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Newer Page 1194 of 1276 Older Full Trip Report
Hong Kong Star Ferry Smog Tsim Sha Tsui

21 March 2010

Star Ferry/Tsim Sha Tsui

The smog has got a lot worse, which is a shame because I like to look at the buildings etc.
However I decided to do the harbour ride on the Star Ferry, it crosses from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui and costs about...30 cents!
The ferry is quite ancient, much older sounding than a Sydney ferry, with plenty of black smoke coming out of it as well, probably causing the smog, the view is supposed to be fantastic, but in the middle of the harbour I could hardly see any buildings on either side...and its not a very wide harbour.
Still for 30 cents its not worth complaining.
Once I got off I did a walk around Tsim Sha Tsui, which is colorful, I found a shed full of little stalls which seems to be where all the non chinese traders have set up. Most of them were Indian but there were also Pakistani, Somali, Turkish and various other arabic places represented, most selling fake phones and watches. However as I was wandering (with my hands in my pockets at this point) a young fellow wanders alongside me and said what I thought was 'hashish?' and then sped past me. And 5 minutes later someone else did so I guess you are supposed to follow them if you want life in jail in hong kong or execution.
However it would seem to me that some people think its worth it, because at the back of the joint was a staircase, and a line on it of roundeyes (white people) waiting anxiously to go upstairs. Nowhere else have I seen a line of only white people so I figure they were all queueing for hashish

After that I wandered around the sauna/hostess club region, where white people go to lose all their money buying drinks for girls that arent actually prostitutes but convince old fat guys they are. The signs were pretty colorful, and the posters were very creative, promising a good time would be had, free first drink! etc.
It was at this time I noticed a lot of old fat white guys leading chinese girls around by the arm as well, I dont think they got them from the hostess bar, but I cant be sure, because they seemed to be husband and wife, the couples I saw all looked miserable, but the girls love jewellery, mainly jade, and you need bracelets on both wrists, both ankles, a huge necklace, basically anywhere you can hang jade you should.

Then I face the same frustration as last night, no food for me. I would wait in line at places, get to the front of the line 'how many people' and I would say 1, and they would like distraught and go talk to someone, come back and tell me they have no table for 1.
I tried 3 places, the last one told me 'you try mcdonalds, they make food you like'.
This was really dissapointing, I have heard about how great food is in hong kong and how a great meal is inexpensive, and it seems I cant have one. The best I can do is food courts which im sick of already.
Instead I spotted Pacific Coffee, which is a hong kong owned cafe franchise, I had a vegetable tart, some bizzarre green tea cake and some orange juice.

Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - I thought this looked interesting at the time, upon reflection now, the photo is quite boring, so please scroll down.

I thought this looked interesting at the time, upon reflection now, the photo is quite boring, so please scroll down.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - IFC 1 ascends into the smog.

IFC 1 ascends into the smog.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - Riding on the ferry.

Riding on the ferry.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - A junk heading straight for us.

A junk heading straight for us.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - Hong Kong island through the smog.

Hong Kong island through the smog.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - Hong Kong loves escalators so much they build them to nowhere, I went up it though, just for fun.

Hong Kong loves escalators so much they build them to nowhere, I went up it though, just for fun.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - I dont know what these girls were selling but they were getting plenty of attention.

I dont know what these girls were selling but they were getting plenty of attention.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - Please kind sir be enjoying the yuppie sauna.

Please kind sir be enjoying the yuppie sauna.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - Where the wet market used to be by day, a food court sprung up by night.

Where the wet market used to be by day, a food court sprung up by night.


Hong Kong-Star Ferry-Smog-Tsim Sha Tsui - My rather unsatisfying dinner from pacific coffee.

My rather unsatisfying dinner from pacific coffee.


NewerPage 1194 of 1276OlderFull Trip Report