Day two: Adventures in tall places!
Alright, I know, I'm a whole day behind in updating this thing (yesterday's blog at 11PM), but I only just found a decent internet cafe to replace the crappy connection in my hostel. (BTW, I love the fact that, in this city, everything is open so late. It suits my style to have shops open 'til 10PM or later every night).
So I had decided that Thursday would be the day that I endeavoured to get up inside as many of HK's tall buildings as I possibly could. After talking to a lady at the tourism bureau the day before, I discovered there were three such buildings:
2 IFC - Hong Kong's tallest at over 400 metres, 2 IFC is a relatively new building (built in 2002 from memory). Befitting its status, it was also the strictest place to get into. The tourism lady had told me that there was a library of some sort on the 55th floor, but nothing else. When I walked in, a security man asked me where I was headed, and I told him everything I knew "I'm going to the library on the 55th floor". Anyway, that seemed to be enough, as he directed me to a lady at a desk who took a look at my passport and printed me up a visitors pass.
On arrival at floor 55, I discovered that the library was that of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and that there was an exhibit on money up there. So I browsed the exhibit (preeeety boring) and took some photos of the view (preeeety amazing), then headed back down.
My next target was the 43rd floor of the iconic Bank of China building, which I had been told was publically accessible. taking the tram (which is quite a throwback in a city of super subways and trains, but a nice leisurly ride and a bargain at 2 HK dollars per trip), I arrived at the incredible building (look up some pictures of it, you'll see what I mean), waltzed right in, walked up to the elevators and took the express to the 43rd floor. Turns out it's a sky lobby, where you can transfer to an elevator for the upper floors, but the guy at the desk seemed to be quite used to tourists. A bunch of snaps later, I went back down and took the subway to Wan Chai, where my final target for the day was.
When I arrived in Wan Chai, I paid a quick visit to the Wan Chai computer market (another one of these shopping centres with dozens of tiny stores packed into a small space). I saw the camera lens I had been planning to buy while I was out here, and found that I could get it for significantly less than anything I could find in Australia (with a HK warranty, of course, but I was sure to check that everything was in working order before buying) - So I got a quote of HK$1350 from one store, and was just gonna go withdraw some cash to get it - then I dropped by another place, and the guy was quoted me 1350, so I thanked him and was about to leave we he said "You paying cash?". "Maybe" I replied. "1250". So I went and took out the money, but when I got back, the guy who had offered me 1250 had gone cold - 1280. Oh well - I tried to talk him back to 1250, but 1280 was as good as I was gonna get - and I was happy, I woulda paid 1350 for it :P My first haggling experience.
Anyway, I proceeded to Central Plaza, my last tall building for the day, and made my way up with new lens in hand. Central's views are probably better than the other2 buildings, just because it's 360 degrees around a sky lobby, rather than the limited angles of 2IFC and BOC - but at 46 floors up, it's lower than 2IFC, and the building isn't as nice as Bank Of China. Either way, I snagged some nice shots and came back down to the ground
Next, I went back to Victoria Park before visiting the library and writing yesterday's blog. On the way out, I spotted a congregation of birds which I've been seeing a bunch since I arrived in HK - some kind of brid of prey, maybe a Falcon or something - I got a few photos, so the bird experts can debate that when I get home. Either way, I suspect that there's such a large population of them because a city like Hong Kong provides a perfect environment - lots of thermals, lots of food and plenty of places to nest.
On returning to Kowloon, I grabbed some dinner (still from 7-11, I'm afraid - I wasn't up to trying a restaurant or fast food joint just yet) and headed north to Sham Shi Po, where I'd read of an excellent computer market - again, one of these incredibly dense warrens of tiny shops - I also visited the Dragon Mall - Did I mention that these people know how to do a shopping centre? 9 stories, big atrium down the middle, ice skating on the 8th floor, video arcade and rollercoaster (yes, a rollercoaster, which twisted through the ice rink and above the 9 story drop, though it wasn't running when I was there) on the 9th floor. Then I made my way back to my hostel, and watched some cantonese TV (still don't understand it) before going to bed.
Alright, well there's day 2 - I know, I'm still a day behind, but I'll endeavour to get back up to speed - though I'm not sure when, as I'm off to Macau tomorrow.
See y'all later,
Jono
Alright, I know, I'm a whole day behind in updating this thing (yesterday's blog at 11PM), but I only just found a decent internet cafe to replace the crappy connection in my hostel. (BTW, I love the fact that, in this city, everything is open so late. It suits my style to have shops open 'til 10PM or later every night).
So I had decided that Thursday would be the day that I endeavoured to get up inside as many of HK's tall buildings as I possibly could. After talking to a lady at the tourism bureau the day before, I discovered there were three such buildings:
2 IFC - Hong Kong's tallest at over 400 metres, 2 IFC is a relatively new building (built in 2002 from memory). Befitting its status, it was also the strictest place to get into. The tourism lady had told me that there was a library of some sort on the 55th floor, but nothing else. When I walked in, a security man asked me where I was headed, and I told him everything I knew "I'm going to the library on the 55th floor". Anyway, that seemed to be enough, as he directed me to a lady at a desk who took a look at my passport and printed me up a visitors pass.
