Beyond the Airport
Reflecting on my recent trip to Hong Kong

Another month in Taiwan has come and gone, and it's time for yet another web update. It seems kind of crazy that I've kept spewing these things out, and that you're still reading them. But, there must be some symbiotic relationship that has developed here.

One of my bigger pieces of news from the month of October was my trip to Hong Kong. As the title of this update indicates, I did indeed make it beyond the grounds of the airport. I made it all the way into the city this time, and even stayed overnight. Hong Kong is an interesting place in a few ways, but I'm not sure if there is enough to bring me back for a third visit. To summarize:

• Hong Kong Island has a LOT of really tall buildings, skyscrapers if you will
• Hong Kong Island is really quite small
• Kowloon, a few minute ferry ride from Hong Kong Island is where most of 'Hong Kong' really is
• There are (too) MANY Indian men trying to sell me suits and watches in Kowloon
• Be wary of any place describing itself as a Mansion
• You can put a lot of big, beautiful parks into a small space if you really want to
• White people look funny
• They have all of the electronics imaginable in Hong Kong, but the prices really aren't all that great - I think Canada is cheaper. Taiwan too for that matter
• You can build surprisingly tall buildings with bamboo scaffolding
• Did you know that a 8' x 8' "room" in downtown Kowloon costs at least $60 Cdn to rent for a night?
• Did you know that the above quoted price is for the cheapest place to stay in Hong Kong?
• Flashing neon signs are illegal -- this is a VERY good idea

Those are the most prominent things that stand out in my mind. I must say that I liked (the look of) Hong Kong much better at night. The cityscape is really quite beautiful, probably about as beautiful as a big city can get. The waterfront is crammed with dozens of very tall, colourful buildings. The different shapes, sizes, angles, etc. of the buildings were the most interesting things that I saw there. That should tell you a little something about my impression of the city ... The city also had some great parks, but overall, my impression of Hong Kong was far from good. It was a big, expensive city, shoehorned into a small space. It is by far the most expensive place that I've ever been in the world. Keep in mind that I haven't been to London, Paris, New York, or Los Angeles (beyond the airport at least ...) - the bang for the buck in Hong Kong really isn't there. If you want to shop for anything, and don't have a budget to keep ... it could be a really fun place. But, if you don't like paying lots for little, save your time, money and energy and go somewhere else. I think the only thing that could draw me back to HK would be a trip into Southern China, as Hong Kong is probably the best gateway.

Until then ...