The Chinese New Year in Hong Kong!

So this past Chinese New Year in Hong Kong (the Year of the Ram…because goats and sheep are lame). Ana and I went and spent a week in the this wonderful metropolis! 

Hong Kong is my favorite city in the world. It takes all the crappy bits of mainland China and strips them away, leaving only the best parts. It is also a very English friendly city (compared to mainland) and it is, to me anyways, an almost perfect combination of Seattle (so much greenery), New York (buildings and shops tucked into more buildings and shops) and San Francisco (it’s on the bay and is quite hilly), though it has some of their down sides as well, expensive matchbox apartments.

Hong Kong is neon signs and luxury cars. It is a 20 minute bus ride from 7 million people to lush trees and hills, full of hiking. It is down-to-earth delicious street food and upscale fine dining. Hong Kong has Disneyland and is an archipelago of hundreds of islands. It is efficiency stacked on top of efficiency. Hong Kong is truly a magical city.

It is, unlike its mainland Chinese counterparts, a mish-mash of cultures and people. Everything about Hong Kong screams international and its denizens are quite proud of that, and if you’ve caught the news in the last year, not so keen on their mainland counterparts.

While in Hong Kong, Ana and I enjoyed delicious foods, both street food and otherwise, and were able to enjoy beautiful weather in the middle of February. We ventured out to Stanley, where we were amongst greenery and sat at a pub by the water and enjoyed some drinks. We saw the Chinese New Year parade in Kowloon (crowded…). We enjoyed views from the Peak walked amongst the animals in Hong Kong’s Zoological Gardens. We also took a trip to Macau where we ate absolutely delicious foods, walked throughout the city and didn’t gamble (because it makes Vegas look like a back alley casino no one has been to in years) and had an absolutely amazing week!