On arrival at floor 55, I discovered that the library was that of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and that there was an exhibit on money up there. So I browsed the exhibit (preeeety boring) and took some photos of the view (preeeety amazing), then headed back down.
My next target was the 43rd floor of the iconic Bank of China building, which I had been told was publically accessible. taking the tram (which is quite a throwback in a city of super subways and trains, but a nice leisurly ride and a bargain at 2 HK dollars per trip), I arrived at the incredible building (look up some pictures of it, you'll see what I mean), waltzed right in, walked up to the elevators and took the express to the 43rd floor. Turns out it's a sky lobby, where you can transfer to an elevator for the upper floors, but the guy at the desk seemed to be quite used to tourists. A bunch of snaps later, I went back down and took the subway to Wan Chai, where my final target for the day was.
When I arrived in Wan Chai, I paid a quick visit to the Wan Chai computer market (another one of these shopping centres with dozens of tiny stores packed into a small space). I saw the camera lens I had been planning to buy while I was out here, and found that I could get it for significantly less than anything I could find in Australia (with a HK warranty, of course, but I was sure to check that everything was in working order before buying) - So I got a quote of HK$1350 from one store, and was just gonna go withdraw some cash to get it - then I dropped by another place, and the guy was quoted me 1350, so I thanked him and was about to leave we he said "You paying cash?". "Maybe" I replied. "1250". So I went and took out the money, but when I got back, the guy who had offered me 1250 had gone cold - 1280. Oh well - I tried to talk him back to 1250, but 1280 was as good as I was gonna get - and I was happy, I woulda paid 1350 for it :P My first haggling experience.
Anyway, I proceeded to Central Plaza, my last tall building for the day, and made my way up with new lens in hand. Central's views are probably better than the other2 buildings, just because it's 360 degrees around a sky lobby, rather than the limited angles of 2IFC and BOC - but at 46 floors up, it's lower than 2IFC, and the building isn't as nice as Bank Of China. Either way, I snagged some nice shots and came back down to the ground
Next, I went back to Victoria Park before visiting the library and writing yesterday's blog. On the way out, I spotted a congregation of birds which I've been seeing a bunch since I arrived in HK - some kind of brid of prey, maybe a Falcon or something - I got a few photos, so the bird experts can debate that when I get home. Either way, I suspect that there's such a large population of them because a city like Hong Kong provides a perfect environment - lots of thermals, lots of food and plenty of places to nest.
On returning to Kowloon, I grabbed some dinner (still from 7-11, I'm afraid - I wasn't up to trying a restaurant or fast food joint just yet) and headed north to Sham Shi Po, where I'd read of an excellent computer market - again, one of these incredibly dense warrens of tiny shops - I also visited the Dragon Mall - Did I mention that these people know how to do a shopping centre? 9 stories, big atrium down the middle, ice skating on the 8th floor, video arcade and rollercoaster (yes, a rollercoaster, which twisted through the ice rink and above the 9 story drop, though it wasn't running when I was there) on the 9th floor. Then I made my way back to my hostel, and watched some cantonese TV (still don't understand it) before going to bed.
Alright, well there's day 2 - I know, I'm still a day behind, but I'll endeavour to get back up to speed - though I'm not sure when, as I'm off to Macau tomorrow.
See y'all later,
Jono
posted by Jono Russell at 7:03 AM
4 Comments:
Hi Sweetie, as usual a really interesting blog and a really interesting day!! SHame that you can only get into 3 of the big buildings, but sounds like they were well worth it. You will have to venture into the restaurants at some stage - that was one of the things you were aiming to do - try lots of different food!! Things over here are as usual, Pippa has started school and got the job at Maccas (yay) and Ryan is using your bed this weekend. Have fun in Macau.
Mum
Hello again,
I hope you got a lot of pictures of the view from those tall buildings. I didn't take any pictures myself because I didn't have a camera when I was over there. Hooray for shopping centers with rollercoasters! It keeps the kids happy while the parents do the shopping. By the way, those birds you saw might be cormorants. They're used by fishermen in Hong Kong and other asian coastal towns and cities. Well, we'll look at the pictures when you get back and have a guess at what they are. Have fun in Macau.
Northfield
! Congratulations Pip! when do you start?
David: They're not cormorants, these are full on birds of prey - eagles or something.
A rollercoaster!!?!?! wow! i hope you took photos! and yes, i look forward to a bird debate :P buildings to rival the menzies? i bet you were thrilled ;) congratulations on your exceptional people skills throughout the day, it certainly seems to have gotten you around! and yay for the camera lens! we're missing you at all our stuff. got plenty going on, trying to not be too jealous :P have a good one!
Cass
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