We finally got to see some of this city of 7 million people. Yesterday we had an all-day tour, and the weather cooperated but it was hot and humid. Today it is raining, and we are off in a few minutes for a "Heritage Tour" - which our travel brochure describes as: "Hidden away among high-rise apartment towers and busy highways, the past lives on in the New Territories ... a living museum shaped by the rise and development of the so-called five great clans of Hong Kong (the Tang, Hau, Pang, Liu and Man).
I do know that yesterday, several in our group of 65 were motion-sick, as our two huge buses were winding and dipping and swerving around many curves as we toured the hills surrounding Hong Kong and Kowloon. The sights are beautiful.
We toured the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, which is the area where thousands of people live their entire lives on boats. They aren't allowed on land, according to our guide, but the rules have recently changed which allow descendents of these outcast people to live on land if they want to. None do - and the kids don't go to school - they only know how to fish and of course, these people can't read or write.
I will post more photos on an AOL site later today - this tour was fascinating and I have many photos to help you "see" what we saw. I was here in the late 70's for the first time, and nothing has changed in this boat/shelter area, but the city has certainly grown! An architect student would have a heyday here. The world's largest building is being built here, it will be 112 stories high. Right now, the tallest building in Hong Kong is 73 stories high and it is built to sway with the typhoon which we had day-before-yesterday. A 3,500 sq. ft. apartment in this building costs $13 million, U.S. money.
Of special interest to me was the 9-hole golf course in Hong Kong, which is the ONLY golf course around. It has only 300 members, and you have to wait for someone to die to get in, OR pay $11 million to join. There is currently a 20-year waiting list. However, if you want to really play golf, you can drive for two hours into mainland China, where you can play on the world's largest golf course - 216 holes (24 nines as I count). I think it is called Mission Hills if anyone wants to Google it.
OK, we are off for our tour today. More later,
Carol
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