HK and Macao

Last weekend I took a little trip to Hong Kong. I went alone (though pity is wasted on Amy--she has expressed her opinion that she has no interest in seeing Hong Kong on several occasions), and it was quite an experience. I arrived in HK on Friday via the ferry from Shenzhen. HK is definitely an amazing place--container ship after container ship can be seen leaving the port at almost any time of day--and it seems to rise straight out of the sea. My first visit was to Victoria Peak, the ideal place to see the skyline, as there are too many buildings to get the proper perspective from ground level. Unfortunately, the haze had set in by the time this picture was taken, but I waited at the top for nightfall, when the haze seems to enhance, not detract from, Asian city skylines. The wait was worth it, as the view was breathtaking.


Saturday I woke up early and headed to Macao, the former Portuguese colony an hour away by fast ferry. Nowadays, Macao is known as being the Las Vegas of Asia, but is also known for its colonial architecture and cuisine. My reason for traveling was as much "When else am I going to be an hour away from Macau?" as it was for the food or scenery. With its tropical climate, humidity, gambling, and colonial architecture, Macao struck me as a cross between Miami and New Orleans (pre-Katrina), with a Portuguese-Asian flair. Here is a picture of the symbol of Macao, the facade of St. Paul's, along with a picture of the runaway winner of the world's ugliest building. No other nominations can be accepted at this time. Unfortunately, this building was visible from all over town, and it was so overwhelmingly ugly that I had to take pictures of it from multiple perspectives.