Hong Kong: The City of Opulence

In the budding of March, Hong Kong smells like the steam from the lush jungle and fresh sui mai, puffs of minty tobacco, and sweet milk bread waiting to emerge from the oven.


Hidden in every clear sky is an army of rainclouds waiting to emerge, pushed by the salty breeze of the sea. Water is not just expelled from the sky, but the walls and floors too. Hong Kong is overstimulation dressed in fine opulence, and a city within a jungle at the same time. Every little thing is lavish, bonsai trees are seated in vases meticulously carved with murals and Chinese characters, and art installations twin the ocean’s glitter. Every little space is utilized, shops, cobblers, and fruit stands fill impossibly small spaces. Shrines bearing offerings sit on unassuming corners. The nature is somehow far more dense. The city cannot escape from its encroachment, with vines snaking down and across the asphalt, and palm trees stretching to the massive heights of their man-made partners.

Amongst the flurry of skyscrapers and unfamiliar languages, I would have never expected to meet so many genuine people in Hong Kong. I had formed many biases, unconscious or not, about Hong Kong, thinking I would have to guard myself from glowers and tourist prices. Yet, from the artist who painstakingly explained her unique craft after noticing my admiration of her quilted leather bags with Chinese buckles, to the two-man band my friend and I joined for a night steeped in conversation and dance, Hong Kong left a taste on my soul as rich as a cup of oolong tea. I soon noticed that each interaction I had, or was a witness to, was generously seasoned with hospitality. Each day of my trip was a vacation within itself, with each little detail of the day folded in the greater harmony of Hong Kong, just like the stuffing of a dumpling.

One day during my trip, after eating buttery salmon nigiri and washing it down with salty miso soup and matcha, for a matching delectable price of €10, I wandered around Central. There are many parks in Hong Kong, a testament to the city’s self-integration with the elements. That day, I found myself in Hong Kong Park. I felt as serene as the sunbathing turtles, watching as brides, grooms, school children, and amateur photographers were immersed in their own stories in the park. I found a few types of beauty on my mundane stroll, seeing the exotic birds in the aviary and seeing the tai chi garden. I felt the humidity furl up into my hair, as a simultaneous breeze tickled my neck, carrying the smell of the ocean and mosquito repellent. I glimpse the famous buildings that comprise Hong Kong’s skyline through the lone forest. 105 steps later and my view changes. I stand in the observation tower, now able to peer through the buildings and see the harbor in the near distance. Eye level with the palm trees, it is here where I can appreciate the vastness of the island, and wonder… how many people live here in harmony?

7.4 million.

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