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