Hong Kong locals like to take their time. While running errands, heading towards the subway, on their way to work, at the checkout line, or doing pretty much anything, no one ever seems to be in a rush. Even though California has slowed me down a little, I am and always will be an East Coaster at heart. And I'm sorry, but the slow hand-holding couple that's taking up the entire walkway to the subway needs to move over.
While running some errands today I decided to get a manicure at the nail salon across the street. Everyone was really nice, but my manicurist took her time and was so detailed it seemed like she was performing open heart surgery. I lived in NY for 7 years, so I'm used to quick and efficient 20 minute manicures, in and out! The first hour was fine because I don't have a tv in my apartment and this nail salon does. An hour and 15 minutes later I started to get restless. An hour and a half later they asked me if I was in a hurry. Umm, don't you think you should have asked me that an hour and a half ago?? Of course I'm not in a hurry, I don't really have much to do today at all except some reading for class...but who wants to sit in a nail salon all day?
Finally my manicurist started painting my nails. As she was painting all the other manicurists gathered around and started watching. I wondered what they were staring at...are my hands deformed? Are they too small? Are my fingernails yellow? My manicurist messed up on one nail, and all the other manicurists started yelling at her. She must have had to re-do 4 nails during this painting process. I finally realized that she was a manicurist in training, and it all started to make sense. Sure, give the new girl to the foreigner who doesn't have anything better to do all day.
I picked up some nailpolish on the way home, 2 and a half hours later, and decided to do my own damn nails from now on.
Sep 11- Red Light District
I haven't really partied in Hong Kong until last night. I went out a couple nights ago with Jen, my old manager, to a really cool laid back jazz bar, but that was about it. But last night I went out with some of the exchange students for the first time. First we went to Lan Kwai Fong (LKF), which is basically Hong Kong's party central. It's made up of 2 intersecting streets completely full of restaurants and bars. Some parts of Hong Kong remind me of San Francisco because the roads are so hilly and steep, but it's cool because there are steps or escalators everywhere that take you up the hills to different streets. So after bar hopping a bit we went up some stairs and ended up on Hollywood St, which was a completely different scene. LFK was more frat-bar-ish, with mostly everyone hanging outside in front of the 7-Eleven! No joke, amidst all these bars there was a 7-Eleven which was probably the most popping spot. I guess drinks are pretty pricy everywhere, so everyone gets beer at the 7-Eleven first, including us, hah.
But Hollywood St. was the complete opposite, with more upscale bars and a completely different crowd of expats and locals coming out right after work. We met up with Aty, a local girl that some of the guys before who's originally from Indonesia. She seems pretty cool, and apparently goes out every night and knows almost all the spots in HK. After stopping by an ice bar (it's seriously cold as ice, and is an awesome spot to drop by after dying in the humidity), she took us to an absinthe bar. I've drank absinthe before in the States and hated it, but the couple drinks I had of it last night weren't bad. Well, that's what I thought until I woke up this morning.
The next bar we went to was in Wanchai, which I didn't know was in the red light district. I was wondering why the bouncer told me and Romika that we should find him in case someone grabs our ass..until we walked in and found out. Everywhere we turned there was an older man with an Asian prostitute. Yep.
I really like my classmates so far, everyone seems very very cool. I can tell this is going to be a very interesting semester ;)
Sep 9- The Hairdryer Wars
I usually blow dry my hair straight after I wash it. I used to keep it curly when it was longer, but now that it's short it looks like there's a curly mop on my head. My brother told me I look like an old chinese woman with medusa hair when I wake up in the morning. So, I prefer to straighten it.
I brought my hairdryer from the US, and the first time I tried using it I plugged it into the converter and blew a short circuit in half of the apartment. I figured the setting was on too high so I tried a second time from the other half of the apartment, this time on low. A couple minutes later the hairdryer got so hot that it burnt the back of my neck! After somehow managing to straighten my hair a decent amount I left for class, and the second I stepped outside my hair was curly again because of the humidity. Needless to say I tucked my hairdryer away in my suitcase, never to be seen again until I am safely back in Irvine. I'm going to need a lot of gel.
I brought my hairdryer from the US, and the first time I tried using it I plugged it into the converter and blew a short circuit in half of the apartment. I figured the setting was on too high so I tried a second time from the other half of the apartment, this time on low. A couple minutes later the hairdryer got so hot that it burnt the back of my neck! After somehow managing to straighten my hair a decent amount I left for class, and the second I stepped outside my hair was curly again because of the humidity. Needless to say I tucked my hairdryer away in my suitcase, never to be seen again until I am safely back in Irvine. I'm going to need a lot of gel.
Sep 8- Buddhist Monks
I'm not typically attracted to Asian men. I really only started to become attracted to Indian men a couple years ago, let alone Chinese or Japanese men. It wasn't until I was in Kyoto, Japan two years ago when I really started to notice Asian men. We were visiting a Buddhist Monastery and I came across the most beautiful man I've ever seen. He was tall, built, bald, and square faced. I really like square faces, there's something so masculine about them, like Batman. Unfortunately for me the most beautiful man I've ever seen was a monk. Go figure. But I still can't figure out why I was so attracted to him. Sure his physique and face was very appealing, but there was something more than that. Was it the robe, or the bald head? Or maybe it's his devotion to God and the fact that he gave up all material desires. Or maybe because he doesn't need women? I mean, who wants a needy man anyway??
People in Cambodia are able to become monks or nuns for 3 months, and then go back to their normal lives. I think that's awesome, and there's something that's just so damn sexy about it. Whatever it is, I'm incredibly attracted to the Buddhist Warrior Monk type, and I guess I'm in the right place to be for that.
Sep 7- Macau, First Day of Class
This past weekend we went to the island of Macau, which is basically the Vegas of Asia. We took an hour ferry ride from Hong Kong and stayed in the Sofitel hotel, which was damn nice! Macau was a Portuguese colony up until about 10 years ago, so it's full of beautiful old Portuguese architecture. The hotels and casinos are pretty nice, and Steve Wynn invested $1 billion into the Wynn hotel which is one of the nicest hotels there, after the Venetian (which is 3 times the size of the Venetian in Vegas!) Not only was there this crazy water/fire show in front of the Wynn hotel, there was a dragon show in the lobby. A huge dragon came out of the floor, and then the ceiling opened up to a ring of fire. That Steve man is creative! Macau is nice for a day trip, but isn't anything special compared to Vegas. There's no real nightlife and unless I'm in the mood to gamble with some real serious old Chinese men, I probably won't need to go again.
Today was my first day of class. It was in the city only 2 MTR stops from my apartment, 15 min, but I had to go to the campus first to register, which is a 45 minute subway ride. After getting lost and following 2 girls with backpacks hoping they would lead me to the right place (they did) I reached CUHK, which is this enormous campus on top of a mountain. It consists of new and modern buildings, and is really spread out with bus stops all around campus. My evening class had around 20 students, and was a mixture of locals and exchange students. I'm the only American so far, but I met some cool people from Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Italy and Belgium.
Our apartment is basically in the times square of NY, but much crazier. Causeway Bay is considered the shopping district of HK, so I walk out of the apartment directly into madness...hundreds and hundreds of people everywhere! I love it though. I have no tv and all my classes are at night, so I'll be getting lost and exploring as much as I can during the day. Some things I've noticed about Hong Kong so far:
-Everyone has fancy footwear and no one wears flipflops. I guess flipflops are considered shoes worn inside the home..but what am I gonna do with my 15 pairs?!
-Hong Kong women are obsessed with breast enhancement. Everywhere you go there are ads for bust serum. The massage lady even told she wished her breasts were like mine. Umm, awkward?
-Everyone is really nice and helpful. I was expecting the complete opposite, but I haven't met one rude person yet. Well, maybe the security guard in my building. I always smile and say hi and he always just gives me the same hard face. What's up with that Mr. Yung!
-The food is bangin, and cheap! I eat breakfast at home, but lunch and dinner combined costs me approximately $10 total. I already found 4 places around my apt that I like, but I really haven't had anything bad yet (I stay away from frog legs and chicken feet). I've also become slightly obsessed with Haagan Daaz green tea ice cream. Why the f don't they have that in the US??
-Tea is a staple with every meal. They don't give you water, they give you tea. I've been drinking so much tea I'm constantly wired, going to the bathroom, and am having a hard time falling asleep. Maybe that's why Hong Kong is so efficient?
-Everyone is ridiculously thin and I haven't seen any gyms so far. Maybe it's the tea?
