We were on an Asian
Cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore
in March. Our kids are now in college which gives us more flexibility to
choose our vacation time frame to avoid high cost in travelling. The cruise
started in Hong Kong and ended in Singapore. Along the way, it
stopped at Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.
We decided to go to Hong Kong a few days earlier to explore the city
before our cruise began. We touched down at Hong Kong International
Airport early
morning on March 14. We took the city bus to get to our hotel in Hung
Hom. We chose this location due to its close proximity to the cruise ship
terminal which happens to be the old site of Hong
Kong International
Airport in Kowloon.
After checking in
our hotel, we went straight to Ching Chung Koon to pay respect to my
wife's relatives. I was there 3 years ago with my son for the same
purpose. Back then, the place was under remodeling. With the completion
of the remodeling process, Ching Chung Koon was a lot better place when
we were there. Whenever we have a chance to visit Hong
Kong, my wife always prioritizes this visit to show her
respect to the pass away relatives. On the same day, we had dinner with
my relatives in Tseung Kwan O.
After the main
business was done, we were free to explore the city. During our 3-day
stay in Hong Kong, we did a lot of
walking. We visited our old neighborhoods in North Point and Quarry Bay
on Hong Kong side. During our visit to
my wife old neighborhood, I was surprised to learn this neighborhood has
a green walking trail with creek. To find such a trail on Hong Kong island where land is so precious and
expensive is nothing short of a miracle, in my opinion. We had fun
walking along the trail enjoying the nature in the heart of Hong Kong Island. We, of course, didn't miss
the famous Hong Kong night lights and
street food. In my opinion, Hong Kong has one of the best street
foods in Asia if we know where to
find food and don't mind what we eat. My wife was a bit sensitive
about some authentic foods in Hong Kong
such as beef organ meat but I am perfectly okay with it. When I travel, I
like to try what the locals eat to really know the place. One of my
favorites was eating dim sum on the go. We can easily find those dim sums
on the sidewalks in the early morning. Our favorite dinner was having
steam fish at a mom and pop restaurant across from our hotel. The price
was reasonable and the fish was fresh. My wife had fun looking at the
fresh sea food at many traditional markets throughout the city. One thing
I noticed was the Hong Kong people are a lot nicer compared to what it
was in late 70's to early 80's when I was there as a refugee. If we ask
for help on the street such as where to eat, direction etc, we will
likely have a friendly response. I had a chance to talk with a dessert
stall owner about this subject. She admitted the change and gave credit
to the new generation who studied abroad and brought the western culture
back to the city.
I was in Hong Kong as a refugee in late 70's to early 80's.
To me, Hong Kong has a special place in
my heart. It was my stepping stone for my beautiful life in the USA
and beyond. I always remember Hong Kong
government and its people as my saviors. Whenever I have a chance, I
always stop by Hong Kong to re-live my
sweet memories there as a refugee then and as a tourist now.
Dennis
Phan 潘家墉
Khai Minh, UCLA and Investools
Alumni
Los Angeles, 07 May 2019
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