Maybe it is because I was born on a warm sunny day in April on a tropical island that my body has the inability to retain heat, but I swear I am allergic to chilly weather. So during winter breaks, I always try to avoid the cold by escaping to hot-weather spots. This year, I chose to hibernate in Hong Kong for Christmas and New Year’s.

Hong Kong, located on the southern coast of China on the Pearl River Delta, averages 1,948 hours of sunshine per year. Bad for vampires, but great for me. I spent nearly three weeks in Hong Kong enjoying the 70-degree weather and sunny blue skies while hearing about the crazy snowstorms back in Seattle, which definitely wiped away any remaining bouts of homesickness I had.

Closer to Christmas time, the temperature started getting “colder,” meaning around 60 degrees. I was unfazed; while everyone took advantage of those few days to sport winter coats, I stuck out like a tourist with my tank top and cardigan ensemble.

Hong Kong means “fragrant harbor” in Chinese, and it certainly is.

Whether it is the aromatic scent of a bakery or the stench of gasoline and industrialization, my nose was pop quizzed on many foreign scents.

Even more aromas came from different street foods like curry fish balls, squid, beef intestines and stinky tofu — which is actually what they call the snack, and trust me, it really lives up to its name.

Hong Kong is the third most densely populated area in the world with over seven million people squeezed into 426 square miles.

If you’re sociophobic or claustrophobic, this may not be the city for you. For some, being in a crowded city would be more of a stress than a vacation, but I liked how there were people everywhere at all times of the day.

That is a very different aspect of life I don’t fully experience in Seattle, where people generally like their space and bumping into others without an apology is rude. In the downtown areas of Hong Kong, the streets are often packed; after a few days I acquired the talent of weaving between pedestrians. The city is so condensed and connected conveniently by many forms of transportation, such as the subway, double-decker bus, taxi or by foot. I frequently chose the last method, walking around six hours a day. No wonder people in Hong Kong are thin.

There is not a lot of space for expanding, so Hong Kong decided to build up instead. As the world’s most vertical city, Hong Kong has the greatest number of skyscrapers with 6,439. It also has 38 of the world’s 100 tallest residential buildings, and there are more people living or working above the 14th floor than anywhere else on earth. I’m glad I don’t have vertigo, as I stayed on the 18th floor of my parents’ apartment in Hong Kong.

Large neon business signs protrude from the side of buildings and illuminate the night in replacement of the moon. During the holidays, many skyscrapers decorate their exterior with colorful lights of holiday greetings and pictures. The atmosphere of the city is very festive under the warm orange glow of Christmas lights; street vendors selling food or gifts and musical performances attract tourists and locals alike to walk around and take pictures of the vibrant surroundings.

The city literally never sleeps. Restaurants are open late, some even for 24 hours, so I could walk a block from my apartment in the middle of the night and feast for usually less than $5 — and there is no tip required or tax. You never have to sleep away the late night Chinese food cravings you are bound to get.

The bar and club districts in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui are known to be rowdy and restless. Subways shut down at midnight and open at 6 a.m., so some people party all night and catch the train home in the morning.

However, at typically $10 a drink, many people probably go broke before they go home. My stamina was not quite up to par for partying until dawn, and I lived only two or three districts away, so I opted for a taxi, which was only about $8 per ride.

Around the holidays, stores close at midnight, or later if customers are still browsing. Night markets on the streets, which sell cheap goods like accessories, clothes and fake designer bags shut down even later. I definitely enjoyed some after-dinner shopping to walk off the calories, but I don’t know if my bank account was as happy as I was.

Though Hong Kong is decorated very festively for Christmas, the actual day did not seem much like a holiday.

Businesses and restaurants were still open like normal, construction went on as usual, and people went out and partied at night, unlike typical Seattle, where most have the day off to go home and spend time with their families.

New Year’s Eve was drastically different. My sister and I wanted to countdown and watch the fireworks from the IFC Tower, but people started staking out spots by the waterfront early in the morning.

When we set out at 10:30 p.m., we realized we could not even get within blocks of the view because there were thousands and thousands of people already there. People crowded and pushed beside us until everyone was packed together.

When I stood on my tiptoes and looked out, all I could see was an endless ocean of heads to every side. Although I could only see a bit of the fireworks, I still had a crazy time counting down to the New Year with thousands of loud and excited people.

I managed to escape the blizzard in Seattle, and at the same time, experience a city with so much energy and character. I’d say that is a great way to ring in 2009.

Reach reporter Carolyn Yuen at features@dailyuw.com.