Many years ago CheongGyeCheon was a natural stream flowing through Seoul. With the influx of people and the fast growth of the city after the war, Seoul put concrete over the stream and later also a highway.

In 2003 the mayor of the city promised to restore this stream and ripped up the highway at a very high cost. 6 Km of the stream was opened up and "restored". Needless to say some people were very upset about spending this money.

Nowadays, the CheonggyeCheon is one of the most famous dating and tourist spots in the city. It's a great place to escape the city bustle, but yet you are still in the middle of this metropolis. Many people just enjoy sitting with there feet in the water and try to cool down from the summer heat. More info.

The stream is regularly advertised as one of the top 10 things to do in Seoul. When you think about this simple stream, you wonder why, but when you go there it's a different story. You can clearly see why this area is a local hotspot and great place to go for a walk and relax.
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For my first vacation on my own, I didn’t know where to go. I friend of mine introduced me to the idea of going to Hong Kong and making the most of all short vacation. As soon as I saw her pictures, I knew I had to go and was really excited in seeing this metropolis.
Here are some of the highlights of my trip.

DAY 1

After I landed and found my feet, I set out to explore what Kowloon had to offer. I went to the avenue of stars and had a beautiful sunset over Victoria Harbour.



The first night I was there, I was greeted by the symphony of lights! It truly is an beautiful sight! Just to take in all of the colours, makes this sight so spectacular.

DAY 2

DAY 3

I decided to do a Big Bus tour of Hong Kong Island. I reckoned that this would be the fastest way to see the most. And I was right. I started out with all the buildings around me and making my way around the island.


While sitting in the “Big Bus”, I drove past this colorful scene in one of the streets! I am very happy that I got the chance to catch this moment.



Trams are still very much in use and a preferred method of traveling by many. The locals had to vote to get rid of it or keep it and almost all of Hong Kong decided to keep it. It just gives that extra bit of authentic vintage feel to Hong Kong.




This view was really one of the most amazing sites I’ve ever seen . I loved standing there and just taking the moment in, one breath at a time. I wanted to stay there for as long as I could.



One of the Big Bus stops, was Repulse Bay. It’s a very beautiful and popular beach for many.



One of my most favourite places was Stanley harbour and Stanley Market. It was a perfect place to stop for a quick lunch, after walking around in the market.



This street really felt like a street on a tiny island somewhere. It had a lot of pubs and restaurants with a seaside view. I wish I a bit more time to sit down for a drink.



After Stanley market, I went to Aberdeen. I took the Sampan ride, that comes included with your Big Bus ticket. There you can find the Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurant. Apparently you can find some good, but more expensive seafood here. There is also a bit of a themed park next to it.



You can also find the boat houses of all the fishing families, in Aberdeen. There are a lot of families, living on their boats in this little bay. They even have dogs living with them on these floating houses. It makes you think just how lucky you are when you have a normal home, even if it’s not big.

DAY 4

My second last day I spent to go see the Giant Buddha at Nong Ping. I took the cable car ride, which was amazing. The cable car ride is 25 minutes and overlooks the beautiful countryside. Unfortunately the pollution was setting in and making the views a bit dim.

Overall Experience