Lantau: Land of the Magic Buddha

Experience The Streets of Hong Kong With An Accomplished Artist, Professional Photographer and One of ToursByLocals Most Highly Rated Hong Kong Guides. . . Greetings Fellow Travelers, Welcome to Hong Kong, the Pearl of the Orient! Allow me to share with you the finest ways to experience all facets of this truly magnificent city, culturally, historically and visually, just as we locals do; so that when we are finished, you will be able to confidently and knowledgeably relate the modern story of Hong Kong as an inquisitive and well informed cultural traveler. I'm an American of Asian descent and I have lived as a local in an old neighborhood of Kowloon called To Kwa Wan for 22 years. I spent substantial amounts of time here on business and pleasure over the years following my earliest visits in the 1970s and witnessed the evolution of this city as well as the rest of North and South East Asia over the past 50 years. I am also a retired international lawyer and have reinvented myself as a professional artist, urban street photographer, and a street-savvy premium Hong Kong guide. I have performed 1500+ premium private tours to date. My artwork and photography have been featured on prominent American and international websites for over a decade and I sell prints to collectors from all over the world. I have literally spent thousands of hours walking the streets of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and Old Macau, camera in hand, searching for all manner of intriguing people, local points of interest, fine eateries and the wonders of Cantonese street culture in all of its curious manifestations. In my preparations to serve as your premium guide, I have also logged countless hours engaging in cultural and historical research of pre-colonial, colonial and modern-day Hong Kong. I pride myself in being a keen social observer, an artist/entertainer, a lover of good food and a culturally intelligent human being. Much of my knowledge of Hong Kong is a knowledge that I acquired long before I started preparations to offer premium guide services. Knowledge I acquired when my Dad had offices here in the 1970s and I visited during summer breaks, living in an old Chinese neighborhood in a 'Chinese style' building, interacting with family and relatives in Thailand, Hong Kong and Macau, observing local holidays and traditions, relishing all manner of local cuisine and nightlife, wandering and exploring the many old urban and rural neighborhoods as a raw street photographer and just being a curious and alert cultural observer. I have spent a lifetime honing my skills as a communicator and I have redirected these skills to sharing my unique portfolio of local knowledge and experience with maximum efficacy. I have plenty of intriguing local facts and anecdotes to share with each and every one of you. It is one thing to blather on about the much-touted "hidden gems" of the universe, it is quite another to put in the requisite elbow grease to build and share a comprehensive framework connecting the multitude of cultural and historical dots in an engaging and user-friendly manner. Hence, my mission can be encapsulated as follows: To provide all of my clients with an entertaining, deeply informative and street savvy premium travel experience ultimately leading to cherished memories, a portfolio of stunning on-tour photographs, an urge for further cultural and historical investigation and a strong desire to return to this fascinating city that I will call my home for many years to come. All of my premium tour engagements are performed soulfully by me. Accordingly, you can expect the utmost attention to detail in preparation, proactive communication, positive attitude and demeanor and the highest standard of client service professionalism. Warm regards from Hong Kong! William Resident of Hong Kong for over 20 years. Lived and/or worked for substantial periods in the following cities: NYC, Washington DC, Chicago, London, Warsaw, Kobe, Singapore, Shanghai and Bangkok. Master Digital Artist and Professional Photographer (i.e., people from around the globe purchase my works). Tourist Guide License TG12434 issued by Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong. First Aid Certification Hong Kong Red Cross Retired International Lawyer (admitted NYC Bar 1982) Featured in Hong Kong's Apple News Daily (William, an American who knows his way around Hong Kong like a native Hong Konger) 1500+ Premium Private Tours Delivered to Date. Tours By Locals Guide On-Boarding Team (2018-2020). Tours By Locals Night Tour recently featured in June 2019 issue of American Airlines Inflight Magazine. Five HarvardX Courses Completed: -Ming China -Modern China's Foundations; The Manchu and Qing -Invasions and Rebellions and the End of Imperial China -Creating Modern China: Birth of a Nation -China and Communism Please note the following: A. I do not offer food tours and am unable to handle complicated dietary requirements. For this I can refer you to another capable guide. B. I am not a commercial driver. However, I can engage a late model air conditioned car or van with driver at reasonable cost, if requested.