"We were preparing the presentation all week when the honkies called and wanted changes. But that's how it is with the honkies, always needing help, never quite sure," the man in the seat behind me was saying in his Singaporean accent.
"Yes, that is always the way. So do we have dinner with the honkies tonight? What time do we meet up with them?" his colleague seated next to him asked.
I listened intently to these two for 10 minutes thinking I was a row in front of the Singaporean George Jefferson until I figured out that "honky" is the Singaporean slang for Hong Kongers - but not before I dropped my jaw and nearly burst out laughing.
I was on a flight from Singapore to Hong Kong, which helped me figure it out. It was January, 2005 and I was on my way to meet my friends Conlan and Chris Miko for a week of fun in city of honkies.
And let me say that honkies never had it so good.
Emily got her first glimpse of Hong Kong island this morning as our ferry pulled into the Central Pier. As the boat turned into the harbor and past the first tall hill, the unending mass of towering condo blocks and skyscrapers appeared like giants. With its giant green hills, incredible harbor and boundless skyline, Hong Kong is one of the most breathtaking cities in the world.
Even on a hot, humid June day breezes from the South China Sea ventilate the city and keep the air from becoming stagnant and oppressive.
Hong Kong island is a lot to take in, even for someone who has been. The activity, the buzz, the stimulation - it's an energetic, creative, busy, happening city of seven million. It has the hustle, bustle, hum and metropolitan feel of New York with the water and natural beauty of San Francisco.
Only better than both of these, Hong Kong is a unique cultural phenomenon - the organic synthesis of East and West developed over more than 150 years. Hong Kong combines some of the best of both Southern Chinese and British culture including modernization, conservation of traditional Chinese cultural practices, high standards of sanitation, freedom of speech, universal education, social systems, public parks and nature preserves, and business practices that link East and West.
The former colony turned Special Administrative Region of China (one country, two systems) has thoroughfares that look like they belong in London around the corner from narrow streets and alleys that are completely Chinese.
Traditional Chinese meat and produce markets have mostly moved into clean air conditioned buildings with health and safety standards. Fish mongers still sell their wares out on the streets in front of their shops, only the fish are iced or kept alive in water and then everything is scrubbed down with cleanser and chemicals at the end of the day. Anyone who has spent time in China and Taiwan can appreciate how Hong Kong tries to combine standards and values in ways that benefit everyone.
Because we arrived at night and then took a taxi to our hotel in the pretty, small suburban town of Mui Wo on Lantau Island - a "borough" of Hong Kong - Emily saw nothing and woke up to a beautiful seaside cove with a sleepy village feel. We ate our dinner and breakfast at the local outdoor cooked food market - a complex of small stall restaurants with fantastic authentic Cantonese food including my favorite dim sum.
So it was fun to watch her reaction as the ferry came into the harbor and we began walking around this massive, fast paced, overwhelming city. For the first hour, she naturally looked, stared and found herself distracted... until we wandered into the Wan Chai shopping district.
Emily has found a clear and undeterred focus in Hong Kong. Blocks of shops selling off run-offs and extra lots of name brand clothing at bargain basement prices take many visitors by storm. I have never left Hong Kong without new clothes - and at times a lot of them.
That's because it's great stuff.
Hong Kong is a major distribution center for clothing. When clothing lines don't want all of what their contracted manufacturing plants make or there was a lot that didn't quite come out the way a designer wanted it, the unwanted clothes find their way to the bins and racks of Wan Chai.
Stores carry eclectic assortments of clothes. There's nothing "in the back" - if you don't see your size, it doesn't exist. And no, they don't have any more of that shirt or those pants. Maybe it comes in another color, maybe it doesn't. Don't ask - whatever they have is out there. Can't decide on what you want? Don 't take your time and come back - it probably won't be there tomorrow and they won't be getting in any more.
In fact, stores have entirely new and different inventory all the time. The upside is that if you can't find what you're looking for today, check back tomorrow and the day after. It's a recipe for becoming a shopoholic - especially when you can find a Calvin Klein shirt for $8 or $12 in the right bin every now and then.
Even outside the Wan Chai bargain liquidators, Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise. From cheap crap toys and gadgets from China to nice clothing and shoes often from boutiques for $30-$80, bargain hunters can have a field day here.
I'm always surprised at myself. I'm not much of a shopper. At home, When I need to buy clothes, it's an errand. Go to the store or stores I like, shop, buy, leave. Mission complete. In Hong Kong, I shop. Not only are there great deals, but they beckon you to find them - it takes a little work and sorting. Somehow it becomes addictive - a game to be won with a prize at the end. It's the stuff that drives gamblers.
And while I write this, my wife is busy at the casino.
"We didn't really see that much. I just remember shopping, a lot," Conlan said while reminiscing about our Hong Kong trip. I realized he was right. We walked, talked, ate drank and shopped. We saw some key sights, but there was a lot of shopping. It's difficult to avoid.
I expect some of this is the natural result of the small city-state-like SAR with the world's 6th highest per capita GDP and that handles 33 percent of the capital inflows to China. Like Singapore, it's a financially successful little place with only so much to do. In such a situation, consumption becomes entertainment.
Don't let the deals in the bargain shops and cheap boutiques fool you. Luxury cars are the norm on the streets of Hong Kong. Top restaurants, jewelers, name brand chains and luxury department stores abound. So do boats and incredible condos. The people who stayed in Hong Kong after the "hand-off" to China have done very well for themselves.
"Ten days?! What are you going to do there for ten days?!" Conlan asked me when we saw him in April.
Hong Kong is a truly international city - which is interesting and a joy unto itself. The giant banking sector, manufacturing industry and international trade bring people from around the world who both visit and reside here. There's a little of everything going on here and it's great to see.
We also take our time. With work that keeps us busy during the week, it's nice to have time to explore the sights at our leisure and get to know the various districts and neighborhoods. We'll visit the Peak, stroll Kowloon, cruise the harbor, take a day in Macau, visit the giant Buddha on Lantau and sample our share of dim sum. We'll enjoy the vibrant and unique cultural experience.
Most importantly, we'll try to appreciate the lives and ways of the honkies because they deserve a little more attention and respect than the name implies.
Sent from my iPad
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