Two Levels of HK

Hong Kong is certainly more like New York than any of the other cities I’ve been in since leaving, but one difference that I find the most interesting is the midlevel escalators. It’s almost as if there is another city, 2 floors above ground. In Central, there are many giant, high-class shopping centers, which are connected to each other and to other buildings in the city through elevated open-air hallways. These have escalators that go down to the street at certain major intersections.

This was a bit tricky when I first got to the city. The hotel was clearly walking distance from the “Airport Express Train” Central Stop, but how exactly to walk there was unclear. Kelly and I were on the street, which seemed the right thing to do, trying to read/find street signs to point us in the right direction. When we couldn’t even find a cross walk, and it seemed that there was no safe way to power through an intersection, even NY-style, car-by-car, I asked for directions. I was told to go back into the train station and use the escalators to get to the street I was looking for.

The hallways are much like the streets below in that they are lined by 7-11’s and stores selling shoes out of a basket. In one hallway, there is even a fake park, with benches and plants open to the public. I’ve really enjoyed the view from this city above the city.

The surprising part about the city below for me is the hilly terrain. I didn’t know that walking around HK would be like San Fran. I don’t know what’s more amazing, seeing the bustle of a big crowd walking briskly up a steep cement hill, or seeing women walk down these slopes in heels, after the rain, no less. I’m in sneakers, and it’s all I can do not to hold on to the hand rail.

I’m glad I got my practice in with the Great Wall.