A Trip to Hong Kong

For individuals like myself, born in the 80’s in mainland China, Hong Kong used to represent a beacon of modern lifestyle. I had been growing up watching TVB dramas and listening to many HK singers. Till now, there are still a number of artists who I deeply admire and whose singing or acting talents are unparalleled.

Today, HK is no longer that far away as it seemed to be, and visiting there is actually quite easy: simply register a travel ID and hop on with your commune tickets.

I decided to go by train, as it only took 45 minutes from GuangZhou. “Take a quick nap and you’’ll be there,” I said to my husband. As for my 6-year-old daughter, I’d already pre-downloaded “Tom and Jerry” on her tablet so that she wouldn’t complain too loud of the boredom in travel.

Easy as it is, there was still a tinge of stirring excitement in me before arriving. It felt like encountering a place filled with familiar faces, shops, streets, and even the iconic red taxis, yet still maintaining an air of unfamiliarity.

While random thoughts buzzed, our train arrived on time.

It began to feel a bit different when we lined for entrance. The officers checking IDs wore white uniform with black ties and shoulder bands. “They are the HK locals,” I thought, and the idea was affirmed by their fluent Cantonese.

We managed to find our hotel, by subway. It was immediately hot and humid in the air when we got out. Our room wouldn’t be accessible until three in the afternoon but the hotel lobby was cool and the sofa provided a cozy retreat.

It was a four-star hotel, the decor told its history, with dim soft lights and a lingering fragrance akin to that of a refined gentleman aging gracefully. The check-in counter staffs were mostly in their thirties and switched effortlessly language from Mandarin, Cantonese and English. The concierge which assisted with luggage were made up of senior staff in their sixties, polite and tried to speak some Mandarin to us when greeting.

Without the burden of heavy luggage, our first destination was Causeway Bay, where there was a Japanese ramen restaurant long saved in my must-visit list. The ramen was good, authentic Japanese flavor I assumed, as the soup was a bit too salty and the ramen a bit hard (I chose the ‘hard’ option which was harder than I’d expect). “First mission accomplished”, I exclaimed, as I finished the soup in my noodle bowl and felt that I could still eat something.

When we stepped outside, my daughter wanted ice lolly. There was an ice cream shop that looked quite busy from outside so I suggested we had a try. Inside,  crowded a group of ladies in their 50’s or 60’s, some in 40’s. At first I thought they were buying ice creams as I intended, but they were humming around a few picture-printing machines and shuffling back and forth to the cashier counter to purchase coins and insert into the machines.

Then I took a good look at this five-square-meters little shop, whose one full wall posted pictures of a young man, obviously an entertainment star. Then it became evident that these ladies gathered here to support their idol, whose image was all seen in this little compact space. I was quite surprised by the ladies’ enthusiasm and one of them, not until her waving gently to me, did I realize I’d blocked the picture of her idol and immediately move away. She happily got her picture taken, gazing at it with an innocent smile of pure satisfaction.

As I checked online and discovered that the figure plastered all over the wall of that ice cream shop was the No.1 superstar in HK, though he’s young and has yet reached 25 years old.

“How come such popularity?” I wondered and couldn’t figure. But it occurred to me right off that we all had fervent passions for certain individuals or causes.  And no passion should be judged superior or inferior as long as it’s not harmful to others. So, why concern ourselves with judgment at all?

Later that afternoon, we were lucky to get on the rickshaw sightseeing bus which offered us panoramic views of the city’s skyline from the second open floor. As we traversed Tsim Sha Tsui, Victoria Bay, and Central, the familiar landmarks took on a newfound charm, illuminated by the city lights.

After the bus tour, we headed to the ice house for dinner. The waiter was nice but he spoke Cantonese. I tried Mandarin and English both of which he couldn’t understand. Through a combination of languages and even body gestures, we managed to place our order, and we were pleased with the meal. The milk tea was strong flavored and the curry fried pork was tasty.

Back to the hotel, we all got exhausted. The room was clean and snug. But the beds were too small as I needed to squeeze with my daughter in one of them and my husband’s bear-sized body asked also for more space in another. But it was ok when we soon fell asleep, after a long day trip, I cuddled my daughter as I did when she was so little. Geez, how grown up she was now I realized!

The next day, my husband and daughter opted to relax and watch TV in the room. I regardlessly chose to take a solo city-walk. I strode fast, on one hand hoping to burn some calories, on the other that I could absorb more of the city ambience. Amidst the bustling streets, a diverse array of individuals from the Philippines, India, and various corners of the globe pursued their respective endeavors; and I, also became a transient part of the cityscape, enriched by the diverse tapestry of cultures.