Editor""s note: Gang wei, literally meaning Hong Kong taste, is a concept often talked about, but almost impossible to define. No one can tell what the taste is exactly, yet it can be found everywhere in the city - in the ting-a-ling of the trams, the shumai in tea houses and the burning incense in the Tin Hau Temple. As the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region celebrates the 20th anniversary of its return to China, we bring the series A piece of Hong Kong to try and explore the spirit of Hong Kong from some of the most intriguing aspects of the city.
Hollywood Road
As Hong Kong""s second oldest road, Hollywood Road was built in 1844, much before the more famous Hollywood in California was given its name.
The road, linking Sheung Wan with Central, used to be a place where Chinese merchants came to trade antiques and artifacts with Europeans. Today, it is home to a great variety of art galleries and antique shops. Here, travelers can find all sorts of trinkets and art: from Chinese furniture, porcelain ware and Buddha sculptures to Tibetan rugs, Japanese netsukes and Coromandel screens. However, it may take the eyes of a historian to pick the truly rare and valuable antiquities from the trinkets sold to clueless tourists.
Fa Yuen Street
What has to be the greatest gathering of sports shoe and sportswear shops on the planet, Fa Yuen Street is where Hong Kong""s image-conscious youth have come to get their statement footwear since the 1980s. Within about 150 meters, there are more than 40 shops selling sneakers and sports apparel. Consumers come for the latest designs and limited-edition releases from all over the world. Presumably, some athletes shop here too – Lebron James has even been spotted exploring the street.
Temple Street
Temple Street is located in Jordan and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The street is famous for its bustling night market, which is popular with tourists and locals alike.
When the sun goes down, stalls with colorful lights and carts bulging with goods will emerge, tempting shoppers with various goods ranging from antiques to daily necessities. The street is sometimes referred to as Men""s Street as most of the stalls sell items for men, such as jeans, t-shirts, pants and lighters. Visitors can also find fortunetellers and cheap street snacks here.
Lan Kwai Fong
The street Lan Kwai Fong is L-shaped with two ends joining with D""Aguilar Street. Lan Kwai Fong is one of Hong Kong""s most popular nightlife hot spots and home to over 90 restaurants and bars. The atmosphere includes a range of options from stylish wine pairings to raucous jello shots and the food on offer is as diverse as the clientele.
Apliu Street
Apliu Street in Kowloon has a huge flea market containing electronics, electrical components and related items. There are probably over 100 stores on that street and the side streets connected to it, selling both new and used merchandise. Those shoppers with sharper eyes can also uncover antique watches, old coins and other relics.
Tung Choi Street
With over 100 stalls of bargain clothing, accessories and souvenirs, Tung Choi Street is often known as ""ladies"" street"". It provides a one-kilometer stretch on which to practice your haggling skills. It gets its name from the huge amount of clothing and accessories on sale for women of all ages. However, with watches, cosmetics, bags, home furnishings, CDs and trinkets also up for grabs, you don""t need to be in the market just for a pair of nylon stockings to find something to buy within its crowded aisles.
