Pulled by steel cables, the tram climbs up to 373m. It’s so steep that the buildings we pass look like they’re leaning at a 45° angle. The upper terminus is located below the Peak Tower shopping complex.
Once at the top, you can get to the rooftops of the Sky Terrace for a spectacular 360° panoramic view of Hong Kong.
Just like Cat Ba… (Vietnam) Wow, what an awesome view!
It’s cold, windy, and drizzling. Not the best time to be up here. Fortunately, the fog clears up after 30min. We can only stay here for 1h, so this is going to be as good as it gets. In the meantime, we get an audio tour to learn more about iconic skyscrapers and famous landmarks.
1. Central Plaza – 374m high (tallest building in the world outside the US from 1992 to 1996) 2. The International Finance Centre – 416m high (tallest building in Hong Kong from 2003 to 2010). It has appeared in several Hollywood movies, including ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008). 3. Tregunter 3 – 220m high (world’s tallest residential building from 1993 to 2001). 4. Bank of China Tower - 367m high (first building outside the US to rise taller than 305m in height).
2 4 1 3
In the background, you can see Victoria’s Harbour, a natural landform between Hong Kong island and Kowloon. It also contains the International Commerce Centre – 484m high (the tallest building in Hong Kong since 2010 and the 9th tallest building in the world). Victoria’s Harbour will be our next and final destination for today.
2016 – The Year of the Monkey
On the way to the Ferry, we pass the Space Museum – maybe for another time, who knows.
When we finally get to the Tsim Sha Tsui pier, we get our tickets for the sightseeing Ferry’s Harbour Tour and jump onboard the Star Ferry for a 1h round trip. It’s the perfect way to end the day and a great opportuniy to get closer to the landmarks we’ve seen from the Peak Tower.
The International Finance Centre. The Bank of China (background)
The Convention and Exhibition centre (left) and The Central Plaza (middle). The boat with distinctive red sails is ‘Aqua Luna’. A junk hand built for the Aqua Restaurant Group. It was launched in 2006 and can carry 80 passengers excluding crew.
The Convention centre served as the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997, which marked the transfer of sovereignty over HK from the UK to the People’s Republic of China. Outside the centre, a 6m high gilded flower bauhinia symbolises the handover. Every day at 8am, a flag raising ceremony is held in front of the sculpture.
Cargo boats in Victoria Harbour’s industrial zone.
We are now right in between Kowloon and Hong Kong island. On the right, the International Commerce Centre
After one hour, the Ferry brings us back to our starting point. This is the Clock Tower, built in 1915 and declared a monument in 1990.
At the pier, we get some Indian Kebeb as take away (clearly not the most iconic Hong Kong food but we need something to sustain us on our way to the airport). We get back to our hostel, pick up our bags and hop on the first bus to the airport.
This is it. After one month of intense travelling throughout Vietnam, Cambodia, and Hong Kong, it’s now time to fly home. We’ll arrive in Chengdu around midnight. Good thing our hostel is already booked. Tomorrow, we’ll take the train back to Qingchengshan. Next week, we’ll start teaching again. But first, gotta sort out more than 1000 pictures by myself to complete these photobooks. Never a dull moment…