Travel|Photography

In Circles in Central: My First Morning in Hong Kong Part II

A roundabout visit to Hong Kong’s business district

After leaving the Victoria Peak tram station, I’m drawn toward the Bank of China Tower. It shines like a shard of a mirror as it’s hit by the light that comes through the gaps in the clouds.

It’s a distinctive building: a framework of triangles that create a purposely incomplete-looking tower; all its polished windows form a mosaic showing a reversed image of its neighbours.

I walk down the road, moving closer, and pass under a small network of covered, elevated walkways.

I’m unintentionally taking a scattergun approach to Lonely Planet’s guided walk. The Bank of China Tower is actually the third waypoint plotted — ahead of Hong Kong Park. I’d passed it by earlier but now I’m going to take a look inside.

The guide writes that the tower has “amazing views from the 43rd floor”, and I take this as an invitation to shoot some more photos. (As I write this now, years later, I realise that the quotation doesn’t explicitly state that visitors are welcome to nose around.)

Inside, the reception area resembles that of a large hotel or another similar skyscraper-based business…at least based on movies that I’ve seen.

I start to circle the area slowly. Before I get halfway, though, as I’m close to but not in front of the elevator doors, I lose my resolve.

There is obviously a place of business. Everyone looks like they belong there — they’re dressed for work. I don’t have the courage to just chance the elevator, or ask for help at the desk. Instead, I chicken out.

Perhaps I’m a glutton for punishment but I’m now walking to the HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) building. As it happens, the bank is also the finish of the walk.

Outside, are the HSBC lions but while noteworthy they aren’t as interesting as the building itself. The steel-suspended structure was the most expensive in the world when it opened in 1985. And not only was it designed by Norman Foster but it was famously built following the philosophies of feng shui.

(It’s fascinating stuff — even the Bank of China Tower is involved. I recommend the Atlas Obscura entry for a quick overview.)

I head up the particularly placed and angled escalator to the main floor. I want to see the acclaimed atrium — the main source of light for the building — and to get some photos too.

At the top of the escalator, I realise that I’ve done it again…

Picture this scene. You’re in the bank discussing your account or perhaps a loan. All around people are working at their desks. Then a fat, sweaty bloke with a camera arrives and starts looking up, down, and all around…

I quickly affect the look of the lost. It’s entirely possible that I’m crediting myself with too much importance, too much presence, but I daren’t take the risk. I feel all eyes are on me. I make my way around to the escalator that’ll take me down and away.

It’s still hot outside but the heat is less than that of my embarrassment.

The walk is over.

It’s still early and not yet lunchtime. But I decide that now would be a good time to sample the dim sum delights of Tim Ho Wan.

I like dim sum but I’ve not partaken in it that often and even when I have it was a family thing. However, I knew that eating in Tim Ho Wan would be my easiest opportunity ever to sample Michelin-starred food.

This particular branch (Tim Ho Wan is a chain), according to Lonely Planet, is somewhere in the bowels of Hong Kong station. I’m reliant on the book because I never purchase local mobile internet access on holiday. (For better or worse I no longer adopt this attitude.)

But I can’t find it. I’m able to latch onto free WiFi every now and again but even with Google Maps, I can’t find the restaurant.

Every building near the station seems to be interconnected in some fashion whether it’s underground or by means of elevated walkways. Because of this, I roam from the station to the nearby IFC Mall (International Finance Centre) and back again.

Rinse and repeat…

I’m tired. Hungry too. I give up prestigious but affordable dim sum, and start looking elsewhere for lunch.

I had spent nearly two hours — a combination of my slow walking speed and stopping to take photos — walking in circles. I’m now away from the station area and deeper into Central.

I’m usually more than happy with convenience store snacks as fuel, but I feel the need to sit down and eat something more substantial. I keep wandering the streets.

After a while, I simply settle and enter a branch of Café de Coral, a fast-food restaurant offering Chinese and western dishes.

I have to go downstairs into a basement, which is hard on my knee but my injury isn’t foremost in my mind.

It’s a little after 12.30 PM and the place is packed. Judging by their clothing most of the patrons are workmen on lunch break.

After some confusion as to where you collect your meal and where you actually buy it, I choose and pick up some roast pork rice.

(In my notebook I’ve written that there are some weird dishes available as well as a reminder to myself to check the website. I never did and now I’m at a loss as to what strange foods were on the menu.)

I sit at the nearest table with a free seat. There is no table to yourself or territorial rights — if there’s a seat you sit down and eat. I sit and eat.

The food certainly wasn’t award-winning but it was cheap and it filled a hole. When walking around I only really need enough sustenance to keep me going —I’m not fussed. A plate of rice was plenty.

Upstairs and outside again, I decide to keep my phone in my pocket and so Lonely Planet remains out of sight.

I start exploring.