Nathan Road, Hong Kong

Nathan Road, named after governor Sir Matthew Nathan, runs directly up to Boundary Street, the northern limit of the British colony prior to the leasing of the New Territories in 1898. Since everyone thought such a wide road was unnecessary at that time, Nathan Road became known as "Nathan's Folly." Today, this is one of the busiest commercial roads in Hong Kong; the lower end of the road is known as the Golden Mile because of the plethora of storefront neon signs. A walk along Nathan Road will reveal a shopping paradise with many boutiques, camera shops, street markets and restaurants crammed in side-by-side.