The cosmopolitan city of Hong Kong offers many interesting experiences for the visitor. In addition to modern malls and varied shopping opportunities the city also offers interesting places to visit, such as historically and culturally significant districts.
One of these captivating areas is the well-known Wing Lee Street. This lane is not an imposing site and it is not a modern showpiece. In contrast it presents an intriguing glimpse of the city as it existed many decades ago before the advent of modernity. The tenement style buildings known as tong laus which are found here are unlike others found anywhere in the city as they are constructed in sets of clusters on a common terrace. This style of construction is not to be seen in other parts of Hong Kong.
In recent years Wing Lee Street has come into the international limelight as it was featured in the well-known motion picture ‘Echoes of the Rainbow’. This memorable film which starred Simon Yam gave Hong Kong its first prestigious Crystal Bear prize at Berlin’s well recognised international movie festival. In fact the creators of this film have called for the preservation of this unique urban environment.
Additionally this fascinating film has made many of its viewers actually visit the street, captivated by its historical and cultural legacy. The quaint residential buildings evoke images of an era when its residents were a closely knit interlinked community which lived in harmony and shared each others’ joys and sorrows.
Interestingly many of the local businesses were printing shops as many printers moved their businesses to this part of the city. Even today you will find a few such businesses still in operation. Some of the local buildings have been renovated but have not been transformed into shops or restaurants. You will also find an interesting information centre which displays photographs of the original buildings as they once existed. With so much to see and admire a visit to Wing Lee Street will always be enthralling.
If you are visiting the city and are interested in a 4 star hotel Hong Kong an outstanding choice would be the Cosmo Hotel. This Hong Kong boutique hotel offers attractive interiors and gracious hospitality.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
