At first glance, Hong Kong is just like the online pictures - a metropolis built on mountains and islands; unique and majestic. Upon arrival, however, there are details available to you that an image cannot capture. Details may be small and easy to overlook, but they can reveal the real story of the environment, culture, and daily life of a place and its people. Allow my first blog post to share how I have come to know Hong Kong through its details.
Let’s Start the Day
If you want to run some errands during the day, take your time to get ready! Seldom people will be walking to and fro to get to their jobs before 10:30 a.m. Stores and such open at around 10 a.m. I interpret this habit of getting a late start to the day to be not necessarily relaxing per say, but at the very least not stressful. In comparison to my hometown New York City, Hong Kong is similar in that it has a lot of people and skyscrapers make a very compact feeling. However, the living pace is not as fast and urgent. I feel it is a good balance: everybody has somewhere to go, something to do; but you don’t have people rushing past you on the street and public transportation. Be part of the collective community and just melt in with the crowd and be part of one heading to a destination.
A Walk Under the Overhangs
Wherever you go, there are shops everywhere; consistent with the fact that Asia is a high consumer region. Above these shops are overhangs with a purpose to not only provide shade during the day, light during the night, but also cover from the unexpected periods of rain. In Hong Kong, it is very hot and humid being surrounded by water resulting in typhoon and rainy seasons. Because of this, many people carry around an umbrella every day, but others walk carefree. Even without an umbrella, one can still easily continue to walk on the streets under the protection the overhangs – you can even duck under the crowd of people’s umbrellas.
“Look Right”
In this crowded city, most people walk and use transit to get to their destination. Most people, when they were young, learned to look both ways before crossing a busy street. One will look down at your feet to see where to stop before crossing border between the safety of the sidewalk and the busy street. In this instance, in Hong Kong, you will see a “LOOK RIGHT” painted on the street. For an American like me, this seemed a bit odd that people needed instruction on how to cross the street, but also unexpectedly helpful. In Hong Kong, people drive on the left side of the road, unlike America, so looking right first is the proper way rather than looking left first (though you should still look both ways). I believe this warning to be Hong Kong’s thoughtfulness for its foreign population, like me, and for the general public’s safety. A safer pedestrian means fewer accidents and less traffic.
The Music in Our Lives
Music is often tuned out, but what it stands for is always heard. Music is a representation of mood and emotion, and can extend to be a manifestation of a time in life and its associated feelings. Nowadays, popular music is dominated by genres with a fast beat, energetic rhythms and synthetic sounds, such as hip-hop, which express the current young generation’s energy. In Hong Kong, not only is there this kind of music playing in modern cafes, stores, and other locations, but you hear multi-language music. The majority of music come from Hong Kong, the U.S., and South Korea. Being in an atmosphere supplied with music of three different languages can really make one appreciate how welcoming Hong Kong is of other cultures, the diverse audience consumerism, and how music can transcend language.
Details come together to paint a big picture. From taking notice of the people, architecture, and music, I was able to see Hong Kong as a place and its people in a different perspective. I hope on your next trip, you too will look for details and quickly learn more about the place you are exploring.