Hong Kong - 17.04.19

After yesterday's sightseeing marathon, I had high expectations for my last day in Hong Kong. My weather app had forecasted bright sunshine and up to 27 degrees for this day. I eagerly pulled back the curtains in the morning, only to be greeted by gray, foggy skies. But there was no rain. The weather app continued to predict that it would be nice. I wanted to believe in that and in a motto we always say on the coast: 'A day must unfold.' Since there were warnings of long queues for the popular viewpoints, I left early that day so as not to waste valuable time waiting in line. Especially because standing in line with Chinese people is not fun. They push and shove, even though there is no reason to keep moving, they like to overtake or suddenly more people come from somewhere and join in, because apparently they belong. That morning, my first stop was Victoria Peak, which is the highest viewpoint in Hong Kong and supposedly offers a great view of the city. I hoped that by the time I arrived at the top, the clouds would have cleared over the skyscrapers. You can reach Victoria Peak by taking the Peak Tram, which is a funicular that is the city's oldest public transportation and ascends the 396-meter slope to the highest point. The track is so steep that the train floor is inclined so that passengers can stand upright better. But I had a seat ;-) My early rising was rewarded when there was no queue at the valley station and I was able to ride the next tram. The ride on the Peak Tram was already adventurous, as the train struggled up the mountain with jerks, and it was funny to see all the skyscrapers through the window resembling the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The view from the Peak was still a bit hazy and cloudy, but already breathtaking. Since I also looked towards Kowloon from up there, I could recognize some places where I had been the day before. I could see that the sun was already hiding behind the clouds, so I passed the time with my breakfast to go. The wait was rewarded, as the sun fought its way through the clouds and now you could enjoy a sunny view of the city. I was very grateful that I could conquer the way up to the Peak and back down with the tram. Because the weather app did not lie about the temperature. But because we had so much rain the day before, it was also very humid. As the next destination for that day, I had chosen Lantau Island, where you could visit the 'Big Buddha' and get there with a cable car ride. Actually, I could have taken the metro directly from Hong Kong Island to the cable car's valley station. But there was still one thing that had to be done on a visit to Hong Kong and what I hadn't done yet due to the weather the day before, a ride on the Star Ferry. So I crossed the waterway with the ferry from Central Pier to Kowloon, instead of taking the metro underground. From the ferry, I could once again enjoy a great view of the skyline of Hong Kong Island and the waterfront promenade of Kowloon. Contrary to the ferry ride in Shanghai, this was a very relaxed crossing that could be enjoyed. Then I boarded the metro in Kowloon and rode it all the way to the Tung Chung terminus, where the cable car's valley station is located. There I was faced with what I had been spared in the morning at the Peak Tram station, an endless queue. It took me almost two hours to finally sit in a cable car. Good thing I had saved time in the morning. When the cable car had covered the first meters, I felt something similar to when a child is born: they say that the pain and everything that happened during childbirth is forgotten as soon as you hold the child in your arms. That's how I felt when the cable car had covered the first meters. Incredibly beautiful and unforgettable. The view was breathtaking and the ride was calm and gentle. I thoroughly enjoyed the over 5km long ride. Upon arriving at the mountain station, I was naturally greeted by an area made specifically for tourists, with souvenir shops and restaurants lined up. Before I dared to climb up to the Big Buddha, I fortified myself with a lunch that looked like when you order fried noodles at a Chinese restaurant in Germany. But after climbing the Great Wall of China last year, the ascent to the Big Buddha was a piece of cake. Standing in front of this huge, towering Buddha statue was already impressive. The panoramic view with the hanging clouds in the mountains was also great. In the late afternoon, I made my way back down with the cable car, again incredibly beautiful, and took the metro back to the city. Since the beginning of planning my trip, it was clear that I definitely wanted to spend Wednesday evening at 'Happy Valley'. Happy Valley is located on Hong Kong Island and is home to the weekly horse races. Every Wednesday evening, a total of 8 horse races take place there. Thousands of people gather on the stands and along the race track to celebrate and cheer on the races while enjoying beer and fast food. There is a festive atmosphere. That was definitely an unforgettable highlight of my stay in Hong Kong. I traveled to and from Happy Valley with one of the countless double-decker trams. This was also an experience that is part of a visit to Hong Kong. During the journey there, I realized how much of the Hong Kong Island district I had not yet seen. The tram made its way through the traffic-clogged streets and I could absorb the pulsating atmosphere of the crowd pushing along the sidewalks. Since it was already dark, everything was brightly lit. With all the lights and the countless shops and restaurants, my senses were completely overwhelmed, as I didn't know where to look first and last. Amazing!

Back at the hotel, the evening passed quickly as I fell into bed completely exhausted after taking a shower, as I had been out for 11 hours that day. I quickly fell asleep with all the impressions.