Lost in Central Hong Kong
5:07 PM
"And then there we were again, a bunch of lost kids not wanting to be found. "
One day—that's all I have left before I leave a country that I will fall in love with. Scratch that. I have already fallen in love with Hong Kong. I may not have known much about its people, but the food and the scenery is quite a spectacle.
Our minutes are numbered so every move should be well thought of — like a game of chess where every move is crucial.
So, I stretched out my map for one last time, and studied our itinerary for the day. Our starting point is at Wong Tai Sin temple which takes two train transfers from where we're staying. It seemed like a perfect plan for our final day. The last stop, if accomplished right, would be one of the most magical views I will ever see in my whole existence.
We rushed our way to the ground not to waste time. Unfortunately, I left my map in a store that we visited before heading out to the MTR. Sucker punched with the whole fiasco, I tried to retrace the map inside my head. It clicked within a few minutes so we continued our journey.
Going to Wong Tai Sin was miraculously easy. We bought incenses from an old man with a disability. I do tend to admire people who keep on pushing through with life despite the challenges.
Luckily, we were just in time when locals started to pray. I walked across the temple's gate and lit my incense. I closed my eyes, zoned out, and took this time to connect to a supreme deity that's watching over us.
I headed upstairs and tiptoed my way to the hallway to avoid distracting the people praying. After a few snaps, I looked up to the roof and left myself in amusement. Even the smallest of details are intricately designed to achieve this perfect architecture.
It wasn't even hot, but I grabbed myself a scoop of Mr. Softee. This ice cream is a must-eat for everyone who will be visiting Hong Kong. I handed the vendor 8HKD and zoomed past everyone in line to catch the boats sailing across the harbour on photos.
I settled myself near the open windows to catch my breath and capture picturesque views. I asked a local who was sitting beside me on how to get to our next destination. Yes, he answered with a smile but his answer was very reluctant, almost unsure if he was saying the right instruction. We thanked him as we made our way out the ferry. The ride went on for just a few minutes but that was all I needed that day. This day had been so fast, I actually needed this to slow things down a bit.
Central Hong Kong slowly unfold right before my eyes. All I saw were tall buildings and concrete roads interconnected with each other. It's exactly what I pictured it to look like and I found myself falling head over heels for Hong Kong's skyline. Wish I could be here everyday just to see this— with me sitting down, eating an ice cream and watching the world pass me by.
Lost and uncertain, a lady in a formal attire went out her way to help us. She was wearing this thick English accent despite having the prominent looks of a local. I can't help but fall in love with the way she talked as she showed us our way. Her voice was like a soothing drug to me. The adrenaline was rushing through me as we still had no idea on how to get to our destination and the time was ticking.
She left after guiding us on which bus to take. We bumped into a couple of Filipinos along the way and it provided us with some warmth of comfort. We may be far from home but their presence gave us that familiar feel.
And then there we were again, a bunch of lost kids not wanting to be found.
I'm Eden Morales. A UI/UX Designer by day but a full-time dreamer. To travel and explore outside my comfort zone are the things I crave to do ever since. These are the chronicles of my first-hand experiences from all the places I have gone to and will go to in the future.
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