My Mom and Jackie are in town- Part 1

Hey All,

I’m going to apologize in advance. The majority of my first post is narrative. I am now done the first leg of my Far Eastern Adventure with my mom and my little sister, Jackie. We are out seeing as much of the world as we can in these ten days before I get going at HKUST. This post won’t be full of the trilling stories that I can promise in the future, but I want to make sure that I get it all down on paper so I don’t forget any of the places we visit. After all, this blog is my journal of my time abroad- your entertainment will just be an inevitable by-product. Here’s a little bit about our first stint in Hong Kong:

Day One:

First of all, let me say that Hong Kong is one wild and crazy place. Today was our first full day here, and different attractions were pulling us in a million different directions. So much to do, so little time… In the AM, we made the trek out to Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. This is the University where I will be spending the spring, so I was happy to see that the campus is beautiful as I had imagined. I will post some pictures when the weather clears up and my camera can do the view justice.

After returning to the hotel, we strapped on our walking shoes and hit the streets. Walking around was the best way to get our bearings about the city, and we had a couple of hours before dinner. It was unbelievable to see the juxtoposition of new money and old Hong Kong. Hong Kong was transferred back to Chinese rule from the British on June 30, 1997. This event was memorialized outside of the Hong Kong Convention center and has been marked with multiple statues, most famously the “forever blooming bauhinia.” The statues can be seen from across the bay in Kowloon, and are landmarks for the city that I would compare to the Statue of Liberty. Granted, the statues are much younger, but I think that time will only add to their historical significance.

For dinner, we abandoned the travel handbooks, and put our faith in the JW Marriott Concierge. The man directed us to a restaurant called Hu Tong, located on the 28^th floor of a building in Kowloon. The interior of the restaurant was unlike anything that I have ever seen before. The ornate Chinese décor reminded me that I was on the other side of the world. The menu only augmented this realization, and it was refreshing to be lost in a new culture. I have so much to learn. The food was delicious, but it was irrelevant. My eyes were fixed out the window for the entirety of the meal. The sky was lit up with the renouned light show. It surpassed all of my lofty expectations- unbelievable.

Digression:

If you haven’t read The World Is Flat, you are certainly missing out. I strongly suggest you purchase a copy as soon as you can and read it cover to cover. On the 14 hour flight over, I spent a large portion of time buried in this text. It seemed to affirm my decision to study in Hong Kong. Michael Lewis has an urgent message to convey, and this book is more of a call to action than anything else. I will not get into any of the details, but let me know after you’ve read the book- we’ll have a lot to talk about by then.

Day Two:

Today we were intent on venturing to Stanley Market. The travel books all pinpoint Stanley as the premier place on the island for bargain hunting. To get there, we hopped on the double-decker bus. We expected the ride to be enjoyable, and it quickly became one of the coolest parts of the trip.

Jackie and I stationed ourselves on the top in the front of the bus. These seats gave us a magnificent view of the trip. Skyscrapers emerge from the side of hills and are truly architectural marvels. Furthermore, the construction process is very interesting- they are completely wrapped with bamboo scaffolding, held together by nylon ropes. It is remarkable.

We got to Stanley Market, and found exactly what we were expecting. Some of the coolest collections I have ever seen. From designer clothing to tiny handcrafted Chinese trinkets, Stanley Market had it all. Jackie dropped some serious dough (not at all) on one of the prettiest necklaces I’ve seen in a while. Meanwhile, I was inevitably drawn to the rugby jerseys, which sold for the equivalent of ten American dollars. I know what you’re thinking… I was thinking the same thing. I bought two.

A nice walk along the coast of Stanley brought us to the Tin Hau Temple, which is considered the oldest building on Hong Kong Island. It has been renovated, but the structure has been around since 1767. I learned that the Chinese often do not hesitate to knock down historical sites if they are located on valuable land, and there is a monetary incentive to dismantle it. After a great lunch on the water, we headed back to Pacific Place.

Almost immediately upon arrival home, we headed back out to go see Hollywood Avenue, home of the Chinese Antiques. Although the goods were out of our price range, they were a treasure to see. We made our way down the streets entirety and into the Lon Kwai Fong district. This area is Vice City, lined with bars, pubs, and other lustful hangouts. Without exaggerating, I can say every American is drawn to this part of town when the lights go down in the city.

Once I finished drooling over the vats of alcohol being shipped in for the evening, we walked back via the beautiful Hong Kong Park. The park was full of paths that twisted up and down hills. The park was enjoyable, despite having inspired numerous streams of sweat down my leg. In the middle of the city, the park was a refuge for many animals and a local hangout for tai chi.

Now, it’s 5:30, and I am going to grab a quick shower. We have reservations at 7:30, and my mom and I want to make sure that we get a nice little Happy Hour in beforehand. Two-for-one pints of Stella Artois. Life is good.

Day Three:

Upon waking up this morning, I was reminded of my cultural ineptitude. Last night, as we enjoyed our first Cantonese dinner, we embarrassed all of America. Whether it be eating off of the wrong plate, or eating with the wrong utensil, I’m convinced that the waitor thought we were retarded. Life goes on.

Our final full day before heading to Bangkok is now complete, and we made sure that we saw all that we could. Waking up with the sun, we went over to Aberdeen, which is a famous fishing village in Hong Kong. We rented a sampan (and the owner) for the equivalent of $10/ person for an hour long guided tour of the harbor. It was amazing to see the old fishing boats as they came in with their catch hanging on deck to dry. As we moved closer to the famous “Jumbo,” an enormous floating restaurant in the middle of the bay, we entered one of the yacht clubs. The contrast was indescribable. One side of the harbor played host to paddle and motorized sampans, while the other side catered to the extreme wealth of some of the world’s premier financiers. The ten dollars was a small price to pay for such an amazing little tour.

Without missing a step, we were off to Causeway Bay for lunch. Before convincing my mom and sister to go for Dim Sum at a traditional Chinese venue where no English was spoken (another meal plagued with Americanitis), the three of us walked through Victoria Park. The park was beautiful, and is a local hotspot for Tai Chi. The majority of the park is being prepared for Chinese New Year, which promises to be a radical experience. In fact, we learned earlier that many of the Aberdeen Fishermen had already returned to port for the New Year celebration. Keep in mind that the New Year is not for nine more days.

The afternoon was spent venturing through the Jade and Night Markets of Kowloon. We took the Star Ferry across the bay, which would have been spectacular had the fog not masked the view. It was fun nonetheless. I had the pleasure of sitting next to an Asian lesbian couple. Now on my way to Bangkok, I am bracing myself to see some much crazier things. Our negotiation tactics in the markets were flawless, and we retreated back to the hotel after making some purchases that we were proud of. The evening was capped by an elegant Indian dinner at a restaurant called JoJo. The restaurant is apparently a favorite of ex-pats and the food was quite good. Off to Thailand- I’ll be in touch.