The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-07-29
VISITORS THRONG
BUSY HONG KONG
AND BLUE 1HARBOR

WASHINGTON. - East and
West meet in crowded Hong Kong
in a setting so colorful that many
experienced travellers consider the
British crown colony one of the
most interesting places on earth.
Here visitors can see brightly
painted junks cluster by the hun
dreds around ocean vessels. rick
shas mingle with automobiles, and
wooden shacks sprout next to mod
ern buildings. A single acre of
Hong Kong's scarce land may be
home to 5000 people, the National
Geographic Society says.
Women in split skirts called
cheongsams stroll under sidewalk
arcades, businessmen in western
suits stride to offices, and shoe
shine boys in bare feet yell in
English, "You, mister, shine shoe 2"
Since the price of a shine is less
than five cents, they do good
business.
Looking down from the famed
1910 foot Victoria Peak on the
Island of Hong Kong, one sees a
blue harbor dotted by sampans,
junks, ferryboats, and liners. Tall
bank, office, and hotel buildings
line the central district on the wa
terfront below. The harbor, along
with San Francisco and Rio de
Janeiro, ranks as one Of the best
in the world.
Have Own Gods
Yachts and cruisers zigzag
through floating villages where
about $4,000 boat people called
HOklos and Tankas spend their
lives afloat. These fishermen have
their own gods, customs, and dia-
lect. Their children attend boat
schools daily.
With limited tariff controls,
Hong Kong, offers low prices for
items such as American cigarettes,
Bristish tweeds, French perfume,
German Cameras, Swiss watches,
Japanese pearls, and tailor-made
suits.
There are unique customs at this
East-West crossroad. The govern
ment builds sharp-angled roads to
reassure the Chinese who believe
evil spirits cannot turn sharp
corners.
When temple stands in the way
of projected highway, ranking
government officials take solemn
paprt in ritual to placate the
gods who will be irritated at hav-
ing to adjust to new housing.
While the government prohibits
automobile horn blowing in down
town areas, funerals equipped with
through main streets playing loud,
three or four bands may parade
fiev-tone music.
There are two New Years in
Hong Kong, the Western Gregorian
and the Chinese. The government
authorizes a holiday for each. The
Chinese usually observe their lunar
calendar New Year in February.
Fireworks displays and dragon and
lion dances last at least a week.
Though it is already bursting at
the seams, last year $4,000 travel
ers, including $4,000 Americans,
fiocked to the Riviera of the Far
East"
New Hotels Rising
New hotels are being construct
ed, but Hong Kong still has trouble
housing all it's visitors. The govern
ment asks tourists to be sure of
hotel reservations before making
the trip.
The Crown Colony is a 391-
square mile speck on the south
Chine coast. More than 100000
people, including 100000 refugees
and 10000 foreigners, live in the
territory.
China ceded the Island Of Hong
Kong to Britain in 1871 and later
gave up Kowloon. The New Ter
ritories a part of the mainland be-
hind Kowloon plus about rs scat
tered islands, was leased in 1898
for 80 years. The colony shares a
17-mile border with Communist