The words Hong Kong, literally, in Cantonese, means ‘fragrant harbour’. It is said that in years gone by, weary sailors, crossing the South China sea, could smell the sandalwood forests and knew there were close to land.
How ironic, that nowadays sailors using the same old ancient traderoute can probably also smell Hong Kong a mile off. Except, it’s not the aroma of sandalwood, but something a little more yellow. A little more pungent.
Except for the pollution, Hong Kong is actually an incredibly amazing place to live. Yes, it’s dense. Almost 7 million people live in just over a thousand square kilometers of land – of which almost 75% is unspoilt forest. This then explains why there are over 7000 skyscrapers in the city – slim slabs of concrete that tower hundreds of feet into the humid sky, balancing precariously on narrow ledges, in valleys, on hills and in the path of the next typhoon.
Hong Kong is easily the smallest big city in the world.
This blog is about Hong Kong and the incredible people who live in the city. It is about their ways, beliefs, customs and nature. It is also about surviving in Hong Kong. What to really see and what to really avoid. It’s also about bars and restaurants. Where to go, and where to not go.
So bookmark, add to your RSS reader and enjoy. Vertigo City. You’ll have the time of your life, as long as you don’t look down.
