As I was making my way back to the Star Ferry Terminal, I chanced upon a rather interesting place. It is the 1881 Heritage. The 1881 Heritage is an upscale shopping center built in traditional Victorian architecture, perhaps fittingly since Hong Kong used to be a British colony. This used to be the site of the Hong Kong Marine Police back in the 1880’s. A lot of parts of the 1881 Heritage were declared to be historical monuments, which makes turning it into a shopping center rather questionable.
Unlike the soaring shopping centers of Hong Kong, 1881 Heritage employs a more open layout. The shopping center is terraced and it opens to an elegant plaza. For a moment you might forget that you are in Hong Kong but somewhere in Europe. However, images of Cartier and other fancy brands will snap you back into reality. The 1881 Heritage is an interesting place to visit and I would say that it is a breath of fresh air in in the normally choking streets of Hong Kong.
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