Early in the morning, we took the subway to Causeway Bay station. We wanted to buy a special box containing two bottles of Absolut Vodka for a friend at a trendy boutique. Unfortunately, the limited-edition collector's box had already sold out the day before. Since we were already in the area, we made a detour to the Times Square shopping center. It has all sorts of shops, from luxury handbags to electronics. We strolled through the arcades and looked at various gadgets, including the new generation of 3D TVs and the new Nokia Lumia 800 with Windows Mobile 7. The latter definitely needs some improvement!
Hopewell Center
After our shopping trip, we took Hong Kong's famous double-decker tram to the Hopewell Centre. As a fully grown European, you should be aware of the height of the passenger compartment. Long journeys with your head hunched over are really uncomfortable.
The Hopewell Center was one of the first circular skyscrapers in Hong Kong. It has a free panoramic elevator. If you enter the building from the harbor-facing side, as we did, you first have to take the elevator up to the 17th floor. There you'll find the entrance to the glass elevator that goes all the way to the 56th floor. Since it wasn't open around midday, we went to the 52nd floor to finally use our free Regus Gold card (as Miles & More customers). Regus is a global provider of business lounges. We passed the time there with a coffee and writing postcards until we were finally able to take the panoramic elevator shortly after 1 p.m. The ride takes about 30 seconds, and the view of the harbor is magnificent. However, it's not recommended for people with a fear of heights.
Currency Museum on the 55th floor of the TWO ifc Towers
Next on our list of "Free Attractions in Hong Kong" was the Currency Museum on the 55th floor of the TWO IFC Towers. We were already there yesterday, unfortunately to find the doors locked. The easiest way to get there is through the adjacent IFC Mall. Simply walk towards the TWO IFC and take the escalator down to the right. To access the 55th floor, you need a visitor's pass. You can get one at the reception desk on the ground floor by showing a photo ID.
The museum itself probably isn't for everyone. It explains the various security features of the Hong Kong dollar. Tourists like us come up here for the view. Through the panoramic windows, you can see the southern part of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Peak, and the harbor area. Unfortunately, we had bad luck with the position of the sun, and everything was reflected in the window, so we couldn't take any decent photos.
Take the Star Ferry over to Kowloon
After a quick snack at Subway, we took the Star Ferry across to Kowloon. This historic mode of transport, which has been operating since 1898, has become a Hong Kong landmark. We bought a ticket for the upper deck for HK2.20 (approx. €0.20) and the crossing took about 5 minutes.
Kowloon Park
We walked through Kowloon Park, which was a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. It has a swimming pool, an aviary, and several terraces with water features. At the edge of the park, we came across Nathan Road, Kowloon's main thoroughfare. It's lined with luxury hotels, shopping malls, and smaller shops. But it's also rife with Arab and Indian touts trying to force-feed you their business cards for counterfeit Rolex watches or suits on every corner. That kind of thing always gets on my nerves!
Avenue of Stars
On Kowloon's waterfront, we visited the "Avenue of Stars." It's an Asian version of the famous "Walk of Fame" in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, apart from two or three names like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, we didn't recognize any of the other celebrities.
A Symphony of Lights
Every evening at 8 p.m., the city puts on a light and laser show for tourists. Around 20 skyscrapers and buildings around the river participate in the approximately 15-minute show. Appropriate music is played from loudspeakers along the promenade. We thought the show was very good, but unfortunately, the overall effect was somewhat marred by the fact that several buildings were simply not included.
