Letters From Hong Kong - Part XIII

Top: Hong Kong Culture Center and Train Tower in Tsim Sha Tsuen (TST)- 1998

Middle: Hong Kong Train Tower in TST - c1981

Bottom: View of Hong Kong Island from TST - 2004
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November 28, 2008
Today I’m going over to TST to have lunch with Jenny & Peggy after they finish some of their “running around”. I think we are going to have some Peking Dumplings; I’m looking forward to that.

November 29th - Yesterday’s trip to TST to have Dumplings was great. The name of the restaurant is Din Tai Fung and it is located in the Silvercord Building on Canton Rd; so if you are ever here in Hong Kong or have friends who are coming here, tell them not to miss it. The restaurant is actually a Taiwanese chain and has restaurants around the world with one in LA. Peggy says the one in LA is not as good as the one here.

Last night we had an “obligation dinner” in Sham Shui Po, a district just northwest of Mongkok, is mainly a residential area and is where Sister lives. The dinner was with Jenny & Sister friends, who wanted to meet and greet the “bride & groom” (Peggy & Mike). It was a chance to introduce Mike to friends of the family. We had about twelve people there and it was a traditional Chinese feast (but I didn’t eat anything!).

As I have said before, we get a lot of different and delicious fruit here. One fruit I have been enjoying is the Persimmon. It is a fruit I remember pulling or I should say stealing from the neighbors’ tree as a kid. But I remember I didn’t like it because it was so bitter. I guess I was stealing green Persimmon because the fruit I’m eating here is delicious!

As most of you may know, in Hong Kong drivers drive on the left side of the road, while in China they drive on the right side or the correct side! Hong Kong businessmen who travel to China a lot want to have their cars registered in both: Mainland and Hong Kong. It is interesting to note, before a Hong Kong driver is given permission to have a auto licensed in China, he most invest at least HK$1,000,000.

November 30th - Last night we had a family get together at, you guess it: a restaurant! This time we went for Japanese food: Shabu shabu. Shabu shabu is like a Chinese Hot Pot were you cook your food at the table. It was great and this time I did eat a lot!

This family gathering was for Peggy and Mike to say goodbye to Peggy’s family in that they are leaving on Monday and will not see them again before they leave.

Just a few words about the government in Hong Kong: (If you know all of this, just skip over)

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China with its own form of government that is supposed to exist for fifty years (based on constitutional documents signed by China and Britain when Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997). This document is called the “Basic Law”; the rights and freedom of the people of Hong Kong are ensured with this mini-constitution and with the following governmental bodies: Chief Executive, Cabinet, Legislature, and Judiciary.

The bottom line is, as I think I have said before, the people of Hong Kong do not elect their Chief Executive and can only elect 30 of the sixty members in the Legislature, but they have more voice in their government today than they did when it was a colony.

Letters From Hong Kong - Part XII

Couple of streets scenes in Causeway Bay

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November 26, 2008

Jenny left early this morning to attend a meeting to get information on our Cambodia trip; the primary reason for our trip is to visit the temples constructed by the Khmer civilization between 900-1300AD. We leave on December 3rd and we are a little excited about this one. We were in Peru a couple years ago to see Machu Picchu and thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of this ancient world treasure.

It was great last night visiting Causeway Bay again: brings back a lot of memories. We went to a lot of places we use to go to years ago. In fact we went to the place were we met twenty-seven years ago and, coincidentally, in a couple of days it will be our anniversary date!

Of course the streets are about the same but there are so many new buildings I can hardly find my way around. Hong Kong is a dynamic place; it is constantly changing. When we lived here in the 80’s, the population was about three million; now it is around seven million!

I just read an article in the China Daily News, the only English Language paper published in China and also published in Hong Kong and New York, written by Mitt Romney entitled, “It may be better to let Detroit go Bankrupt”. It is the second article I have read since being here that came to the same conclusion. The head of an American University in Beijing wrote the first one; I don’t remember his name or the name of the institution. I also heard Jack Welch, former GE Chairman; say the same on CNBC the other day. This makes sense to me. Maybe in bankruptcy the Detroit can re-organize into a company that can compete. In any case, Detroit has to look out for China. They have announced they will begin exporting environmentally friendly cars to the States by 2012.

November 27th - Yesterday we went to Mongkok to have Korean Food with Peggy’s Cousin and his family. Many of you have had traditional Korean Barbeque, but this one was a little difference. It had a barbeque grill on the table that was also a “hot pot”. So you could have barbeque or boil your food.

Today is Thanksgiving and we hope all of you had a great day. Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated here, of course, since it is an American holiday. The closest holiday is the Winter Solstice Day on December22nd. So, it looks like we will not be having Turkey today, although there use to be several restaurants in town that did serve the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner and it was good. They still may; we just have other plans.

