Hong Kong: Shopping in Mong Kok - Part II

It was still early and since I couldn't sleep I decided to walk around Mong Kok and take photos. The street have names that are either Chinese or English, I mean English as in Britain. Do you really think the residents of Hong Kong would have named a street, "Argyle Street?" Of course, that made it easier for me to remember Nathan Street than Tung Choi Street, which was called, "Ladies Market", a popular tourist shopping area. The streets in this area seemed to be organized for what you wanted to buy. There was a street that had electronics. Cameras, TVs, computer parts, you name it. Then the next street over had everything you ever wanted to buy for your pets, including a wide variety of tropical fish and Koi supplies. There was also a street for clothing and shoes. Most name brand and a vast majority, counterfeit.

The shops and street vendors don't usually open until 11:00'ish on Sunday and being that it was also Father's Day, (Yes, everyone has a Father in Hong Kong), they might be opening later. I didn't care I was up and ready to go. I walked for hours, snapping photos of the streets and the atmosphere and I sweat. The sun came out and after a while I had soaked my shirt. The temperature during this time is around 85 F, but the humidity is also 85%. Luckily, there several 7-Eleven stores about to purchase bottled water.

Around noon, the street vendors were open for business and my shopping experience began. I had taken carry-on luggage with me, including my laptop bag. Literally, no extra room for "stuff", so the first thing I bought was a new suitcase. A cabin bag with rollers that you see everyone carrying these days. I got it for $150 HKD, or about $20 USD. Now, armed with my bag, I was off to fill it up. I bought some Hong Kong souvenir T-Shirts 4 for $25 HKD. I looked and looked and looked, but nothing else caught my eye. I didn't see anything really cultural that I wanted. I saw the streeet I left Mong Kok later in the afternoon and getting pretty tired. I decided to go over to Temple Street. Another shopping area that mainly functions in the evening hours. To get there meant another train ride! Two stations south to Jordan. Off I went with suitcase in tow.
Temple Street was the third street west of Jordan Station. It looked more of what a bustling Asian city might look like.

Even the, 24 hour McDonald's was present on the corner. There were many similarities between the two shopping areas. The people selling fake watches had their catalogs out for you to choose which style you wanted and then they would produce your request and then you would haggle the price. You haggled the price on everything. My bag was stated to cost $250 HKD and I talked her down to $150 HKD. It's what they do here. It's expected. You're a fool if you don't haggle. And yes, I did feel a little guilty doing it. I started seeing more of the "booths" with Asian trinkets. I found the cultural stuff I wanted. I made my purchases and then decided I was too tired to really do any more and it was now early evening. I packed everything into my bag and made my way back to Jordan Station. I caught the train and headed back to Tsim Sha Tsui (Central) station. This time my ticket had enough money on it to allow me to exit. I walked over to the shuttle stop and waited for the bus. It was hot and humid. The shuttle came and I hopped on board and met two couples from Australia that were vacationing in Hong Kong. They had gone on an excursion that day and were returning to the hotel as well. The shuttle arrived back at the hotel and I went upstairs to put my stuff away and decided I would go up to the roof for a swim. I needed some real cooling off.

The pool was on the 22nd floor and had a beautiful view of the city and Hong Kong island. The water was a little warm, which was fine with me cause there was quite a wind up there. I sat and chatted with a gentleman from Italy who maintained A/C units for Data Centers. I asked him if he worked for Liebert and he told me that Liebert was their number one competitor. We talked about Hong Kong and that he traveled here at least one every two months. After a while, he got up and stated that it was time for him to go and have a massage. I thanked him for his time and talking with me. I stayed a bit longer and then left the pool myself, I was getting hungry.

I didn't have anything exotic or even Asian. I wanted something simple and had a Club sandwich and a Chinese beer called TsingTao. The brewery was founded by Germans in 1903 and it tasted very good. I then sat outside on the boardwalk and watched the locals fish from the railing and "people watched." After the sun set, I went up to my room and prepared for the real reason I was in Hong Kong... Work.

