The metropolis that is known for both shopping and dining, is nestled into lush tropical hills, and is home to both an in-city horse track and numerous photo-worthy beaches; Hong Kong has everything but ski slopes and sidewalks.

With rails that eliminate j-walking and an incomplete set of overpasses and sidewalks, city planners have denied pedestrians easy access to many parts of the town. As much as New York is a walker’s town, Hong Kong isn’t.

The day included a visit to a popular tent based outdoor Stanley market, a climb to the City’s popular Victoria peak and a walk through local bazaars that pair blood drenched butcher shops next to quaint shoe stores.

Medical masks cover the smiles of an occasional local, who seeks to dodge the next outbreak, avoid an asthma attack or just seem fashionable.

For dinner I took a Ferry with some friends that I bumped into to a local island called Lamma where the lazy susan atop a large round table was weighted down with the day’s catch prepared Chinese style. Pepper and other spices infiltrated by pores, delivering rich flavors that impressed all.

The tables next to us were occupied by locals wearing red t-shirts inscribed with “North Lamma Friendship Club”. They drank heartily and appeared to proceed with a dramatized version of a white elephant gift exchange to celebrate the birthday of the goddess of the sea, a local favorite. The festivities ended with an eight foot tall brightly colored bamboo and paper edifice being burned on the beach to ensure that fish would be caught in abundance in the coming year.