From crowded Kowloon the dramatic skyline of Hong Kong island must be one of the most impressive cityscapes in the world. A harbour cruise unfolded layers of imaginative towering buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. Helicopters swished overhead, landing, hovering and departing like industrious black wasps as traditional Chinese junks jostled with the famous Star Lines Ferries, excursion boats and sleek ocean liners.

If the daytime view was magnificent the illuminated buildings by night were magical. That sight was only eclipsed by the Symphony of Lights. To co-ordinated to music, floodlit buildings changed colour, neon panels danced and spun as they climbed the tallest office blocks and multicoloured lasers from opposing banks clashed mid harbour.

At street level the narrow Kowloon streets were spanned by colourful banners, whilst in Hong Kong island double decker electric trams competed with buses and taxis. We enjoyed trundling along on the top deck of a tram to see the sights and plot our course. A short walk from our tram stop took us to the steep mountain tram station for the ride to the top of Victoria Peak, the high hill that dominates Hong Kong island. On other parts of the steep hill streets with long flights of steps had been replaced with long, inclined pavement escalators.

The sleek modern, air conditioned subway sped us around more spread out locations in the city. Destinations further afield were served by cheap bus routes. So we went off to Aberdeen to see the typhoon haven for fishing boats and have lunch in the biggest floating restaurant in the world. It was grand.

Over a dim sum breakfast we chatted to a Hong Kong theatre director and his mother sharing a table with us. He told us that the city was always thronged with tourists from mainland China. They came to buy gold, jewellery and fashion items secure in the knowledge that in Hong Kong they were buying the real thing and not some knock off imitation. That, he said, was the real legacy left by British rule, effective management which reliably delivered what was wanted.

With this in mind we invested in a new micro lap-top computer, built in china, which would fit into our rucksack for our onward travel. Experiencing the energy of Hong Kong we could well believe the World Bank assessment that China will be the dominant world economy by 2020.

We liked Hong Kong and we will certainly return.      

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