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Exploring the other side of Hong Kong
Source: Manila Bulletin
Author: Rachel Castro Barawid
Date: 2001-12-14
 
People who visit this tourist city are instantly drawn to its shopping malls and markets that offer a wide variety of merchandise from clothes to electronics and from jewelry to foods. But unknown to many, Hong Kong is more than a haven for shopping.







This was what I learned when I joined a 4-day familiarization tour of the city recently with a group of journalists from Manila and Cebu upon the invitation of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and Cathay Pacific Airways.



During the tour, our hosts brought us not only to the most popular attractions of Hong Kong but also to the lesser known historical landmarks, and seldom visited cultural and heritage spots. The tour was part of HKTB’s efforts to promote HK’s newest tourism campaign dubbed “City of Life: Hong Kong Is It.”

Our perky and extremely talkative guide, Denny Ip of HKTB brought us to Stanley Main Street on our third day for more sightseeing. Named after the 19th century Lord Stanley, this once small fishing village in the southern district of Hong Kong island has been transformed into a popular shopping and dining destinations. Like in most places around the city, remnants of a rich historic past blend with Stanley’s modern structures. An important icon is the Murray House which depicts one of the oldest examples of Western architecture in Hong Kong.



This restored colonial building was a former army quarters of British officers when it was built in 1844 in Central district. In 1982, it was dismantled to make way for the Bank of China Tower. The Hong Kong Housing Authority rebuilt it in Stanley in 1998, by painstakingly reassembling the numbered bricks that made up the old building. Several upmarket shops and restaurants are now the main features of the new Murray House.



Adjacent to this is a large multifunctional outdoor performance venue while several steps away is the first McDonald’s hamburger restaurant in Hong Kong. We opted to take our lunch, though, at the China House Restaurant inside the 6storey Stanley Plaza nearby. Another alluring sight that caught my attention in this seaside township were the cluster of charming and colorful cottages, palatial country homes on the village slopes and the variety of street stalls, haute couture outlets, souvenir shops, trendy restaurants and pubs that dot the long stretch of Stanley Street.



Each one in our group set forth on our own as we invaded Stanley market’s maze of shops offering silk garments, sportswear, art, Chinese jewelry, watches, toys, curios, souvenirs all at bargain prices. This most frequented open-air market in HK has become so popular that even our government officials plan to develop and pattern our own Baclaran market after it. I was able to use some of my tried and tested haggling skills here in buying a couple of souvenirs for my family back home.



On our way back, we passed by laid-back Repulse Bay, a posh residential area that has a resort-like ambience. Denny said the famous Repulse Bay hotel was torn down to make way for more money-producing Colonial-style houses, condominiums, designer shops and award-winning restaurants. He added that these was also the case in a number of hotels in the city – they were torn down in favor of residential or office buildings that make more money.



After dinner, we went to another shopping area - the Ladies Market in Mongkok, Kowloon. Similar to our Tutuban tiangge in Divisioria, this open-air night market has all kinds of products which are available at very cheap prices.



On our last day in HK, we ventured into the rarely visited Chi Lin Nunnery. As I entered this all-timber monastery, I was struck immediately by its magnificence and imposing contrast to the concrete and high-rise buildings that stand by its side.

Founded in the 1930s, the Chi Lin Nunnery occupies a 30,000 square-meter site at the foot of Diamond Hill. It provides Buddhists a solemn and sacred setting for worship and a place where Hong Kong people and visitors can appreciate Chinese culture and heritage.



The complex was re-constructed according to the architectural design of the traditional Tang Dynasty Buddhist monastery. It took 15 years to build the complex. Materials used for the construction were imported from other countries including Canada. I learned from Denny that a single nail was not used in the construction of the monastery but it was designed to last for at least a hundred years withstanding earthquakes and other natural calamities. Completed in 1999, the wooden structure represents a perfect combination of architecture and art.

The Chi Lin compound comprises a monastery, a secondary school, a cultural center, and a home for the elderly.



For first-time tourists, the best way to learn about Hong Kong’s origins is through a visit to the Museum of History. We stepped back in time as soon as soon as we entered the 2storey museum in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Occupying an area of 7,000 square meters, the permanent exhibition showcases 26-years of dedicated hard work done by its staff in the preservation, collection and research of the materials for the exhibit. Some 3,700 exhibit pieces are displayed in eight galleries along with dioramas and multimedia programs, and supported by special audio-visual and lighting effects.

Upon entering the first gallery, we were transported to some 400 million years back in time for the Devonian Period. Hong Kong’s geography, natural environment and topography are illustrated here complete with fake stone slabs, rocks and fossils that look real. The immense geological changes of Hong Kong complete with special lava effects are captured in a 10-minute documentary show which is available in three languages, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. Similar cinema-like shows summarizing each significant milestone in Hong Kong are provided for visitors in each gallery.



Following next is HK’s flora and fauna which is depicted in a forest of towering trees with many specimens of birds, reptiles and mammals.



The second gallery shows the prehistoric Hong Kong and its ancestors.



The Nanyue people, South China’s first inhabitants and the Qin, Han and Qing dynasties are featured in the third gallery.

The fourth section shows a glimpse of the colorful customs of HK and South China’s four ethnic groups. Among its striking displays are a life-size replica of a fishing junk, a salt field, the reconstruction of popular festive activities such as bun mountains, Cantonese Opera theater, a parade, lion dance and a Taoist altar.



The fifth gallery, meanwhile, outlines the Opium Wars, their causes, events leading up to the war and its consequences. The arrival of the Portuguese in Macau, the 13 hongs of Guangzhou, early Sino-British relations as well as the cession of Hong Kong to Britain are recorded here.



The birth and early growth of the city from the development of its political structure, laws, people’s livelihood, industry, and education are captured in the sixth gallery.



Hong Kong’s dark ages under the Japanese Occupation had been revived in a dark air-raid shelter at the seventh gallery with relics, photogrpahs and videos depicting the horrific battles and the harsh conditions of life of Hong Kong during that period.

The last gallery traces the story of Hong Kong’s postwar development into a modern metropolis, including the 1997 Handover ceremony which marks the return of the territory’s sovereignty to China.



The tour, which turned out to be a combination of a cultural journey and shopping adventure, seemed not enough for me. I felt there were still a lot of places I should have visited. I guess, this is one distinct characteristic that only Hong Kong has — a visitor just can’t seem to get enough of its many offerings.

 

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