SoHo ho and a bottle of rum!

'Central' is a diverse part of town. From corner noodle stalls to pricey antiques, it's all within a stone's throw. Old neighborhoods have survived in close proximity to the super-glitzy malls such as IFC. When I say survived, I mean the old neighborhoods are still standing and still housing old people in an old style. Why the area hasn't yet been run over by gentrification I do not know. In the shadows of the massive skyscrapers, these old neighborhoods are still visible thanks (perhaps) only to a lingering flickering flame of public welfare.

Lan Kwai Fong, a popular tourist and expat destination for its bustling nighlife, is around the corner. SoHo (kitschy name referring to South Hollywood road) and Lyndhurst Terrace, home to upscale restaurants, boutiques and antique stores are also very close by. Major retail outlets of Ck, LV (and xyz) are a few minutes' walk away. These developments have brought changes to the old neighborhoods as well. The ground floors (first floor to US readers) have been entirely converted to commercial use - an Argentinian steak house here, and a glittery jewellery store there. But also, noodle stalls on the street with rickety tables under drooping umbrellas, piles of fruit precariously arranged on the top of stone-paved slopes, Halloween masks, and mass-produced renderings of Buddha (a queer contradiction, which in a way encapsulates the spirit of Hong Kong).

HK is the city of escalators (wait, let me clearly claim copyright for that... I might be on to something there). But there is only one that carries 'the' before it. At almost 1km in length, I think it claims to be the world's longest. It also brought development to the areas between Central, uphill Lan Kwai Fong and the residential areas even higher up (called Mid-levels). The escalator goes down in the morning (for commuters to get to work) and then up for the rest of the day. Brilliant!

I would dive into a discussion of the malls, lights and glitz of Central, but so much has already been written about it. Pick up any guidebook or navigate to any website about Hong Kong and you can get a pretty detailed description of the bars, the malls, the banks, the old Government House - seat of the colonial British government, and across the road from it, the US consulate. I might return to describe Central some time, but for now its just the nooks and crannies.