Reflections of Hong Kong

Now that we are back in the US and I am posting these old articles I wrote about Hong Kong it really is great to reflect on our life there.  Actually it’s probably more useful to look at how our life there has influenced our life in the US.

In Hong Kong we had a maid.  Merla the Maid did everything it seems.  At times I would request that she not do some things.  I remember asking that the children bring there own plates to the kitchen.  I remember that she leave tasks for me to do.  I knew eventually I would return to the US and it would be left to me to do that again.  I certainly got into her cooking though – she was a great cook and as much as I enjoy cooking I gave that up.  It’s taken me a while to return to desire to create a meal.

I think the most enjoyable part of Hong Kong was that I was living in a city that buzzed constantly.  There was always something going on.  No part seemed to sleep.  There was always a sense of urgency in the air.  When I first came back to Silicon Valley it seemed so much quieter  here.  Now I find Silicon Valley too rushed and too fast and am ready to find a slower pace.  After nearly 5 years in Hong Kong I have the feeling I have done my big city living and will not take that on again.

We ate a lot of Chinese food.  I should say a lot of good Chinese food.  If I see Lemon Chicken on a menu here in the US I know I’m not in a true Chinese restaurant.  I’m in a restaurant catering to Gweilos.  In China I’ve tried, turtle, snake, wild rabbit and probably other animals.  I’ve been presented with peacocks tongues and duck webs – that’s the web of a ducks feet.  I’ll be honest even I couldn’t try that.  And of course Sea Urchin – which I hear is a delicacy reserved for the guest and most Chinese don’t like it.  Weird.  So yes Lemon Chicken is not my idea of a true Chinese meal.  I feel my children will eat Chinese before western food. 

Do I miss Hong Kong?  No not really, I’m here now in the heart of Silicon Valley and enjoying this now.  Did I like Hong Kong?  I did.  It did however depend what day it was.  There were good days and there were bad days.  And then there were typical Hong Kong days.  What is that you may ask?  A typical Hong Kong day is when the maid now forgets how to speak English, the guard at the front desk just cannot help you because you are the wife but the husband can get it down, the day the taxi driver takes you everywhere but where you really want to go.  Do I get them here in the US – sometimes but nothing compared to Hong Kong.

 Ahh Hong Kong – you have so much to offer it’s the attitude that sometimes gets you in trouble.  Relax, enjoy and learn to have FUN.