2026 Travels

We got to Hong Kong just after the Chinese New Year, and found many of the decorations and festivities still in full swing. Our first venture out was to a local temple, the guide book suggested not going on a weekend, but caution to the wind we did, and I’m so pleased we did. There were thousands of people, incense burning, garland adorned and lucky charm waving visitors, crammed into a limited space with the most complicated crowd control line system imaginable. The crush of humanity, the smell of burning and incense, the noise, it was all fantastic! Such a joyful gathering of people giving thanks, saying prayers, brilliant!

The following days saw us visit The Peak – a hill providing spectacular views of Kowloon, where we were staying and the neighbouring surrounds. Here, the high rise nature of Hong Kong is clearly visible – what a city! Crammed, bustling, vibrant. It also reinforces the fact that Hong Kong is a series of islands close to mainland China. There are numerous busy port areas, all visible from The Peak vantage point.

The following day, we went to Macau. We had to go through immigration and passport checks to enter. Being a nearby island, we enjoyed a very pleasant ferry ride to get there. Hong Kong is modern, formerly administered by the British, and has a certain British flavour in terms of signage, language and the like. It has also moved with the times. Macau was formerly occupied by the Portuguese, and it comes as no surprise that there remains this influence. However, a more different place can’t be imagined. Macau retains the old colonial building style in most of its narrow streets – more alleyways than streets, no pavements for pedestrians in the inner city, who have to hop out of the way for scooters and small vehicles. These buildings are all low rise, maybe 5 or 6 storeys high, residential on top of the small businesses below at street level. There were balconies festooned with bunting, with plants and flowers and washing. There was a certain dilapidation which was both ramshackle and attractive. The streets were busy and food shops and stalls were everywhere. Macau is being developed as a casino venue, a real shame as the few already there are hideous and certainly seem out of place.

We had to go horse racing! Hong Kong’s famous race course, Happy Valley, was a must. An evening trip which was lots of fun. The stadium was enormous, the race course floodlit and the huge number of people, betting punters and tourists alike, was something else!! We had a fabulous time watching the races, taking in the spectacle.

We also had to see the Hong Kong waterfront light show. A syncronised lights and music show, people line up one side, the buildings across the water put on a lights and laser show, with music, on the other. Some chose to get onto one of many brightly lit boats and watch the show from the water – we enjoyed it from the shore, but we had to claim our spot fairly promptly due to the popularity of the event, albeit just 15 minutes long – worth the wait. We were supposed to see this light show again from the ship – we even went up to the Commadore’s Room from which to get the best view. For what ever reason, the ship was late leaving her berth and so we missed it. Would have been fun had it happened!

Our final full day was spent going to Lantau Island to visit the Big Buddha. We’d been impressed by the ease with which we’d been able to use the bus, train and ferry systems. We were able to buy an “elders” travel card, because we are “old” , without the need for ID. The signage, all in English, made it easy for us to get about. We even had a go in one of the iconic skinny trams – which I think look like the night buses in the Harry Potter films. So getting to Lantau Island by train was easy. We took the gondola up the mountainside to the religious site – temples, worshippers, the giant Buddha and more souvenir shops than you can shake a stick at! It was all very impressive, the golden Buddha, the beautiful temple, the swept pavements, the flowers and incense, the tranquillity, despite the crowds.