HONG KONG: One Big Buddha, a Cable Car and a French Chinese dinner

Sunday 15^th April: Cable cars, one Large Buddha and one final dinner. VIDEO INCLUDED.

Today is our last full day in Hong Kong, with the visit to the Big Buddha via cable cars and a final dinner reunion as highlights of the day, here is how things unfolded:

12.00pm: We are making our way through HK’s public transport system –tram, metro- to the Big Buddha, the second largest outdoors Buddha statue in the world at 34 metres tall. We will also be taking the cable cars route, which though are not the cheapest, provide great views; and a little bit of height.

As we reach the cable car station, it inevitably reminds me of the cable cars in the Alps, only that instead of skis and gloves I am wearing sandals and shorts. Ah, and there is no snow (in case you had not figured that out yet).

Cable car on our way to the Big Buddha - Cosy towers of flats, and some water; and no snow, booo

 The views are stunning and, as well as the large towers of flats, we can see Hong Kong Airport. An unusual good view of an airport, which comes to show how much is going on everywhere in and around it, on that tiny piece of man-made land.

Hong Kong Airport from the cable car. "Flight XYZ123 landing granted, roger, roger"

12.45pm: We can now see the Big Buddha. And it is big. Sitting atop of a mountain and slightly looking down, it is quite an imposing image. I can’t help to think if they had built a few more around, on the other mountains nearby, the view would be really compelling – DISCLAIMER: I do not know how much costs or how long it takes to build one of these statues, but I am just saying; you read it here first.

The Big Buddha, 34 metres tall. And we are some distance away

As we walk from the station to the stairs to the Buddha, there are plenty of shops and food places. Pablo explains that this development is not more than a couple of years old, if that. ‘Oringinally’ –as our Siem Reap tour guide would have said- there was just the Buddha and little else.

Randomly, we bump into some guys jumping on some tricky little things – sorry, cannot describe them really- while club music plays on. You better watch on:

As we make our way to the staircase, the area becomes less commercial and more mystical, in a way, with some small temples nearby and joss sticks of all forms, shapes and sizes giving the atmosphere a special air.

Once you get closer, it all feels more mystical - and burning.

1.15pm: David and I start our walk up the stairs... Yes, you read well, MORE STAIRS. It was less than 48hrs ago that we had walked up and down more than 6,000 steps on a mighty trek and here we were again.

Thankfully, it was nothing as big as on Friday and surprisingly the legs are feeling quite up for it. A sign maybe that fitness is not so bad after all!

We had paid our HK$25 (about US$3) to get to enter the Buddha, and a free ice cream. However, once you get to the top, there isn’t really much to do or see. Inside the Buddha there are about three floors, with mostly long texts in Chinese (no English translation), some photos and/or memorabilia.

It is funny how we go back here to the concept of quality, the difference between what you expect and what you get. However in this instance, it is a tricky one because inside this Big Buddha, you do not really know what to expect and therefore it is difficult to know what you will get.

In my opinion, what you get is not much – but then again, you just have spent less than £2 to enter; so you cannot really complain that much. [NB: yes, you can read about things online beforehand for free these days to know what to expect, but I hadn’t.]

Mickey was trying to do a runner, but I didn't let him go far.

Somehow, however, you feel a little something different. It may be that you are, literally speaking, a little closer to the big guy up there –whoever and wherever that is. Or it may be that you just have walked up 500 steps to find this; or the grey clouded and slightly windy morning, which has a silent threat of rain and/or storm at any minute. But it feels different.

On our way back we stop to grab some food – and find what I called the ‘Chopsticks Heaven’.

Chopsticks heaven - and some colour

Hong Kong food menus - colourful and alive

The views on the cable car on our way back are, again, quite impressive. I feel like swimming any minute now.

"EVERYBODY listen to me - when I say "do not jump", I mean it. You understand???"

And up close you notice the density of the population here...

A larger-than-life chess board, sort of.

4.00pm: On the way back to Pablo’s flat, I can’t help but notice that we have a “friend” that is following us everywhere...

Big Brother is watching you...

Also, as we enter Pablo’s block of flats, we notice a sign on the lift... I did not know what to feel at the time, so I let you decide for yourselves!

The main thing is not "not to hurt anybody", no. The main thing is "not to commit a criminal offence".
IS THAT NOT CLEAR ENOUGH?!?!?!? Now, happy shooting.

5.00pm: Once back in town we get changed and head straight out for a couple of final beers by the Hong Kong bay, as well as for dinner with Steve and Carol and some other friends.

One final tram journey; you get it.

We make a stop at a trendy shopping centre. So trendy they even have our very own Spanish Jamón Serrano and a few other Spanish delicatessen...

Ese JAMONCITOOOOOOO OLE, OLE, OOOOOOOLEEEE!!!!

8.30pm: We meet Steve, Carol, Frances, Leanne, Macca, Vincent and JD for dinner at a kind of “Chinese Bristo” place – excuse my French. Steve and Carol take care of ordering food, and since Pablo, JD, David and I are present, Steve has no repairs in ordering food for like 20 people.

It turns out to be a delicious dinner with all sort of meaty, fishy and vegetables dishes – all very good and impossible for me to describe. But rest assured we didn’t leave anything. After dinner we have a couple of final drinks on the street in a busy area, particularly for being a Sunday night and we have a relatively early night.

One final walk around HK at night - a city that virtually never sleeps.

BYE BYE HONG KONG: It is a great way to end what have been some fantastic few days in this crazy, little city. Not only did I have the chance to spend some good time with Steve and Pableras again, we did many different things to the ‘typical holiday’ and it really feels like there was not a moment of pause. I got to meet some of Steve’s close friends too and, specially, it was great to see Frances again. Many great memories come with me from these few days in Hong Kong. And I cannot wait to be back again some time. THANK YOU STEVE, THANK YOU HONG KONG. SEE YOU SOON.