Phil: I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster and drank pina coladas. At sunset we made love like sea otters. *That* was a pretty good day. Why couldn’t I get that day over and over and over…-From the movie Groundhog Day.
Today I indulged myself in my occasional sinful pleasure at lunch. I drove up to Krystal-wolfed down four Krystal’s and a shake-then I went to Barnes and Noble. I spent about 35 minutes or so walking through the bookstore-reading various titles. Came out poorer than when I went in.
And that-aside from the decreasing sexual morsels the S.O. deems fit to throw my way ( she is getting Americanized it seems)-is the highlight of my days, these days.
Twas once not always so. Seeing this post from Spike, took me back in my memory to a better time, some nine years ago this month, when I first set foot upon the land surrounding the Fragrant Harbor-with the awe and sense of wonder that a child feels on Christmas morning.
I had been in Asia about a month-and had experienced more adventure and joy than I ever thought was possible. When I left for Japan I knew I wanted to go to Hong Kong-the city had fascinated me since I was little boy reading about it in National Geographic. Being a rampant Anglophile-and retrograde supporter of the British Empire- I was on fire to see what was one of the last vestiges of what once was and probably still should be.
So, as soon as I could carve out the money, one Friday night I hopped on the train to Narita and some six hours later I was walking, wide eyed, through Hong Kong International Airport. Hopped the train to Kowloon and found my way by taxi to my hotel. Since I was trying to save money, it was a cheapo hotel up in Yau Ma Tei. Since I had not become as enraptured with Wanchai as I later did, I spent a lot of time up in Kowloon. Not being savvy in the ways of Hong Kong night life-in hindsight, it was clear I had missed some opportunities. Still I could not complain-much.
On my last day in town though, I was up at a reasonable hour and decided that I should see the South Side of Hong Kong Island. I had read that there was a park over there and so onto the MTR I hopped. Not really knowing how to get there, when I arrived at Central, I meandered up towards Sheung Wan till I found a bus stop that had the name Aberdeen on it. As Spike’s picture shows, it was a little bit of journey from one side to the other.
For those who have never been to Hong Kong-you just don’t go straight south, over Victoria Peak, as the bus routes ( and the roads) go around the edge of the island. So I went from center to left on the picture and around to the “W” you see in the lower left corner of Hong Kong Island. There I departed the bus-more than a little apprehensive.
Rather than find myself in a park-I found myself in the middle of apartment buildings-and it appeared not so many Gweilos such as me were present:
