New Year’s Eve in Hong Kong was predictably frenzied. And our neighborhood seemed to be one of--the many--main gathering points. Abby and I spent the day wandering relatively aimlessly. We had to hunt down souvenirs (omiyage) for our coworkers, and we still wanted to see Hong Kong Park before heading back to Japan the next day. Around 11, we tried getting together with my friend, and neighbor in Japan, Maggie. Her family lives in Hong Kong, so she had been in the city the entire time that we were. We finally caught up with her at the Starbucks (ugh) by the harbor, but she had people to see so we parted ways. Then Abby and I took off for Sheung Wan on HK Island, which is full of weird markets (like the one on Cat Street, which sells various found objects such as people’s private photographs and other domestic knick-knacks). We eventually found a classy Chinese tea shop, where we picked up huge quantities of tea to bring back as gifts.
Burnt out on the borderline-obnoxious street markets, we boarded a tram car heading in the direction of Hong Kong Park.
Around 8:30 we had dinner at an incredible vegetarian restaurant on HK Island, courtesy of the mythic Mushroom Lady, Abby’s grownup friend and benefactor. We shared a goat cheese and eggplant salad and then together polished off a veggie burrito and a huge plate of mousakka. So good. Anyway, we ended up drinking two bottles of some organic wine (half off because it was New Year’s Eve--huh?!), and we were actually booted out the door having lingered well past 11:30.
Luckily we were able to hop on the subway, take the train below the bay back to Kowloon, and ascend the subway stairs to the sound of a mass of people counting down the seconds to the new year. We were directly in front of our hostel at midnight. It was like this:
We bought two cans of Tsing Tao beer and walked around drinking, embracing elated Indian men as they danced by us, grabbing our cheeks, slapping our stomachs and wishing us a happy new year.
Abby had to fly back to Japan early the next morning, so we headed back to our room around 1. The next day I read about 6 bombs detonating throughout Bangkok on New Year’s Eve, and I still can’t fathom the kind of sad chaos that must have induced. If that had happened in Hong Kong, an unbelievable number of people would have been seriously hurt or killed. I felt utterly disheartened knowing that a good number of my friends, who were spending New Year’s in Bangkok, were beginning a new year under such disturbing circumstances. I flew back to Japan later that afternoon, and then spent the day with some friends in Osaka. Now I’m back in Nagahama, where it’s so cold I’ve had to “containerize” my life into my apartment’s one heated room. It’s pretty cozy, though, so I can’t complain. Still no snow, although everyone seems to be bracing themselves for it (switching their car tires to “snow tires” and such (no snow tires for bicycles last I checked)). I go back to work on Tuesday, then: 7 more months in Japan.
[ Abby and me in Hong Kong Park on our last day. ]
1 Comment for this Entry
Val
Wow, what a trip! Abby told me about Kiomi-san's gift to be used for a special dinner, and it looks like you found just the spot! (I can't imagine them booting you out after spending that much!) Abby's head must have been spinning when she met us in Tokyo the next day!
Thanks again for the tour in pictures and words, Nolan. It's so nice to know more about these wonderful experiences in Asia you two are having.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 - 01:25 AM
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