Hong Kong is a twist of Chinese culture spun with a modern flare. The streets are permeated with street vendors and whiffs of steamed vegetables yet simultaneously inundated with modern buildings and clean smooth interiors.

The skyline is flooded by cookie-cutter buildings that look as meticulous as the people that inhabit it. Well-dressed fashion pioneers still sit down and slurp their Won Ton soups.  The city is alive and bustling until midnight, slightly reminiscent of New York City. Markets teem with shoes, clothes and imitation goods. At night Hong Kong is transformed into a lit up paradise. Large signs are everywhere resembling a condensed and pack-ratted Times Square.

After traveling to mainland China, the differences between Hong Kong and the mainland are stark. Hong Kong still echoes its British past. Cars keep to their right and passengers “mind the gap” on the subways. From street signs to restaurant menus, everything is translated into English and English speakers are readily accessible. Hong Kong is the epicenter of modern China. Yet as Hong Kong pushes forward, it still maintains a firm grasp on its cultural essence.