Hong Kong: Transportation & Tea (11/14/2011)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Aha, a gray day!

Took the MTR and walked towards The Peak Tram station.

Passed the Bank of China Tower:

From this view it looks like its nickname of "Meat Cleaver."

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building:

Built in 1979 as the Prince of Wales Building, and nicknamed the "Wineglass" or the "Upside-down Gin Bottle."

Bank of China Tower fountain:

The St Johns Building:

The U. S. Consulate:

The Peak Tram fountain:

Which one is the wax figure?!

The President of China on the left. I asked Kent who was president of China, and he said, "That's right."
I said, "Who?" and he said, "Yes." Oh, Hu!
Tram display at the Garden Road station:

Tamiko in the ascending tram:

The Peak Tramway was the first mechanized transport in Hong Kong; it is a funicular or cable car. It opened in 1888.
At the Peak Tower station, there was a Poppy Appeal box for Poppy Day.

It's been a long time since I've seen poppies for Veteran's Day.

The Peak Tram arrives at the Peak Tower station:

View through the doors as we head back down:

Passing the other tram:

One of the stations along the way:

Kent is standing straight up:

The tram at the Garden Road station:

We walked through the St Johns Cathedral property:

Blocking Romeo's access to Juliet:

Banyan tree roots:

One of the lions, Stitt, at the HSBC Building:

City trams/double-decker trolleys:

A tram runs on tracks, a funicular is cable-driven, and a trolley has a "trolley," the pole or device that touches the power line.

A side street:

Now we are taking the Travelator:

The longest outdoor escalator in the world:

Except for morning rush hour, it always goes up.

We got off at Stanley Road:

And walked down the stairs:

Our next stop is the Golden Bauhinia Square:

Tamiko with the "Forever Blooming Bauhinia:"

Views of Victoria Harbour:

Our next mode of transportation is the Star Ferry:

The Star Ferry Company began operation in 1898.
As we crossed Victoria Harbour, we looked back on the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre:

Built in 1997 and designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP. The Central Plaza Tower behind the convention center is the third tallest building in Hong Kong. Built in 1995, it is the tower with the four-bar neon clock.
A look back at Two IFC:

With a Star Ferry passing in the other direction.
Looking forward towards Kowloon, the Hotel Intercontinental:

Built in 1973 as The Regent Hong Kong, it became the Hotel Intercontinental in 2001.
The Hong Kong Cultural Centre:

The Old Canton Railway Clock Tower:

Erected in 1915.
The MTR underground pedestrian passageways are marked with green arrows and red 'X'es so that you know where to walk:

We found this a block away from the Goldfish Market:

Glory Bush bloom:

The beautiful view from the Hotel Intercontinental:

The walkway in front of the Hotel Intercontinental is the Avenue of Stars:

The Avenue of Stars is Hong Kong's version of Hollywood's Walk of Fame:

Posing:

Kent with Bruce Lee:

This is the star of Jet Li:

Kent with the star of Jackie Chan:

The star of Bruce Lee:

A replica of the statuette awarded at The Hong Kong Film Awards:

The Peninsula Hotel:

Built in 1928 and founded by the Kadoorie family.

One of the things to do in Hong Kong is have tea at The Peninsula:

Both "sweets and savouries:"

Tamiko & Kent:

Earl Gray:

After tea, we headed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage, catch the shuttle bus to the Airport Express, and head to the airport and home to Shanghai.

My dad would be interested to know the various means of transport we used on our trip to Hong Kong:

1. Airbus A319 airplane

2. Airport shuttle bus

3. Airport Express train

4. Hotel shuttle bus

5. MTR Metro/subway

6. Taxi

7. Double-decker bus

8. City tram/double-decker trolley

9. Ferry boat

10. The Peak Tramway/funicular

11. Travelator

12. Airport people mover