Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Winners 2020 | Page 31

Hong Kong Young Writers Awards 2020
open for visits. Combined with deep black bricks and an elaborate architectural style, the
district is a hotspot for tourists and academics alike. A few minutes’ walk would bring you to
a row of restaurants with authentic Cantonese cuisine, each of them selling their specialities
which often are passed on for generations. The sight of woks humming, people salivating and
dishes ranging from steamed oysters, fried chicken or char siu is definitely a delight to the eyes,
and will not vanish in the near future when the Area modernizes into one the world stops to
observe. Thus, life for residents in this aspect will not change as dramatically as in other realms,
however with the aid of technology pioneered by companies such as Tencent, one could expect
lengthy waiting times for food delivery to be lost in the past. With the advent of the recent
infrastructural boom, the prospect of ordering bona fide daliang double milk from Guangzhou to
a world-class hotel in Macau could no longer be fiction.
The distinct Cantonese culture forms a direct contrast with Macanese culture, a gambling
hub which retains a few shreds of its Portuguese occupation. The remnants of St Paul’s Church,
and historically known as the ‘Vatican of the Far East”, the site is a magnificent culmination
of a grandiose staircase leading up to a seamless granite facade. A 10-minute walk northeast
would lead you to the ancient St Lazarus Church, a pristine white facility surrounded by some
of Macau’s most picturesque streets that cannot be found anywhere in the world. INdeed, as
new casinos are constructed and as new resorts are built to meet the skyrocketing demand,
some local bazaars might be forgotten. However, this is not emblematic of Macanese culture as
a whole; regardless of whatever trials and tribulations the city might go through, the revenue
gained from tourism is already enough to ensure they will not become remnants of the past.
All of this breathtaking change will definitely present cities of the Greater Bay Area
in a refreshingly new light, as centerpieces of innovation and prosperity. This is in direct
juxtaposition to the perception some may hold decades ago; with every soaring skyscraper
being erected, with every university being constructed, with every station being established,
the image that the region is no more than a rural backwater has already been deemed
obsolete. This image will be even more irrelevant as the GBA progresses and flourishes;
time and trust will only bolster the Area’s international image as an interconnected and
highly intellectual hub. And as Hong Kong remains embroiled in a political conflict full of
acrimony, one can only hope for the city that we call home can find a way past the strife and
forge a path back to prosperity. With this golden opportunity on our doorstep, we have the
opportunity to regain what we have lost in the midst of this chaos, but also to reach new
heights with cooperation and innovation.
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