A retrospective on Hong Kong

Day 194 - Thursday 24 July 2008

Hong Kong's crazy - and a must see at some point for that reason alone - but don't hang around too long - it might just drive you a bit nuts!

I ended up staying for just under 2 weeks and I had a good time - mainly because the Yes Inn in Fortress Hill proved to be an oasis in a milieu of surprisingly crappy hostels - which - when you consider Hong Kong is such a hub of Asia - is another reason why Hong Kong just doesn't make sense - Simon, Will and many other really cool international types and travellers who came through our tiny but well air conditioned room made my stay a blast - and not a chore - if you come to Hong Kong and enjoy sleeping in a corridor next to the internet cafe don't stay at the Yes Inn but at Chungking Mansions!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chungking_Mansions

I was really in Hong Kong to take a look and do some work - well - traveller's work - and that means visas and flight arrangements - the visas worked out just right - I got up and in line early - filled out a few forms - got a couple of dodgy mug shots done - and put my best smile on when asking for permission to enter Vietnam, India and Nepal - they all obliged and each illed my passport with a fancy sticker for the immigration officers of their respective countries - the flights almost went belly up when I visited Royal Jordanian to change a date only to find out they'd cancelled my flight out of Delhi without telling me - a flight that is incredibly popular and was full over 3 months in advance - just like the other flights around it for a few weeks - despite the 6:20 (AM) departure time - that's a billion people and a burgeoning economy for you - the Jordanians did put me back on the flight but only after I'd badgered them - and I have a month after trekking to Everest Base Camp to check out the rest of Nepal and India

The main think that sticks in my mind about Hong Kong is the hustle and bustle - people trying to constantly get an advantage - it's either the person pushing straight past you on the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) or the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation constructing the best building on Hong Kong Island - and it seems to all have come at a cost - anything being old - I'd take a guess that Hong Kong has decided old is bad - 'we need to show off our economy so build a new one' - consequently, the wonderful Star Ferry apart, I can't remember anything looking more than 50 years old - if you're into flashy stuff - and I kind of am - you'd love it - but just like you get temple overload in Kyoto - you get Gucci store overload in Hong Kong - and their stuff's not the bargain it was 20 years ago - I bought a camera (as you do in Hong Kong) and saved the princely sum of 3 quid over Amazon's price! - mind you - I can't knock the HSBC's brilliant architectural style (use Google Images for a picture of their HQ in Hong Kong) and they do have good lions ...

But there's a weird juxtaposition going on here - because the new stuff is the majority - but it's not absolutely everywhere - there's definitely a rough edge to Hong Kong - and that sticks it up there as a must see - I guess it used to be the British v the Chinese money - but now it's well on it's way to being the other way round - although I read an interesting fact that said the world simply doesn't have enough resources to give every Chinese person the standard of living of the USA

But it wasn't all work, work, work in Hong Kong - I did still see it all - just at a more leisurely pace than I'd been accustomed to through Japan

The view from the 552masl Victoria Peak at dusk into night is incredible (committed readers will know that's my fave time to visit any cityscape viewpoint) - it's up there with the very best in the world - arguably better than Tokyo (unless you're as big a Tokyo fan as me) - it looks north from Hong Kong Island over Kowloon towards mainland China - and there's a sneaky look behind to the south and the Outlying Islands that are craggy and quiet compared to the rest of the metropolis - getting up to 'the Peak' is quite a journey - plenty of standing in line - and a tram (that is another old thing to be fair) travelling so steeply through the mid-levels that when you don't get a seat (like me!) you have to lean forwards at about 40 degrees so that you don't fall backwards and all the way down to the sea - Eddie the Eagle would have had no problem - it's also jam packed and virtually impossible to get a decent clear photo at night - unless you pay for one - and then take a photo of their photo - even then - it's certainly not clear!

The physical location of Hong Kong on the edge of the South China Sea and facing the land mass of China gives rise to amazing weather - one minute it's lashing down, the next the sun's out piercing your epidermis and there's the constant mugginess that has shops cranking up their air con to pull you in and buy a cell phone - when actually you were just trying to escape the pressure cooker atmosphere for one minute - although the air quality is surprisingly good (a lot better than Tokyo, Santiago, La Paz, Los Angeles, etc, etc, etc - how sad) - all of Hong Kong's mixture of weather gives rise to fluffy clouds on sunny days that are illuminated by the city lights at night and make looking upwards a joy - you think you're in some Narnia-esque land - it's ace and my favourite thing about Hong Kong - this is the highest building in Hong Kong called International Finance Centre Two (what else - One's the same but a bit smaller!)

The movie theatres/cinemas are plentiful and I made the most if it - including Hancock (better than the critics would have you believe), Kung Fu Panda (a great one when you're in China and Dreamworks best since Shrek) and Red Cliff (a John Woo epic in Putonghua/Mandarin with English subtitles that puts many Western epics to shame) - John Woo is the director from Hong Kong who did Face Off in Hollywood - Red Cliff is a v important piece of Chinese history and here's more ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Red_Cliffs

It's a two parter though - and I only found out in the last minute of the 2.5 hour first part marathon - sadly - I won't be in Hong Kong for the second part at Christmas!

