Sheung Wan - Hong Kong's First Settlement
From its nineteenth century roots as a preeminent shipping port, through its status as a global manufacturing hub, to its current position as an international financial services market and a gateway to China, Hong Kong has continuously transformed when presented with opportunities. While the next phase of development (there is always a next phase) is evident through the numerous constructions projects, there are still pockets that retain their nineteenth and twentieth century roots – for now. For a glimpse of this history, head to Sheung Wan.
Possession Street marks the first spot where the British landed in 1841. This will seem odd at first since this thin, sloping street lies well inland from Victoria Harbour; the result from years of land reclamations that extended Hong Kong Island further into Victoria Harbour. The neighboring Ginseng and Bird’s Nest Market fittingly offer Bird’s Nest soup, a local delicacy made by dissolving the nest in water until it become gelatinous. Many other shops in this area sell everything from Chinese fireworks to traditional moon cake snacks. Getting lost (temporarily) among the twisting, angled streets provides the best way to experience Hong Kong’s history and interact among many local residents. The Western Market, a brown, colonial building stands starkly against the cluttered shops of Bonham Strand West and Wing Lok Street. Built in 1906, this Edwardian-style building was renovated in 1988 and opened as a food market in 1991. If shopping is no longer on the agenda proceed to Sheung Wan Fong, an outdoor plaza, to relax.
