So as part of the tour that we did, we had lunch at a restaurant which was part of the package. We stopped in a very nice part of town and I thought things were looking up. As we strolled past the Siberian fur shop, we made sharp left down a little side street and went up some stairs to a restaurant.
I should have turned around and gone to the nearby McDonald's when I saw the dead roach on the stairs but I'd promised I wasn't going to be squeamish and be a spoilt brat about everything so I soldiered up the stairs.
The restaurant was packed with people but they gave us westerners our own table so that we didn't have to do the common Chinese practice of everyone eating out of the same serving dish. Somehow we tend to be a bit squeamish about stuff like that.
When we sat down they basically threw all of the food at us. There were about 8 dishes that were placed in front of us and we had to dig in. That's where the fun started, they didn't tell us before but we had 15 mins to eat. Apparently that's how long most people take to ear and they had another group behind us waiting for the table so we had to shovel the food in and go.
I gotta say I didn't mind be because after seeing that roach on the stairs, I didn't want to have to spend another minute in that restaurant than I absolutely had to.
Onto the next stop.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Lost in Translation
There is much to see and do here and everyday is an adventure.
One night while we were walking around, desperately trying not to go back to our hell room, I mean hotel room, we stumbled into a lovely oasis a 4.5 star hotel and therebwere signs for a day long bus tour of the main sights in Hong Kong. At 400 or 53 Canadian we would be in an air conditioned coach, get lunch and a day of festivities.
Mr. HK thought that was too expensive and instead thought that we should take the tour attached to our hotel for 328 (43cdn), I threw my hands up in the air and said tally ho.
The morning of the tour, as we sat in the lobby waiting for the bus to arrive, I had a quick thought, turned to the bride and asked this tour is in english right? As a native English speaker, she said of course it would be, he knows we don't speak Chinese.
A lady entered the lobby and said something in cantonese then left, Mr. HK said that's our tour guide let's go. Strange I thought she didn't introduce herself or say anything to us but we trudged along behind her and hopped onto a bus full of Chinese people. Of course our tour was in Chinese and Mandarin no less, which Mr. HK doesn't speak.
We trundled along behind our group all day and eventually had a good time but at every stop as I watched the english speaking tours go by, I couldn't help but wonder, would they notice me if I slipped onto their bus and took their tour with them. Hmmm!
One night while we were walking around, desperately trying not to go back to our hell room, I mean hotel room, we stumbled into a lovely oasis a 4.5 star hotel and therebwere signs for a day long bus tour of the main sights in Hong Kong. At 400 or 53 Canadian we would be in an air conditioned coach, get lunch and a day of festivities.
Mr. HK thought that was too expensive and instead thought that we should take the tour attached to our hotel for 328 (43cdn), I threw my hands up in the air and said tally ho.
The morning of the tour, as we sat in the lobby waiting for the bus to arrive, I had a quick thought, turned to the bride and asked this tour is in english right? As a native English speaker, she said of course it would be, he knows we don't speak Chinese.
A lady entered the lobby and said something in cantonese then left, Mr. HK said that's our tour guide let's go. Strange I thought she didn't introduce herself or say anything to us but we trudged along behind her and hopped onto a bus full of Chinese people. Of course our tour was in Chinese and Mandarin no less, which Mr. HK doesn't speak.
We trundled along behind our group all day and eventually had a good time but at every stop as I watched the english speaking tours go by, I couldn't help but wonder, would they notice me if I slipped onto their bus and took their tour with them. Hmmm!
Please don't make me go back there.
So for anyone who's reading this blog, you know that I had some serios reservations about where we were staying while here. The words budget and local chinese hotel are not in my vocabulary. Our host, Mr. C's friend insisted on selecting and paying for our accommodation and since he is notoriously cheap, I knew this wasn't going to be a good idea. Well I was right and on Day 4, Mr. C broke down and finally admitted it.
The hotel/backpackers paradise is a DUMP. The was designed for Chinese people and if you are over 5'5 and weigh more than 105lbs, this is not the place for you.
