Yes...a weekend of shopping in Hong Kong, followed by the arrival of expat daughter in GZ.
Christmas in Chiner has always been a bit odd...surreal. I can remember when we first moved here in 1996, we'd drive around town and many businesses had decorations up. All very cheesy. Initially, we thought it may have been the power of faith that had brought all of this Christmas joy to the middle kingdom. Uhhh...think again. Mostly, businesses put up the decorations because it is something that falls in the calendar and people aspire to the idealistic notion of the Christmas season (snow, trees, snowmen, santa)...it really has nothing to do with the birth of a Savior.
As the years went on, we would venture to Hong Kong to get a slice of Christmas that we cannot get in Chiner. In HK, the decorations are everywhere. There is a slight sense of the real meaning of Christmas...but, overall, it is the drive for profits that dictates what HK businesses put in their windows.
Christmas shopping in HK is akin to being a left-side tackle in the NFL...or a salmon attempting to reach its breeding grounds, but has to pass over 5 different sets of ladders to get there. Shoulder pads are a must...a limber mid-section is needed, in order to scoot in and out of the traffic crush of people.
After arriving on Saturday, we had a quick bite to eat before splitting up and finding what we needed. Tai-Tai was heading out to find something for expat daughter...expat son and I headed in the other direction to he could pick something out for his big sister. Our first couple of stops were OK...we stopped at HMV for some CD's...then off to Olivers Delicatessan for some Christmas treats that were on tai-tai's shopping list. Then, I made a fateful decision...expat son wanted to go to Toys R Us. We hopped on the train and headed to Causeway Bay.
Causeway Bay is similar to Times Square in NYC...or Picadilly Circus in London...a convergence of several streets with major shopping stores and malls all around. This has become the number one place the new mainland tourists go for shopping. It can be insane...fun...scary...all of the above all at the same time.
Once inside the store, it was no better. Those of you in the USA think that shopping at Toys R Us is a pain...but imagine the stores that you have in the states...now, cut the floor space in 1/2, but keep the same variety of toys and baby stuff inside. Now...add double the amount of people you would see on the busiest shopping day...welcome to HK Christmas shopping.
I am teaching expat son to be a MALE shopper...go into a store with something absolutely in mind. Walk directly to the area you need to be...compare and decide what you want. DO NOT DEVIATE FROM YOUR PLAN! Don't change your mind on the type of gift or item you want to buy...just compare with other stuff of similar type. Pick it out...be happy with it...and get the hell out. He's learning very well. Despite all the toys all over that store...once he picked out his gift, he said, 'Let's go!'
We had a wonderful dinner at a HK institution, Jimmy's Kitchen. Yeah, after all these years of going in and out of HK, we had never eaten there. It was such a nice experience...the food was great, the service just right, and the atmosphere, quiet. Although it is a bit spendy (isn't everything in HK?), it was well worth it, for the wind-down after such a hectic day amongst the shopping hordes.
On the way back to the hotel, we had a 'star-sighting!' It's so wierd when this sort of thing happens. We were walking back from our meal...expat son and I were goofing off while crossing the street to the hotel. Once we crossed, I looked up and saw this tall, grey-haired man, smoking and just sort of taking things in. I did the quick double-take...then looked over at Tai-Tai and did the quick head-cock...you see that.
We kept going. In my line of work, we meet people often who are famous...and the rule is to just let them be. So, that is what I did. Although I did want to stop and shake his hand. Tai-Tai spotted him right away and also, wanted to ask him a thing or two...but we both kept silent and allowed him his moment on the streets of Kowloon. That was pretty good for a foodie junkie as the Tai-Tai is!!
Sunday was spent waiting for Santa. The whole Santa experience sometimes is just a lesson in queueing. Expat son knows the drill. My gut tells me he understands the whole Santa thing...he's being a bit coy this year. But, he still likes the experience of seeing Santa and getting his photo taken. When I was his age...that had gone away. Santa is for kids!! Luckily, Expat son is still a kid.
We queued up for the wait...we had a couple of Aussie families around us...a huge Cantonese family (grandma, grandpa, kids, grandkids...all of them!!) and then there were a couple of young Filipino aiyee's with their newly purchased stuffed animals. Only in HK. The mixture of people and cultures all coming together to say HI to Santa...and hope they get what they wished for.
After we were done for the day, we headed off to the train station at 4pm for our 5:15pm train. We usually head out a little early, just in case of traffic, etc. We got to the station and noticed that we would not be able to get on the train for about 20 minutes...so, we just hung out and chatted about our weekend. Once we decided to get up and head to the train...we noticed the departure board looked very different. Problem is a train...our train is delayed 1 hour. Ughghgh. We had planned to get back to GZ and stop for some dinner, as it wasn't too late...but now, 1 hr later...forget it.
Back home by 9:30pm...quickly unpack...and crash...sleeptime with visions of Expat Daughter visiting in our heads.
Welcome to readers from Pajamas Media!
Hey, GZ, they keep the decorated Christmas trees up in some shops all year. I noticed that in Taipei (really doesn't count as the middle country, but close) and Shanghai a lot. Can't remember about any other places I saw it. Great advertisement they think.
Posted by: jr | December 20, 2006 at 08:56 PM