So I don't really know how to even begin to describe Hong Kong when I only have 10 minutes to do so. I think radom tidbits of awesome things will have to suffice until I get to Taipei and may update as I'd like.
* I love Hong Kong because you find authentic British pubs with people spilling out onto the stairs for a chat directly across from restaraunts specializing in seafood, displaying dried starfish in the window as a demonstration of deliciousness.
* It's a bit strange wandering around this island and operating with a mental picture of the city from 12 years ago. It's tripy to see everything so much smaller than I remembered and amusing to note that my favorite aspects of places (barnacles and life preservers at the star ferry, green chains at the aviary) are all close to the ground. It also means Imust stand on my own. I can't walk up to anybody and say "I'm looking for a fountain. it's either here or... in another park. it lights up and you may be able to go inside it? I know it's wet. Does that help?" Nu uh. Not an option. I must use my exporation powers and determination to find my way to what I remember as the mushroom tower, and by God I did.
* Most of the time I'm rather glad it's misty and rainy because I don't remember it being any other way. Hong Kong is an island with a big mountain reaching up into the clouds. The geography pretty much promises that it's going to be a wet place. I remembered being tickled pink when I was 7 about the fact that when I jiked the peak I was in the clouds so I was relieved that I had the same experience on Monday. it's solitary and you can feel and taste the air around you. Strange birds calls can be heard from either side of the 80 degree slope you're standing on and warnings about snakes are haphazardly hung on laminated slips of paper once and a while. It's beautiful and surreal and one of my favorite places in theworld.
* At 2:28 PM on Monday I was on Victoria Peak on a very secluded (even for the Peak) part of the Govenor's Walk. I had set my alarm to know when the Earthquake anniversary would be observed so I sat on a bench for 3 minutes of quiet. Cars, boats, and trains were told to honk their horns and as the moment of remembrance began I could hear wailing horns sounding from 360 degrees all around me. The entire island was making this muted howl. I couldn't see much because of the clouds so all I could hear was this gentle reminder of all the people below me who were joining together in this one moment. It was a beautiful way to remember. After 3 full minutes, the horns turned off one by one and life went on as usual.
* I am so so so glad that I go to a small university with a small campus that isn't on a frickin' hill! Ughhhh The Chinese University of Hong Kong may try to ingratiate itself with promises of wonderful research materials but I don't care. I will forever be resentful of the 3.5 hours I spent hiking up steep slopes in the rain only to be met with red tape after red tape. On the other hand I spent 4 hours at HKU yesterday in Chinese Shakespeare heaven so all is well with the world. Just goes to show you that HK Island always trumps Kowloon.
* In other news I have tickets to "Drama Fire Dot Dot Ma" tonight. They were about $10 US so although I'm nervous about sitting through 2 hours of Cantonese (which is so alien and odd sounding that it's almost funny to me), it'll be worth it to see "youth/street" theatre. Which is what it looks like. Whatever happens, it'll be an adventure to be sure.
Off to meet some family friends for lunch at one of my old haunts, the Helena May library!
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