Hong Kong

East Meets West

Susanne Lee

Ilove Hong Kong, and each of half a dozen trips has brought a new view and an increasing sense of comfort upon return to a favorite city. Every role I inhabit-student, business girl, teacher, mother-inflects my experience giving it a completely new prism through which to view this remarkable city.

Some things remain constant for me: Star Ferry with its two incredibly cheap classes, the green and white vessels, wonderfully tranquil, making the brief voyage across the harbor; and dai pai dong, street stalls, selling fish balls, stuffed peppers on sticks, gradually disappearing, due to overcautious government germ police. If I do nothing else, as long as I am able ride Star Ferry and eat at a dai pai dong, I am content. But there is much else to do.

Chek Lap Kok Airport, on Lantau Island, connected to the mainland by the striking Tsing Ma suspension bridge, is shiny and efficient, but I am nostalgic for the old Kai Tak Airport. It was uniquely breathtaking to fly into the city, the plane's wings seeming an inch away from clipping the skyscrapers, finally landing on a narrow strip surrounded by water.

Contrasts and Contradictions

Hong Kong is a city full of contrasts and contradictions, from its colonial past to its current position as a SAR (special administrative region) of China, it blends the Eastern and Western, the traditional and modern, inexpensive pleasures and high-priced luxuries.

One of the particular joys of traveling with a young child is the opportunity to introduce him to places we have frequented and viewing it through his eyes. We and our son love high tea, complete with cucumber and watercress sandwiches and scones and clotted cream, on tiered serving trays. The Peninsula's stately marbled and columned lobby stands impervious to Hong Kong's often tempestuous history and feels like a step back to a more gracious era. Right next door is the Salisbury YMCA with a much more reasonably priced restaurant. Pen. Tea is de rigueur for all of Hong Kong, whether it is the full formal affair or a simple cuppa and sweet roll grabbed at a café.

Chungking Mansions, on the Kowloon waterfront district Tsimshatsui's Nathan Road, was immortalized by director Wong kar-wai in the film Chungking Express. This huge building complex, legendary among budget travelers, houses a maze of discount travel agents, guest houses, money-changers, shops filled with postcards, key chains, letter openers and every other souvenir imaginable, fake watches, embroidered silk clothing. A surprise of the multilevel arcade are the wonderful Indian "messes" (restaurants) on the upper levels, serving authentically spiced chicken tikka masala, korma and vindaloo, naans, raita and lassi to locals and south Asian expats. For a change from roast duck, pork or goose, it is here that we come.

Because the Chinese adore children, Hong Kong is a haven for kids. The local shopkeepers and restaurant workers at the establishment we visit, greet our family warmly. We feel like part time residents instead of tourists. They are especially affectionate with our son, hugging him when they see him and offering sweets; I've taught him the ever useful phrases m goi and daw jie, please and thank you.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, we head to the vibrant Yuen Po Street Bird Market, a step into the past, where old men buy colorful birds or bring their birds out. They gather around with their prized pets in elaborate cages, chatting with one another as others stop by to admire the birds. Birds allegedly bring luck, so many of the gentlemen will escort their birds to the race track. Around the corner is fish lane which charms my son with its huge selection of salt and fresh water fish in neon colors are sold in plastic bags by the tiny shops that line the street.

The science museum in Kowloon is full of hands-on exhibits on computers, robotics and anatomy for children to press, turn, pull and climb. The planetarium shows state-of-the-art Imax films to audiences of all ages. The art museum, housed in a pink monstrosity sitting at the tip of Tsimshatsui, displays a fine collection of Qing Dynasty glassware and ceramics, Han bronzes and paintings from modern artists. My son stops to make a rubbing from an engraving at one of many activity stations. Admission to most museums is free on Wednesdays.

Shoppers' Paradise

Hong Kong is shoppers' paradise; malls with designer after designer, like a hyper 5th Avenue or Rue Montaigne that reaches redundancy. I always stop at Shanghai Tang, a design store showcasing Chinese clothes and housewares with a decided twist like t shirts with cheongsam collars and closings and touches of kitsch, like a Deng Xiao Ping watch with his waving arm serving as the second hand.

Mongkok and Yau Ma Tei are working class neighborhoods with nary a tourist in sight: a jumbled clutter of streets where locals pick up everything from computer components, bathroom tiles to athletic shoes. Fresh fruit stands sell the smelly delicacy durian, the lychee-like spiky rambutans, and my own favorite, the subtle purple-skinned mangosteens.

We stop at Very Good Restaurant in Mongkok for some spicy pork noodle soup for much needed sustenance after an afternoon of jostling the crowds. One of our favorite drink stores is Saint's Alp, with branches all over the city, best known for its tapioca tea drinks and blended fruit concoctions of tropical juices and teas. The other, Hui Lau Shan, serves coconut and mango drinks as well as the more traditional birds' nest and bitter tea beverages. Their mango ice cream is superb.

