Was this me? I look so different here! Here is a shot of me from 2010, while on the Lek Yuen bridge in Sha Tin, Hong Kong.
In 2010, the world was different. The iPhones 3g-4 were still in fashion. President Aquino (Benigno) had just assumed office in the Philippines, and in the NBA, Kobe Bryant had just won his 5th NBA title. Different times, those were.
2010 for Migi was a tough year. Left a job, left the universe hanging, a strange reality spanning. When the noise became too tough to bear, I decided to accept a chance to go to Hong Kong to clear my head.
This is not the first time I have written about Hong Kong on this blog- and it might not be the last. In 2010, tensions were high between the Philippines and HK because of an unfortunate hostage taking fiasco that took place in Manila's Quirino Grandstand that left many dead, and many questions about peace and order, processes, and the Philippiney Bureaucracy, so much so that it didn't matter whether you were a member of Congress, a street food vendor, or a banker. This was an issue that would likely linger for a while, just like smell of grilled meat from the best Teppanyaki joint in town.
Hong Kong, at this point in time, was, then, a fascinating choice for a travel destination.
I did not spend a single second in Tsim Tsa Tsui, or Central, during this particular sojourn. Now, before you bestow a "untouristy" crown upon me, take heed. I did go to Disneyland HongKong with my mom. This, I think, you can forgive me for. Hey, who would not want to go to Disneyland with his mom? Especially it is your first time to enter Mickey Mouse's house, period? Whether it be in Paris, Anaheim, or in Asia, Disneyland is Disneyland.
Then, there was Sha Tin. The casual tourist might say, "Sha what?"
Prior to the British reeling Hong Kong in as a British territory, Sha Tin was known as Lek Yuen, or, loosely
translated, a "source of pristine water". It used to be widely known as a market town and was, incidentally, the site of the first flight of a powered aircraft in HK (1911).
If I recall correctly, Sha Tin had its own MRT station (part of the East Rail Line), and low and behold, its own Snoopy World. Oh yes. Snoopy World.
As with a lot of places in Hong Kong, parts of Sha Tin were also once vast agricultural farm lands. Exploring certain quieter parts of Sha Tin led me to see couples strolling to and fro Lek Yuen bridge, and senior citizens doing Tai Chi. There were also vast gardens and public parks available to locals and tourists. This felt like a nice respite from the Hong Kong of concrete and flashing lights which I had gotten used to from previous visits.
Yes, I did go shopping in Sha Tin in 2010. I got a shirt, and a pair of pants. Most people do go shopping when in Hong Kong anyway. This particular trip was more about going forward opposed to going sideways. I stayed at the Hilton, yes, but this was a 5 star hotel near University MRT station. Simply put, it was a grand palace of a hotel- albeit, in the middle of nowhere.
Sha Tin was fascinating to me because in many ways, it looked like a part of Hong Kong that was in a state of flux. You had a smattering of ultra modern structures, along with some structures which you know must have been around when your mom and dad were still very, very, small. I suppose that, while this entry is as much about recalling very personal, somewhat innocuous details about Sha Tin as it is about taking up 10 minutes of a reader's time, this too is about conveying a key message. Traveling is about personal experiences, looking at people, places, and things through very distinct lenses. This is not about what Tripadvisor per se, would say. It is more about what YOU think, what you consider gold, and what consider guano.
On the side of all that, is the wonder that comes with diversity, the amazement you feel when you find something so different that you, oddly enough, find that you have a strong connection to whatever that concept, that place, that item, of a different hue, is. That is what my journeys over the years, have been defined by.
I suppose this is why a place as seemingly nondescript as Sha Tin would make a blip on my radar. This is why Hong Kong, for everything that has been said about it, will still be as engaging as a Teresa Teng song is, to this old bloke from a nearby archipelago.
Unity in diversity. I have always believed in the principle and I am not about to let it relinquish its hold on me anytime soon.
MC
No comments:
Post a Comment