'I felt like I was stuck in a video game in this impossible city'

Daily Mirror

14 hours ago

Regardless of whether that thought has gone through your head, the answer is, of course, Hong Kong – the eclectic outcome of the merge of eastern and western cultures cradled by a prehistoric landscape. After a comfortable 12-hour flight with Finnair from my connection at Helsinki, the Airbus A350 descended over skyscrapers seemingly borne out of Midas' touch, thrusting up by green mountains and atmospherically wrapped together by a slow roll of mist.
Passengers have to walk through a temperature scanner when leaving the airport – that and the wall of humidity is certainly a combination to put your heart rate through its paces. The journey to explore Hong Kong begins – and so does the fight to not be overcome by jet lag.
It's clear I won't be lacking in views during my time here, everywhere you look there's a sight to intrigue – even out of the window of my base for the first part of the trip, the four-star Dorsett Wanchai hotel. I'm hypnotised by the brilliant absurdity of a road filled with red taxis, rows of skyscrapers, exotic foliage and the Happy Valley Racecourse. It's like being in a video-game map.
The racecourse costs HK$10 (£1) to get in, so a bargain night out. The catch? Wednesdays are the new Fridays in Hong Kong, though I spot the golden arches of a McDonald's, so a pint can be offset by a burger if needed. The morning after, my hotel proves to be the perfect location to step out into the commercial Central and residential Sheung Wan districts to explore the entertainment, shopping and arts scene.
Looking up at the never-ending storeys, I spot washing draped outside apartment windows, a testament to their small size and the sheer confidence of airing your smalls to the world below. Impressively, there were no pants on the street but, instead, an abundance of street art. Corner by corner, more of Hong Kong's personality reveals itself, helped by the trail of creations sprawled on walls left by artists, some native, others drawn in from across the globe.
Passionate street-art hunter Alex, of Wanderlust Walks, points out Pac-Man – inspired mosaic art left by French-artist 'Invader' and social commentary creator Go Hung's paper-made nest eggs hidden among the imposing Banyan trees and thigh-defeating steps.
It literally turns into quite the egg hunt, fulfilling both my inner child and the art aficionado developing within. While I keep an astute eye out for any more paper eggs, it's time to understand the art of herbal medicine – something that has been mastered culturally for centuries.
And for 110 years, the Good Spring Company, a generational family-run tea and medicinal shop, has been dishing out their expertise. They have the '24-herbs tea' on tap, and I oblige without knowing what I'm putting in my body, but am reassured by the many others who have swept by for a takeaway cup of the concoction.Though the glass jars lining the shop wall of dried tortoise shells, locusts and liquorice give me a good idea of what is going down the gullet.
I sip with intrigue, not just out of politeness, as Dr Lam – who also offers medical advice as well as tea-brewing expertise – tells me that, culturally, people are concerned with their throat and respiratory health. The 24 herbal tea certainly made it known to my throat and wrestled the baying jet.
The talk of health makes me thirsty and hungry. Handily, Hong Kong boasts some of the most upmarket food and drink venues on the planet. It didn't take long for my palate to be tickled at Italian-themed Bar Leone – the best bar in the whole of Asia, and second in the world.
It's the place to be for a negroni and it's cosy, candlelit and has a communal feel.
The liver now might be lined with excellence, but what about the gut? A trip to the ''demon's lair'' will do. Nothing about Cafe Bau is demonic – more like heavenly. It's one of the Hong Kong restaurants of Canadian TV chef Alvin Leung, or 'Demon Chef' as he likes to be known.
This was where I comprehended the style of eating in Hong Kong – grub in copious amounts. Individual and sharing courses continued to come out of the kitchen, a true heaven for the palate and hell for my waistband. Oxtail pancakes, clam pasta and the signature custard tart were standouts. But, I managed to devour each part of the eight-course menu.
With another day to explore another side of this multifaceted city, it's an early start for a walking tour to discover the diversified communities of Kowloon. It's a district rich in history and in food, my stomach will be nervous to know.
The infamous Kowloon Walled City, a notorious slum, was demolished in the Nineties and is now a peaceful garden with a small monument. Walking out of the garden, the call of the distinctive 'uwu' or koel bird follows, as does an 'Uncle' – the respectful term to refer to an older man – who continues to chat to us about the area.
A few minutes later he passes me a piece of paper which he had torn around the edges to form my silhouette. You don't have to go looking for art here – it finds you. It's things like this that make it such a magical place, impromptu connections and little moments.
Food time, again. Cantonese cuisine remains dominant despite being under British rule from 1841 to 1997, opening up the kitchen to western influences. Ladies Street Sik Faan Co is a stone's throw from the iconic Ladies Night Market and the restaurant is a nod to neon-soaked Nineties Hong Kong. Black truffle shrimp toast proved to be something I didn't know I desired – prawn toast's better cousin.
The roasted whole chicken was moreish beyond belief, even though it was plated with its decorative head – beak and all. The same goes with the scaled grouper fish, which I eventually managed to transfer from plate to mouth with chopsticks after a lengthy battle.
Despite tea making an appearance at every meal, another aid to the throat and digestion, buckets of beer are not out of place either. The bottles are shared around the table in bowls which made me feel like an alcoholic cat. But a happy and lucky one.
It's not every day where it's socially acceptable to drink from crockery, even in boozy Britain. One thing we also don't get at home is braised jellyfish. Let's just say it's an acquired taste. Waking up at my second hotel, the five-star Dorsett Kai Tak is out of the way of the more buzzy areas, but this isn't an issue with the metro close by.
It's right next door to the Kai Tak Sports Park, featuring a sports stadium and music arena, and features rooftop cocktail bar Jin Bo Law – the Hong Kong version of the fabled London venue loved by socialites. It's back down to the ground floor and then a journey to head to new heights. The Peak Tram in Central offers a quick journey up to Victoria Peak, arguably the best place to soak up the sights. I find myself there on a day that is misty, perhaps a disappointment to some who paid HK$99 (£9.50) for the short return journey.
But, not for me. The rolling clouds offer new views, discovering different skyscrapers as the mist shifts. A red kite emerges from the trees, seeming as if a pterodactyl will shortly follow. What a spectacle.
It's time for the trip to come to an end, but not before a nice cold pint of Gweilo, Hong Kong's craft beer, that translates as the Cantonese term for ''Westener''. Looking back out at the skyscrapers lining Victoria Harbour, I take in the last couple of days that have been a masterclass in culture and cuisine. Everywhere you look, and sniff, there is something on offer.
If you haven't already discovered its eclectic, diverse offering, it should be at the top of your bucket list. I wish it had been on mine earlier.
Book the holiday
Finnair flies to Hong Kong from Heathrow via Helsinki starting at £534 return; Premium Economy £1,105; Business £1,823. Manchester and Edinburgh departures also available. finnair.com
Rooms at the Dorsett Kai Tak, Hong Kong hotel start at around £148 a night. dorsetthotels.com/dorsett-kai-tak
Rooms at the Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong hotel start at around £116 a night. wanchai.dorsetthotels.com