October 10 2006 - Back in Town Again

I’ve been back in Hong Kong for almost two weeks. My mom was here most of that time. She left today. We had a great visit, but now its time for me to get back to my regular Hong Kong life. Part of that life I know is hosting visitors periodically. Hong Kong is a tourist destination so it’s natural for people to want to take advantage of the fact that they know someone that lives here. It’s an amazing city (so go ahead and come!).

Here are a few comments from the past couple of weeks since I’ve returned:

1. Ladies Market Redux. One thing I did with my mother was take her to the Ladies Market. I was really surprised to see true copies (instead of just knock-offs) in the Market. They had laminated pages out of the catalogs with Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chloe, Chanel, etc. etc. They wanted us to “come upstairs” to see what they had in their warehouse, but my mom couldn’t handle it so they brought purses down for us to see. She bought a nice MuiMui purse for a not-too-bad price, and I bought a darling LeSportPac for $50HKD. The LeSport looks like the real thing. She also got a nice Louis Vuitton. She was doing the same thing I did with the Marc Jacobs purse. They just look REAL and it’s a puzzle. Where did these things come from???

I told somebody about the copies at the Ladies Market and they said that happens sometimes. They start bringing in the “real” copies and then the police crack down and the next time you go the good copies will all be gone again. I guess it goes in cycles. I’m glad my mom got to see it, because she couldn’t go to Shenzen.

2. The smog and haze has been TERRIBLE ever since I got back. I guess the wind is coming from the north. Even when it rains it doesn’t dissipate. It’s bad enough that I’m worrying about the quality of the air we’re breathing. So THIS is what people complain about when they talk about the pollution in Hong Kong. This is really bad. And it was too bad it happened while my mom was here, because she never really got to see how beautiful the views can be. The mountains behind Kowloon haven’t been really visible since I’ve returned.

3. I just LOVE running around Hong Kong! I couldn’t do it very much while my mom was here, but this afternoon I made up for it. I went to the Pottenger Steps, to the Post Office, to Wan Chai on the MTR and then back to Central on the tram, to Oliver’s AND to the wet market. It was great. I was longing to do a little clothes window-shopping too, but that will just have to wait until another day.

4. I saw a whole other side of Hong Kong while my mom was here because we took taxis everywhere. It really wasn’t that bad taking a taxi to the Kowloon side. It wasn’t as expensive as I thought it would be. But, boy-oh-boy the traffic really IS terrible! I just don’t notice it as much when I’m walking or using public transportation. For the most part taking the MTR is faster than taking a taxi or it seems like it anyway.

Getting to Kowloon was never a problem, but twice when we were going back to Hong Kong Island we got taxi drivers that said they didn’t go over there (they have to take you). I said I would help them as long as they got us through the tunnel. With the first driver I actually had to get on the radio so that they could translate for me, but with the second driver it went pretty well. I had to use the taxi driver book (a wonderful little guide that has the major street names in Cantonese) to show him Cotton Tree Drive, but the rest of it was easy. The second driver actually understood my feeble attempts at Cantonese too!

5. Missouri Football is 6-0 for the first time since 1973! They are the only undefeated team left in the conference, ranked 19 nationally. It’s a little hard to take in. Besides being a good team, the intangible is a new quarterback, Chase Daniel that seems to have a real quality of leadership that sparks something special. Next week, aTm in College Station. It’s still Missouri, so I am very aware of the clouds that are all-too-willing to rain on our parade, but I’m enjoying it while I can.

6. Cardinals have reached the National League Playoffs again for the 3^rd straight year. A good week for Missouri sports!!

7. I have some fun things coming up – helping at various Charity Bazaars (not to mention shopping at them too!), Foon Ying (a newcomers group…yes I know I’ve been here over 6 months, but this was the first one I could fit into my schedule), various hikes, tours and activities. AND in 6 weeks – sailing in Thailand with the kids. Cool