The closet we are sleeping in has two Chinese sized twin beds, which is smaller and shorter than a western twin bed, so everynight when we stretch out, our calves are dangling off the bed.
In the closet, there is a kid sized table and chair from which you can do your make up (me) or surf the net, obviously not at the same time. Cause we're in a suite, we also get a couch which I've refused to sit on unless there's a sheet covering it. Let's just say that the couch has probably been around since the start of the cultural revolution.
Now there is a tv in the room. Well really a computer monitor disguised as a tv but... All of the stations are in Chinese and i only know 4 words so it's kinda useless. There is an armoire, okay really a box you can put your clothes in but.. It's dark and I can't see what lurks inside so our clothes have never left our suitcase.
The bathroom is a special place. The toilet seat lid is broken and the seat itself spins cause one side is broken. You can sit on the toilet and brush your teeth at the same time if you so choose. Thankfully the bathroom is not a fully wet bathroom or you could poprobably take a shower while also sitting on the throne.
This morning as I stood in the shower trying not to hit my head on the exposed water pipes hovering a mere two inches from my head, I felt vindicated cause Mr. C admitted to me that I was right this place is a dump but that was after he found ants swirling around his breakfast pastries.
Guess where we're staying when we come back from Shanghai - not here.
The hotel/backpackers paradise is a DUMP. The was designed for Chinese people and if you are over 5'5 and weigh more than 105lbs, this is not the place for you.
The closet we are sleeping in has two Chinese sized twin beds, which is smaller and shorter than a western twin bed, so everynight when we stretch out, our calves are dangling off the bed.
In the closet, there is a kid sized table and chair from which you can do your make up (me) or surf the net, obviously not at the same time. Cause we're in a suite, we also get a couch which I've refused to sit on unless there's a sheet covering it. Let's just say that the couch has probably been around since the start of the cultural revolution.
Now there is a tv in the room. Well really a computer monitor disguised as a tv but... All of the stations are in Chinese and i only know 4 words so it's kinda useless. There is an armoire, okay really a box you can put your clothes in but.. It's dark and I can't see what lurks inside so our clothes have never left our suitcase.
The bathroom is a special place. The toilet seat lid is broken and the seat itself spins cause one side is broken. You can sit on the toilet and brush your teeth at the same time if you so choose. Thankfully the bathroom is not a fully wet bathroom or you could poprobably take a shower while also sitting on the throne.
This morning as I stood in the shower trying not to hit my head on the exposed water pipes hovering a mere two inches from my head, I felt vindicated cause Mr. C admitted to me that I was right this place is a dump but that was after he found ants swirling around his breakfast pastries.
Guess where we're staying when we come back from Shanghai - not here.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Survival tip #2 - please bring your own napkins to the restaurant. Yes that's right you won't get any here. Apparently HKers bring their own napkins to the restaurant because for some strange reason that's no included with your meal.
Survival tip #5 - don't stand at the edge of the street waiting for the light to change especially if the building behind you is an apartment building. People throw things out of their windows e.g. Dirty water and garbage being just to name a few.
Survival tip #14 - if you have an empty seat at your table someone will sit in it. Now I haven't been to a fancy restaurant but I sure hope that doesn't happen there.
Survival tip #4 - please don't try to look cute or dress fashionably in 50 degree weather it just doesn't work. Get yourself to the nearest star bucks and park it for the day.
Survival tip #6 - don't to go to a Vietnamese restaurant to have salami, apparently in Vietnam salami is white.
Survival tip #5 - don't stand at the edge of the street waiting for the light to change especially if the building behind you is an apartment building. People throw things out of their windows e.g. Dirty water and garbage being just to name a few.
Survival tip #14 - if you have an empty seat at your table someone will sit in it. Now I haven't been to a fancy restaurant but I sure hope that doesn't happen there.
Survival tip #4 - please don't try to look cute or dress fashionably in 50 degree weather it just doesn't work. Get yourself to the nearest star bucks and park it for the day.
Survival tip #6 - don't to go to a Vietnamese restaurant to have salami, apparently in Vietnam salami is white.