As I said Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated here, but they have already gotten a head start on Christmas. In fact we walked into a shopping area over a week ago and Christmas music was playing and the decorations were already out. This City is one of the most beautiful cities anywhere at Christmastime. I will take some picture before I leave and give you an example.

I think it is ironic that Christmas is so popular here, since, I would guess, about 90% of the population is Buddhists! But if you get right down to it, there seems to be a lot of Christmas celebration is the States that has nothing to do with “Christ”.

Letters From Hong Kong - Part XI

Top Picture is a store on Woosung Street that runs parallel to Temple

Middle Picture is a store on Temple Street

Bottom Picture is a park in front of Tin Hau Temple on Temple Street

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November 25th - The girls wanted to go shopping yesterday so I had lunch with them at a vegetarian restaurant in Jordan. The food was really good, and this time I did eat too much.

Before getting to the restaurant we walked through Temple Street, just north of TST, looking at all the sites. Temple Street is a great street to walk on, especially at night because it is a pedestrian street and you can buy anything! Unfortunately for Jenny & Peggy, and fortunately for me, the shops on the street had not opened! But Peggy wants go back at night, so I suspect we’ll be back there.

Water! We take it for granted in the Eastern Part of the States and certainly in Queensbury where we have an abundance of good quality water. In Hong Kong they do have a few reservoirs, but it simply doesn’t rain enough to supply about seven million residents and about two hundred thousand visitors with water at any given day.

Therefore, Hong Kong gets about 70% of its water from Guangdong Province, much like New York City gets its water from the Catskills. Hong Kong built a desalination system in the late 70’s (I think that is about right) but it was too expensive so it was dismantled. And, are you ready for this: they use salt water for flushing! I guess that is the reason why Hong Kong is constantly digging up sewer pipes and replacing them! As you might have suspected, we have to boil our water or think bottle water here.

November 26th - Weather is still fairly warm; I thought by now it would be cooler. We are still experiencing daytime high around 25C and nighttime low about 20C (by now you guys know how to convert, right?)

Today we are going to Causeway Bay for a little shopping and we may even find a place to eat a meal or two.

Causeway Bay is a district on Hong Kong Island and it is known as the shopping place for locals. It is located east of Central and just west of North Point. When I lived in Hong Kong I lived on Jardine’s San (meaning mountain), just above Causeway Bay, and I spent a lot of time there. It is a great place to walk around and enjoy the local culture. And the restaurants in the area: some of the greatest. Just asked my son Robby about the Red Pepper and the American Restaurant, just to name two!

Because of high rents in Central, financial and trading companies started moving to the Causeway Bay area many years ago; so it is not just a shopping place anymore. Also there are several hotels located there: like the Park Lane, Excelsior, and Regal, just to name a few.

A little history: located in Causeway Bay is a gun called the Noonday Gun which is fired everyday at, of course, noon. The firing of the gun started around 1860 by Jardine Trading Company to let its main office know when their ships were arriving. The government stopped the Company from this practice, because the government thought it should only be firing such a large gun. However, the government decided to fire the gun at noon everyday. A tradition that has continued all these years and only stopped during WW II. The Noonday Gun was made famous by Noel Coward famous song, Mad Dogs and Englishman.

Letters from Hong Kong - Part X

After a little diversion in my last blog, I would like to continue relating our recent trip to Hong Kong:

Picture of part of the family at the Tung Chung gathering on Lantau. Missing: Jack, taking the picture, Jenny & CK (Melody) probably getting food!, and Ah Kan, working again.

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November 23rd - Yesterday Peggy & Mike had to visit some of Mike’s family, who moved to Hong Kong years ago, at a restaurant of course; I elected not to go since I don’t know them very well and also since Cantonese will be the language of choice!. I decided to go to Tsim Sha Shui (TST) and have lunch (spicy curry chicken), yes eating again, and then walk around the harbor and take some pictures. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate, so I didn’t take any.

But just about everyone on the promenade was speaking Mandarin, which reinforces what I said about the number of Chinese visitors here. We are just not seeing many Americans, but we have met a number of Europeans.

Mike leaves for Guangzhou tomorrow to visit family there. He was born there and immigrated to LA when he was about thirteen years old. I’m anxious for him to tell me his impressions of the changes made in that city. He has only been back once, several years ago, since he and his family immigrated to the States. Anyway, I’ll be picking his brain when he returns!

Today we will have a big dinner with Jenny’s family; the first since Peggy and Mike arrived. I know you guys think we are eating a lot, and we are, but going to a restaurant for a family get-together is the way it is done here. Many homes are just not that large enough; certainly not large enough for a dinner for about fifteen. Anyway I promised not to eat too much!

