Hong Kong-the city that took my breath away

We landed in Hong Kong late and were amazed at the view that spread below .The multitude of skyscrapers all alight was breathtaking. I could not believe how tall the buildings were and how splendid. Countless colorful neons made my eyes sore. Vibrant with life, bustling and… green.
It offered a surreal experience for it is a city where state-of-the art architecture, posh shops and expensive hotels are intertwined with the finest examples of tropical flora. What makes this city so surreal are the skyscrapers that seem to have grown on steep stony hills among palm trees and other plants that names I don’t even know. Adding to the experience is the fact that we arrived during a monsoon season and found the place soaked in water. Hot and humid it also took my breath away with its foul smell of stale air. Lake every grand city, it boasts splendid architecture of the main streets, but when you enter the little alleys squalid little buildings, shops and tiny restaurants provide a totally different experience. To a unaccustomed nose of a European the smell is often overwhelming, but in a way those little alleys give a real taste of China.
Karolina