Hong Kong 香港
星期三, 五月 31, 2006
on top of Victoria Peak
Between Thursday night and Monday afternoon: we ate chinese, mexican, american, and italian, food, used an efficient subway and bus system, and experienced english everything - signs, television, newspapers, not to mention watching X-Men.
We could have been back in North America, if everything wasn't also in Cantonese: we were in Hong Kong for the weekend. We left on my birthday, so being able to say that I had break in Beijing and dinner in Hong Kong was not a shabby way to celebrate my 24th.
The weather was lousy (muggy, humid, and constant drizzle) but it was gorgeous being back in a city where everything is efficient, modern, grammatically-correct, and where one can maintain a semblance of personal space amongst crowds of people.
Tiantan Buddha and other statues on Lantau Island
I went back primarily to apply for the new smartcard version of my HK Identity Card, but with Craig and Chris tagging along, I got a chance to play tourist in the city where I grew up - even experiencing things I've never done as a child, like the big Buddha on Lantau Island, going up Victoria Peak at night, seeing the new skyline light show that was introduced as a post-SARS gimmick to reattract tourists to Hong Kong, oh and using the Octopus card (a stored-value swipe card) to purchase everything from transportation to food from 7-11 and McDonald's. Didn't get a chance to visit the new Disneyland though.
The Star Ferry docks on Kowloon side
Statue Square
Things have changed since I lived there (has it been that long?) 10 years ago - new buildings and malls have popped up, old shops have been knocked down or renovated, and I needed a map to get around some places. But it was lovely being back and experiencing all the things I love about HK: the gentle rocking of the Star Ferry, the neon lights of Nathan Road, double-decker buses, the ultra-modern and efficient subway system, being surrounded by Cantonese again, and especially seeing the Hong Kong skyline.
Oh and of course, shopping; I finally bought my very first suit (I'm not sure how I worked for over one year in Washington DC without one either).
a street in Causeway Bay
Palm trees outside the Cultural Center
one of my favourite views in the entire world
After a weekend in one of the most modern cities in the world, all three of us are actually feeling vaguely culture-shocked to be back in dusty, musty, polluted Beijing.
More photos of Hong Kong can be found here
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