The Culture and the current Hong Kong: A clash of concrete and glass; modem and classic; crowds and serenity; demure and exotic; familiar and indecipherable; free and oppressed. From the 23rd floor of the Hyatt Regency, the view evoked an image of related frames. Everything seemed to be in black and white. There was a sameness
in style. Lots of black. Then, at street level, a young, fashionable, and free-spirited crowd emerged. Black opaque tights, VERY VERY short skirts, lovely leather boots, short jackets, and lots of cell phones. It took a while to peel away the contemporary images to find the rhythm of the day.
Construction is everywhere. The battle for the “tallest building” continues. A few years ago, it was the Hyatt Regency. Soon after, it was the international Finance Center at 1367 Ft. Now it is the 1588 Ft. International Commerce Center. Even more interesting is the standard construction support: bamboo, twist ties, and green mesh fabric (to contain construction debris). This is the scaffolding for all buildings from one story to 60 stories and beyond! We stayed in Kowloon, a quiet cousin to the city of Hong Kong and a short ferry ride north, across Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor. Besides Fifth Ave Shops, this area is home to the Hong Kong Museum of Art, a Performing Arts Center, the famed Peninsula Hotel, custom tailors on every corner, and the best surprise of all, Kowloon Park- a “central park”, a respite from the hip, frenetic city life, and haven for traditionalists.
The sun rose on the masters of Thai Chi and other martial arts practitioners. Also, groups of traditional singers gathered in the patios of ancient structures urging all to join…including us!
