A more descriptive blog with a touch of history for you today….
Hong Kong is the most densely populated city in the world. It’s official name is the tongue twisting Hong Kong special administrative region Hong Kong SAR.
A little history for you,
British reign in Hong Kong came down amidst a flutter of Union Jacks and royal family pagentry during the 1997 handover. Britain had won the island from imperial China during the opium wars in 1839 and would later add the New Territories on a 100 year long lease. It was this lease that led to the Hong Kong handover.
While Britain owned Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, the lease on the New Territories expired in 1997 and Britain felt it had little option but to return the whole of Hong Kong to China.
But what country is Hong Kong in? The answer isn’t as simple as it may seem; with its own money, passports and legal system Hong Kong isn’t quite Chinese, but with Chinese flags flying from its buildings and Beijing appointing its chief executive it isn’t quite independent.
Apart from all this……
I ❤️ Hong Kong.
There is everything you need:
Fish n’ chips and Union Jack stairways
Wonderful ice cream
besides those essentials – it’s a wonderful, diverse and vibrant city.
Macau….day tour
20 million Chinese per year 70% of visitors in total visit Macau – 90% of GDP revenue is earned through gambling – 36 casinos in total.
A gambling gene inherent amongst the Chinese is apparently responsible for this.
Macau 60 km away from Hong Kong is a 1 hour ferry ride. Once again you need a passport – once again they have their own currency. So in China there are three territories where you need a passport and change currency. All very confusing.
Personally Macau was not my favourite place, China’s Las Vegas.
Lantau Island was however a wonderful island with beautiful countryside and an old functioning fishing village with a great community spirit.
Leaving Hong Kong tomorrow – the question I always ask myself – would I return? Indeed I would.
Goodbye China ❤️