Hong Kong: Getting Around - Part I

The Harbour Plaza Hotel hires large Indian men for their Porters. They wear the Sherwani-like coats and dark purple turbans. They look very majestic and a bit scary, until you meet them. Mewa and Singh were the nicest, most helpful gentlemen you could ever want to meet in Hong Kong or anywhere else for that matter. Mewa, pronounced "Mee-wah", helped me get around and navigate the Hong Kong subway system, and was a great help in where the bargains could be found. Singh, pronounced "Sin-j", told me where I could get the best exchange rates, where to eat, and called me "Boss." Singh would open the door of the cab and greet me with a great big smile and say, "Hi, Boss."

During the night, when I couldn't sleep, I would head downstairs to the lobby and converse with the night concierge, Mr. Stone. I call him, Mr. Stone, because he never told me his first name and his name tag read "STONE". Plus, "Mister Stone" had a nice ring to it. Mr. Stone is a much younger gentleman of Chinese descent and is a typical Asian male. Career minded, very friendly, inquisitive on other cultures and full of questions about American life, especially, Texas. He works nights most of the time and told me that when he did work days, spent his nights gaming online. As with most of the people I met in Hong Kong, very friendly and genuine.

There is one thing I found about Hong Kong compared to large cities in the US, the Sardine Theory was virtually non-existent. The Sardine Theory was coined as a possible reason for sudden unexplained violence in major metropolitan areas, where people snap due to cramped living and working conditions. Hong Kong is very cramped and the people live and work, literally, on top of one another. Yet they are accommodating, generally friendly and ... happy. I find their attitudes very admirable and honorable.

Sunday was shopping and exploring day, pretty much the only day I had for anything non-work related or traveling. I should have scheduled a day or two of vacation to coincide with this trip but I didn't and only thought about it once I had already paid for the flight.

I began the day with asking Mewa where to go find "stuff" to buy. You know, clothes, souvenirs, that kind of stuff. He told me of Mong Kok (pronounced "Mong-Gok"), and the area they call, "Ladies Market." He also told me to travel further down Nathan to just before Prince Edward street, because the area around Ladies Market was more for tourists and I could find better deals several blocks further.
He explained to me about the free shuttle that went from the hotel to the Tsim Sha Tsui area and there I could take the subway to the third stop, Mong Kok, and I would find the area I was looking for. He also told me about looking in the Temple Street market area for bargains on similar type items later in the afternoon or evening. Temple Street is also referred to as the Night Market.

I hopped the shuttle and was off, armed with my map and $1000.00 HKD (~$125.00 USD). OK, don't get crazy. I'm cheap, remember? Like I'd blow a grand for shopping in Hong Kong. Yeah, not so much. The very first thing I bought was, and you're roll your eyes, Starbucks coffee mugs, at the Starbucks next to Tsim Sha Tsui - East subway station. I had gotten a collectible mug from the Starbucks in Chicago, and they had one for Hong Kong and one for China, done. So it wasn't Asian art or a gold Buddha, but it was something I collect and you buy those anywhere else.

I entered the subway and went to the kiosk they have to get my ticket. It's really cool. They present a map of the stations along the line and you touch which destination station you want to stop. The system then tells you how much to deposit, then a ticket, and any change, is returned to you. Then you proceed through a turnstile and feed your ticket. It is returned and the turnstile allows you to pass. Then you proceed to the platform you need.

The trains and the stations are impeccable and clean. Security is everywhere and you feel quite safe. I got on the train and held on to the rail. Instructions are always in Cantonese and English. Once I heard and read Mong Kok Station, I exited the train and went upstairs. I proceeded through the turnstile to exit and it wouldn't open. I tried my ticket again. The little screen told me to see the ticket counter. Several people (subway patrons) attempted to assist me and they finally told me to go, "Over there" and pointed to the cashier. When I asked the attendant about my problem, in English, she told me I was a dollar short. I gave it to her and she added it to my ticket. I was then allowed to exit the station. I will continue my story in the next entry.... Shopping in Mong Kok

Hong Kong: Arrival (Well, eventually)

Normally plane trips are uneventful and boring, especially for international flights. They are long and most everyone sleeps. But this one was different. What made it so wasn't the flight itself but the getting on the plane and leaving that has it's story...

United Airlines (I know, I'm cheap) flight 895, service from Chicago O'Hare to Hong Kong International was scheduled to leave at 12:24 PM, Friday, arriving in Hong Kong, some 15 hours later with a local time of 4:45 PM, Saturday. Yeah... Not so much.

