Summer 2010 Jo Lee - JO LEE Magazine

THE RICH AND THE FAMOUS
JO LEE Magazine – CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF LUXURY – DECEMBER 2010
Hong Kong – A Life Of Luxury Comfort
& Shopping For The Rich, Famous &
Discerning Traveler
By Heide Van Doren Betz
San Francisco – California
Hong Kong, with a present
population of over 7 million, has
been synonymous with style, class,
shopping and entrepreneurism
for decades. Few cities worldwide
have the allure and fascination of
Hong Kong. Hotels, restaurants,
department stores, designer
boutiques, jewelry stores, tailors;
jade, pearl and trinket markets and
of course the incredible skyline
of Kowloon, Hong Kong Island
with Victoria Harbour, remains an
unforgettable attraction.
The icon of the luxury hotels is the
legendary Peninsula, which has been
the home to the discerning traveler
for over 80 years. With views of the
city as well the harbor, every wish
of the guest is seen to, including a
car service comprised of 14 Rolls
Royce Phantom limousines. The
hotel provides its own helicopter for
transfer from the airport for a ten
minute flight to the heliport on top
of its building. Taking a spin for a
bird’s eye view over the 206 outlying
Hong Kong islands is an experience
worth a trip to Hong Kong all by
itself. A Mini Cooper is available
to take guests on shopping sprees
through the tiny crowded streets to
markets, for a paradise of shopping
bargains.
The Star Ferry will ferry the visitor on
one of the best scenic rides anywhere.
For less than $1 USD - one can
cross the harbor from Kowloon to
Central to explore the back streets
for antiques and treasures in the
area of Hollywood Road. Hundreds
of shops and dealers display their
objects here. Local markets with
fruit and vegetables abound, as well
as the street food stalls that prepare
anything from fabulous fresh fruit to
chicken legs to snake to deep fried
bugs.
As one local friend said when I
enquired about the culture of the
city (there is an abundance of fine
galleries and museums but..) “Heide,
in Hong Kong, culture is shopping.”
JL
Jo Lee Summer 2010 67