August 25, 2008
August 24, 2008
10 top things about Hong Kong (pt. 3)
#3. The Markets of Tai Po
In all of my travels throughout Hong Kong, from Central to Mong Kok, from Lan Kwai Fong to Kowloon – by far my favorite place is the old market of Tai Po. Located in the New Territories just a few minutes from HKIed, Old Tai Po is like stepping back in time. Street venders sell food, tea time specials abound, and little shops litter every corner. Smack dab in the middle of all this is a tiny temple, a river, and little old ladies playing gambling games beneath bridges. Tai Po also has a Mega Mall, which is full of shops, houses a great Vietnamese restaurant, and has just about everything you need. Rather than the full bustle of Central Hong Kong, Tai Po is a slower paced gem of the New Territories.
#2. Cantonese.
Imagine a world in which you can say “cow” and it means cow. And then, if you change your voice to be higher pitch and say “cow”, it means horse. Then, change it so you have a deep voice and it means goat. Sounds not so bad, eh? Now, imagine that you do that and they mean completely different things, like dog, lamp post, and cow. Oh, and you can have a rising tone and a falling tone, which also mean other things. Now, you have words that say if you did something in the past, different classifiers for words (you say ‘go’ in front of round things and people, but ‘jek’ in front of pens and long objects. Oh..and there are about 15 other ones too). Now, if you say something out of pitch, use the wrong classifier, or say things in an odd order – no one understands you. If they do, they will immediately answer you so quickly that only the Micro Machine Man has a chance of guessing what they said. Now, you are getting closer to understanding Cantonese.
#1. The Green Mini-Bus.
Hands down, one of the best experiences in Hong Kong is a thrilling ride on a mini-bus. These speed demons cross all over Hong Kong, offering a bargain fare and a quick trip. But, this deal might cost you years of life. Seemingly exempt from any and all traffic laws and courtesy, these green machines blaze through crosswalks, zip into tight spots, and jostle you like a British nanny. You will swear that you have boarded a bus hell bent – particularly if you brave them later at night. These metal buckets do come with seatbelts, but my advice is to hold on tight and hope.
