Hong Kong a long

I just had to make a trek to Hong Kong to apply for a visa. Although I was only able to stay for one night, I had a great time. Let me just tell you, I love Hong Kong. Part of my love for this city stems from my childhood in a small town. There is no other city that I have ever traveled to that truly embodies all the characteristics of a world city that a country boy from Watertown could ever imagine. It's amazingly dense, has towering buildings of glass and steel, and is always awake. Hong Kong also represents the freedom that the world could strive for. Although I'm well aware that there are many problems that it faces, the city nevertheless exudes an air of liberty and freedom that I find intoxicating. I think that, like Muslims to Mecca, all good Libertarians should make at least on pilgrimage to Hong Kong. Anyway, I digress.

I had a great time sleeping in a TINY "room" at The Sun Kong Youth Hostel. I'm not picky so I was satisfied, but the rooms was certainly small, and the TV didn't work. The owner, Peggy, was friendly and picked me up at a Sogo nearby. I spoke Chinese better than she could English so we chatted a bit. She was originally from Fu Jian 福建, a nearby province in China. Later I met with a friend who took me to a great local restaurant, and then a bar at the top of a building in Kowloon, looking over the harbor. The views were amazing, although the music was less than desirable.

The next day I went to the Taiwanese trade office at the Lippo Centre, and from there I explored Central for a bit. I took the tram up to the top of Hong Kong island and took some pictures. The view was simply amazing, although the air was noticeably hazy leaving the horizon covered in smog. After picking up my passport I headed to Kowloon for some exploring, and snapped a picture of the place I stayed on my last trip to Hong Kong, the legendary Chung King Mansions 重慶大廈. I then headed back to Taipei, where I'm typing this now.