Teach Middle East Magazine Sep - Dec 2020 Issue 1 Volume 8 | Page 50

Travel Featured
HANGING OUT IN HONG KONG
BY RICHARD CHIN
M
y arrival into Hong Kong
International airport was as
I expected it to be, orderly
and efficient. It took roughly
40 minutes to exit the airport. This
was not bad given the scale of the
building and the large numbers of
travellers passing through this major
hub. Once out of immigration and
customs, I jumped on the train to get
to the hotel. The journey involved two
changes, but this was not a hassle for
two reasons. I only had a carry-on, and
more importantly the metro was quite
easy to navigate. My flight had arrived
late, so by the time I checked in there
was only time to grab a bite, shower
and head to bed.
My cousin (who had flown in ahead of
Hong Kong's busy shopping district
me) and I got up early the following
morning and had breakfast on the go.
We purchased a couple of bao (stuffed
buns) at the train station. They were
fresh from the oven and were as soft
as a cloud. The filling of barbecued
meat was generous and had a hint
of aromatic spices with just a touch
of sweetness. The expression on my
cousin’s face after the initial bite told
me that she approved. We ended
up ordering two more and had them
again the following morning!
Our first stop took us to the Ladies
Market. The market got the name
because when it opened the hawkers
(vendors) sold mostly women’s clothes
and accessories. We walked the entire
length of the shopping area, which
Raised park area in Hong Kong City Centre
took us about ninety minutes. This was
because we kept stopping to look at
the souvenirs, trinkets, gadgets and
clothing that were on sale. There was
not much difference in the variety of
items on sale. This meant that it was
easy to compare prices and haggle
for a better deal. The area around the
market reminded me of New York City
with its packed busy streets. I liked
that while it is not as fast-paced as
Manhattan, it still carried an energising
buzz that is perfect for a quick city
break.
From the market, we made our way
to the harbour to find the Bruce Lee
Statue. On the way we came across
an over ground walkway. There were
teems of people using the raised
pathway to get to their destination.
It was the weekend, so migrant
labourers sat along the sides of the
thoroughfare. This is because many
are live-in workers who have nowhere
else to go on their day(s) off. I’d read
about this on the internet, but it
was still very strange to witness it in
person. They seemed oblivious to the
streams of tourists and locals walking
past them as they ate, slept, lounged
or carried on animated conversations.
It was like peering through the window
of a stranger’s living room.
Our hunt for the Bruce Lee Statue
was unsuccessful, but not a total loss.
The area where it was located was
under renovation and it had been
removed until the work is completed.
Fortunately for us, there was a raised
park area nearby. We went up the steps
to explore it and were rewarded with a
fantastic view of the Victoria Harbour
and city skyline. A section of the park
was dedicated to an observation deck
which provided the perfect vantage
point for avid photographers. I would