A day in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, China

Night - night market

Rain has left the street wet, and red lanterns cast a soft light across the stone. I make my way through the night market between the stalls. Hong Kong fuses high-octane modern finance with deep Cantonese heritage and an incomparable street food culture, best enjoyed from October to November when temperatures are pleasant and humidity is lower.

Night - food stall

Steam rises from the grill and the smell of cooking meat hangs in the night air. I stop by the stall and watch the food on the heat. In local markets, windows display hanging meats, and the plates to order are crispy-skinned roast pork, honey-glazed char siu and roast goose over seasoned rice.

Night - souvenir stand

Colour fills the souvenir stall, and small trinkets shine under the market lights. I look through the rows and pick nothing up. Local dress in the urban districts leans towards sleek cosmopolitan minimalism: office workers favour sharp, lightweight European-cut suits and tailored shirts, while younger crowds embrace contemporary streetwear.

Night - waterfront promenade

Skyscrapers throw their lights across the sky as the promenade follows the water. I follow the waterfront and keep the harbour on my side. This is the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, a walk for Cantonese cinema with bronze statues, handprints and prime views of the evening light show.

Night - harbor railing

The railing is firm under my arms as I lean there and watch the lights across the bay. I stay a while with the skyline spread over the water. Victoria Peak rises above the skyscrapers to the wok-shaped Peak Tower, once reserved for the colonial elite and now open for trails, decks and shaded gardens.

Night - waterfront path

Warm air moves along the waterfront path as the walk continues beside the harbour. I carry on under the lit towers and listen to the water. Come in March to April or October to November for pleasant temperatures and lower humidity, since June brings heavy monsoon rain and August is intensely hot.

Night - outdoor cafe

Neon signs glow above the outdoor tables where people sit together. I pass the cafe and keep the idea of tea in mind. Order Hong Kong-style milk tea, the silky staple of Ceylon tea filtered through a cloth sack and enriched with sweetened condensed milk, at any traditional local diner.