Kowloon, Hong Kong. Day 3.

Perusing my new app of the day on Hong Kong Attractions, I decided to go to Kowloon.  There was a walking tour that I could take PLUS it had a convenient map and info.  Perfect, I thought as I headed for the MRT.

At Tsim Sha Tsui, I emerged at Exit E and followed the crowds ambling towards the waterfront walkway, by Victoria Harbour, dubbed the Avenue of Stars. From the pictures on the app, I had high hopes of this homage to the Hong Kong film industry but,  in my humble opinion, it was rather pitiful really. That isn’t to denigrate the plethora of Hong Kong film industry professionals who are celebrated with handprints and ‘star’ plaques along the promenade – à la Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. But, truthfully, the views of the Hong Kong Island skyline and the Peak across the harbour were far more spectacular, even in the smog! So much so that I didn’t even walk far enough to find the bronze sculpture of Bruce Lee. With a respectful bow to Bruce and the other 100+ celebrities, my final comment is that perhaps it was an ‘off’ day for me, especially as I'm not at my best when jostling along with the crowds of tourists.  Not a good start to my walking tour!

U-turning towards the Star Ferry Pier, I set off to find the Clock Tower. Officially named the Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower - with typical Chinese attention to describing something ‘how it is’ – this monument is all that remains to mark the site of the former Kowloon terminus.  At 44m, the red brick and granite tower gently looms over an open area between the ferry terminal and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, until one spots a simply massive multi-storey cruise ship in the background which dwarfs everything else around!!

Looping back onto Salisbury Road, I passed by the opulent 1881 Heritage luxury shopping centre and gaped/closed my jaw/watched as a private helicopter landed its guests on the roof of the Peninsula Hotel.  The latter sight, in itself, helped me to appreciate that my 'tired finger' hotel booking error could have been far more financially disastrous!!

How spacesuits have changed!
Or is it Matthew McConaughey in there???

The next stop was the Space Museum. With my HK$10 entry fee including “free Government Wifi” (goody: catch up on emails!) I entertained myself with an unexpected variety of static, audio-visual and interactive exhibits.  One I particularly enjoyed was a Moon Walk.  Strapped into a harness (rather like a baby bouncer) I ‘experienced’ the effect of the Moon's gravity whilst I bobbed along a track. I asked whether the staff could take a photo for me. 

“So, sorry. No photos inside. Safety reasons,” they politely replied.  A few minutes later, I became eternally grateful for their rules. I fell into a fit of giggles at the consternation of another visitor who observed my ridiculously hilarious, crimson-faced efforts to return myself to the start of the track using a combination of bounce, twist, jump and ricochet off the far wall!! Oh, the embarrassment. At least I’m never likely to see him again… except in this photograph.

Eventually, I made my way outside and looked to my app for the next highlight.  Oh, no. Battery drained (darn this old 4S). I dug out the unwieldy paper broadsheet-sized tourist map; I’d have to do this the old-fashioned way.  Hmmmmm. 

After several minutes I decided to head for Ladies’ Market on Tung Choi Street.  It’s not only for ladies of course, but it does have a high percentage of ladies’ clothes and accessories.  Not really needing anything is always a good haggling position to be in if something does catch one’s eye.  Hence, I purchased a perfectly 'real' Mulberry shoulder bag for a ridiculous price (I kept checking my mental calculations to be sure) and got a t-shirt with glittery cat silhouettes (looks far better than it sounds!).  Further deals included some gifts for friends.  By this time I was feeling hungry and footsore so I turned off the main street and found a delightful little restaurant with reasonable prices and a translated menu.

Suitably refreshed, I returned to the harbour for the nightly Symphony of Lights show. Featuring lasers, searchlights and music, it is a truly spectacular experience as nearly 50 buildings light up around Victoria Harbour. Sadly, no photos due to battery failure.  Go on, guess: what was the first thing I did back at the hotel???