Hong Kong: Beautiful Places, Familiar Faces

I just spent three wonderful days in Hong Kong, filled with time spent with family (my dad) and friends (high school friend Amish)! My first impression on Hong Kong is that it is very distinct from mainland China and Shanghai. I observed friendlier people, less commotion, less pollution, and a more cosmopolitan way of life. Hong Kong is also extremely materialistic- emphasis is always on money and shopping; one of the maps I picked up had all of the Chanel stores marked. Thus, until I reached the more quaint and natural aspects of Hong Kong, I didn’t really enjoy it: a society that is driven by material possessions and status is not for me. Nonetheless, Hong Kong is easy on the eyes. Large skyscrapers are draped by green hills and mountains, and surrounded by blue waters.

The first day I arrived in Hong Kong, January 21st, I met up with my high school friend Amish, who is studying at Hong Kong University this semester. We enjoyed many parts of the city, including the escalator system. The escalators are a mode of transportation between different parts of Hong Kong Island. Individuals take the escalators down the hills to reach work in the morning, and then at 10 am, the escalators go up the hills. We stopped off in Soho to look around the shops and also take pictures of a fish stall (graphic!). We also came across a shrine which was beautiful and filled with incense. Later on, we took a tram (a short and narrow double-decker bus) to Causeway Bay, which was filled with people shopping and vibrant lights.

An interesting aspect of this day was the fact that it was Sunday, or the day that many domestic workers have off. Hong Kong has one of the largest populations of foreign domestic workers (mainly from the Philippines), mainly due to the nature of the cut-throat work schedule and the status symbol of having a nanny/maid. On Sundays, Hong Kong subway stations, parks, and streets become filled with domestic workers eating on blankets, playing cards, and laughing (and dancing) with friends. This is different from anything I’ve seen before, and I found it very interesting. Amish and I enjoyed going around the city together, and then we returned to Kowloon Island (still part of Hong Kong, where the ship was docked) for some dinner with friends. Every night at 8 pm, Hong Kong island has a light show. Office buildings display lights that flash in different patterns and colors, lighting up the night sky. Some buildings also have lasers which reach far distances. We met up with a few of my friends for some drinks and snacks as we waited for and watched the light show. Unfortunately, my environmentally- conscious side of me was wondering what impact these light shows have on energy use in Hong Kong, and what it means for environmental degradation, due to the fact most energy in Hong Kong is powered by coal. However, I had to remember that it was a beautiful night after a great day.

The following day I had the opportunity to see my dad! This was such a treat after not seeing him since I left the U.S. He was in Hong Kong visiting St. Paul’s College, which is a private school that he is trying to set up an exchange program with. Part of my dad’s job is setting up and keeping exchange programs with different schools around the world. Luckily, he needed to visit Hong Kong this year, so he was able to visit when I was there! I gave him a brief tour of the ship and then we headed on the Ferry for Hong Kong Island. It was recommended that we visit Stanley, which is on the opposite side of the Island. We took a 40 minute bus ride there, which was gorgeous. We went around hills and had great views of Repulse Bay, one of the beaches in Hong Kong. Stanley has a market as well as small streets and little restaurants and shops. This area of Hong Kong was quiet and quaint, which my dad and I really enjoyed. We took some pictures of small fishing boats and enjoyed a snack overlooking the bay. While we were there, we saw three couples taking wedding photos! Apparently, Stanley is a popular area for wedding photos. That evening, we headed back to Kowloon to meet up with two families of two teachers who stayed with my parents for a week last year: Bobby Poon and Allen Nguyen. Bobby and Allen are both teachers at St. Paul’s, and they and their families hosted us for a nice sushi dinner at a restaurant near the ship. I enjoyed meeting their wives and daughters (one is 5 and one is 10 months), and it was wonderful to get to know them. After dinner, we enjoyed walking along the water and taking some photos together. I feel so blessed to have been able to see my dad, and it was great to be able to talk to him about Japan and China, two countries to which he has been!

My third day in Hong Kong was equally wonderful. I went on a field program called Sustainable Development, which is based on Hong Kong’s effort to preserve some of the un-commercial areas of the city. We were lead by an expat from Switzerland. We hiked 8 miles along a trail in the Kowloon Mountains. This hike was definitely not just a stroll. About a third of it was uphill, with a combination of steps, terrain, and rocks! In the middle of the hike, there was an optional ascent to Lion Rock Peak. The sign in front said: “Warning-- this section of trail is very difficult and suitable only for experienced and well equipped hikers. Do not attempt in bad weather. Take care.” Despite the warning, 10 of us decided to hike up. This definitely was a challenge; I have not been challenged physically for a long time-- including the Turkey Trot in November! Once we reached a view, we thought we were done. But we weren’t! We continued along rocks (some jagged, some smooth and slick) for about 15 minutes to reach the peak. Despite the difficulties and some of us cursing the terrain, there was such a feeling of accomplishment and an absolutely gorgeous view at the end! We all finished most of the water we had, even though we had another 2 ½ hours ahead of us for the day, but it was totally worth it! After that, we met up with the rest of the group, had lunch, and then started our descent. On our way down, we were able to see wild monkeys! There were two in a tree, grooming and eating, and then three came very close to us, including a baby! We were able to take pictures so close to them, though we were nervous they would come up to us, as they usually bother humans for food. Luckily that didn’t happen, and we got to enjoy them from a safe distance! Overall, this day was fantastic. It was so nice to get away from the hustle and bustle and consumerism of the commercial areas and enjoy the natural and serene part of Hong Kong.

I am sore and tired today and only have two days until Vietnam! We all will have a quick recharge with classes until we have our 5 days there. I am getting very excited, and I’m sure I will have more adventures to share with you. Until then, I hope you all are happy, healthy, and loving life!