Eastern Promise

Dear all, no more photos today, there is no socket in the Hong Kong City Hall Library for my camera. Oo-err Ihere you say, well exactly. And Honkers Konkers is pretty oo-err missus all round really. I will get more of the final Zhengzhou Yo! photos on when Ican.

I left the school on Tuesday morning in the rain, then after theinternet Ihad a rather large buffet meal, so large in fact that Ihad to get a taxi to the station because I couldn’t walk very far! In my defense though, Iseem to have the heaviest and most bags on the Chinese rail network. Iwas surprised that Ididn’t get some sort of export tax on it all!

In the waiting room Imet a couple of English students from Kaifeng (not far from Zhengzhou, famed for its temples. They were on their way to Guangzhou for a post-grad English course at the university there). It was nice see that they had their eyes quite wide open to the world. At Kung fu school Idid wonder if they knew anything outside of that environment and concerned too about the authority’s grasp on world information. But these two were pretty switched on and and generally interested in the world. Good luck those 2 in whatever they get themselves into!

The overnighter to Guangzhou was fairly pleasant and comparable to the Indian rail system. Very clean and well managed. I had a hard sleeper and Ithoroughly recommend it to anyone worried about anything less than soft class. It’s more then comfortable! The land rolled by and Isaw the changes gradually, again reminding me of the train trip Idid from North to South in India.

At Guangzhou, the budget prevailed as usual so I took another train to Shenzhen to save some cash and from there walk over the border. This train was something else. A big change and a sign of what was to come.

Outside of the borders we make, in the real world of trees and beasts, Thsi part of China is really different from the North and Centre where it is dry and dusy and the wind makes itself heard or more like seen before your blinded by the dust clouds from the Kung fu practice fields. It is hotter and wetter here. There are flavours of the jungle, greenery I recognise from India like the Chinese Banyan knotted and twisted with creepers galore straight out of the junghle book… and also bits of Japan; the humidity or the beginnings of it as the season of 24hr Sweaty Betty is fast approaching; and an asian flavour or smell that is close but not the same as Japan. It’s a Hong Kong Hotch-potch –  say that after a few dreid snake tonics! A pot of this and that and a bit of something else too…

The border of Hong Kong was another strange one. The Shenzhen staion is like many others, also similar to an airport with its signage. Nicely sign-posted: Toilets, tickets… oh and Hong Kong. Very casual, I thought it was a name of a shop to start with and then realise that it was actually Hong Kong itself – the city. I followed the signs as if to the departure lounge in Heathrow airport and of course no matter how many signs you put-up there’s always someone who gets lost. Well, nevermind… anyway. I walked the very boring border and jumped on a metro line to Kowloon where I am staying. This is no Chinese train. In fact the Metro in Guangzhou was not what you would expect from China – a cross between Tokyo’s best and a European city tube. The closer you get to this peninsula the more you feel the difference.

There is a different feel to the south of China, it’s not just Honkers. I am not sure if it’s the heat that makes the southerners go a bit more crazy and forget the conservatism of the north or perhaps there are more beaches in this part of the world so everyone is a bit more ‘vamos a la playa’. I don’t know, well it’s a nice change though.\

Kowloon is on the tip of China then there’s a hop on a ferry over to Hong Kong Island. I am staying in Kowloon in a funny little place called Chungking Mansions. It’s a massive 15 floor building crammed with about 80 hostels and hotels. I have a cupboard with 2 bunkbeds. There are only 3 of us in theree at the mo, I hope we don’t have to squueze in another. It’s clean with mod-cons but it really is very small.

Chungking Mansions is something else. If you have ever been to Connaught Place in Delhi you will know what I mean. There are a lot of Indians in this small area and the ground floor is a lovely strange bazaar of Indian food canteens and luggage shops

Hong Kong is a shopping city, it is amazing. I though Tokyo was a the capital of the shopper, but this is definately a rival. The amount of advertising is unbelieveable. You couldn’t get a double decker down a shooping street I went to yesterday… The overhead neon is staggering. And these places are full of youngsters. Just like Shinjuku in Tokyo, you have to have a big wallet here. It’s not too expensive but The bright lights mesmerise you into parting with your cash. Clothes shops, electric shops, snack shops, CD and DVD shops, restaurants and it’s not just on the street level, it goes on up into the high rises above. Incredible.

Yesterday and today (here and now) I took the ferry for a couple of dollars to Hong Kong Island. This is where the classic views of Hong Kong can be seen. The skyscapers on a backdrop of green mountains. I think tomorrow I will take a trip up to Visctoria Peak to see what I can see, the mist is heavy today so I hope it clears for tomorrow.

 Food? Well it’s very nice, you would all love it. A meat-eaters paradise too!Meat, meat and then more meat – on sticks this time! I have found some very nice veggie restos though. The first night I had “vegetarian eel” which was very convincing. I swear it had bones in! It’s amazing what they can do with soya and tofu. Last night I found a veggie buffet too. I think I am going to become a regular there so any weight I lost when I was ill at the end of Kung Fu school (another story) I will find it again here. I think I like the food better here. Not as spicy and a bit sweeter to the tooth too.

Also 7/11 convenience store rules here, just like Tokyo. Circle K is not as popular but there are still a few. Convenience is the operative word here – you have to see it to believe it. Instant this, instant that, meat on sticks again, DIY big drinks, noodles and microwave meals etc. etc.

In case You were wondering, haven’t seen any cat on the menu, although I have seen a few pets about. I have seen some dried and live snakes for sale, I presume for the table. I think I saw terrapin jelly on the Shenzhen train but I don’t know if that is a brand name… who knows or even dares to ask.

Got to go now, time’s up, next time will try to get some pics on and tell you my Martial Arts experiences too since I have been here… Wing Chun and Tai chi. More thoughts on this amzing city… the differences go on and on and Hong Kong. Ha ha, better go now, the air-conditioning has frozen my brain.

Take care for now. Keep comments coming, very grateful for those.

Tom x

Tags: King Kong Hong!, kowloon, Shenzhen, Sweaty Betty

This entry was posted on Friday, April 7th, 2006 at 8:09 am and is filed under King Kong Hong!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.