Description: Maybe it's because the hotel I stayed at was located right off the street, but I imagine that I will always associate Hong Kong with Nathan Road. Walking out of the hotel my first evening in the city I was overwhelmed by just how foreign it all seemed. I think I am an adventurous traveller and have always felt comfortable jumping into new environments, but Kowloon was strikingly different than anywhere else I had previously been. Despite Hong Kong previously being a British colony, Nathan Road felt entirely unfamiliar.
You can't help but notice that although there are many upscale boutique stores along the street, the apartment buildings looming above look like slums. The housing projects in New York City look much classier, at least on the outside. These residential buildings aren't upscale, but are probably homes for middle- income families. Scaffolding that supports all these buildings (hopefully getting facelifts) is made of bamboo, which makes you think twice when walking underneath the long stretches of construction.
Nathan Road has tons of photography and electronics stores up and down the street, but you'll find that the prices are surprisingly more expensive than back home in the United States. A better shopping choice may be to stop in China Arts and Crafts, which sells Chinese made goods at somewhat Western prices. But you can find some unique souvenirs to bring home for under $10 each. If you are heading into mainland China later in your trip, though, save your money and purchase the goods in small towns where the real bargains are to be had.
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