Hong Kong -- Affluence Run Amok

Prepared March 16, 17, and 18, 2012, en route Hai Long Bay, Viet Nam


March 7 and 8, 2012, en route, Hong Kong: The Invasion of HK Hawker


The two-day transit from Singapore to Hong Kong through the South China Sea was largely uneventful, except for a run-in with an example of Asia's aggressive capitalism.  On the morning of March 7, a large, life-sized, standing, multi-colored cardboard sign was present in the passageway two doors down from our suite.  It was advertising the services of "Princeton: Custom Tailors for Ladies & Gents."  A Hong Kong tailor wanting to sell his services to the ship's passengers had encamped in three suites on our deck for the sail from HCMC to Hong Kong..  Those of us whose suites were on Deck 5 were not impressed, to say the least, with our new commercial neighbor (aka, aggressive HK hawker) and his tacky sign.  After fuming and grumbling by the occupants of the deck for about half a day, an opportunity presented itself to complain.

 

Let's Decorate with Hong Kong Ad Art

And You Thought Communist Poster Art Was Bad!

The ship had sent out a questionnaire asking if there was anything that they could do to make our voyage more enjoyable.  It was just the perfect vehicle to let the powers that be know of our dislike of the hawker and his sign.  So, J drafted the following note to the Captain, and E copied it onto the questionnaire form.  It read as follows:

Captain,


I have noted with some chagrin a recent attempt to turn the passageway on which our suite is located into a Hong Kong hawker's alley.   Although, in its place, a hawker's alley is an interesting and colorful tourist attraction, it seems a bit inappropriate for a "luxury" cruise liner.


Whatever individuals do in the confines of their own suites is of no interest to me, but when their noxious signage extends into the passageway, I find it unacceptable.  Please have the sign removed.  Hong Kong signage should be kept in Hong Kong, unless your plan is to turn an entire passageway into an alley market.

The note was duly delivered to Reception.  That night, March 7, we received a letter from the Hotel Director, Norman.  He thanked us for our helpful comments (form letter), but handwritten on the bottom of the note was a comment to the effect that the sign would not appear in the morning.  We all felt that we had won a major victory against the forces of rampant capitalism; however, on the last day we were in HK, March 10, the sign reappeared briefly in the afternoon.  It was gone before a vigilante committee could be mobilized to pitch the thing overboard.

March 8 was our last bridge day with JoAnn and Danny.  In the morning, we played set hands and were critiqued.  In the afternoon, we played duplicate and finished near the middle of the pack.  We will miss JoAnn and Danny both as bridge instructors and as travelling companions.


March 9 and 10, 2012, in port Hong Kong, China:  Welcome to Prada:  Please Take a Number

 

Hong Kong in the Mist

A Car Ferry Converted for Harbor Touring

The Silver Whisper entered Victoria Harbor early in the morning of March 9, and tied up at the Ocean Terminal at 8:00am.  Ocean Terminal is located on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong, next to the Star Ferry Terminal.  Out of our suite window, we had a panoramic view of Hong Kong Island and its office-tower skyline.  However, on this morning, the tops of the highest towers and The Peak were covered by haze; also, a light rain was falling, reducing visibility.

 

M/v Silver Whisper (in port Ocean Terminal), Victoria Harbor

 

Hong Kong Island from Kowloon Side

We had decided not to go on any tours, having been in Hong Kong a number of times.  And, not wanting to go out into the cold, wet streets of Kowloon to shop, we walked around the massive Harbour City Mall that is attached to the Ocean Terminal.  The problem was that if you wanted something common, like Alka Selzer, good luck!  Gucci or Ferragamo shoes were in plentiful supply, but a drug store was not available.  Attention marketing gurus -  A niche has developed for designer anti-acids!  But, it was an interesting walk.  Where else would you see 20+ shops in a row all selling high-end watches (Rolex, Pantera, Omega, etc.).  From the advertising in those stores, it is somewhat confusing as to whether they are selling watches or high-end hookers.  God help the poor sailor who gets confused!  There was also an entire floor dedicated to the sale of childern's toys and clothes.  We really couldn't even figure out where one mall ended and another began.  It was like the old song, "Dem Bones":   Da Ocean Terminal is connected to Da Harbour City, Da Harbour City is connected to Da Ocean Centre, Da Ocean Center is connected to Da Gateway.  And so it goes!  Finally, we did leave the enclosed malls and walked to Star House, which had a Watson's drug store that sold Alka Selzer.  Maybe it is too soon for designer anti-acids.

