Random Observations

My last day in Hong Kong was a rainy one. A 5k run in Victoria Park in the rain was nice - I figured I would get soaked anyway, so why not run?

Thanks to that rain, and not bringing my hiking boots, I wasn't able to hike to Victoria Peak nor did I feel like going to the Stanley market or anywhere else outside. So I looked for a museum. The Museuem of Hong Kong beckoned, and three MTR rides later, there I was.

As musuems go, it was inexpensive ($1.20) and informative. It explained the geological origins of the area, fauna and flora, and early man. The Han, Qing and Ming dynasties, and their impacts on south China, were also presented. But most interesting was recent history - like when the Japanese occupied Hong Kong during the second world war, or the opium wars in the early 1900's, etc.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the hotel pub enjoying the belgian brews: Leffe on tap, red Chimay and Duval in bottles. The fish tikka marsaka was excellent too. How a Norwegian came to love curry, I don't know.

Before leaving Hong Kong I recorded some random observations, thinking I'd put them in this bog somewhere. I didn't find a place for them, so I'll merely add them here, in haphazard order.

• Toilets have toilet paper and you can flush it, and they use a lot more than 1.6 gallons per flush. Compare that with Mexico.
• Traffic might get heavy, but it is orderly and lane markings are observed.
• Capitalism is alive and well, and consumers spending money like no tomorrow. They had a debt crisis twenty years ago, the government cut spending and taxes, and today China is an economic powerhouse. Compare that with the profligate spending of the US is doing (increasing spending and taxes).
• Hong Konger's expect to pay for what they get, unlike Americans. For example, they feel that those who pay more for school (like property taxes) should get better educations than those who don't. Americans think everyone should get a stellar education, and the rich should pay for it.
• When doing construction, scaffolding is made of bamboo, and there are signs that stuff falls down so walk underneath quickly and don't loiter.
• The MTR (subway system) is very efficient and easy to use.
• Hong Konger's (and many Asians) appear to really like their phones. iPhones are most prevalent; few are unlocked. On the MTR nearly everyone was listening to, playing with, or talking on their phones.

Now back to Indonesia, then finally home.