part two - Hong Kong
It was odd and good, weird and fun to return to Hong Kong- the first East Asian place I had the opportunity to visit 5 years ago, just after I finished my A-Levels.
As someone who likes going to new places, I partly wanted to go somewhere new, but on the other hand, I enjoyed being back!!
Although I was aware of it before, I hadn't properly appreciated the extent of the British influence in HK. Although it's now been handed back to the Chinese, it was comforting (?) to see BRITISH ROAD SIGNS & road layout, BRITISH SPELLING (eg flavour not flavor), CLUB biscuits in the supermarket, as well as so much other stuff I'd just forgotten about. Added to the fact that people can actually speak English there (unlike Japan... and Korea). It was like being back home! But except in Asia.
The reason I was so keen to go to HK the first time was because of family connections there. My grandparents and aunt and uncle used to live there & for me it's part of exploring my heritage/ identity. Which is a bit strange. E.g. I went back to Stanley (Market) where Ron& Angharad used to live [not in the market obviously!] & found myself with all sorts of questions in my mind. In the touristy shops at the top of Victoria Peak, I saw many items which I'd been given as a child. I couldn't work out who had given them to me. - Mum? Angharad? Mamgu? But the Chinese bracelets, purses, dolls, jewellery bags etc reminded me of my childhood & these little souvenirs (called 'omiyage' in Japan) are some of the things that started my fascination with Asia in the first place. [Was it just these things themselves - the like of which are sold in the shop in the Oriental Museum shop in Durham, where i used to go and feel so at home? Or the fact behind them- I received them because my family members lived and worked there?] Anyway, identity searching/ confronting aside, I did a fair bit of sightseeing (lots the same as last time), and more to the point, SHOPPING! Hooray for clothes that fit! And are in the sale! And for shops that are everywhere you turn. [At which point, I should add, thank you to Chantelle for putting up with me this holiday!]
I've got to give a short speech to my English conversation class at school tomorrow about Hong Kong- oh no! Need to show them pictures, but I've forgotten what my speech entails- hmm.. below are a couple of pics anyway:
Hong Kong island...
As someone who likes going to new places, I partly wanted to go somewhere new, but on the other hand, I enjoyed being back!!
Although I was aware of it before, I hadn't properly appreciated the extent of the British influence in HK. Although it's now been handed back to the Chinese, it was comforting (?) to see BRITISH ROAD SIGNS & road layout, BRITISH SPELLING (eg flavour not flavor), CLUB biscuits in the supermarket, as well as so much other stuff I'd just forgotten about. Added to the fact that people can actually speak English there (unlike Japan... and Korea). It was like being back home! But except in Asia.
The reason I was so keen to go to HK the first time was because of family connections there. My grandparents and aunt and uncle used to live there & for me it's part of exploring my heritage/ identity. Which is a bit strange. E.g. I went back to Stanley (Market) where Ron& Angharad used to live [not in the market obviously!] & found myself with all sorts of questions in my mind. In the touristy shops at the top of Victoria Peak, I saw many items which I'd been given as a child. I couldn't work out who had given them to me. - Mum? Angharad? Mamgu? But the Chinese bracelets, purses, dolls, jewellery bags etc reminded me of my childhood & these little souvenirs (called 'omiyage' in Japan) are some of the things that started my fascination with Asia in the first place. [Was it just these things themselves - the like of which are sold in the shop in the Oriental Museum shop in Durham, where i used to go and feel so at home? Or the fact behind them- I received them because my family members lived and worked there?] Anyway, identity searching/ confronting aside, I did a fair bit of sightseeing (lots the same as last time), and more to the point, SHOPPING! Hooray for clothes that fit! And are in the sale! And for shops that are everywhere you turn. [At which point, I should add, thank you to Chantelle for putting up with me this holiday!]
I've got to give a short speech to my English conversation class at school tomorrow about Hong Kong- oh no! Need to show them pictures, but I've forgotten what my speech entails- hmm.. below are a couple of pics anyway:
Hong Kong island...
posted by bananatree @ 9:44 am
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