Sep 2,3- Siem Reap, Cambodia
I love Cambodia. I love the people, the history...the food! We left Saigon yesterday morning and were welcomed to Cambodia by the most polite group of people I have ever met. For a country with such a rough history, Cambodians are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Not to mention it also has some of the best looking men I've ever seen ;) The country relies on tourism, with roughly 2 million tourists every year. Some background on Cambodia. Between 1974-1979, Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, committed genocide on his own people and killed approximately 3 million people. He decided that 1974 was year zero, which implied that Cambodia was star
ting from a blank slate and all the intellectuals should be murdered. So basically anyone who had a brain and opposed him (teachers, engineers, etc) were taken to killing fields and shot. Because so many parents were killed during that time there is an unbelievable number of orphans in Cambodia, with 70% of the population under the age of 30.Cambodia has such a vast history, and although the main religion is now Buddhism, it was originally Hinduism. It is home to the world's largest temple, Angkor Wat, which is a Hindu temple built in the 12th century. It's made out of sandstone and took over 400,000 workers 37 years to build, and is incredible.
The first temple we visited was To Prahm, which is where Tomb Raider was filmed with Angelina Jolie. This temple is almost in ruins, not from war or man, but from trees. Trees have grown around and through the temple, with their roots making the temple even more spectacular. We then visited Bayon, a temple composed of 216 faces of Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation. Everywhere you look there is a face staring back at you, and the carvings are so intricate and detailed.
Today we visited Angkor Wat, the largest religious sculpture in the world. It is probably the most breathtaking thing I've ever seen, with three main towers in the center, surrounded by smaller temples. The wall carvings alone are marvelous, depicting epic tales of Rama and Sita, Hanuman's army, etc.
I had a special request (ahem Marie) to talk more about the food, and since I'm pretty sure Cambodian food is the best food I've ever tasted, I think this is a good opportunity. Last night we had an amazing meal consisting of:
Sauteed Eggplant with Ginger and Garlic
Grilled Fish with Raw Mango and Chilli Salsa
Amok Fish in Coconut steamed with Green Leaves, Peanuts, and Coconut Milk
Fried Fish with Ginger
Chicken Soup with Salty Lemon and Onion
All this including drinks for less than $30 altogether for 4 people.
Two days definitely wasn't enough time in Siem Reap, as we only got to see 4 or 5 temples out of hundreds. I would definitely love to come back here, home to one of travel wonders of the world.
Aug 31, Sep 1- Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
We flew to Ho Chi Minh city yesterday morning, which is the complete opposite of Nha Trang. We went from a relaxing beach town back to a bustling city constantly being attacked by scooters. This city holds so much history though, specifically from the Vietnam War and all the hardships the Vietnamese people have had to endure for so long. We started off at the Presidential Palace yesterday, and as I was hobbling around with my knee brace on I met an older Vietnamese man who said he was part of the South Vietnamese airforce during the Vietnam War. The Americans fought with South Vietnam against North Vietnam (or the Viet Cong), in an attempt to stop Communism from spreading from the North. This older Vietnamese war veteran trained in Illinois for 6 months, and apparently fell in love with Jazz music because he started singing to me. He also mentioned his favorite movie is Scarface.
After that we went to the War Remnants Museum, which used to be called the Museum of American Atrocities and in my mind should still be called that. Of course the museum is one sided, but some of the things that went down during the war are just unbelievable. There were countless pictures of victims of Agent Orange, the herbicide used to kill foliage in order to be able to see the Viet Cong more clearly in the jungle. Those who were exposed to Agent Orange suffered minor problems, but their offspring are whom were affected most of all. Some of the pictures we saw are unfathomable, children born with no arms or legs, one side of a woman's face completely disfigured, a little boy born with his foot attached to his backside. The war ended more than 30 years ago, but the aftermath continues today. There were pictures of concentration camps created by the Americans for Vietnamese civilians. Pictures of innocent women and children mistaken for the Viet Cong and being shot down. It was just horrible.
Today was an even harsher reality of the Vietnam War. We took a boat through the Mekong Delta, part of the area where a lot of the fighting was done. We then hiked through the Cu Chi Tunnel, which I think is a must if you visit Vietnam. This was the actual grounds of where the war was fought in the jungle, including a 200km tunnel built by the Viet Cong. We walked (and I hobbled)
through the jungle in the pouring rain, and were shown several hidden traps that were so intricately designed to capture enemy soldiers (Americans). I felt like I was part of a war movie and someone was going to jump out of the bush and shoot me down, except this was the real thing and not a set. I walked through muddy water where millions of people (approx. 500,000 Americans and 2 million Vietnamese) had lost their lives. It was simultaneously impressive, unsettling, and incredibly sad.I need to shower.
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