27 DEC 2020 · They say that, if you only see one thing in Hong Kong, it should be Victoria Peak. Being the highest point in Hong Kong, it has the most beautiful view of the city and harbour. About 7 million tourists come to Victoria Peak yearly to enjoy the view and wander around in the commercial centres. One of them, the Peak Tower, offers the highest 360 degree observation platform that rises 428 meters above sea level.In the 19th century, the peak and its slopes attracted the European residents of Hong Kong because of its breathtaking views, clearer air and better climate. For some time, the peak was a restricted living area for Europeans, but later it developed into a very rich neighbourhood, which it remains until today. The most expensive location in the world is located nearby, on Barker Road, a little downhill from the main observation deck. If you walk a little further up the hill, in Mountain Lodge, the former Governor's summer residence, you will find the beautiful Victoria Peak Garden - a quite peculiar Chinese style garden with vast open space and large lawns.This is a truly beautiful yet somewhat touristy area in which to walk around, enjoy the panoramic views, shop and dine, so we are going to leave you here to enjoy yourself.We hope that you enjoyed the tour and that you will not get lost on your way back. Photo 1 hong kong panorama 2011 dusk victoria peak by chensiyuan is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

27 DEC 2020 · On your right, you can see the beautiful Man Mo Temple. This is the oldest temple in Hong Kong, devoted to two deities - Man Tai (the god of literature) and Mo Tai (the god of war.) Ambitious students and scholars seeking career success in Imperial China come here to worship these gods.The construction of this temple began in 1848 and was initiated by wealthy Chinese merchants. Man Mo temple is the main part of a three block complex, including also Lit Shing Temple and Kung So.The temple consists of two halls connected by a covered courtyard. In the back hall, there is an altar with intricately carved statues of the deities on it. Man, the god of literature, is dressed in a green robe and holds a writing brush, while Mo, the god of war, is depicted holding a sword, dressed in red. During the 20th century, the locals often came here to solve their disputes when the British law needed to be avoided. The decision process included killing a chicken and burning a piece of paper.While you were walking towards the temple, you might have noticed a very peculiar smell - it is caused by burning incense coils. A massive amount of these is burnt inside the temple - the air becomes blue even. Daoist practitioners believe that the gods use these scents as food, that is why there are so many of them. You could also burn some incense coils; just make sure you get three - for the past, present and future. Man Mo temple has historical values and represents the traditional social organization as well as religious practices of the Hong Kong community. It is also a fine example of vernacular Chinese architecture. Photo Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong (6847509486) by Michal Osmenda is licensed under CC BY 2.0

27 DEC 2020 · You are now walking along Hollywood Road, the famous Hong Kong street. Strolling along Hollywood Road and its surroundings could be a tour by itself. However, we are not going to do that, for you have already seen so much and walked quite a long way. So, Hollywood Road is one of the oldest streets in Hong Kong. It was not named after the American film production centre, as anyone could have guessed, but together with it. It has always been an extremely busy commercial centre since, earlier, the street was located very close to the coast, so sailors and traders would come here to shop. This has not changed much - Hollywood Road is still known for its outstanding shopping tradition. This is also a famous place in which to buy antiques and artwork. You can find some old furniture, ceramics, objets d’art, old photos and so on. Also, there are lots of nice little restaurants and cafes. However, because Hollywood Road is located in the centre, the prices are rather high. Photo Hollywood Road 2 by Terence Ong is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

27 DEC 2020 · Right above the road you can see covered galleries - the so-called Mid-level Escalators – the world's longest covered outdoor escalator which goes through the streets of the steep hillside of Victoria Peak. It is 800 meters long and 135 meters high, and it takes about 20 minutes to travel the length of it.In fact, the mid-level escalator is not one, excessively long escalator, but rather a series of 20 escalators and 3 inclined moving walkways connected by footbridges.The project was conceived in 1987 in order to increase vehicular traffic in the area. Since 1993, the escalator has been in operation. In the beginning, it was severely criticised for its poor performance, but then the project was restructured and performance improved immensely. The mid-level escalator became extremely popular, and it carries over 55,000 people per day. We would love to take you on an escalator ride, but unfortunately it is impossible. Due to the lack of space in the area, the escalator travels on in one direction at a time so, from 6 am to 10am, it goes downhill and, from 10am till midnight, it goes uphill, which is not the direction we want to go. Photo HK Central Cochrane Street Central-Mid-Levels escalators Upsidedown by WingLuk is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

27 DEC 2020 · The Old Police Station on Hollywood road is another monument to colonial times in Hong Kong. In 1841, the magistrate’s office was moved here and later it included a police station as well as a prison. The oldest surviving structure of this complex is a three-storey barrack block. Other blocks were added in 1905, 1910 and 1925. The headquarters, a beautiful granite building executed in the Greek-revival style facing Hollywood Road, was constructed in 1919. Because of the large number of migrants from mainland China, the number of police stations and policemen also increased. The need to control newcomers led to the construction of other police headquarters after WWII and so the importance of this one declined. Up until recently, this building was more or less abandoned, but now the site is undergoing a "revitalisation project" in order to turn the former police station into a centre for arts and leisure. Photo Barrack Block Central Police Station 201012 by Tksteven is licensed under CC BY 3.0

