Feisty Hong Kong!

I know I'm forever talking about HK's perpetual state of Threatdown and how it joyfully moves from panic to panic, however, to be fair, I should also talk about how feisty the place is; how strong the urge for justice; how intelligent the protests; just how righteous and fine they become as a people when they feel they are being challenged in any way.

We all know how, back in 2003, nearly a million people marched to protest Mainland China introducing Article 23 into our Basic Law. But do you know what also happened in 2003 when Mainland China presumptuously ordered a pair of zany young TV presenters (you know the type) to change their hairstyles, saying "You are Chinese. Chinese have straight black hair."? What happened was that a significant proportion of the population went out and had their hair bleached and permed, and said "Wow, look. I'm still Chinese." Their hair looked awful permed, although blond looked fabulous, so this trend it didn't last longer than needed to make a point - but it made me so proud to see them do it. Yeah, you go HONG KONG!!!

And then there was that fascinating conversation I chanced upon and, yes, blatantly eavesdropped on, wherein two terribly British upper-class gentlemen were talking about how one of them had just been up in China for high level talks, regarding a "please explain", and what China had to say for itself. Totally an insider story, so how could I not listen in, especially considering how those Ox-bridge tones carry.

This was also back in 2003, when, immediately post-SARS, suddenly the Mainland got, well, not just hands-on with regard to HK but more like "Fists-on". Truly, things got very very scary here: all sorts of bad stuff was happening: Pro-Democracy sorts - wonderful "Atticus Finch-type" men like Martin Lee - getting beaten up, and liberal radio stations being trashed, and outspoken media personalities having their lives threatened and ordinary workingmen pulled off soap-boxes on Sundays in Victoria Park (free-speech day) and beaten up by Mainland thugs. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Bad stuff even happened to me personally; like two attempts on my life in a single weekend. (Should find those letters!)

Indeed, those were bad, bad times, and then it suddenly stopped, and the reason, I would chance to say, was what I overheard in that conversation: you know how Prince Charles, in his Handover speech, said "We will be watching events closely in the future."? Those weren't just words! He meant it! And although I didn't hear anything to support my belief here, I strongly feel that this terribly upperclass gentleman's request for a "please explain" was on Charlie's behalf.

However, I won't tell you the details of what I actually heard except the bit that makes this point: that the Chinese Communist Party never expected HK's feisty response. And, yes, "feisty" was the actual word they used. Seems they believed that if they roared HK would just roll-over and submit, but instead they got fine and intelligent protest, clever too although often a tad smarty-pants, but it mostly made them laugh. And no one got hurt. Seems this type of thing was all brand-new to the Communists and they said they needed to think about it.

And the outcome was an immediate replacement of the Old Guard - the Long March types - and HK has, for the most part - except for the occasional wafts of really scary strangeness - has been left alone ever since.

So let us hereby give Hong Kong the credit that it's due! Yes, here we enjoy nothing better than a good bout of PANIC! Yes, we are all a bunch of Nerdy Girly-Swots with our Over-Caution and Hyper-vigilance. BUT we are also FEISTY!!!!

So this blog will now balance the posts on THREATDOWN with posts on FIGHTBACK!!! OK, those won't be so numerous, but I will be talking about whatever causes that HK espouses and wins on! I can even think of a couple of recent ones, but those are for future posts.

Still Killing Us!

So, the Threatdown Circus continues. Here are images from this afternoon:

Outside Metro-Park Hotel.

Hard to believe, from the size of this scrum, that this story has been running for four entire days, and behind closed screens too ...

Screening out the world!

... and yet the media continues to be agog. International teams too. Honestly, the rest of the world should know better! HK doesn't need to be encouraged in any way.

What this media scrum is after is stories to do with how they've impounded 200 guests and 100 staff and have them all locked up somewhere in here:

Metro-Park Prison.

Word around here is that, behind those screens, there is some Korean guest, who, obviously inspired by that lady's melt-down at Lap Kok Airport - the one that was the previous youtube mega-hit before Susan Boyle - is letting it rip at every opportunity with the greatest panache imaginable. Also there is an elderly English couple who are behaving right-badly and creating a great deal of trouble. HK Health has sent in a psychiatrist to talk to them because this trio is traumatising everyone else, or so the story is currently running.

The other story is that our Legco has kindly offered to pick up any costs incurred. Bloody oath, they should! There isn't any other option here.

But the best story is that things are even worse up in China. There they are impounding Mexicans on sight. Although ... OK, I found it hilarious that, on the train up to China on the weekend, all these old ladies in face-masks were looking stink-eyed at various groups of swarthy non-sino souls, and if one passed them ... oh boy, you should have seen the handwashing with antibacterial gel and the air-wafting with antibacterial wipes and that extra protection of antibacterial cloths over the mask. Can't be too careful, you know, with those swarthy non-sino types! But the bit I found most hilarious was that all these groups were speaking French!

