Temple Street Market is a must-visit in Hong Kong. The vendors are incredibly friendly and clearly…read morelove to bargain, which makes the experience fun and engaging. There's an endless variety of merchandise to browse, along with plenty of food stalls offering tempting local eats. The area felt safe, lively, and was very easy to get to with a quick Grab ride. A great spot to soak in the energy of the city.

Temple Street Night Market / Kowloon (Hong Kong) -- By the time Jamie W and I made it here on our…read morevacation, we visited two legendary night markets in relatively quick succession, Raohe Street in Taipei (review: https://yelp.to/iQFcRkmz6h) and Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur (review: https://yelp.to/5ShCfX6Vhg). Both were bustling cultural microcosms full of a wide and diverse variety of culinary delights. My expectations were set high. This is my roundabout way of saying I found this market to be on the meh side. Even though Temple Street might be the most organized of night markets, it came down to a lack of enthusiastic energy on the part of the thirty-plus hawkers and purveyors here. They didn't help motivate us as much to try anything that looked appetizing beyond one grilled octopus skewer (photo: https://yelp.to/ZmGraLPefh). It was pretty good for what it was. The food stalls took up just the first block of Temple Street. The rest of the market consisted of tents and stalls where they sold gadgets, toys, electronics, cheap souvenirs, and T-shirts of which Jamie bought a couple from an enterprising senior (photo: https://yelp.to/caewEJ9-pR). I've read that lingering COVID restrictions may have caused a change in the dynamics of the market. If true, the impact apparently snuffed out much of the unique character it might have had. RELATED - Exploring Hong Kong? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3AGgadg

This is a must see in Hong Kong. Whether you are in the area to dine in little Thailand or not, it…read moreis well worth the trip to visit this exhibit. There is a ton of history. It was truly a memorable experience for those who have read or learn about the history of the Kowloon wall.

The first time I visited Hong Kong I had never heard of this place, despite all of the Hong Kong…read morefilms that I had watched. However, after watching an awful lot of youtube I ended up discovering this notorious place. However, it no longer exists, and it has been turned into a park. Despite that, there are a number exhibits, including a model, on the former slum. It is quite a nice a peaceful park though.

Avenue of Stars is an iconic and touristy spot. It has been on my list to check off because both…read moretimes when I visited in 2015 and 2017, they were closed and undergoing renovations. I am a huge fan of Anita Mui and I finally got to pay her a visit. We visited on a weekday morning so there were very little people. It was perfect to capture pictures of the statues, handprints, and skyline. I noticed they added a Luckin Coffee stand along the Avenue of Stars. I did not get to try it this time around since they were not open when we were there but I would definitely keep that in mind for my next visit!

It's always fun meandering down Avenue of the Stars and people watching…read more No visit to AOTS is complete without a visit to the Bruce Lee statue.

Pokfulam Village is a strange place. It is both a housing site and a tourist sight (see what I did…read morethere? Nice!), an included in the Unesco list of heritage sites of the world. Sure, it is one of HK's last surviving village sites, and it is upholding a great tradition that is fast being obliterated by the likes of Swire, Cheung Kong, and Jardine, but is it that interesting? Hmmmm, perhaps as a curiosity, a glimpse into old village life, but probably not much else, as it is a bit of a slum and there is not that much to do there. If you go onto Google or Wiki, you can find a lot of information about the traditional dragon makers, the dairy farm and other bits and pieces, but be warned, these sights are not so open to the public or tourists. These fun activities and historical tours have been put on for journalists to write about. It is unlikely that you or I will ever get to see them making the dragon "costumes". However, do go there for a different look at HK, and make sure you take you camera. Around every corner, the mood and image of the village changes. From the "rich side of town", where the houses are clad in tile, through to the outskirts, which seem to collect an inordinate amount of old washing machines, you'll probably catch a glimpse of an old dear cooking a family feast on a single gas ring, the off duty cabbies playing mah jong, the urban farmers watering their crops from the waterfall that runs through the village, or the locals burning incense and offerings in giant drums. It's really quite enlightening, to see so many diverse "images" and aspects in one single patch of land only a few hundred metres across. If, during your trek through the winding streets, you get thirsty (the wind never gets through there so it feels stifling), head back to the "main central road" where there are a few mom and pop stores selling cold drinks and snacks. Make sure you take a lot of mozzie repellant, they are a beast there. Also, be wary if, like me, you don't like dogs. There are a lot in the village, and granted they are all behind fences and in private gardens, but do have a tendency to throw themselves against the fences and give you a startle. Oh, and they never stop barking, yap yap yap all day long!

