Hong Kong and China by Stacey

Hong Kong (April 3) and China (April 4-8)

Post from Stacey

 

Nee hao  (knee how)  Hello

Shie-shie  (shay-shay)  Thank you

Dsai-jian  (dzwhy jee-en)  Goodbye

 

Currency: 

Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) 7.75 = $1 US

Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY) 7.50 = $1 US

 

After numerous days of Asian food in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai we were craving a pizza!  Asian food in the states is "westernized" like everything else America touches. The "real thing" in China (and all of Asia, for that matter) is quite different.  Maybe that's because you don't always know exactly what you are eating and sometimes never figure it out.  Then as you are leaving the restaurant you find the sea cucumbers, eels, strange looking turtles and fish in the tanks.

 

Beijing is gearing up for the summer Olympics.  The Stadium for opening and closing ceremonies looks like a giant steel bird's nest.  It and numerous other venues are still under construction.  Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital Airport opened 10 days before we arrived.  It is the largest building in the world, 2 miles long, light, airy, huge, beautiful and quiet, of all things.  No announcing of flight departures or arrivals, no paging people, no admonishments about leaving your bags unattended or strangers approaching you, no removal of shoes in security screening;  but, yet a feeling of safety and security.

 

Since Craig covered our China sightseeing experience to the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Hutong area, Lama Temple and Temple of Heaven quite well, I will elaborate on some other social and cultural experiences.

 

China's massive population did not seem particularly welcoming, warm or polite.  Almost everywhere we went it was crowded and people were pushy, using elbows more as we went from South to North China.  We witnessed a number of people being tackled and "taken away" for doing something against the rules.  It was difficult to tell exactly what these people did that was wrong, but it usually involved selling merchandise on the street.  However, as the same merchandise could be sold around the corner with no problem, it makes one wonder about the so called "rules".  After witnessing one of these episodes, we asked a Chinese woman standing next to us what was going to happen to the man that was "taken away".  She said he would be put in jail for a couple of weeks "to think about what he has done".  OK. . . . . . , needless to say, Chinese people in general did not seem like a happy, carefree bunch (unless they were exercising in the park or dancing in a parking lot - all of which was done under supervision of an official standing nearby).

 

Shopping as a cultural experience:

Deng Xiaoping, "To get rich is glorious".

 

Shopping at the Ladies' Market in Hong Kong, The Silk Street Pearl Market in Beijing, Chinatown and the Taoboa Market in Shanghai was fun, exhausting, and an experience not to be missed, especially for bargain shoppers like me.  China takes the bargaining process to a new level.  "Copy watch", "copy bag", Coach, Luis Vuitton, Rolex, Tag, you name it, they have it along with many clothes, crafts, silks and other items. "Same, same, but different".  "Special price for you."  "Make a friend price." 

 

Don't you dare glance at something, these are not places to stroll and price compare or even pause to think about a purchase.  Chinese sales people know how to suck you in and try every game in the book to get you to part from your money.  The bargaining is a long, drawn out process.  When you finally get them down to 20 - 30% of the original asking price, you've bargained well and better cough up the cash.  Walking away is very difficult in Beijing and Shanghai, as they will grab your arm and pull you back in the stall to continue working on you, not wanting to accept your final offer.  Or after you pay for your purchase, they stall with finding change for your bill and attempt to sell you something else so that they don't have to give you change.  It can be challenging to remain patient under these tactics.  Best just to chuckle and move on, only to be bombarded from all angles as you walk down the aisle.  As much fun as it can be at first, I don't think I could do this everyday.  It wears you down and is rather stressful.  Fortunately we were not involved in any scams, however, a number of SAS folks were scammed in Shanghai;  being ripped off and paying $180 for tea!

The designer knock-off scene in Hong Kong was somewhat under the counter, so to speak.  Sales people would approach you on the street, or as you pass by their stall in the Ladies' Market they would throw out the offer "copy watch, copy bag".  They did not have the name brand copies on display in their stall, but would let you view a catalog of merchandise or lead you up some stairs behind their stall to a locked room, full of knock-offs.  All of this activity quietly disappears when the police walk through the market.  Then about 30 minutes later, you find everyone back at it.  

 

Hong Kong, after many years under British rule, became a "Special Administrative Region" (SAR) under the control of the central government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on July 1, 1997.  However, apart from defense, foreign policy and diplomatic relations, Hong Kong operates with a high degree of autonomy.  China has committed to preserving Hong Kong's capitalist system and lifestyle for 50 years and has promised not to impose the Communist system on Hong Kong.  More time was needed in Hong Kong, a very cosmopolitan, bustling city.  It was very clear that Hong Kong follows a different set of rules than China.  And the people in Hong Kong, spoke more English, seemed more worldly and more accepting of foreigners all together. 

 

Our one day in Shanghai was quite an experience as we attempted to hail a taxi in the rain to return to the ship.  Taxi's did not want to stop for foreigners.  After a half hour of no luck, myself and 2 other SAS women followed some SAS female students to the Radisson Hotel, where the night before, a doorman helped them find a taxi.  The doorman again did his best and had us stand out of sight as he attempted to find taxi's for us.  Then, as the taxi drivers saw us, they sped off, not wanting to take the fare.  After, another hour we finally got a ride.  It seems because taxi driver's in Shanghai neither speak or understand English, they do not want to try to take you somewhere, even when you have the destination written in Chinese.  As we watched the activity in front of the hotel, we witnessed much of the same experienced by other foreigners, male or female.  Taxi's either passed them by or may have stopped and then kicked them out of the taxi after the initial communication. 

 

My theory on the taxi situation; all but one of the taxi companies is run by the government and the taxi driver's registration number is prominently displayed inside the taxi.  If a foreigner has any difficulty with a taxi, simply reporting the driver's registration number could mean imprisonment for the taxi driver.  If I was a Chinese speaking taxi driver in Shanghai, I'm not sure I would want to take a fare that could cause me any problems.  It seems fear plays a huge role in the life of people in China.  The one Shanghai taxi company that is not run by the government is labeled "illegal" and not recommended by anyone.