The two Hong Kongs
So on my 12 hour jaunt yesterday, I noticed a couple of things there are definitely two Hong Kongs. There is A LOT of money in this city and there is a lot of poverty here as well. In rich HK, Louis Vuitton stores are in every street corner and there are a lot of mercedes, maybachs and I've never seen so many rolls Royce in my life in one place. These people have real money and wear their designer duds with real class and boy the bling - Mags, when I hit the big time you me are sooooo coming here because you would LOVE this side of Hong Kong. All of the money people live in the hills where they've built these sprawling mansions which are all gated with armed guards nonetheless.
Then there's the other Hong Kong which live 6 people in a 600sq foot living area. They are largest producers and consumers of the dollar store shit that makes it's way overseas. They are made up of people from all parts of Asia and are the working staff of rich and privileged upper classes. They live in what we would call tenement dwellings, hanging the clean clothes out to dry in the polluted, smog filled air and living one on top of each other. These are the people who have mainly come in from the rural areas trying to make it in the big city, I think they are really trying to live the Hong Kong big city dream. I wonder how many of them make it.
Then there's the other Hong Kong which live 6 people in a 600sq foot living area. They are largest producers and consumers of the dollar store shit that makes it's way overseas. They are made up of people from all parts of Asia and are the working staff of rich and privileged upper classes. They live in what we would call tenement dwellings, hanging the clean clothes out to dry in the polluted, smog filled air and living one on top of each other. These are the people who have mainly come in from the rural areas trying to make it in the big city, I think they are really trying to live the Hong Kong big city dream. I wonder how many of them make it.
My calluses have calluses
So today I had a good old fashinoned meltdown in the middle of Kowloon. I had been walking for 12 straight hours non-stop, literally. I just wanted to go back to the hotel and lay down in my chinese single bed and let my poor tootsies hang off the edge of my 5'6 bed, when our intrepid tour guide said "Let's go the night market on Temple street". I just lost it.
Now I'm flexible and adaptable as the next person but... after 2 ferry rides, 12 hours of hard walking, up hills (HK is surprisingly very hilly with incredibly steep hills) through steamy back allys, a fly by of the landmark shopping centre - very civilized place where one could have at least had a cool and refreshing beverage - a quick tour of HK's financial district, a trip to stanley market, two city bus rides, 2 tram car rides, getting drenched (all the way down to my skivvies) in a pre-monsoon rainstorm, getting stared at some more and oh yeah, being soaked by gutter rainwater while waiting for one city bus, I had enough. I was looking forward to just putting my feet up and perhaps letting one of the street massage vendors, massage my well worn feet and all I could think was not another god-dammed street market.
This is not how I vacation. I was looking forward to taking lazy afternoon strolls on the promenade (not sure which promenade), stopping in at exclusive yet affordable boutiques to look for gifts for family and friends and lazily taking in the sights and sounds of the city. Tomorrow I don't care what's on the agenda, that's the trip I'm going out to find and hell yeah, I'm gonna let some strange lady touch my feet but it'll probably be the strange lady at the Yankee spa cause mamma can't come back home with calluses.
Now I'm flexible and adaptable as the next person but... after 2 ferry rides, 12 hours of hard walking, up hills (HK is surprisingly very hilly with incredibly steep hills) through steamy back allys, a fly by of the landmark shopping centre - very civilized place where one could have at least had a cool and refreshing beverage - a quick tour of HK's financial district, a trip to stanley market, two city bus rides, 2 tram car rides, getting drenched (all the way down to my skivvies) in a pre-monsoon rainstorm, getting stared at some more and oh yeah, being soaked by gutter rainwater while waiting for one city bus, I had enough. I was looking forward to just putting my feet up and perhaps letting one of the street massage vendors, massage my well worn feet and all I could think was not another god-dammed street market.
This is not how I vacation. I was looking forward to taking lazy afternoon strolls on the promenade (not sure which promenade), stopping in at exclusive yet affordable boutiques to look for gifts for family and friends and lazily taking in the sights and sounds of the city. Tomorrow I don't care what's on the agenda, that's the trip I'm going out to find and hell yeah, I'm gonna let some strange lady touch my feet but it'll probably be the strange lady at the Yankee spa cause mamma can't come back home with calluses.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Please don't poke me with your stick
So it's been a while since I've been somewhere where I'm in the minority. Let me tell ya here I am THE mother fucking minority which doesn't really bother me but please don't poke me with your stick cause I will poke back.