The financial crisis is beginning to hit here about as hard as it has in the States. I talked with a banker yesterday and he is seeing a lot of lay-offs as well as very tight or frozen credit. With the slow down of consumer buying in the States and Europe, he said China is really feeling it. Companies in China just do not have the orders and many are closing. I’ll try to find some articles in the papers that re-enforces this information. One big announcement, as I’m sure you have seen, is the huge financial stimulus package introduced by the Chinese Government several days ago; it makes our $800 Billion package look small.

November 24th - We have been here a month and I have to admit it certainly seems like longer. I think after another month, trying to keep up with Jenny and her family, I will be sleeping though Christmas in LA.

Our family dinner last night was in Tung Chung, a town on Lantau Island. Lantau Island is the largest Island of the 200+ islands that is part of Hong Kong. In fact it is about twice the size of Hong Kong Island.

For years, Lantau was inhabited mostly by farmers and a few fishing villages along the coast; it was also used as a get away place for Hong Kongers to go hiking, picnicking and swimming. But a several big events changed all that:

First the Po Lin Monastery, established around 1900, built the world largest sitting Buddha in 1993 and the tourist started coming. Then, the government built a cable car system that opened in 2006 to connect Tung Chung with the Po Lin Monastery. Po Lin Monastery is located in the mountains and before the cable car; it was very difficult to get to the Monastery to see the giant Buddha.

The most important event that changed Lantau Island forever was the decision to build a new Chek Lap Kok Airport on Lantau and the entire infrastructure that goes with it; new roads, world’s largest road and rail suspension bridge, two subway lines: one express airport line and the other to connect other villages to the system. The airport opened in 1998 and was actually built in the Sea on the north part of the Island.

The final major event that happened on Lantau was the opening of a Hong Kong Disney Park in 2005; it was also built on reclaimed land and it is located east of the airport and across the Island.

In addition to the above, the major development of a residential community in the late 1970’s got more people to move to the Island and commute to Hong Kong Island or Kowloon to work; but this was slow to developed and at first mostly Gweilos (westerns) lived there. Today there are many self-contained residential communities on the Island with many locals deciding to live on the Island and commute to work, on Hong Kong Island or Kowloon, via the new subway system or the ferry.

Zola's 7th Birthday Party

As I warned all of you, pictures and activities

of our granddaughter would grace this blog.

so, here goes:

This blog session will consist mostly of pictures so as to show off our granddaughter to our family and friends; not only in the States but also in Hong Kong as well. Yes, it is true; I have some faithful readers in Hong Kong!

In Zola’s past birthday blasts, she has entertained her friends at the Portsmouth Children Museum, Rumble Tumble (twice), and the Firefly Pottery. This year it was a Pajama Party at her house. Yeah, that was a blast; about twenty little ones running around in their pajamas dancing, singing, making colorful tiles and of course lots of eating. No sleeping however!

It was a terrific party one that we thoroughly enjoyed so stand back and enjoy the pictures:

Letters from Hong Kong - Part IX

Top picture is sunset over Humen Bridge

Middle picture is the Sea Battle Museum at Humen

Bottom picture is entrance to the Zhao Mo Musuem in the heart of Guangzhou.

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One final report about our trip into China on November 13th

Museum of the Western Han Dynasty – This museum, even though it was pretty small, was one of the best I have visited. This was the tomb of Zhao Mo, the second Emperor of The Southern Yue (203-111 BC), which was an early kingdom in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – 24 AD).

Just a little more Chinese history and then we will move on! The Qin Dynasty (220-206 BC) is credited with consolidating China into one kingdom. After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, China again broke up into The Western & Eastern Han kingdoms: The Southern Yue was part of the Western Han

The above Mausoleum was discovered in 1983 when construction workers were putting in foundations for some housing units. Since it was well hidden for over 2000 years, none of the artifacts were looted. It was literally an archaeological gold mine with well over 1000 artifacts. If you ever go to Guangzhou be sure to see the treasures and with the entrance fee of only RMB10, you can't go wrong.

The final place that we visited that I want to discuss is the Sea Battle on the Pearl River in Humen Township. Here in 1839, Len Zexu supervised the destroying of large quantities of seized Opium. The incident, and other trade disputes, resulted in the first Opium war that ended with the ceding of Hong Kong Island to England. Getting to Humen from Guangzhou takes at least an hour and depending on the traffic maybe longer, but I thoroughly enjoyed this museum and again strongly recommend it.

Just a word about getting to and from Guangdong Province from Hong Kong: We have been there on a jetfoil, bus, and train. This past trip we took a bus into China, but came back via train. The bus took us almost four hours to get to Shande Village, about fifteen miles south of Guangzhou. On our return trip to Hong Kong, we took a train out of Guangzhou and it took us one hour to get to Shenzhen to clear immigration; then a transfer to another train into Hong Kong for about another hour.

