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A mountainous island, its center of commerce is Central District, not far from Fenwick Pier. The Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank overlooks Statue Square, a public garden with fountains and benches. World famous architect, I.M. Pei, who was born in China and resides in the U.S.,designed the China Bank Building near the Peak Tram.
A superstitious story has developed since the China Bank was topped off. It is a triangular building forming three knife blades, one of which cuts the governor’s mansion in two. When the bank was finished the then governor Youde died of a heart attack in Beijing. Governor Chris Patten had heart problems on taking over the job. Rumor has it that he or one of his staff called in a Fung Sheui specialist who buried a mirror in the ground to deflect the evil vibes and now all is well at Governor’s house.
On Sundays and holidays many of Hong Kong’s domestic workers, mostly from the Philippines, and many from Thailand and Indonesia, fill the parks and streets of Hong Kong. On a stroll through Victoria Park you will not only hear animated conversations in Cantonese, but in Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia and Thai. To the north of Statue Square are the harbor and ferry piers; the Star Ferry to Kowloon runs every five minutes. The Hong Kong Star Ferry Pier is at the end of a landfill which connects to Peddar Street, at the heart of Central District.
During hot seasons you can cool off in one of the many air-conditioned shopping malls; the nearest to Fenwick Pier is at Pacific Place and Queensway.
At Queen’s Road West, you come to the area of Sai Ying Pun. The British flag was first hoisted here in 1841. Side streets on the right take you into a typical Chinese urban area. No space is wasted; noise and bustle are everywhere. Western Market has shops selling specialty gifts, woolen materials and souvenirs. It now contains a theatre and coffee shops.
Off Queen’s Road are ladder streets, leading steeply up to antique-hunter’s heaven. Curio shops are all around ‘Cat Street’, the name for the area up and down Hollywood Road on both sides of Man Mo Temple. The custom in Asia is that shops selling like products gather together making it easy for the shopper. If you are looking for buttons and notions you have your choice of dozens of shops or stalls on one of the ladder streets.
The longest escalator in the world carries masses of people from sea level to Midlevels. It goes down in the morning and up in the afternoon. Make it a part of your walking tour of the area.
Peak Tram
A ride on the Peak Tram to the top gives breathtaking views of Hong Kong. Laid out below is an aerial view from the Central District to Causeway Bay and across the harbor to all of Kowloon. Great on a clear day, it’s even better at night.
Running from the lower terminus on Garden Road every 10-15 minutes (0700 to 2400), The Peak Tram costs HK$25 (HK$36 round-trip), for its steep, yet beautiful, eight-minute ride. The station is just behind the China Bank Building. The #1 yellow - green mini-bus also goes up the Peak and costs HK$8.00 each way.
Once at Victoria Peak, there are many restaurants and shops of special interest to tourists. For some exercise and great photos, follow the three-and-a-half mile path around the Peak. (Exit Peak Tower, turn right) The Peak is crowded on Sundays and holidays, especially in fine weather.
SGA and AWA volunteers at the information booth