Jan. 31-Feb. 06: Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China

Before we got to Hong Kong, I didn’t have too many assumptions about it. I knew it was an island that had been a colony of Britain and was a very metropolitan area. Impressive isn’t quite the right word for how the city appears when you’re first driving through it. Everything is taller than you can crane your head back to see and when evening comes, everything lights up. It’s like the whole city is part of Disney World instead of just a small corner island.

I can’t help but think that it’s a city within itself, straining with all its might to reach the sky. It’s hard to decide if the 50-80 story buildings and mile long bridges or the blue water and green mountains are more impressive. I didn’t think it’d be so green and colorful. They should consider taking down the blinking lights. Compared to the bay and mountains around them, it only serves to make the buildings look cheap.

What was similar to my thoughts, but still surprised me was how the Hong Kong students viewed themselves. After talking with them about Hong Kong for about 5 minutes, I quickly picked up something close to distain for the mainland. When I asked them if they considered themselves Chinese they told me yes…but no. They were Hong Kong. Hong Kong seems to be like the Vatican. Self-reliant, tiny, part of something bigger yet with a strong sense of we’re better than most everything else.

Macao was much the same as Hong Kong, but even more commercial. I never thought of Macao before this trip really. Certainly not as the Las Vegas of the world. It makes me sad. The drive for money overshadows much of what can be a beautiful place with very distinct culture. Granted, they have both of that too, but when the big things people mention first are casinos, I find that sad. Museums are ok too, but much of that is dead history. We put things in museums because they are unique as the last of their kind. No longer practiced. Something to be remembered but not taken seriously.

I liked both Hong Kong and Macao and had fun there, but the greenery was the appeal, not the nightlife. It’s too much to hope for a reverse trend with the demand for money dictating life, but at least they also recognize that their geography is special and worth appreciating.