First of all, there was the weather in Chicago. Thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail. Gate C18 was occupied by a flight to San Francisco that was scheduled to depart at 9:44. At 12:45 PM, they pulled away from the gate.

The Boeing 747 that was to be used for our flight, I say "our flight", because by now I had met several people, in which, we would hear things from the airline staff and learn of our delays, etc, and in turn pass the information on to the others in our newly formed group.

One person in our little group was an attractive, off duty, flight attendant. She had the Inside information. She stated that the plane had to leave the terminal, or "pull away" from the jet way or the crew would be labeled "illegal." She then informed me, and in turn I told "the group", that "illegal" is the term used to mean that a person has exceeded their legal number of flight hours that the FAA has allowed them to work before they must take a rest or time off. There's a lot more to it, like waivers and such, but that our flight crew (not Pilots) would be "illegal" at 3:00 PM. She then called the local UA office and informed them that she would be available should they need someone. Apparently, they there are 12 standard attendants for a 747 going internationally and there must be a minimum of 10 to comply with regulations to fly.

We all sat and waited while the plane was fueled, also delayed because of lightning activity and apparently a 747 takes a lot of fuel. At 3 PM, 8 of the 12 attendants walked off the plane, leaving a crew of 4. Not acceptable. An announcement was made that they were calling in standby crew members to man the flight. The departure time was pushed back to 4:45.

We all sat and waited and more murmuring grew as the waiting area was full. The group gave opinions of possible cancellations, making other arrangements. One in our group, stated she could get to Hong Kong via Shanghai and meet her daughter there for lunch the next day, big timing us all. She ending up opting to stay with the group.

Around 4 o'clock, The Insider informed us that they had better hurry because at 5 o'clock, the pilots would be illegal and that would be bad. Now they were down to 2 remaining attendants, including The Insider, who would work the flight out of uniform and was now on the plane. As the final qualifying attendant approached the gate, the crowd cheered. But we had to hurry. It was now 4:30 and 351 passengers still had to board the aircraft. First Class and Business. Groups 1 and 2, 3 and 4 all amassed the gate, they scanned each without stopping. Tick tock, tick tock. Finally everyone was aboard and they cleared the plane for departure, at 4:59. When the plane moved back, we all cheered, "Hurray!" I also fell into more luck as the two seats next to mine were vacant and I had a makeshift bed at economy prices.

Soon we were airborne and everyone settled in with a movie and beverage service. Around about that time, my medication began to kick in and I drifted off to sleep.

The remaining portion of the flight went uneventful.

Nearing Hong Kong, an announcement was made that the Hong Kong Department of Health would be requiring that everyone fill out a questionnaire regarding our current state of health. And that our temperatures would be taken upon arrival. Anyone with a temperature and flu-like symptoms could be subject to a 7 to 14 day quarantine at a Hong Kong hospital. That would suck, considering what the Aussies have been saying about China's quarantine conditions.

We landed at 10:30'ish in Hong Kong and proceeded through a somewhat empty airport. Through immigration, customs and health screening, which was basically taking one's word as to whether they felt fine or not, and everyone parted ways. I stopped by the ATM and withdrew $1000.00 HKG (about $120.00 USD) for fares and stuff. There was a combined feeling of excitement as to what new adventures in a famous city would bring and the clashing zombie effect that was overshadowing my general being. I opted for taking a shuttle bus to the hotel in lieu of the bullet train. (I know, I suck).

I checked into the Harbour Plaza Hotel, in Kowloon Bay, around 11:30 PM, Saturday night. A very nice place with fountains and marble everywhere. The staff was impeccably warm and helpful to my needs, although few. I went to my room and looked out the window at the view across the bay at the Island of Hong Kong (proper). The shoreline filled with 50 story buildings, all lit up with LED marquis. Panasonic, Sony, you name it they had it. Rows and rows of skyscraper-like apartment towers, each one lit up and all reflecting off the water. An occasional tanker or freighter would pass through and breakup the reflection, on it's way to the Port of Hong Kong. I was tired but couldn't sleep. I decided to lay down and rest after a quick shower. I needed to get some sleep, I had one full day, Sunday, to retrieve my goods and souvenirs from this land before I had to work.