Us? We're all fine and happy, mask-less, unbleached and showing our support for Mexico by dining at our favourite Mexican eatery:

Agaves on Lockhart Road.

All the restaurants in Wan Chai say their custom is down 60% because of the kerfuffle at Metro-Park on the corner, so everyone, please, show your support for our little corner of the world by eating here as often as possible this week.

And, yes, I do believe this is all a storm in a teacup, but don't mind in the least because it's all good practise for the real pandemic which I'm anticipating will arrive mid-March next year.

So we've all still got nine months to eat, drink and be merry ...

An Amazing Blog

Here is a blog I absolutely adore. Do check it out.


http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/may-it-please-the-court/?em

Guangzhou AGAIN!!

Honestly, I'm hapless and hopeless and helpless; I'm ashamed to tell you that, over these past two days, up in Guangzhou, a city of over 4000 square kms in size, full of as-yet unknown treasures to be explored ... I did the same thing four times. Yup, twice on one day for hours each time and then back again the next morning, and again a quick drop-by in the evening ...

Guangzhou Leather
Wholesale Trading Complex

Truly, Halley created a monster. A significantly poorer monster. I even said to her "It was a bad thing you did, introducing me to that place." which made her laugh.

Even the hotel bellboys were laughing at me. Whenever I'd come out for a taxi they'd grin and say "Guangzhou Wholesale Leather Market!" and even when I had no intention of going there I'd think "Yeah! Why not!"

I actually discovered there are five of these massive labyrinthine complexes in the area, plus a nice low-rise wander-through market, all dedicated to handbags and purses, luggage and other items of that ilk. Like, everything. Every single thing!! Unspeakable abundance!

And, yes, right in the heart of one of these complexes - Bai Yun Leathergoods Wholesalers - is, dah dah!- Super Plus Triple AAA World. And here's an insider tip: if you want to skip the labyrinth, find this entrance ...

around the side

... and just go up the nearest staircase. And another insider tip: The quality rises with each floor.

I also discovered there's an entire floor - the top one - dedicated to luxury leathergoods by unknown Chinese designers and there are some stunning items in there, all original and truly great, and in such exceptionally beautiful leathers, but that floor is the emptiest of all of them. Compared with the crush down in Super Plus Triple AAA, with folks from across the globe negotiating and bargaining and putting in massive orders, it's a crime ...

... but I must confess that, my first morning, when I took the next staircase up, just for a peek to see what I'd be missing out on if I didn't, when I realised I was no longer in Pirate World I immediately went downstairs again. Which is why I went back again later that day; in the taxi back to the hotel, I got to thinking "Gosh, here I am, imagining I'm into innovation and encouraging folk to 'explore their bliss', and yet I only took a peek at where the real action is!" so, riddled with guilt, I went back later for an entire afternoon of seeing what's happening up there. And, yes, I was definitely impressed and intend, next time I'm in Guangzhou, to buy up big ... and hopefully get in early for goods by Future Great Leathergood Designers from China!

That's a future post, I promise, only they don't let you take photographs ... but I can tell you about it and give you names you will one day be hearing elsewhere. Hopefully!

Ooh, and here's what I also discovered; that someone has already discovered a Future Great Designer from China:


Yes! The Elegant Lady herself! Twice now she's worn pearl shell necklaces by a Chinese designer and made by a small factory in Guangzhou. And aren't they proud! See the sign on the side? "We made them!" That's a nice thought, isn't it! Someone who is able to choose anything on earth, chooses something you made! If it were me, I'd even be thinking "Trace elements of me are in The White House! How cool is that!"

OK, but back to Leathergoods. I've explained two of the visits - first for avarice, second for guilt - and the third was because, trying to sleep, I kept thinking of things I should have bought, so that third visit was for remorse, and the dash-by on the way to the train station later was to see if a seller I'd been bargaining unsuccessfully with earlier, would come down to my price. So what's that?: avarice, guilt, remorse and ... chancing my arm? The many reasons why you should visit Guangzhou Leathergoods Wholesale Trading Complex!

She didn't come down to my price, by the way, and so I have to go without a fabulous ostrich-skin portfolio for my CV ... but that's another reason for me to go back again next time I'm up there for work.

Mmmm, as if I needed another reason!

What Kills Us At This Very Moment!

Big, big news happening right now; right downstairs from us. In fact, why don't I just show you:


A Mexican traveler in the hotel on the corner just came down with a raging fever and you should see the kerfuffle: we have sixteen police cars, a huge mobile police command post ...

... TV vans with camera crews, all on the street below us, and all inside the hotel are ever so many folk in white bio-hazard suits. And all the streets are blocked off. It's wonderfully over-the-top.

Oh, and the chemist below, within minutes, has rows of surgical masks and bottles of bleach all ready to go ...... and folks are racing up to buy. It's all most dramatic and very exciting.

Going up to China tomorrow. Was meant to go today only I managed to get a last-minute ticket. To think, I could easily have missed all this excitement.

I LOVE THIS CITY!!!