Hong Kong

My first thought was, "Boy, Hong Kong sure gives Tokyo a run for its money when it comes to mega-urban living!"

My second thought was, "Why does everybody think I need a new custom-tailored suit?"

My third though was, "If one more person asks me if I want a suit I think I'm going to custom tailor their face!"

Ok, so maybe my third thought wasn't really so violent, but I was certainly surprised by my instant popularity with all the street vendors:
"Buy my suit!"
"Stay in my Hotel!"
"You need a room?"
"You need a suit? Shirt? Pants? Tie? Camera? Watch?"

<--My Home in Hong Kong

Apparently my American Dollars, sparse as they were, made me a popular guy, which wasn't such a bad thing given my layoff-wounded spirit at the time. I quickly began to enjoy Hong Kong and knew I would have a wonderful 4-day visit. After meeting a friend and host at the airport, I checked into the Imperial Hotel and found a bite to eat before heading off to bed-- in preparation for an early start the next day.

During my first day in Hong Kong I mostly wandered around the city, taking it in and figuring out what appealed to me most. The pictures above show (from left to right) my ride on the Star Ferry, Causeway Bay, the view from Victoria Peak, and Hong Kong's Central District by day and night. Even after living in Japan for a year, I was still amazed by the buildings in Hong Kong. In Japan, there was no end to the concrete jungle. In Hong Kong, there was an end to it, but the jungle was much taller! Instead of an apparent average of 8 stories, HK seemed to have a 50 story average. The harbor was beautiful by day and night, and I couldn't help myself to some artsy photos:

The first shot on the left is a different view from Victoria peak, the second shows the science and technology museum, and the third shows the art museum. The fourth shows a beautiful, classic Rolls Royce car that I found in front of an arbitrary yet posh hotel. Finally, there I am, taking my own picture in front of the harbor. I played with artsy photos during the daytime, too:

And then I went to Ocean Park.

Ocean Park is difficult to explain.

<--Read this closely.

It seemed to be a poor cross between Sea World and Magic Mountain, with a view better than any amusement park I have ever visited. They had an aquarium, a few interesting rides, a few not-so-interesting rides, and a few "rides" that literally rivaled the entertainment qualities of a rock. Or roadkill. I took the whole thing as a "cultural experience" and enjoyed the amazing view (see the close-up of the second photo form the left). I also finished the day off with a show full of dolphins and sea lions. The animals were great despite their brief appearances, but what really tickled me was the entertainment BEFORE the show. There I was, on a hill overlooking the South China Sea, sitting in a Sea World-type amphitheater, watching a Chinese Mariachi band perform before the animals showed up. Yes, you heard that right, a Chinese Mariachi band.

<-- Bamboo Juice Making... and Drinking --> <--Typical HK

And now for a different taste of Hong Kong. The first two photos above show the preparation and enjoyment of BAMBOO JUICE. My host in Hong Kong bravely tried the stuff, and declared that it tasted like apple juice. I avoided the questionably sourced green drink. The third photo shows a very "Hong Kong" styled street, complete with signs competing with signs competing with more signs-- and now imagine a loud din of voices and vehicles bustling below the signs. Now imagine 3 guys tugging on your shirt sleeve asking if you want a suit or a room. Now that's Hong Kong.

The last thing I want to say about Hong Kong is that it is a great place to shop! In fact, that appeared to be the main reason why most people were there. This place will challenge your beliefs about appropriate price (so will Thailand, but there are other reasons to visit Thailand besides shopping). Take, for instance, the uniform of the young San Francisco professional worker: generally stylish clothing and a beautiful black leather jacket. Now, consider the cost of such a jacket in the United States: $300? $400? $500? $800? Depending on what brand you choose, you could easily spend any of those amounts. In Hong Kong it is hard to spend more than $150 on the very best leather clothing. You won't generally get the brand name attached, but you'll get as good a coat as you can find anywhere in the world. There are brand names on some types of products if you really want them, too: Rolex, Louis Vitton, Prada, you name it, you can find a very well-made imitation in Hong Kong. I would recommend that everybody who visits Hong Kong bring an empty suitcase, but the cost of suitcases is so little there that I would simply recommend buying one (or more) there. Take as little with you to Hong Kong, and take as much back home as possible. You'll never look at a U.S. price tag the same way again.