My day trip to Hong Kong
To the editor:
Hong Kong is near to Guangzhou. Two hours by train on a Friday morning and I was in this former British Commonwealth outpost. We take for granted the ease of travel in the United States. If we wish to go to Knowles Corner or Wytopitlock it is a simple matter of getting into the car and driving for a couple of hours. My own attempt this past weekend would have made a moon shot a lot easier.
I began the morning with an early trek across the city to the train station. Guangzhou at dawn is a very quiet city. The manual laborers and the street sweepers are the few who are up at the bright hour of six a.m.
During the day a subway ride to the train station takes about an hour. Much of the time spent walking in long slow lines between one section of the subway train and another. At the very beginning of the day few people are in the way and so some time is saved. Arriving at the train terminal its now a matter of waiting in line at the ticket window.
One thing you get used to in China is that there is always a line somewhere. You lay your money on the counter of an antiquated window and the clerk hands you a ticket. Then it is upstairs to the waiting lounge and your first taste of travel bureaucracy: The security line. You show your passport and put your bag on the conveyor belt. An officer looks at the passport, passes you to the next point in the line and an immigration officer stamps and records the passport. Then it is on to the train.
The train trip is pleasant and you travel through the port of Shenzhen. You know you are entering Hong Kong because the speed of the train slows and you see the signs of fences, walls, and monitors that mark the scrutiny between two sovereign countries.
Hong Kong is part of China. Under the agreement reached between the English and the Chinese, Hong Kong is slowly being integrated back into China. It is a process that will take another 40 years to work out the kinks. For now, the former British Colony still maintains its British character and aspects.
This was the only place foreign merchants were allowed to pursue trade with China at one time. As you enter yet another immigration cue you can begin to see the signs of British structure and organization present in this far outpost. Impeccable English signage; British peculiarities of speech such as tram way, and a polite demeanor that indicates long training on the subject of deportment. Then it is out on the street. Your first hint that you are in a small piece of Britain is the fact that traffic drives on the other side of the road. Walk cautiously.
This is a city of shops. As you walk through the center of the city you can expect to be solicited for suits, more suits, ties, suits, and if you would like, the proverbial massage. Life is interesting in this city. As with most modern cities it does have a Rotary Club.
The Rotary Club of Kowloon North is a nice collection of good humored business types who have a wealth of experience about the business history of the city. Meeting in the Holiday Inn on the Golden Mile they also have one of the better chefs in the Rotary tradition. A relaxing moment of humor, food, and fellowship ensued. Then it was off to explore the city. I will be back for another visit in the future.
On the return trip to Guangzhou I took the ferry. Guangzhou sits inland a bit. The ferry provides a very pleasant high speed trip to a southern point of the city. Like most cities the distance from one end to another is long.
The port for the ferry is in the same district I live in. However, as I was to learn, the district is big. Something like living in Houlton and wanting to go to Fort Kent. Both are in Aroostook County. There is a bit of distance between them. Once more, arriving at the port it’s hand over the passport for another stamp. Bags are checked for contraband and then it’s a ride into the city. Home to the apartment.
Orpheus Allison, MLA
Guangzhou, China
orpheusallison@mla.com
