Where in the world am I?

Hong Kong is an international city unlike any other. Just the other day I was on the south side of the island at Stanley walking along the waterfront lined with cafes, pizza shops, and pubs, which all overlooked the yachts in the harbor. Then, coming back to reality, it struck me that I am in China. For a moment, it felt no different than being in Nice or Monaco, or somewhere soaking up the last bit of Mediterranean summer sun.

Foregoing the subway, or MTR, in favor of taking a streetcar when I have extra time (which I’ve had in spades, but surely schoolwork will now replace my leisure) has been an easy way to see the many faces of Hong Kong. Riding from Western District to Shau Kei Wan is something like Small World at Disneyland. Western District is decidedly Chinese with its dried seafood markets, Chinese medicine shops, and, ironically, general lacking of most things Western. Traveling eastward I see Wan Chai, where East meets West, and Central, where the sky is the limit for office buildings, luxury apartments, and the ubiquitous shopping mall (I’m still in shock over how much STUFF is available for sale here). You get the point. Hong Kong is a true international city’s international city.

I’ve decided that Central puts a smile on my face with its pristine skyscrapers and intermittent parklands and historical buildings. Everything here seems perfect, and the breeze blows softly through the open spaces, which is a welcome break from some of the exhaust-choked districts. I sat in St. John’s Cathedral Church in Central, a beautiful old building established by the British just beside the old French missionary building, while a trio of musicians on the piano, cello, and violin played Brahms and Dvorak at the lunch hour for passersby. There was no airconditioning, only fans and the breeze off Victoria Harbour. It was a dreamy moment in the tropical weather, just cool enough to induce sleep among many in the audience.

The east side of the island is also making its way into my heart. The beaches on the east side are great places to enjoy the sun and nature. It feels like the Caribbean or Mediterranean plus humidity, but the people, the language, and the beach cuisine remind me that I am indeed in China. Hong Kong has done a nice job of selectively paving paradise to put up its parking lots. There are still many nice places, like the beaches, to enjoy the greenery, sand, and surf. The surf is supposed to pick up soon with the changing of the seasons and I’m hoping to spend a considerable bit of my time at the beaches on the nearest rental surfboard I can find. This is how I’m going to enjoy Hong Kong.