Upon reaching Pier 6, I walked all the way back to the main Star Ferry pier but this time it seemed shorter since I already know where I was heading to. Bus number 15C takes you from the Star Ferry to The Peak lower tram station for HKG$3.20.
The Peak tram tracks
Around 1630 I reached The Peak’s lower tram station (no idea what it means but that was what it said). Bought a return ticket for The Peak’s tram for HKG$30 and then waited along with quite a bit of people. Then the tram came with a host of people coming back from The Peak. Got myself a seat and while waiting for the tram to go, I saw a huge poster advertising the Hong Kong Madame Tussaud Exhibition. There were photos of random people posing with the wax look-alikes of famous people. For some reason the wax statues looked fake to me. The one of Michelle Yeoh looked uneven and unnatural. The poster was a big mistake – I for sure would not visit the exhibition.
After a while the tram started going up the hill. The view uphill was spectacular. At a certain point we were leaning back 45 degrees and to us the buildings outside were all Pisa Towers. But I did not get the enjoy the view so much for there were two very excited females; one next to me and the other behind moving their heads around so much, it was difficult for me to see anything.
We reached The Peak and I just went along with the crowd. Most of them headed to the next building. I decided to go up to the highest level to see the view.
View from Victoria Peak
It was very windy and cold, and my thin cotton jacket was not doing much. So after snapping a few pix with shivering fingers I decided to go back downstairs to the adjacent building, passing by a nice fountain (as if it wasn’t cold enough).
Victoria Peak
Bought a lip balm at Sasa for HKG$21 – my lips were dry and crackly; they deserved herbal butter instead of more saliva.
I went upstairs at the next building and headed for the West section, for the sunset of course. There weren’t a lot of people at that time so I just took in the view and played photographer to two chicks. I then walked to the upper section and again took photos for a Chinese couple and realised that their digital camera was more superior than mine – it could snap the sunset as the eye sees it at that time. My camera could not produce such realistic effects. It can only be an old Sony.
Suanie at The Peak
The couple took a photo of me against the backdrop of the sunset then went off. I stayed around some more admiring the mountains and the setting sun. Felt a bit cheated though, it was quite misty and instead of dropping behind the mountains the sun just disappeared amidst the colour palate of the sky.
Sunset at Victoria Peak
But the view was admittedly stunning, and I took a photo of the area between the main Peak building and the one I was at.
So after the sun went off to the West, I walked to the East section and FUCK! It was real cold – the Northeast wind blew like it has never blown before! Hair was all over the place; once again I became photographer to the Chinese couple I met earlier.
I was SHIVERING…
After the couple left there was only one other person besides me. I stayed for a bit and dropped a coin to use the binoculars – with difficulty since I was shivering so much and my fingers were like ice. It was so misty that the binoculars didn’t do any good.
The sky turned darker and I managed to take a couple of night shots of the city.
View from Victoria Peak at night
Couldn’t take the wind and cold anymore, I was sure that my face was as blue as it felt. I went downstairs in search of McDonalds, since Janice had earlier insisted that I try the McDonalds in Hong Kong. Like an obedient slave girl I bought a (real) hamburger and tea. Just so you know, it tasted like beef burger.
After dinner I went back downstairs and passed by a nice restaurant that looked like a cosy little cottage. The menu displayed outside offered nice-sounding food at very high prices. Another time (when I am freaking rich and famous) maybe.
I’d seen enough of the famous Peak. I was ready to go back to Kowloon.
Went down by the tram again and this time I was able to see the view more clearly. At night Hong Kong Island transforms into a city of lights, it was most spectacular to see. As mentioned earlier Christmas spirit was definitely in the air; some buildings had light displays of Santa Clauses in various poses with his bag, with his reindeer or just standing there laughing.
Again I took bus number 15C back to Star Ferry but this time the top of the double-decker bus was wide open. Of course I sat there even though it was a bit chilly. We passed by buildings after buildings after buildings; I even managed to snap a shot of the cars behind the bus.
Lots of cars
We reached the main Star Ferry and out of nowhere I decided to take the ferry back to Tsim Tsa Tsui instead of the MTR. Queued up with a lot of people, apparently the Star Ferry management does not believe in proper queuing-up lines. I stood behind three well-dressed Caucasian ladies who were talking about someone’s birthday; she got this that this that. Then on to clothes; one of them was wearing a very expensive Yves Saint Laurent skirt. They smelt very nice.
Too bad about heels on wood jetties though.
So everybody grabbed a seat on board the ferry. I was one of the earliest and was happily shifting in my bench when someone in front of me flipped the back leaning wood over. So now everyone was facing the opposite; everyone was facing me. A bit red-faced I turned the wood over as well; hey now I am facing the same side as everyone! Only that some people remarked in Mandarin, “no, she was sitting at the wrong side.”
Nothing much to be said about the journey back except that the display of lights on all the buildings were marvelous. Well, there was a black woman sitting next to me and she defined perfection. Beautifully sculptured face, tall, great boobs, even better booty in her tight blue jeans – too bad her man was kind of old and not so good looking. Love is blind; her diamond engagement ring was certainly glaring. My eyes my eyes!!!
Then we arrived at Tsim Tsa Tsui near the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, but that’s another story.
Read more:
Day 1 : To Hong Kong
Day 2.1 : In Search of Tin Hau
Day 2.2 : The Octopus Strikes Back
Day 2.3 : Flower Crazy
Day 2.4 : Central; A Different World
Day 2.5 : Night Time, Light Time
Day 3.1 : The Buddha Beckons
Day 3.2 : To The Peak and Back
Day 3.3 : This Girl Needs a Beer
Day 4 : Leaving Hong Kong
Some thoughts on Hong Kong
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