Frantic in Hong Kong
Trip Start
Jun 09, 2005
1
19
105
Trip End
Jun 08, 2006
Hong Kong,
China
Thursday, August 25, 2005
That evening we sample Beijing's nightlife once again, courtesy of Ding and Tommy our Chinese guides, who insist on taking us out, along with Cliodhna (Irish) and Helle (Danish). Rachel wears a dress for the first time in 10 weeks and gets lots of admiring comments, although passers-by are still confused as to whether she is a boy or a girl because of her short hair. Walking around the lake at Bei Hai we pass colourful restaurants and nightclubs, their lights reflecting in the black water
Alan
. The walkways are bustling with people having a great time and there is a real sense of atmosphere in this part of the city. It reminds me of the sense of excitment and anticipation in Sydney just before the 2000 Olympics.Next day we get up at 5am and jump in a taxi to the airport. We cruise on huge empty boulevards where the buildings, dimly lit cliff faces and escarpments, are lit by the low urban sun.
We arrive to the techno-clinical vastness of Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok airport. Rachel's Aunt Lily, Uncle Pok Hai, and cousin Philip are there to meet us. Philip drives us in an enormous Toyota Landcruiser through the conjested cityscape to the downtown area of HK island. After applying for new Chinese visa's, Aunty Lily takes us for Yum Cha (a typical HK lunch), shows us the office where she does her share dealing, and we go for a walk through some of the pedestrianised shopping areas. I am amazed by the glittering array of big brand names like Prada, Armani and Chanel with their clean minimal shops and perfectly beautiful shop assistants.
It soon starts raining and my feet get wet in the monsoon-like downpours that seem to become heavier and heavier as the day progresses
Aunties
. Our bodies struggle to adjust as we walk from the greenhouse-like streets where it's wet and hot into freezing dry air conditioned shops. We visit Rachel's cousin Joan's bakery and coffee shop called Pumpernickel in Causeway bay. Joan started the business about 4 years ago and it has succesfully expanded to 4 shops. She will shortly open a factory/office to centralise the bread-making which is now carried out locally in each of the shops. She pays great attention to recipies and preparation and is looking for ways that she can improve her product range of different bread and cakes. Her plan is to find somewhere in France where she can learn more about the intracacies of bread-making. We are impressed with the cafe, its decor, staff, and the cafe latte that does wonders to wake me up after the 5am start.
Later in the day we return to Aunt Lily's flat on the 34th floor of an enormous towerblock in Aberdeen, which is our base for the next few days. I am shocked by how small it is - probably the smallest 2 bedroom flat I've ever seen - but Uncle Pok Hai assures me its normal living accomodation, generous space-wise compared to their old one bedroom flat, and is worth about $HK 2M (GBP 130K) on the market.
We shuffle around each other and eat dinner together
Clara
. I surprise everyone by eating the chicken's feet soup without complaining. I suck off the skin, swallow, and spit out the bones; there's not a lot else in a chicken's foot. Rachel and I are very tired and we retire to our bunk beds and sleep well despite the 35 degC heat and 95% humidity.
We head into town. Its the first time I've been on a double decker bus since a school trip to the seaside in the 1970's so I'm more than a little excited. We sit up front on the top deck as we speed past the steep green tropical hillsides and skyscrapers on a road that resembles a scalextric track with its curves, bridges, and crash barriers.
We meet Alan, Rachel's (sort of) cousin, at the Chili club for a delicious Thai meal. The food is a change from the Chinese dishes, and I gobble up more than my share of the pommegranite salad, something I've never eaten before. Alan works for a big city firm as a manager and is sharply dressed in collar and tie. He tells us the good news that his wife, lisa, is expecting a baby next year.
In the afternoon we do some shopping and Rachel buys a garishly coloured casio watch for HK$ 99 (GBP6.50)
Da Rosa's
. Its raining so heavily that the umbrellas become fairly useless because of the amount of splashing from below. Soaked, we meet up with two of Rachel's Aunties, their husbands and children for dinner. Aunty joanna (Ah-yee) is Rachel's mum's sister and has the same loud and friendly character. Little Ah-yee is her younger sister and seems much quieter. Both their husband's, Rachels uncle's, don't speak any English so I fairly quickly run out of conversation with them. Little Ah-yee's daughters, Mandy and Sandy, are 23 and 21 respectively, and look like beautiful and fragile chinese dolls. The aunties comment on the colour of Rachel's sun-darkened skin next to the translucent paleness of the girl's.Another day, another lunch date. This time Aunty Lin, Uncle Wilson, Clara and Vincent. We met Aunty Lin and Clara in St Neots last summer so its refreshing to see them again. We eat Yum Cha and I try Tripe (cows intestine) for the first time. Actually it tastes fine and anyone who can eat Haggis should be able to handle it.