27 DEC 2020 · While you were walking along Upper Albert Road, you could already see the gardens on your left so, after a short detour, here is one of the entrances to them.Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical gardens are located on the north slopes of Victoria Peak; that is why the roads are hilly and curvy here. The highest point in the park is 100 meters above sea level. It is one of the oldest parks of this kind in the world. It was founded in 1871 and, from the beginning, managed to recreate the natural environment and atmosphere. You can find more than 1,000 species of plants and over 500 species of animals and birds in the Gardens. Initially, it was primarily a botanical garden, but later animals also were brought here, so now the park is divided into two parts - the eastern part is also called the Old Garden and mostly houses botanical exhibits, whereas the western part is newer and dedicated to mammals and reptiles. The two parts are separated by Albany Road, where you came from, and are connected by an underground pedestrian tunnel for easy access. The gardens have a large aviary, and extraordinary bamboo, camellia, herb, azalea and palm gardens. There is a large area to wander around, so everyone can find a place they like.The Gardens are a beautiful, quiet, serene place, where one can rest and relax right in the middle of Hong Kong – a busy, swirling city. Photo Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens Main Gate by hkgalbert is licensed under public domain

27 DEC 2020 · On your right, you can see the main entrance to Government House. You will be unable to take a detailed look at it from the road, so we encourage you to go through the gate and draw closer to the building itself.Government house is yet another landmark left by the British colonists; it was constructed in 1855, only a few years after Hong Kong became a British colony.The main building is built in an elegant, neo-classical Georgian style, yet it has certain colonial elements that just add to its ambiance. Twenty-five out the 28 colonial governors took up residence in this beautiful house and every one of them performed certain redecorations and renovations. The major one took place around 1890 when an annex was added to the main building. Another substantial change happened during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, when the house was the residence of the Japanese Military Governor, so he decided to make some changes, and the central tower was added to the whole complex, so now Government house is a peculiar blend of Western and Eastern architectural and design traditions. Every year, the house opens its doors for a day, so everyone can enjoy the beautiful decorations and design solutions in the interior. The locals state that it has become a touristic attraction for mainlanders and so it becomes increasingly crowded every year. Anyway, even if you are not here on the open day, you can just enjoy the beautiful front lawn and back garden of Government House. Then, please go back to the road, so that we can continue the tour from there. Photo HK Government House 2005 by [2] is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

27 DEC 2020 · Once you reach the intersection, St John's Cathedral will be immediately in front of you, so you need to cross the intersecting street in front and then look to your right. St John's Cathedral is a sublime yet very modest church and also one of the oldest surviving ecclesiastical buildings in Hong Kong and the oldest Anglican church in the East. It is an elegant exemplar of 18th century British architecture, an eloquent embodiment of the Gothic Revival style, so you can see that the decorations somewhat replicate the 13th century Gothic tradition. It was finished in 1849 during the era of colonial expansion and missionary zeal when the British felt the need to erect numerous churches in their colonies. On Christmas morning 1941, the devoted congregation gathered in the cathedral for the last mass before the Japanese forces laid siege to Hong Kong. During the occupation, that took place up until April 1945, the cathedral was turned into a club for Japanese officers. Some interior decorations were lost then, unfortunately.St John's Cathedral is open daily from 7am to 6 pm and the majority of services are conducted in English. Photo St. John's Cathedral 01 by Elisa.rolle is licensed under  CC BY-SA 3.0

27 DEC 2020 · Hong Kong Park is a beautiful green zone squeezed in between skyscrapers and highways. It was opened in 1991, and has been a popular city destination ever since. Every year, about a million people come here in order to enjoy its calmness and serenity. Flowing water has been chosen as a theme for this park, linking different parts by waterfalls, streams, ponds and artificial cliffs. The landscaping of this park has won many awards from all over the world and it appears to be a real gem. The park captures a natural landscape, but also houses the world's biggest aviary and very special museum of tea ware, located in Flagstaff House, a historical Victorian building. The Tea Ware Museum is part of the Art Museum and it houses the most special and unique collection of china and tea ware.The aviary is an area of 3000 square meters surrounded by net, so birds can fly freely without feeling caged. Here, you could also find a 6-storey children’s playground (each storey is meant for a different age), where your kids will have loads of fun while you are enjoying the area.If you want to have a little break, this will be just the place. If you do not wish to do so, please follow the road that runs beside the park. Photo Hong Kong Park 3 by HK Arun is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

27 DEC 2020 · The tower of the Bank of China is a truly special Hong Kong skyscraper. This very recognisable 72-storey building is 315 meters high (367 if the roof masts are included.) The Bank of China Tower was the tallest structure in Hong Kong from 1989 to 1992, but now is only the fourth tallest. There is a small observation deck on the 43rd floor that offers a breathtaking view of the city and harbour. Go on up,, if you are interested. The construction of the Bank of China was finished by 1989. It was designed by the famous architect, Iong Ming Pei, who also worked on the Washington Art Gallery and the modernisation of the Louvre. However, it should be noted that Pei was the son of one of the Bank of China’s top managers, so that is why he was chosen for the project, and he performed extremely well. The building consists of four prism-shaped towers that differ in height, which creates the sense of dynamics. On the menu, you can see a detailed plan of the building. These columns in turn consist of glass and steel triangles arranged in diverse positions. The variety of glass planes and angles makes the reflected light absolutely stunning. It is just as beautiful at night, with artificial lighting coming from the inside. It is believed that the architect was inspired by the bamboo plant. The pure asymmetrical geometry of the building resembles a section of bamboo trunk, reaching high up into the sky. The tower is a symbol of the strength, vitality, growth and rapid development of the Bank of China as well as the whole of Hong Kong.However, it received quite a lot of criticism from feng shui practitioners because of its sharp edges and X shapes which have negative connotations. Feng shui is very important for Cantonese people, so the architect had to change his initial design to make it better incorporated into spiritual practices.The Bank of China Hong Kong owes the whole building, although occupies only about the 20 bottom and 4 top floors; the rest are leased out. The tower is an example of late 20th century Hong Kong architecture that is well-known throughout the world. Photo HK Bank of China Tower View by WiNG is licensed under CC BY 3.0