The Dark Knight steals the prize for the best of the Summer though - (my love for Indy aside) - Sin City meets Seven meets Silence of the Lambs meets Batman - so dark, so adult, so superbly acted, so set in Hong Kong and Chicago (I think I know both of those now!) and so brilliantly scored by Hans Zimmerman - the best movie of that comic book type ever! - and it's IFC 2 that Batman leaps from when in Hong Kong

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dark_knight/

There are some world class museums kicking around the east side of Kowloon and Tsim Tsa Chui (almost pronounced Chim-Sar-Choy) - the Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Space Museum were all well presented, big, and like the rest of the city, make you language lazy - because English is the language of commerce - and brilliantly bi/tri-lingual people welcome you in the correct langauge determined by your look - I had a go at some Cantonese and only found out in my final days that the words I'd been using for thank you weren't words at all! - it's mega-tonal and the same word can mean 5 different things according to whether the a is pronounced in a low pitch, high pitch or combination of the two - add kanji into the mix and Alan Partridge would say 'oh forget it!'

There aren't many places of worship from any religion around Hong Kong (I guess everyone's too busy in their offices) but the Man Mo Temple just off Hollywood Road is one of the most atmospheric I've ever visited - there are rows and rows of incense coils burning away, smelling amazing (it's my top smell in the world) and transporting you to another place - you could buy a plaque to remember your loved one forever here for thousands and thousands of Hong Kong Dollars (there's 16 to the pound by the way) - and in perpetuity be enshrined in a haven of Buddhism/Taoism/Confucianism - they love a mixture of religions here in Asia

The Hong Kong Convention Centre is another monolith of money but hugely important for Hong Kong's Special Administrative Region - this is Hong Kong's official title since 1997 when Prince Charles and Chris Patten handed it back to the Chinese at the Convention Centre - kind of handed it back - everyone says 'I must go back and see how it's changed' - if I were you - I wouldn't bother - yet - because the SAR has to be run as it was under British rule for the next 50 years - so come back in about 40 to really see what impact Chinese rule has had - I've simplified things for literary effect here and there's more to it - ask me some time - either way the Golden Bauhinia is the symbol of 'new' Hong Kong - and golden it really is ...

So to finish off the longest blog in history I'd like to thank China for allowing me to visit them (remember the visa!) and here's some of my observations of Hong Kong (and to a certain extent China)

The people like to 'hock a lugie' - although there are signs everywhere telling them not to spit - or to shout - or to make a nuisance in general - the single party government are clearly controlling their people

Golf's popular and I spent a happy (but expensive - it's for the 'haves') hour hitting unlimited balls at the Island Golf Club that's a netted range (a la Japan) looking out over Victoria Harbour to Kowloon - genius!

They've reclaimed way too much land from the sea and so there are about 3 main thoroughfares on Hong Kong Island - so walking around it is a nightmare - all malls, walkways over roads and crowds figurng out the way!

But they're amateur metro/subway riders - everyone stands by the door so you can't easily get on board - I could just imagine Swifty losing his patience and shouting 'get in' at the top of his voice!

They're well up for the Olympics and the little mascots are everywhere - and Hong Kong has been given the equestrian events (a token gesture from Beijing for my money 'cos there's definitely a mainland/Hong Kong issue I'd say) - so Hong Kong's an Olympic city

The longer movies are more expensive (cheeky but I can see why!)

The landing into Hong Kong is awesome - 'we're landing in the sea, brace, oh no, OK, there's the runway, we're saved!' - not one for the wee Nicholson fella - the South China Sea's behind that plane!

There are plenty of peddlers offering to make you a suit (who are all Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan at a guess) - and I stumbled upon the closed but famous Sam's Tailors in Kowloon (where Michael Palin got a suit in Around the World in 80 Days) - this isn't it - but a proper/non-touristy tailor in Wan Chai who has happy for me to take a shot of his skills

There are quite a few coughs and colds kicking around (but not me I'm pleased to say!) - one of Britain's worst exports?!

Paper was invented in China!

Hong Kong's been reckless with it's history - it's bull dozed it - I was expecting more of an East India Trading Company feel to the place - but for your old sea port feel - head to Sydney - it's definitely not here!

They like their K Circles (one for the boys from Meads!)

Tsing-Tao beer is pronounced Ching-Tow (as in having a row about your salary with your boss not rowing a boat!)

The Pacific Coffee Company with it's free 15 minute access and reubens is awesome - the iced americano is pretty good as well - I love reubens ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_sandwich

Cafe de Coral's char siu (bbq pork, rice and greens) is the best traveller's food for it's money in expensive (for Asia) Hong Kong

And they love Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan - I'll let you guess which one this is - the Kung Fu Pandas amongst you will get it!

But that's all behind me now - for I'm a day out of Hong Kong and China - and in country number 9 of this adventure - Hanoi in Vietnam is my current home - and all the features of the developing world are back - honking horns, a crumbly infra-structure, daily essentials bought off street stalls and that Indiana Jones exploring feeling - only this time - I'm not alone ...