Hong Kong: To Like or Not to Like? (Part 1)

In the interest of saving money, we went almost nowhere during Christmas break. And since everyone we knew was out of the country, we endured a loney week with no one to talk to but ourselves! A month later, Chinese New Year rolled around, and we were determined that history should not repeat itself. Again, all our colleagues were going to frolic on sunny beaches in exotic locals (apparently China isn't exotic enough). So we decided to plan a beach vacation in Thailand . . . at least that's where our thought processes began. Gradually the plan got whittled down to one night in a Hong Kong hotel with an indoor pool. Almost the same, right? We comforted ourselves with money saved. And we bided our time here in China through 40 degree weather, perpetual nightly fireworks, and a city that had basically shut itself down for 2 weeks. On Tuesday, we headed down to Hong kong for our night of luxury (well, as luxurious as life can be with a 4-year old). Now, let it be known that I dislike Hong Kong. Everyone else we know thinks it's the best city on earth, an "exhilerating" experience full of boundless wonders. I see it quite a different way. Perhaps I'm full of sour grapes, but here is an account of Hong Kong through the eyes of one overwhelmed expat.

First of all, Hong Kong is very different from China. The chinese there not only have the audacity to speak Cantonese (instead of mandarin), but they also drive on the "wrong" side of the street. Evidently this was a problem for the poor pedestrians of the city, as large metal fences and stone barricades have been erected around the edges of all the sidewalks, and in between all the lanes. These send the message; don't even think about crossing the street! As a result, we were forced to wander for miles through underground tunnels just to get across the street. Ok, well it seemed like miles. Add to this a very large population crammed into relatively small spaces, so that when we do get to the other side of the street, there is much jostling and dodging, and generally trying not to trip over everyone else.

Next, I shall venture to say that perhaps Hong Kong's tourist attractions might be slightly overrated. During this trip, we decided to try out the famous "star ferry" which takes passagers on a whimsical journey through Victoria harbour. Every HK online tourist site recommended this as one of the top things to do. Former passengers on the boat left many comments full of fond recollection of their experiences. More than one recounted feeling at peace with the universe and a 'cosmic' sense of understanding after their voyage (I kid you not). So we entered the ferry expecting something extraordinary, waiting for an epiphany of some sort to descend upon us. However, since the boat ride is only literally 5 minutes long, I only had time to take a few pictures before we pulled into the opposite side of the harbor. Alas, no epiphany!