Hong Kong is well known for its modern skyscraper environment and dense population. I discovered today that it's not all like that.
A 30-minute ferry trip from Hong Kong Island is another, very different, island called Cheung Chau. The difference is immediately obvious when you get off the ferry. You arrive in a small port where the only apparent vehicles are bicycles and occasional scooters. A walk inland (and upward) reveals very narrow, winding streets that are inaccessible to cars, let alone vans or trucks. I believe the few official vehicles (police, fire brigade, ambulance) are specially-designed mini versions of their mainland cousins, though I didn't see any myself. The sea breeze up the hill brought welcome -- but temporary -- relief from the unbearable humidity.
Fishing is still an important activity on the island so the restaurants are well supplied with fresh fish. We had a dinner of squid, crab and assorted other small shellfish, served with fried rice. The restaurant had a wall of tanks with various fish swimming in them, including a huge eel, so I'm fairly sure the contents of our dinner were fresh. (Though I'm not sure when the rice was harvested.)
Back at the hotel we finally cracked open the most widely-travelled bottle of champagne in China. It arrived with me in Beijing on 23 July; came with me to Xian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Kunming, Dali where it stayed in left luggage for the Lijiang and Shangri-La legs; then on to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and finally to Hong Kong.
A 30-minute ferry trip from Hong Kong Island is another, very different, island called Cheung Chau. The difference is immediately obvious when you get off the ferry. You arrive in a small port where the only apparent vehicles are bicycles and occasional scooters. A walk inland (and upward) reveals very narrow, winding streets that are inaccessible to cars, let alone vans or trucks. I believe the few official vehicles (police, fire brigade, ambulance) are specially-designed mini versions of their mainland cousins, though I didn't see any myself. The sea breeze up the hill brought welcome -- but temporary -- relief from the unbearable humidity.
Fishing is still an important activity on the island so the restaurants are well supplied with fresh fish. We had a dinner of squid, crab and assorted other small shellfish, served with fried rice. The restaurant had a wall of tanks with various fish swimming in them, including a huge eel, so I'm fairly sure the contents of our dinner were fresh. (Though I'm not sure when the rice was harvested.)
Back at the hotel we finally cracked open the most widely-travelled bottle of champagne in China. It arrived with me in Beijing on 23 July; came with me to Xian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Kunming, Dali where it stayed in left luggage for the Lijiang and Shangri-La legs; then on to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and finally to Hong Kong.
