Trip Report: Hong Kong

Three hours after my last exam at NTU I was on a plane to Hong Kong.  It was another solo trip, but just like before I was quick to meet fellow travelers.  While waiting in line for the plane I meet two Swedish guys who had also just finished their finals at NTU.  We found out we had booked the same hostel in Hong Kong as well so I spent a day with them.  I also spent a few days with a local Hong Konger (citizen of Hong Kong) who studied abroad in Singapore and a couple of other friends from around the world I meet in Singapore.

I fell in love with Hong Kong.  I traveled through eight countries in five months and I can say without a doubt that  Hong Kong was my favorite place.  Hong Kong is a city full of surprises.  In Hong Kong the unimaginable is the regular.   I can't adequately describe how awesome it was in words so I'm going to let the photos I took do the describing instead.

Hong Kong all in one photo: Chinese sail boat, Bruce Lee statue, and massive skyscrapers.

Controlled Chaos walking in the streets of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong harbor.  

A pirate ship casually making it's way through the Hong Kong harbor.

Dolphins and the Power Point.

All of the Iron Man suits from the new movie, on display in a hotel.

An appetizer of duck tongue.  (Quite an interesting dish....)

A giant rubber duck to spread happiness.  Surprises around every corner in Hong Kong...

NTU students from around the world exploring Hong Kong together

The sixth tallest building in the world. 

Trip to the top of the building for cocktails.  

Hong Kong was an amazing city, but what was even more amazing was the perfect hiking trails, beaches, and mountains found in Hong Kong.  Some of the most beautiful nature trails in the world can be found less than ten miles away from the city center.

View from the start of hike.

Beautiful private beaches.

Wild cows live on the hiking trails.... Unbelievable 

Local Hong Konger Stanley giving a tour of his country to fellow NTU students.

Mountains, beaches, and lush forest.  

We also got to see the beginning of one of the biggest festivals in Hong Kong.  The bun festival.  The main attraction at the bun festival is the bun towers; where for hundreds of years competitors have fought to climb to the top of the massive bun towers. ( No joke, it's a race up a hundred foot tower made of dough buns.).  The country was crazy for the bun festival too.

The bun festival championship towers.

The start of the bun tower...

Light show on the harbor.

I cannot wait to go back to Hong Kong!