Return to Shanghai

I'm just back from Hong Kong for the weekend. I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! I did.

The weather was warm and sunny, balmy even. We ate Cantonese food and dim sum, went to the Peak, looked out at Victoria Harbour, and took a bus to a less-traveled part of the island, where the views were gorgeous. (Evidently others thought so too, because there were a whole legion of locals taking wedding and graduation pictures there!) I put my toes in the Pacific Ocean on a beach at Stanley, on the south side of the island.

When I first visited Hong Kong with my family five years ago. I fell in love with it. It was this fabulous, exciting place, and it still is. I saw the YMCA where my family and I stayed, just next to the Peninsula Hotel, and even walked by the tiny noodle shop where we ate a few times. That street has changed, though, and become more commercial and western. Our hostel was located in Mongkok, which is still quite Chinese feeling.

On this trip, I could differentiate between Cantonese and Mandarin. I've always kind of been able to tell the difference between the two languages but could never pinpoint it. But in the past two days it was very clear for me which language people were speaking, and it was a surprising relief to return to Mandarin just now. I didn't know what language people would be more likely to understand in Hong Kong: English or Mandarin, so I just sort of spoke Chinglish and got along fine.

Hong Kong was really clean compared to mainland. I appreciated Western toilets, hand sanitizer in stores and restaurants, and PURSE HOOKS! Something you never really think about but they are so handy.

It was also very festive in Hong Kong. Christmas lights and decorations were abundant, and several florists were unloading fragrant pine trees for the holidays. There were Douglas firs and pointsettias and ornaments. As we watched the lights show over Victoria Harbour, several buildings were lit with the words "Season's Greetings" and "Merry Christmas." Holiday music played throughout the subway stations. I loved it.

I have always loved beaches and big cities and Hong Kong is the best of both worlds. The beaches we saw on our bus trip to Stanley were otherworldly. Truly. We passed Repulse Bay, an unfortunately named location that wasn't the slightest bit repulsive, and the bluest waters and greenest, lushest landscapes.

And now I have less than three weeks in polluted, cold, but lovely Shanghai. I was very sad to leave Hong Kong for all its warmth and gorgeous landscapes and tall buildings, but I'm in no rush to leave China.