| Traveling
in the west of Wanchai, one may unknowingly enter into
Causeway Bay, a popular nightlife and dining area favored
by locals.
Deriving
its name from the fact that it used to be a bay, Causeway
Bay, which is thoroughly earth-based after reclamation
in 1950s, now serves as a colorful and attractive district
packed with shops and restaurants.
The
main interest in Causeway Bay is definitely shopping and
consumption. Most of the boutiques and department stores
stay open late into the evening, when the district is
aglow with neon and alive with people. If you are interested
in shopping, be sure to check out the ultra-modern Times
Square, the Japanese department stores and boutiques of
Fashion Walk, where can meet your need by the greatest
extent.
The
eastern part of Causeway Bay is dominated by Victoria
Park, a surprisingly extensive patch of green grass by
Hong Kong's standards, which contains a swimming pool
and other sports facilities. Down at the southeastern
corner of the park is the two-hundred-year-old Tin Hau
Temple, a rather dark, gloomy place surrounded unhappily
by high-rises. Tin Hau is the name given locally to the
Goddess of the Sea, and her temples can be found throughout
Hong Kong, normally in prominent positions by the shore
where they were frequented by fishermen and sailors.
The
low-lying area, extending inland from the shore south
of Wanchai and Causeway Bay, is famous known as Happy
Valley, a place for the people in Hong Kong to hold their
favored gambling action - horse-racing.
Happy
Valley Racecourse, which dates back to 1846, was for most
of Hong Kong's history the only one in the territory,
until a second course was built at Shatin in the New Territories.
Each time during the racing season which runs from September
until June, the whole Hong Kong is extremely excited by
this kind of gambling activities. Hopeful punters swarm
into Happy Valley Racecourse to view the horse-racing.
Before having a flutter, some of them even go to the temple
to pray for the good luck. If you're interested in witnessing
the madness, entrance to the public enclosure is just
HK$10.
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