It is always interesting, to me at least, to compare and contrast how I perceive an area and its inhabitant to our own in the U.S. Without offering a detailed, step-by-step, blog about our trip, I prefer to describe the place to you in hopes that you can have a glimpse into life here.
Hong Kongians (Hong Kongites--I'm really not sure) are addicted to their phones on a scale that puts the United States to shame. As much as it drives me crazy to see people walking around with their noses stuck to their miniature screens, the people of Hong Kong take it to a whole new level. When Cathy and I were here several yeas ago (2009), this was not an issue. With the progression of technology, people cannot put them down and focus on what is around them.
To be honest, this is my only real criticism of the people of Hong Kong. They are extremely gracious, very helpful, and incredibly friendly when engaged in conversation, as limited as it sometimes is.
Packed at all hours is the subway system with people moving about the city. When I say "packed," I mean people squeezed into each car like sardines in a can. Immediately, I noticed two things: a.) few, if any, Hong Kongians wear cologne or perfume, and b.) there was little to no body odor noticed, even with all the arms raised above head level while hanging onto the rails and handles in the subway cars. These are the things I pay attention to when I travel--sites, smells, tastes, sounds, and language (spoken and body).
Missing is the constant horn blowing that you hear throughout other large cities in the world, and totally absent is the sound of police sirens. There is no worry when walking down sidewalks during the day or night, even as people offer a quick glance your way because your features and stature, while not uncommon to them, are still foreign in a country that is ninety-two percent Chinese.
As with most metropolitan areas, the periodic smell of open sewers sometimes hits you like a baseball to the head, but it is brushed aside by the incredible aromas of restaurants cooking and offering their wares until the late night hours. Hong Kong's harbor teams with activity--sampan boats, ocean liners, and shipping vessels float its waters throughout the day. Gone is the smell I remembered eight years ago from the harbor, but I have not asked what has been done to correct the obvious pollution.
The former British colony is still governed by Parliamentary laws and policy, but the presence of the parental China is certainly seen and felt. Military personnel await foreign travelers in airports and in the subway system. The British influence is still felt by way of local vehicles, with their steering wheels on the right side while they drive on the left side of the road.
Another interesting nuance I picked up was the lack of interchange on city streets, subways, or in the markets. People avoided touching one another to the greatest extent possible, and rarely made eye contact with anyone around them (except me, the large quai lo).
Finally, I spent a little time in two Buddhist temples, one complete with a monastery on the property. It is tantamount, at least in my mind, to attempt some trite understanding of another culture's religion or spirituality when trying to understand them as a people. I do not know the percentage of secular peoples on the island, but I will say I personally witnessed some devout Buddhists while here. One lady in particular climbed the two hundred sixty-eight steps to the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island. Every two or three steps she would drop to her knees and gesticulate in front of the large statue. Next, I watched her walk around the Buddha statue counter-clockwise three times, her eyes closed, palms together as she prayed. For me, this was a moving tribute for a religion westerners do not fully comprehend and struggle to accept.
Should you get the chance to visit Hong Kong, Kow Loon, and Lantau Island, I encourage you to take advantage of your time and take in as much of the culture as possible. The Chinese are beautiful people and I am happy to have shared a moment in time and space with them.
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