Hong Kong Riffs

I like Hong Kong -- I really do.  It's not going to seem that way from some of these riffs, but remember, these are just my observations about stuff in a city or country. . .so don't take this personally!

Shopping malls are alive and well, and living in Hong Kong.  Amazon delivery is not a thing here, so shopping is still a big deal, including in malls.  The few malls I had occasion to go into reminded me of why I don't like going to malls (I wish my 17 year old self was this smart, but hey, that was a long time ago!). 

On the other hand, how many American malls ever had Michelin Star restaurants?  I got believe the answer is less than one.  We had dinner Sunday night at two Michelin Star restaurant, conveniently located across an above road bridge connected to our hotel.  And the restaurant is in a mall.

Okay, so the most annoying thing about Hong Kongites (Editor's Note: That's NOT a word.  Blogger Note: It COULD be if we willed it into existence!) is their absolute refusal to make even the slightest accommodation on a crowded sidewalk.  Even in New York City, people passing in opposite directions each dip their shoulders or move just a bit as you pass on a crowded sidewalk.  If three people are walking abreast, one dips behind the other two so that people going the other direction can pass.

But in Hong Kong?  Not only not so much, but not at all.  There is no stay to the right or to the left -- most people walk down the middle of the sidewalk with no regard for anyone else.  If they are slowly weaving into you, it's because they are staring at their phone.  If they are with friends, they take up the whole sidewalk.  If they are in the flow of foot traffic that is staying to the right, they are on the left. 

If I ever come back to Hong Kong, I want to bring Tom Wilson of the Capitals with me, just to watch him slam un-moving pedestrians to the sidewalk with a shoulder check.  I actually shoulder checked three people so far -- they literally tried to run me over.  The only other option was for me to step into traffic.  Btw, it's not just me, Mrs. Blogger is stunned at how selfish the pedestrians are here. 

Oh, and the other thing I want to do, is go around slapping cell phones out of people's hands.  Literally they have no idea how slow they are going, or that they are weaving like drunks.  Like drunken cell phone texters who have no idea that there are other people on the sidewalk.

Rant over about stupid, selfish pedestrians.

Okay, this is not a rant, just an observation.  Every time I come back from Europe, I shake my head, noting how wonderful the European system of giving right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk is.  Well, you won't get them from in Hong Kong.  Cars rule, peds drool.  People stand like sheep at a crosswalk waiting for the walk sign.  Even when no cars are coming.  Mrs. Blogger snarks that they are all staring at their phones, but only half are -- the other half wait obediently for that red don't walk sign to turn green.  EVEN THOUGH NO CARS ARE COMING!

Don't get me wrong.  I like Hong Kong. . .it's just too crowded and big for me to want to live here.  It's like Manhattan on steroids.  At the same time, the liveliness and street buzz is very cool.  The subway system is great, the bus system is quite good, and the city is very walkable.  We walked about ten miles each of the first two days so far in Hong Kong

We took the Star Ferry from Hong Kong back across the water to Kowloon today -- and it only cost us each 34 US cents to ride the ferry.  That's amazing, and it was quick.  Absolutely fantastic!