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They are countries inextricably linked to their massive neighbour,
full of eastern traditions yet inspiring in their modernity;
Megan McCormick goes in search of two places
forging forward into the twenty-first century, China's 'little
dragons' Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Mindful of her budget in one of the world's most expensive
cities, Megan checks in at Hong Kong's infamous Chungking
Mansions and finds that it's actually pretty good
value for  money. Taking a trip from mainland Kowloon
to Central on the Star Ferry
which carries 100,000 people per day, Megan gets to grips
with the combination of traditional and modern with an exploration
of the theories of feng shui which governed the construction
of some of the skyscrapers in its impressive skyline. After
a ride along the world's longest escalator she takes the Peak
Tram to the top of Victoria Peak
for some fantastic views of the city.
Megan goes to Wong Kai Fin Temple, devoted
to the art of fortune telling and one of Hong Kong's most
popular temples. Here she follows the traditional visits a
fortune-teller who tells her that, as a child of the year
of the Rat, she shouldn't gamble. Still, at Happy
Valley Racecourse in the centre of the city she has
a flutter on the horses, a pastime that the Hong Kongese are
particularly partial to. As foretold, she loses and to commiserate
she hits the town in style at the city's trendiest club, Dragon
Eyes.
For a break from the city, Megan travels into the New
Territories, to the island of Tap Mum Chau,
stopping off in Lin Village to make a wish
at the Wishing Tree. The island is a real
breath of rural Hong Kong, giving you an idea of what the
city used to be like - just a string of fishing villages.
For a complete contrast, she crosses the border to the Shenzhen
Special Economic Zone where cheap imports of Chinese
goods and a flagrant disregard for piracy laws make for a
truly indulgent shopping spree.
The next morning she's back on Kowloon's
waterfront for an early morning group tai chi lesson from
a plugged in master of the martial art. Inspired, she meets
Bruce Law, one of Hong Kong's legendary movie
stunt men and gets to star in her very own action movie. Then
it's off to another mainstay of Hong Kong, Sam's Tailor,
established in 1957. Since then it's clothed some of the world's
most famous people including Bill Clinton and Luciano Pavarotti.
After all that she needs to take a break and heads for
City Hall, the place for Hong Kong's lunch of choice,
dim sum. Revitalised, she heads for Shek O for
a spot of paragliding; then it's over to the picturesque Lantau
Island to marvel at the world's biggest, sitting,
bronze, outdoor Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery.
Bidding Hong Kong a fond farewell, Megan flies over to the
'beautiful island' of Taiwan and touches
down in the capital Taipei where she stays
in the aptly named Grand Hotel. She visits
the Martyrs' Temple, a shrine to all those
who have died in China's wars and a reminder of the relationship
between the countries. After a brief history lesson, Megan
catches sight of Taipei's newest landmark, the mirrored
101 Tower, which is winning the race for  tallest
building in the world at 1671 feet high. She dons a hard hat
and takes a trip up it with tower's architect.
Then it's off to explore a cornerstone of Tapei life - the
night market - where she visits 'Snake Alley'
where you can pick up all sorts of snake products that have
medicinal or aphrodisiac properties.
Out of the city Megan rents a car and drives through the
stunning Taroko Gorge and goes hiking to
a hot springs. Then it's off to the modern temple at Puli
where she attends the 4.30am morning prayers alongside 1200
nuns and 300 monks and takes a tour of the rest of the building.
She climbs Jade Mountain, near Puli, the
highest in the region where she watches a glorious sunrise.
She ends her trip on Orchid Island, Taiwan's
most remote island and home to its smallest indigenous tribe,
the Yami people. She explores the island
on scooter and ends the day on the beach where she witnesses
a traditional Yami ritual. |