In the evening we are invited out to the Portugese Club to meet the Da Roza family (Uncle Francis, Aunty Helen, Antonio, Andre, and Alexandra) for Dinner. The Da Rozas are distantly related to Rachel's family but the link is as tenuous as the one to the actor Chow Yun Fat
Double Happiness
. I have met Andre and Antonio many times before when they were studying in the UK and am accustomed to their grungy student-like attire. Its a surprise to see them smartened up, and to meet their beautiful and exotic sister, Alexandra, who looks like a model with her long legs, designer clothes, and sophisticated hair cut. The Club owns a modern hi-rise building in downtown HK, the lower floors of which are let commercially, and the top floors are used as restaurants and function rooms by the club. Dark hardwoods, marble, granite, and tasteful artworks characterise the no-expense-spared approach to fixtures and fittings. Uncle Francis has pre-ordered the food, and the 8 or so courses (I lost count) are a mouth-watering exploration of sino-portugese cuisine. The piece de resistance is the last course: homemade sesame seed ice cream.
Next morning Rachel takes me to the catholic church in town. Church is every hour, on the hour, from 7am in the morning until 1pm, so we expect it to be busy. As I look around I see the congregation has an odd demographic as there are 95% Philipino women with only the odd chinese person and a couple of token westerners. Luckily only one person collapses in the heat generated in the sardine-can-like atmosphere, and we manage to slowly squeeze our way out afterwards into the pouring rain and a sea of umbrellas.
We head out to cousin Philip's flat in Kowloon and meet his family including wife Phoebe, daughter Wei Wei (6-years old), and 1 year old son. Like many HK families they have a live-in-maid, who for about HK$3800 (GBP 250)per month helps out looking after the children, cleaning, and making the dinner
Hong Kong skyline
. The apartment is clean and modern with 3 bedrooms, high up in an vertigo-inducing tower block. Philip has been very succesful in his business with automatic doors for offices and hospitals. A recent buy-out of his company has meant that he may be able to retire at 40 next year. We have some noodles in the shopping complex beneath the tower blocks. Wei Wei surprises us by adding up the ten items on the bill accurately (in 7 seconds), which is very impressive for a 6-year old. We learn that she is taking extra abacus lessons in fast-calculation. Her English is also very good; she has several hours constructive play with an English teacher every week.
We land-cruise into HK where its the last day of a big electronics exhibition where Philip recommends we can find the MP3 player that we need. I have all my Spanish lessons in MP3 format, but no player, and this seem like a good opportunity. The exhibition is so crowded that we can barely squeeze from stand to stand, but Wei Wei finds it easy to scoot underneath and between people without trouble. All around the exhibition hall, there are scantily dressed sexy models surrounded by leering male photographers. Putting aside this distraction we eventually settle for a cool-looking 1GB flash MP3 player for HK$ 800 (GBP 55)
Models
. It comes with 2 free teddy bears much to the delight of Wei Wei.Philip takes us on a driving tour in the Lancruiser along the coast of HK. We skirt many enticing sandy bays with expensive-looking apartments clinging to the tropical hillside. We dip our feet into the South China sea and its very warm compared to what I expect. Unfortunately its still raining though, and we dont have our swimming kit.
Evening time and we have another huge family gathering and I meet Suzanna and Maisie (Rachel's cousin's) for the first time. The meal seems to have about 20 courses and goes on until very late. I sit in the car on the way home with a sore belly from eating too much.
Next day we take the Star Ferry across the water to Kowloon. Here on the water we have the best view of the jagged Hong Kong skyline, where the mountains and buildings fight for space. We meet Uncle Anthony and Aunt Edith, who take us to the Hong Kong museam where we learn about its history, culture, and relationship with China. We are joined for lunch by Uncle Johnson, Aunt Catherine, and cousin Joyce. We hit it off very well with the vivacious Joyce, a Tiger like Rachel. After visiting Chi Un Temple and relaxing in a cafe at Sai Kung beach we head out for another monster dinner, to be joined by cousin Elton and Joyce's husband Matthew.
After Dinner we go out with Joyce, Matthew, and Elton to sample the bars and nightlife of HK. Rachel talks long into the night with Joyce about life, work, and relationships.
Finally our visit to HK is over. We feel we've only scratched the surface and resolve to spend a bit longer when we come back in October.
Next day we have a quick lunch with Aunt Lily and Uncle and head off to the airport to catch the flight back to Beijing, armed with our new visas, and thoroughly worn out after meeting so many people.
Comments
Hallo!!!
i almost sent an empty message...!!
Well, it sounds good.
I will have my viva on the 9th of September and on the 10th I am visiting your house for the wedding.
Many greetings from Ramin.
(yes John, we are still together)
Enjoy!