HONG KONG (not to be confused with China)

posted by Alan
*click on pictures to see them full size and click the link below for a full photo album

After weeks of research, it has been determined that in order to get a work visa in China, one must leave the country to do it. The most common place for those in China who need a new visa to go is Hong Kong. American passport holders are allowed 90 days free in Hong Kong without any type of visa. FREE. That word gains more and more meaning to it everyday that we live here.

Hui Lau Shan drink shop , my boy Mike and his gf Evelyn, with Nicole at Tsim Sha Tsui

So I take a 3 day, 2 night trip down to the City That Doesn't Belong to get the visa I will need to live and work in China. For those that don't know, HK was under British control for over 100 years and was only returned to China recently in 1997. In that time, it has flourished as one of the major port-cities in the world and is light years ahead of China in many areas (just kidding Chinese govt, if you're reading this.) I suppose this explains why most of the Chinese in New York and other parts of North America are cantonese speaking. It takes money to go abroad. This trend is starting to change as mainland China is growing. Since the handover, HK virtually has been untouched by China, with it's own government, laws, money, flag, quarter-pounders with cheese, etc. It's basically autonomous.

Please, Shanghai, Please?!?!

Quick impressions of Hong Kong:
(It's worth noting that i've been here before 5 years ago, but had an oddly-timed, culturally confusing, strange experience here. If you really want to know, I'll explain it to you, but not in this post.)
- Ok, maybe the US can agree to disagree on using things like the metric system, calling soccer football and using Celcius temperatures, but this left-hand driving thing is ridiculous. Can't we all just agree on one side of the road before someone gets killed? I was so confused that I just looked in every direction when crossing the street in case a car was coming from somewhere.
- Hong Kong feels extremely claustrophobic and cramped. Coming from New York and Shanghai, that's saying alot. It's physical area is very small and split up by mountains and rivers, which leaves the only direction in which to build being UP. As a result, it feels like the buildings and people are all on top of each other. Not enjoyable.
- People speak better English in Hong Kong than people in New York Chinatown. That made things slightly disorienting, but pleasantly easy to get around.
- The food and food choices in Hong Kong beat Shanghai. The mango drinks at Hui Lau Shan alone beat all the drinks in Shanghai combined.

Good eats - Beef Noodles, Won Ton Noodles and Mango Jelly, Coconut Juice and Mango perfection at Hui Lau Shan

Apparently someone kept swiping my camera as I was eating and took pictures of me.

Caught up with some old friends, made a couple of new ones, ate some famous stuff (most notably, the scrambled egg, noodle soup, milk pudding set meal at Australia Dairy Co.) Almost got stuck in a typhoon 8, got carsick on top of a double-decker bus, got alot of reading done and came back to Shanghai with a shiny new work visa.

The famous Australia Dairy Company. Constantly packed, make new friends at your tiny table, simple set menus.

Milk tea (or coffee), noodle or macaroni with roast pork soup, the famous scrambled eggs with soft bread toast and equally famous milk pudding. Awesome meal..and I don't even like scrambled eggs. 28 HKD ($4 USD).


Click here for pictures: PICTURES OF HONG KONG VISA TRIP

Response to comments:
Angela - All these dialects are such a pain. My cantonese (what little there was) is destroyed from trying to learn Mandarin. When I was in HK, everytime I tried to say something, it came out in Mandarin. The ability to speak many languages is truly a gift.
Kev - Chicken parm IS mad good. I could go for some right now. Oh, and you're wrong. I said a FAMOUS author, not some unknown comic book writer. By famous, I mean EVERYBODY has heard of this person. Even children....
Lina - Hey Texas! Much is always going on over here. When should we mark down your arrival date? Next week? Week after? Be sure to bring over some ribs and beef brisket.