Colors of Hong Kong

My first visit to Hong Kong (China) in 2010, I stood on a street corner shimmering with colorful lights at dusk, the cool breeze from Victoria Harbour seemingly dispelling the stifling atmosphere from the towering skyscrapers of Kowloon Peninsula. "Asia's leading financial center," "Asia's most dynamic city"... Hong Kong has been given countless flattering titles, and rightfully so.

People and vehicles were bustling in the Mong Kok area.

The city bears the mark of 150 years of British rule, with Western European civilization permeating every aspect of life and culture. Conversely, Hong Kong is also part of 5,000 years of great Chinese history. Therefore, this East-West fusion creates a remarkable contrast, a metropolis that juxtaposes a profound and glorious past with a vibrant and challenging future.

A nostalgic touch from the 19th century.

That morning, we sat down for breakfast at a historic dim sum restaurant, steeped in the Hong Kong style of the 1970s and 80s. A poster of Bruce Lee in a fighting stance was prominently displayed on the weathered wall, typical of Hong Kong's film culture of that era. We exchanged smiles and reminisced about the time when we watched blurry, grainy, black-and-white PAL or SECAM video tapes. Chinese films at that time were mainly Hong Kong martial arts films or films about "gangster ethics." Hong Kong had a profound influence on Vietnamese culture for a time, and the Vietnamese diaspora in the port city was also part of modern Hong Kong. Walking around Kowloon Peninsula, it's not uncommon for Vietnamese tourists to still marvel at streets named after Hanoi or Hai Phong.

Early mornings also offer visitors a chance to discover a very different side of Hong Kong – less flashy and ostentatious. Districts like Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po have quiet alleyways hidden behind countless skyscrapers. Visitors might momentarily recall the recently released hit film – Kowloon Walled City – which captivated audiences who loved Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s.

An old shop in the heart of Kowloon.

We sat for a long time in the café, which had a naturally quaint, old-fashioned style. The tables and chairs were simple, the coffee was a bit weak, but the egg tarts were, in the old-fashioned way, absolutely delicious. A light rain was falling outside, and we said to each other: there's no better time to observe the streets in such a natural and authentic way. Across the street, on a moss-covered wall, an old bicycle sat leaning precariously, as it had always been. A colonial-era tram still clanged in the distance, its bells echoing like a nostalgic melody…

Bustling life in the big city

After that meal came some beautiful days, and we decided to go hiking on a trail designed for amateur mountaineers. From the top of a high hill on Lantau Island, we could see Hong Kong Bay with its skyscrapers, part of one of Asia's largest financial centers, the gateway to the flow of finance not only for Hong Kong but also for mainland China. On the other side, the majestic seated Buddha statue atop Mount Ngangping stood, seemingly guarding the peace and prosperity of the entire region.

The sun set peacefully over the sea, casting a pale yellow hue over the Big Buddha statue, which gradually faded into gray and disappeared into the night. We left Lantau Island just as the city lights came on. The taxi driver was pressing and releasing the accelerator somewhat hastily. Rush hour traffic jams here are truly an unpleasant experience if you've ever traveled on the highway. In Hong Kong, my friend jokingly said that people rarely calculate the distance to their destination; they simply state how many more traffic jams they'll encounter, and the other person can figure out how late they'll be. That's typical life for city dwellers in megacities, always busy and rushing amidst the flashing lights of traffic signals.

A busy intersection near Tsim Sha Tsui

The Vietnam Airlines flight gently took off from the new Chek Lap Kok airport, a marvel of Hong Kong's engineering feat. They leveled an entire small mountain to create the foundation for one of Asia's largest airports today. Leaving the Fragrant Harbor, we were reminded of its glorious past, of the glitz and glamour of its extravagant lifestyle, typical of European and American consumer culture. Conversely, Hong Kong also possesses a mysterious, tranquil, and gentle Eastern charm. This contrast is also its main beauty, like two contrasting colors that create overall harmony in a magnificent painting called Hong Kong.

Vietnam Airlines operates direct flights between Hanoi and Hong Kong.

Please visit www.vietnamairlines.com for more details and special offers.

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Source: https://heritagevietnamairlines.com/sac-mau-huong-cang/