Have you ever walked past this building and wondered what it was? I have, and it wasn't until I had…read moreto look up the post office opening times that I realized there was an 'Old Wan Chai Post Office'. The current Wan Chai post office is actually located a few steps away, at the Wu Chung House. The Old Office is no longer used for postal services, but it's an Environmental Resource Centre since 1993. The building dates back to the 20s and was a proper post office for almost 80 years. The architecture is certainly distinctive and stands out from the rest of the buildings around, especially since it's located at a corner and looks more like a one floor 'house'. There are two features that I like about it: the roof and the stairs leading to the main entrance, which is a little above ground level. The details around the windows and door also add personality to it and it's a good example of the architecture of the time. Thankfully it has been very well preserved and in 1990 it was declared historical building. You can come in and see it with your own eyes. One of the things that will remind you of it being a post office is the red mailboxes. And now that you are there, check out the Environmental Centre, they have a library and a garden that are worth having a look at. The Old Post Office is also part of the Wan Chai Heritage Trail that goes across main historical and cultural sites of the district...more on that later. Gotta love Wan Chai!

Tai Kwun is a well renovated prison yard (Victoria Prison), the Central Police Station, and…read moreMagistracy that it once was, transformed into a large cultural hub with rotating exhibitions. They also have some shops, restaurants, and even guided heritage tours for ad additional cost. Otherwise, the place can be explored for free. It is accessible right off the Mid-Levels escalator and timing of the escalator's direction is crucial so that you don't wear yourself out before the exploration itself. The area is not extremely handicap friendly, so knowing that may help your travels. Tai Kwun is on top of the hill so it is steep as you walk down back to Central MTR Station. I got to visit all of the buildings on a self-guided tour and discovered that one of the prison cells housed Vietnamese revolutionary Ho Chi Minh amongst other historical inmates. Whether you're a history buff or just a curious explorer, Tai Kwun is a unique place to visit.

Tai Kwun (大館) is an incredible preservation success story. Located at the eastern end of Hollywood…read moreRoad in Central, this massive heritage complex is a must-visit, even though many locals have surprisingly never been here. My husband wanted to explore the rich law enforcement history of the former Central Police Station, and it turned out to be an unforgettable experience. The site is huge and exceptionally well laid out. We started at the Parade Ground & Barrack Block, a beautiful, wide-open courtyard flanked by classic colonial-era brick buildings. Walking through the Victoria Prison cell blocks with history dating all the way back to 1841, it offered an immersive and fascinating look at Hong Kong's early penal system. As an extra treat, we got a chance to see the Ora-Ora Shop: Summer Pop-up! at Galerie Ora-Ora (Shop 03-105-107, Barrack Block). It was the perfect blend of historic architecture and contemporary art. If you love history, art, or just a cool space to explore away from the hectic city streets, do not miss this absolute gem.

The clock tower is a landmark in Hong Kong, which is located on the southern shore of Tsim Sha…read moreTsui. It is now the only remnant of the original site of the former Kowloon station on the kowloon-canton railway. There's a beautiful pool right behind the tower.

A historical remnant of the original site of the former Kowloon Station on the Kowloon-Canton…read moreRailway. Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower 尖沙咀鐘樓 is a photography site and also a tourist attraction as one of HK's iconic landmarks. It has been declared a monument in 1990.

Bumbling around Mongkok at night is so very sketchy until, I stumbled upon Langham Place Tower:…read more The bright lights inside entice you to go exploring inside the ominous building structure. Hmmmm? What's in this building, I wonder? Let's go check it out and see what's inside. The escalators climbed to dizzying heights; I have never rode an escalator climbing at such a steep slope so very fast: I was actually frightened when I turned around looking downwards towards the main entrance! Photo-Just look at the angle looking up!! Looking down, I had the eebee-gee-bees!!! Ooof~I'm not going to look down anymore! Still, I kept riding the escalators seeing what's on the top floor. I bought a beige, designer overcoat because it was beginning to rain outside from a she-she-foo-foo store-it wasn't cheap but, years later, the overcoat still look brand new! Arriving at the top floor, I ate dinner at a five-star restaurant boasting stunning views of Mongkok; rather than taking the escalators, I took the elevator down: What a grave mistake!!! The G-Force of descending almost made me regurgitate my expensive, five-star dinner! Oooooof!!! Going outside Langham Place Tower, I snapped a photo of the building before heading to the Ladies' Night Market.