I have absolutely no time so this blog is going to be quick. Last week I flew to Hong Kong (4 hour flight to the southern edge of China) to visit my dad. A few ways to to describe Hong Kong: hot, humid, modern, more capitalist than the rest of China, free, international, home of 7 million residents, full of courteous people, and gorgeous at night. By far my favorite city in China, although most Chinese people I've spoken with don't look at Hong Kong as genuinely Chinese, but rather a far away, ridiculously successful "special administrative region" (SAR, of which China has two: Hong Kong and Macau). It is its own little world, exempt from many of controversial laws and policies the rest of China has. Chinese people have to have a visa to go to Hong Kong, so most haven't been, but they all speak of it as if it was heaven. I have never heard a Chinese person say a single negative thing about Hong Kong. Anyway, here are a few pictures. The night one is a view of Hong Kong Island from across the harbor, in Kowloon.
8 comments:
I hope you didn't take time from your busy schedule to update your blog just because I asked your mom about it. Sorry...
If only I had that kind of power over her - haha! I'm smiling and bet she will too when she checks her blog. I'm actually hoping for a bit more about her Yunnan trip, in addition to more about Hong Kong; but we'll see if that happens. It is fun to see where she's been and what she's been up to!
Great to hear that you went to my place of origin. Cantonese is really fun to hear, but I think it sounds like people arguing all the time. Keep us updated when you can and have fun Elle!
Hi Elle!
It's Yelena from Chinese. I've really enjoyed your posts, especially the missing phone saga. It's so great you're quickly becoming fluent, unlike some losers in Iowa. :)
I learned today I was accepted to SYA for my senior year. I'm pretty darn delighted...if there's anyone cool in China, let me know so we can hang. :)
200th time is the charm...I hope! I just signed up again so hope the magic of computers works. Love hearing about your travels, etc. but know time is a scarce commodity so we'll patiently wait to hear stories upon your return. Absorb all the unique experiences you lucky girl. In my next life I'm going to be multi-lingual and a world traveler. Dream on, huh? X O
Just for a little update, Elle is on her last road and/or air trip before the end of the school year. They left on April 12 and return to Beijing on April 24. She'll have her 17th birthday on the road in either Guizhou or Sichuan province. She then gets to take her AP Chinese and AP Calculus tests in early May and has an enormous last project requiring a 20-page paper and lots of research. Her last day of school is May 28 and chances are good that she'll then fly to Hong Kong to visit her dad for two weeks before flying back to little old Des Moines, Iowa! The pace of school work is intense right up until the end. I'm thinking she'll blog more when she's relaxing in Hong Kong after school is over. I'm encouraging her to go out in a blaze of glory and bet she will! She only has very intermittent internet access while traveling, so all will be quiet for a while, but I know that once the pressure is off, she'll be back in touch.
Happy 17th birthday Elle!
ELLE! If you go to Hong Kong for two weeks starting on the 28th, YOU MUST CATCH ME BEFORE I LEAVE ON THE 14TH OF JUNE FOR BEIJING.
Just wanted that to be said.
Best of luck on the AP exams. Calculus is fun =D
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