Weeks 62–65 · April 7, 2015 · San Francisco & Hong Kong
SF &
Was able to spend some time at home in March, then back to Mexico City and back to Seoul a couple of weeks ago. We are all able to meet up last weekend in San Francisco for Annelise's spring break — just 3 days but perfect weather and did the tourist basics.
Was able to spend some time at home in March, then back to Mexico City and back to Seoul a couple of weeks ago. Still on an extended work schedule — so not much to report when I am in Korea…as spring comes around hopefully that will change. We are all able to meet up last weekend in San Francisco for Annelise's spring break — just 3 days but perfect weather and did the tourist basics. Although I worked for a company based in San Francisco for 25 years, only spent a day and a half at work there way back in 1990 and visited only a couple of times — jealous of those who were able to spend significant time there. Ran into people from our neighborhood — twice.
Although I worked for a company based in San Francisco for 25 years, only spent a day and a half at work there way back in 1990 and visited only a couple of times — jealous of those who were able to spend significant time there. Ran into people from our neighborhood — twice. First time: the street sign. Second time: from the top of the bus, three minutes later. San Francisco in March on a perfect-weather long weekend, twice bumping into people from a small neighbourhood in Maryland, while rotating between Seoul and Mexico City. Normal.
On the way back from San Francisco to Seoul, I did a 20 hour layover in Hong Kong. Spectacular — perfect weather there as well and I was really spoiled with some of the best views in the world within a 24 hour period. Totally different than Beijing and the rest of China, not only the blue sky, but clearly more freedom. I can understand why the protests — it would be like going back in time for those who live there. Was much more British than I expected, like being in London with announcements in the subway of “Mind the Gap”, posters of David Beckham selling stuff and Robbie Williams coming in concert. On the other side of the coin and just like London is the endless confusion over which side on which to walk — 50% of the people think since they drive on the left, walk on the left while the other 50% walk on the right for no obvious reason — resulting in 100% of the people running into each other.
Hong Kong is an island — on the north side is Victoria Harbour and the area on the other side of the harbour is called the Kowloon and the New Territories (still free) and further inland is mainland China — all goes back to the Opium Wars (reading a book on it now). Through the middle of Hong Kong Island is a mountain with the south side separated with beaches and since it is a semi-tropical climate, it is like a resort.
Another major difference from other Asian cities is there is much diversity in the people and clothing. Whereas in Seoul & Beijing everyone strives to be alike and dresses alike (and has plastic surgery to look alike), in Hong Kong people express individualism.
“Spectacular — perfect weather there as well and I was really spoiled with some of the best views in the world within a 24 hour period.”
Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain by China following the First Opium War in 1842. The Kowloon Peninsula was added after the Second Opium War in 1860, and the New Territories were leased for 99 years in 1898. When the lease expired in 1997, Britain returned the entire territory to China under a “one country, two systems” framework guaranteeing Hong Kong's separate legal and economic system until 2047. The protests referenced here were the 2014 Umbrella Movement, in which hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents occupied major roads for 79 days to protest China's proposed changes to the election system. The Victoria Peak Tram, used here, has been operating since 1888 and is one of the steepest funicular railways in the world, climbing 373 metres at gradients up to 27 degrees.