Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band

Hong Kong 069
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Hong Kong– 3-8-07

I can’t believe I just sent all my warm clothes back to NY. The weather reports said 75 in Hong Kong last week and most of the next few months will be in sub-tropical countries so I figured no worries, but today I’m cold as hecklers. Three days I’ve been in Asia and every day is gray, foggy and a chilly. Worse news on the horizon too, I heard Beijing just got snow! Guess I’ll be buying some cheap thermals and a jacket. But back to Hong Kong.

Very interesting city, like a combo of New York and San Fran. Tons of skyscrapers built into big hills on a lovely harbor. The doldrums of the constant winter gray kind of kills the days for me but at night the city really comes to life. It’s the nicest skyline I’ve seen outside of the States, well maybe Sydney but it’s a tossup. They tend to build skinny and tall in Asia and stick to the ultra modern designs. My only problem was the very close exposure again to the corporate world. HKG is the B’laderunner’ blueprint with elevated walkways and escalators going up the hills for pedestrians. You can and do walk half the city without touching ground. The problem is they cut through all the big office buildings. Even the Citibank building. It brought chills through the spine and kept reminding me I might have to go back to that party some day. Again, brrrrrrr.

Hong Kong 134 - Something's afoot at the Circle K
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So across the harbor Kowloon is like a 5th Avenue – Herald Square combo with everything imaginable for sale, including a warm fleece vest I picked up for $29 HKG ($4.25 usd). Best sightseeing bit was the tram ride to Victoria Peak to see the skyline and harbor at night. Even with the fog it was great. I actually considered hitting Hong Kong Disney just for the goof of it but didn’t make it this trip.

But the best part of this stop has been the many people I’ve met. Kay, my very nice and generous Couchsurfing host, took me to her Stand-Up Comedy open-mic/worksop at a new club called Take-Out Comedy. Is there a club in NY Chinatown called that? It’s owned by a NY Chinese comic and there was another pro comedian there as well named Shecky Wang.  Very cool to watch Kay and the other new comics work on new material and have the pros give them advice. It was a interesting view into a creative process I’ll never know anything else about. Also went out for drinks at her friend’s new bar and met some other Couchsurfers. Seems there’s a whole network of CS folk who get together without even asking for free lodging. I’m told I have to get on the bandwagon as soon as I get back to NY and start hosting people. (That’ll be interesting.) Lots of fun in all and a great way to experience a vibrant and exciting city.