Temple Street market comes to life after dark. It now includes a row of Nepali vendors who sell sterling necklaces, bracelets and pendants, and embroidered pouches from their homeland. More usual items such as knockoff Yao Ming and Allen Iverson jerseys, fake designer bags and watches, electronic gadgets, silk underwear, Hello Kitty paraphernalia, old coins, jade, DVDs of varying quality and origin, are laid out in temporary stands. Open air restaurants serve noodles and seafood, and the smell of garlic and the omnipresent sound of Cantopop fills the night air.

Along the tip of Kowloon in East Tsimshatsui, we join locals who promenade along the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong's homegrown homage to both Hollywood boulevard and its own film history, complete with handprints of luminaries like Jackie Chan. Natives come to pose by the sculptures along the walk and watch the sun set on the spectacular Hong Kong skyline, anchored by the Bank of China's triangular spire. There are light shows and fireworks several times a week at nightfall.

Eating is Excellent

Eating is excellent, from the cheap to the world class, from a freshly made bowl of shrimp wontons in a succulent broth to that latest Asian-French fusion creation. Chinese cuisine from every region-Cantonese dim sum, Shanghai style crab, spicy Sichuan chili pork, to Chiu Chow spiced goose-is plentiful as are Thai coconut curries, sushi, sashimi, risotto and bangers and mash.

A warning though, some restaurants run a common scam where tourists will be offered edited menus listing only the highest priced dishes. Get hotel staff to recommend dishes and write them out for you in Chinese characters

Transport is amazingly easy to manage. The MTR subway system wonderfully well run. It's clean and fast, delighting my son who is becoming a connoisseur of transit systems. The areas not covered by the MTR are served by a network double-decker buses which crisscross Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. The Tram, on the Hong Kong side, has been a leisurely means of seeing the city since the turn of the century. We grab seats on the upper deck for views on this unhurried journey.

A former colonial getaway across the harbor, the Peak, remains worlds apart from the flurry of activity and crowds and heat in summer. My son's favorite new form of transport is the funicular tram which ascends the steep slope. Built in 1885, the tram single-handedly destroyed the entire sedan chair industry that once ferried the wealthy colonials to their hilltop mansions.

Make sure to get both views from the Peak, the south, the calmer beach landscapes and the north, the classic skyscraper-lined harbor view. There are several paths, an utterly missable Madame Tussaud's, cafes and restaurants, and a full-fledged mall, the Galleria (which has a better view than the Peak Tower). The Park n Shop supermarket, gives a nod to the many expats who live in the neighborhood with imported cheeses and cold cuts, perfect to pack for lunch on one of the many short walks around the Peak.

In an earlier incarnation, I spent much time in the bar and club districts of Lan Kwai Fong. Locals and expats party late into the night along the narrow path lined with establishments featuring music of all kinds, or grab a bowl of noodles to top off their evenings from one of the pocket-sized shops nearby.

Nearby, the Central-Mid Levels Escalator, the longest one in the world, ferries residents from residential Mid Levels to the jobs in Central and the entire ride takes about 20 minutes.

Unusual Sights

An unusual sight on Sundays in Central are the Filipinas who line the streets that are then closed to traffic. Along these avenues, amahs (domestic workers) sit on folding chairs or blankets, where they listen to news from home, read Philipino magazines, play cards and munch foods from home like lumpia and adobo. It is a moving and humanizing reminder of the invisible side of Hong Kong's prosperity.

The "ladder" streets, impossibly steep with stairs, are vanishing in the name of progress. Cat Street and Hollywood Road offer a blend of antique stores, vendors selling herbs in glass jars and traditional medicine that recalls an earlier time as well as sleek cafes. One of Hong Kong's oldest temples, Man Mo, with some exquisite detailing on Hollywood Road is worth a visit.

I have always found trips to the Outlying Islands a great respite from Hong Kong's hustle. Cheung Chau, which still allows no cars, is an old fishing village where a slower pace of life harkens back to a simpler time. Stroll to Pai Tak Temple where the Bun Fest takes place every May. A row of plain restaurants serving simple seafood dishes at the harbor where sampans are moored. Just behind are a labyrinth of winding alleys selling baskets, plastic housewares and paper for offerings. Get there by taking a ferry from Hong Kong island, at the pier right off the new high-rise IFC.

As our soft sleeper car train pulls out of glisteningly modern Hunghom station, northbound to Beijing, my son looks longingly out the windows. While the landscape begins to become increasingly rural, and with a sense of fondness, we wonder when we'll return.

About the Author: Susanne Lee is a writer and radio commentator whose work has appeared in The Village Voice, The Nation, Giant Robot and on WNYE-FM. Her reviews of books and films can be read at http://www.tribes.org/reviews/.