So we are staying in Kowloon which used to a cargo centre back in the day, so I would think that they would have seen some people of colour at some point in time buuuuttt maybe not so much. Everwhere we go Mr. C and I are pointed and stared at which is really quite amusing until yesterday.
Most people here seem to be at least 5'4 or 5'5 so people like my friend Scribe, here she would not have freakishly short arms and legs, she'd fit right in. But I digress. So yesterday we were taking a casual stroll on the boardwalk at noon in the 45 degree heat, 50+ with the humidity, when I was beset upon by a large group who had clearly never seen a Nubian beauty in all her rubinesque beauty, so after much gesturing i agreed to take a picture with them, probably to be taken back to their village to be used in some bizarre version of guess what I saw on my summer vacation.
It was all in good natured fun until the grandmother in the group pulled out a stick from her bag and decided to poke me and then seeing that I didn't react, she decided to pull at one of my braids. Well, it's all fun and game until some touches mamma's hair. Not wanting to be the cause of the breakdown in Chinese Canadian relations, I calmly reached into my handbag pulled out a pen, poked her with it and yanked on her hair.
See it's not so nice is it!
T
So we are staying in Kowloon which used to a cargo centre back in the day, so I would think that they would have seen some people of colour at some point in time buuuuttt maybe not so much. Everwhere we go Mr. C and I are pointed and stared at which is really quite amusing until yesterday.
Most people here seem to be at least 5'4 or 5'5 so people like my friend Scribe, here she would not have freakishly short arms and legs, she'd fit right in. But I digress. So yesterday we were taking a casual stroll on the boardwalk at noon in the 45 degree heat, 50+ with the humidity, when I was beset upon by a large group who had clearly never seen a Nubian beauty in all her rubinesque beauty, so after much gesturing i agreed to take a picture with them, probably to be taken back to their village to be used in some bizarre version of guess what I saw on my summer vacation.
It was all in good natured fun until the grandmother in the group pulled out a stick from her bag and decided to poke me and then seeing that I didn't react, she decided to pull at one of my braids. Well, it's all fun and game until some touches mamma's hair. Not wanting to be the cause of the breakdown in Chinese Canadian relations, I calmly reached into my handbag pulled out a pen, poked her with it and yanked on her hair.
See it's not so nice is it!
T
I'll have the Chinese choice please...
Well we finally made it here to the big C, or rather the big HK. Fianlly after months of planning and painful shots we are here. We left our home at 7:30am and 24 hours and two planes later we landed in Hong Kong at exactly 7:30pm at night.
The flight from Toronto to Detroit was largely uneventful. Small plane, smaller seats, piss poor peanuts and not much else. After a painful 3.5 hour wait - painful cause Mr. C couldn't find a wifi hot spot and him without wifi is not a good thing- we boarded the plane for Hong Kong.
We settled into our seats, which were not much bigger than the ones from Toronto just a bigger plane with waaaaay more people, and were handed a meal card which outlined the meal selections western choice and a chinese choice. As the plane took off down the runway, I was finally excited cause I was about to embark on a journey the likes of which I might never experience again. Whooooo Hooooooooo! Oh Yes, I'll have the Chinese meal please!
The flight from Toronto to Detroit was largely uneventful. Small plane, smaller seats, piss poor peanuts and not much else. After a painful 3.5 hour wait - painful cause Mr. C couldn't find a wifi hot spot and him without wifi is not a good thing- we boarded the plane for Hong Kong.
We settled into our seats, which were not much bigger than the ones from Toronto just a bigger plane with waaaaay more people, and were handed a meal card which outlined the meal selections western choice and a chinese choice. As the plane took off down the runway, I was finally excited cause I was about to embark on a journey the likes of which I might never experience again. Whooooo Hooooooooo! Oh Yes, I'll have the Chinese meal please!
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