Saturday, December 28, 2002

Hong Kong can do no wrong

Gasp! This is not the Hong Kong I remembered visiting last time at all. You would think that over the years, a cities can only increase in population density, in pollution and in high rises. Well, I'm not saying that all the high rises disappeared over night cuz it didn't, but where is the familiar stench of overpowering car exhaust and other idiosyncracies of air pollution? The ground seems cleaner and I haven't once stepped on a glob of spittle never mind canine stool since I arrived into the train station from my 27 hour train ride from Shanghai. There isn't quite as many people walking about on the streets at I remembered either. After the Asian crisis and the recent couple years of economic decline, people are finding less and less time for consumerism. Even the taxis on the streets are looking forlorn with the "for hire" sign illuminated eerily in red neon.

Sigh! But this is the exact reason that I am beginning to become fond of this city. The state that Hong Kong was in before these particular changes really turned me off and it gave me the big HK-repellant attitude before leaving Canada. People here refuse to bargain. I went to the hair dresser's and the guy was telling me "You don't seem like you're from overseas. You try to bargain as though you're an old house wife." Of course, he can never understand how bargaining can take you miles in China and that prices are so much lower in the mainland! When you go out to eat here, it's the equivalent to Canada. (Although I went to an all you can eat Japanese meal in Shanghai and it was $30 Cdn!).

Hong Kong $$

"Please mind the doors!" The feminine and sultry MTR station (subway) voice announces in a British accent as I wait to get into the train. The double glass doors slides open before the train doors itself opens in case any lunatics passing by might attempt to push a surprised passenger in front of an on-coming train. There is an Octopus pass that you slide at terminals before entry and it deducts the money from your card when you exit at the arrival station. The pass works for city buses, trams and even some cake shops. Some passes even come in the form of a watch. It's amazing and it's costing a fortune to. When I went on a bike ride towards the countryside, it cost me 40 odd Hong Kong dollars. One HK dollar is the equiv of $4.98 CDN. Compared to the 3 kuai Beijing subway this is definitely a huge difference!

Ads here tell me "cheap eats", a meal for $30HK! I scoff and dream of 3 course meals for 12RMB. . . Other than the buying power, I also miss speaking and practicing my Mandarin. Even though I heard a few people here and there speak Mandarin, I never have a chance to use it.