 

Star Ferry Boat, Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong

If any of you are thinking of coming to Hong Kong for lower prices on designer fashions, forget it.  The prices were, in general, higher than Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, which isn't low-cost by any US standard.  But, it is the only place that we have ever seen with stores like Ferragamo, Prada, Gucci actually crowded with shoppers.  Mostly, the shoppers were tourists from Mainland China.  "I've been to Hong Kong and here's the Prada bag to prove it."  There was a very small number of non-Chinese shoppers, and almost none from Europe or the US.

So, having walked and walked and gauked and gauked for 3 hours, we returned to the ship for lunch and a long afternoon nap.  Then, it was back to the Mecca of Shopping to buy a birthday card and watch the proletariat shop.  The question is:  Would Mao have worn Hugo Boss or Emilio Z?

We returned to the ship for dinner and were seated by a window table, so we could watch the Symphony of Lights, a sound and light show that is part of every evening's entertainment.  High-rise buildings on Hong Kong Island are all colorfully lit, and lasers are used to replace the searchlights of days gone by.  All-in-all, it is a very dramatic way to highlight the towers of Hong Kong.  Supposedly, there is musical accompaniment with the light show, but this could not be heard inside the ship.

March 10 dawned with a high overcast, but visibility was increased.  From the ship, you could see The Peak and the tops of the towers.   The rain had also stopped, so we decided that having given sacrifice to Manon and the shopping mall on the day before, we would investigate the neighborhood outside the mall and visit the Hong Kong Museum of Art.  Leaving the Ocean Terminal, we strolled past the Star Ferry Terminal and the Clock Tower.  Crossing the street, we walked through the newly-opened Heritage Centre, which is the restored and redeveloped former Hong Kong Police Headquarters.

 

Star Ferry Terminal, Clock Tower, and Hong Kong Cultural Center 

  

Heritage Center, Old Observatory

 

Heritage Center, Police Stables

Now, an Upscale Restaurant

 

Heritage Center, Harbor Salute Gun

Crossing under Salisbury Road, we passed through a maze of walkways that connect the HK Cultural Centre and the HK Museum of Art, finally bumping into the Museum of Art's entrance.  The Museum's current building was completed in 1991, with 6 floors covering 17,530 square meters.  After paying our HK$10.00 entrance fee, we had to pick and choose which galleries to view.  We selected the Xubaizhai Calligraphy Gallery, Chinese Antiquities Gallery, and a special exhibition on China Trade Paintings.  Upon seeing the three galleries, we began to suffer museum fatigue.  (If you wish to browse the collections, open the web site http://hk.art.museum.)

 

Hong Kong Clock Tower

Kowloon Star Ferry Landing in Background

 

Hong Kong Museum of Art, Statue Garden

Passing through the Museum Shop, where a t-shirt with HK stamps on it was discovered and purchased, we walked over to the HK Cultural Center and found a Starbucks (very cultural), and sat for a cappucino.  Finishing our coffee break, we crossed over Salisbury Road to the Heritage Centre.  There, E "found" a Shanghai Tang shop, and we joined in what seems to be the major local pastime.  We shopped!  So E got a new outfit, and J got another credit card slip.  Then, it was back to the ship, lunch, and our traditional after-lunch nap.  We sailed at 6:30pm, so there was no time left for more walking about, and by late afternoon, the weather had deteriorated with rain and low visibility.

 

Leaving Hong Kong!