Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Japan Loves Me
because, this weekend, anyone that made conversation by the compulsory "how are you enjoying japan" recieved a raft of hyper positive adverbs.
Flew into Macau and so far so good. Vikram's discovered Buddhism, and he claims that
his new-found calmness in spirit is a direct result. I cite maturity. Either way, he's now tolerant and flexible, which makes for a good travel buddy. We didn't argue once.
Meet Vikash at the ferry port, and two minutes later he's complaining about getting old. Tis true. But I never had a memory before either. That's what blogs and photographs are for. Macau still feels like chinatown in Portugal, and this is especially try in the old town square. Wandering around a city with no destination, friends you haven't seen in years and a fat camera in the cool of the night is superb. Buffet dinner. Eat chocolate like they're banning it tomorrow. Drink, gamble, drink. I introduced the Martingale System. Vic added cumin and corriander seeds. We lost.
The Portuguese annoy me. they could have made Macau super wealthy, but they were too rubbish to stave off competition from HongKong. And then they couldn't be bothered to change. As a result, it looks as if China has done more for Macau in the few seconds they have had it than what those lazy Euros did in four hundred. Got the ferry to Hong Kong island, check in to the hotel, and try to black out; but Vic was snoring like a hibernating grizzly.
Paying for the guest house the next day was an experience. I went to the desk and asked the woman where I could find an ATM. She yelled back at me - "BE BACK IN FIVE MINUTES OR I OPEN UP THE ROOM" que? "Look, i need to get money to pay you, where is the ATM? DO NOT leave the room open, i'm going to be back with the money. My stuff is in the room". She repeated her original statement with plus tempo and plus fortissimo.
Paid up, then headed out of town immediately to go see Big Buddha. Ferry, ferry, bus, hill. Witness what indeed is a rather large statue of The Man Of Chill. Read a little about Buddhism, take photos, head down for a veggie meal, complain that, being China, we should be eating Pig. Bus & MRT and we're on Hong Kong island once more. Walk a decent length through the city, and feel Hong Kong, working class view. It was the expected mix of old and new. Laundry hanging out of one imposingly large aging apartment block next to an even more imposingly large glass office block. So, whilst discussing corporate policy on the 53rd floor you can stare blankly out the window and watch someone's pants dry.
Take the MRT back to Soho and chill at some coffee shop whilst waiting for Nilesh and Barbara to take us out to dinner. Had a fantastic vegetarian feed at Spice, a Thai restaurant. Still, no pork in China. Nilesh drove us up to The Point to see the view over Hong Kong. Breathtakingly cool to watch City Lights at night from a remote spot on a hill somewhere. And then we had tea at his apartment. I looked left of the plasma TV to see one of the most enormous windows I have ever seen. Overlooking Hong Kong. I nearly died. If God moved to Hong Kong, i'm quite certain that Nilesh would be served an eviction notice to accomodate The Almighty. Three days later, i'm still mesmerized by it. His apartment cost HKD40M. The motivation that it bestows upon any visitor is thrown in for free. Dammit, i'm going to be rich. I _must_ be rich. Took the fernicula back down to where the poor people live, and met Vikash on a street corner. Drinks began at 11 and ended 5 hours later with a foot long Subway sandwich and a taxi home.
Wake, find a fabulous Vietnamese place for lunch, and finally get to eat pork. Meet
Monika and kid. Vikash's profound statement regarding interracical marriage: Your country may tolerate it but your house may not. Drop Vic off at the ferry port for Macau and go shopping. Buy stuff. Hong Kong is excellent for shopping. Everything is so perfectly arranged and well laid out. Clothes? Here. Jewelry? Here. And corridors after corridors of shops in the malls for you to waste time and money looking through. I dont do designer brands - at all - but there was still a plethora of options. Chinese New Year is approaching, and i'm told that it's the best time to go shopping in HK. Massives discounts available before, during, and after. Quit the mall and head outdoors. Walking through the streets of Hong Kong enroute to the nightmarket I saw a kid breaking into dance-induced-by-walkman. Happiness is cool. Losing selfconciousness is better. More shopping. Buy myself a fake Hello Kitty keitai toy and keyring.
Monika joins us later and go to an Indian for dinner. Hotel. Sleep a few hours. Bus. Airport. Ridiculous queue to checkin. Marvel at HKIA. Buy omiyage for work. Slept for the full 4hour flight home. Took pleasure in using the short immigration queue which said "Japanese nationals and residents". Jump onto the train at Narita, and two minutes later i'm seeing a snow hit Tokyo.
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