The train trip out of Guangzhou will rival the ones many of you have taken in Europe, and perhaps better. It was great; clean as a whistle! The train average about 135/kmph and its highest speed was about 200/kmph. But, I’m quite sure, if you take a train into the interior of China, as we have in the past, the train service will not be near as good.

Letters from Hong Kong - Part VIII

Scenes from Central: Top Left one of the "Ladder Streets; bottom left China Bank Building

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November 18, 2008

Peggy & her husband Mike arrived today from LA. They will be here for two weeks; one of those weeks Mike, who immigrated from China to the US with his parents about 25 years ago, will go to Guangzhou to visit his family, while Peggy visits with her family and friends here in Hong Kong.

We had dinner at a Chiu Chow Restaurant here in Tsuen Wan and it was very good; however, I knew it had to happen! Snake Soup! Yeah, we had snake soup. It was very good. This wasn’t the first time that I had eaten this Chinese delicacy! The first time (about 27 years ago) wasn’t that hard either since Jenny ordered it and, after I had eating most of it, she told me what it was. The last few bites were a little harder to get down! I would like to tell you it tastes like chicken, but you probably wouldn’t believe me!

November 19,2009 -It’s still warm here, but certainly not as hot as it was. Low tonight will be about 15C and high tomorrow 24C (about 59F to 75F). As I type this it is 20F in Queensbury. I’ll take this weather, thank you very much!

November 20th -Today we have to go to the American Consulate in Central to get pages for Jenny’s passport. She has run out of places to put immigration stamps. I have a few more empty pages since my passport was renewed more recently.

Central? Have we discussed this district? It is the financial district and located on Hong Kong Island; of course there are tall skyscrapers and many parts of Central looks like many large cities around the world! Most of this district is very clean and modern, but I can take you to some places that look much like Mongkok.

Central is where you catch the Peak Tram to the top of Victoria Peak (I had to force myself to type “Victoria” because no local would call it that: only “The Peak”. In any case no matter what you call The Peak, it is a must see at night to view the beautiful lights of Hong Kong Harbor (not Victoria Harbor as the tour magazine call it).

Boy, I was one tired individual after following Jenny, Peggy & Mike around all day in Central. We got back around 9:30pm; however, we had time to eat some very spicy Indian food and take some pictures of the harbor, even though the weather is not very cooperative: very foggy. The pictures are not too bad considering I am using Jenny’s old point-and-shoot digital without a tripod.

A word about the Star Ferry ride from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central: besides being such a beautiful ride, it has got to be the best deal in the world! Jenny paid about US$.30 and I paid nothing (benefits of being Senior Citizen with an Octopus Card). Yes, the ride is only about a 1/4 mile across, but what a ride.

November 21st - Today is a rest day for the old man. We are going out for lunch with Peggy’s Grandmother, but then I’m coming home and prop up my feet!

While I’m resting I’ll tell you a little about Shenzhen, China, which is one of the gateways to China from Hong Kong for most trade and tourism. It is easy now for a Chinese to enter Hong Kong, at least much easier than prior to 1980 when the only way for a Mainland Chinese to come into Hong Kong was with a tour group or on business dealings representing the government.

Shenzhen is just across the border; yes there is still a border from one Chinese city to another just as it was when Hong Kong was a British Colony. The Chinese Government made Shenzhen a Special Economic Zone in 1980, or maybe it was 1979, and the city has grown from a sleepy village to about 14 million people, with, are you ready for this, only 2.1 million residents and the rest are temporary or migrant workers. This seems far-fetched, but it is information from the SCMP, so I hope it is accurate.

I mentioned above that there is a border with immigrations/customs between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Well, years ago there was also a border between Shenzhen and the rest of China and all Chinese needed papers to get into Shenzhen. This was done to prevent a mass influx of migrant workers into the city. I don’t think it has worked and, now I’m going to get political: it ain’t going to work between US and Mexico either!

November 22nd - Hong Kong has two official languages: Chinese and English. As some of you know, most Hong Kong Chinese speak the Cantonese dialect of the Chinese language, while the official language in China is Mandarin. As you may also know, there are many, many different dialects spoken in China and probably will be for many years. Cantonese comes from the Guangdong Province of China, which was once called Canton and that is why I think we still refer to it in English as Cantonese.

Although the written Chinese characters are similar between mainland China and Hong Kong, they are not exactly the same, because many years ago Mainland China simplified its written language while Hong Kong never did.

My point for telling you this is that we hear more and more Mandarin spoken on the streets of Hong Kong. Jenny says it is mostly workers (read service workers in the hotel industry etc) who have migrated to Hong Kong and also the many tourists from China that I have been telling you about.