Hong Kong: NY Times 36 Hours Profile, Tips, etc.!!

[TLCOhio]

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Telegraph yesterday, they had this headline: “Best destinations for January sun” for their list of their top-15 January locations in the world to go for fun warmth. Yes, two of their top suggestions, Hong Kong and Vietnam, were where we visited earlier this year. Makes us feel smart??!!

 

Here are the highlights for Hong Kong and why they rated this city so highly: "Arguably the most fascinating city in the Far East, Hong Kong burns brightly on the map of the region – half Chinese metropolis, half global icon. It calls to every camera amid the skyscrapers which dot the Central district on its core island. But take the famous ferry across Victoria Harbour and you can try the delights of the mainland in Kowloon – not least the Mong Kok area, with its markets and street food."

 

Full story at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Winter-sun-seeker-where-to-go-in-January/

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 241,401 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

From CNN during this past week, they had this headline: “How Hong Kong has changed since handover”  with these highlights: “Hong Kong is a city that never stops moving -- but midway through a 50-year political experiment as it transitions to Chinese rule, not everyone here knows which way they want it to move.  For the traveler, the appeal of Hong Kong is -- as it's always been -- that unique sense of history, energy and landscape. There's nowhere like it on Earth.  Little wonder that so many -- from the Chinese to the British, to the Japanese, and then British again -- have fought over this destination.  It's currently governed under an unusual structure, known as one country, two systems. That means that although it's part of China, it has separate laws.”

 

Interesting background in this CNN story.  When we were there last year, we picked up on these serious questions as to the promise of "British-implemented government system for 50 years."  This story gives more background as to that "situation" and related progress as to the relationship between Hong Kong and the main China government bosses. 

 

Below is a link to the latest in our travels.  Loved the history and sights from visiting the Middle East for the first time. 

 

Full CNN/Hong Kong story at:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hong-kong-changed-handover/index.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For latest live/blog, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[TLCOhio]

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Sunday Times today, they had this headline: “Ultimate guide to Hong Kong”  with this sub-head: "Asia’s self-styled World City is the stopover that refuses to rest up. Here are six essential experiences."

 

Here is a small sample from their story with this highlight: “The new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) cuts the driving time between Hong Kong and its more permissive Special Administrative Region cousin from four hours to just 40 minutes. For now, access is solely for coaches departing from an artificial island by the airport. Yes, it’s a faff, and yes, you could get a ferry from central Hong Kong. But how often do you get to experience the fruits of one of the world’s great engineering feats? Nine years in the making, more than £15bn spent — largely subsidised by China (the ultimate bridging loan?) — it’s 20% practical engineering project, 80% ostentatious show of might.”

 

Here are a couple more story highlight: "First opened in 1928, the Peninsula hotel is not so much grande dame as beguiling starlet who thrives on reinvention. It has a fleet of deep-green Rollers, the queue for afternoon tea in the impossibly ornate lobby would stretch halfway to Lantau Island if they allowed it to, and every last detail bears the hallmark of quality.  Hong Kong has one of the greatest wealth disparities of any city, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Kowloon. Just a couple of miles north of the luxury hotels and Bvlgari-draped shoppers of Tsim Sha Tsui is the working-class district of Sham Shui Po."

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/travel/ultimate-guide-to-hong-kong-kxpb0mk6s

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 220,020 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[TLCOhio]

From the Los Angeles Times yesterday, they had this headline: “China’s government condemns Hong Kong protesters for violence” with these highlights: “China’s central government on Tuesday condemned Hong Kong protesters who smashed their way into the legislative chambers a day earlier, while demonstrators used social media to illustrate their fears of dangerous confrontations with police.”

 

Am concerned long-term for Hong Kong and how their "situation" will evolve and possibly allow freedom to exist and continue for this city/area.  Am following this story closely and hoping for the best.  Here is more from this story: "Hundreds of thousands had marched peacefully across the city on Monday — the 22nd anniversary of the former British colony’s handover to Chinese control — in protest of an extradition bill that would allow Hong Kong to send suspected criminals to mainland China for trial. But hundreds of protesters in another part of the city smashed their way into the legislative building and vandalized its central chamber. Pro-democracy lawmakers outside the legislative building said Tuesday that they didn’t condone vandalism, but also appealed to the public to try to understand the desperation felt by some protesters."

 

Full story at:

https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-hong-kong-protests-china-violence-20190702-story.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 47,644 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

[TLCOhio]

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “Half-Full Hotels and Cheap Rooms: Hong Kong Tourism Suffers Worst Month” with this sub-head: "Drop is one of the clearest signs antigovernment protests are decimating parts of the local economy". 

 

Here are more of their story details/highlights: “The number of tourists visiting the city suffered one of the biggest drops on record in August, one of the clearest indications that months of antigovernment protests are decimating parts of the local economy.  Tourist arrivals in Hong Kong fell 40% last month from a year ago, the worst decline since May 2003 when the city was grappling with the SARS virus that killed hundreds.  Visitors and shoppers are getting caught up in the clashes, which have sometimes turned violent, quickly move between districts and have shut subway stations for hours at a time.”

 

It's a sad, challenging situation there in Hong Kong.  Given our time there early last year, we are following these stories closely and hoping for the best in the future.  

 

Full WSJ story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/half-full-hotels-and-cheap-rooms-hong-kong-tourism-suffers-worst-month-since-sars-11568025894

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Just completed Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Lots of visuals and details from our first visits to these scenic areas!!  That live/blog is at: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

 

Or, you could simply do a quick Google search with these terms: 

Live Terry/Ohio Muse Alaska

[dabear]

Thanks Terry: we were in HK just before it was turned over to China and the people were quite concerned about their rights and liberties. We are going to HK again in October,  20+ years later  and now we are concerned about our freedom and safety.  What a shame as it appears to becoming out of control and the Chinese military may ultimately intervene.

[TLCOhio]

On 9/9/2019 at 11:12 AM, dabear said:

Thanks Terry: we were in HK just before it was turned over to China and the people were quite concerned about their rights and liberties. We are going to HK again in October,  20+ years later  and now we are concerned about our freedom and safety.  What a shame as it appears to becoming out of control and the Chinese military may ultimately intervene.

 

How did you October 2019 visit to Hong Kong work?  Added insights, background and reactions?  From recent reading, "things" still seem to be very tense and uncertain there.  Other comments and experiences by others to share?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 16,728 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[dabear]

Hi Terry: We arrived on a Monday & departed for a cruise  on Wednesday. Our research reflected that most of the disturbances occurred on weekends on Hong Kong Island. We decided to stay on Kowloon Island. We were fortunate that nothing occurred nor did we have any problems during our stay. We had planned to go to Macau to escape HK but the other couple we were with wanted to see HK. Thus, we took a hoho on both HK Isl. and Kowloon. We were cautious. On another matter, since tourism is down almost 90%, sites were not very crowded and hotel prices dropped from the original rates. It is arguable how long mainland China will put up with the protestors before serious military action is taken.