It’s hot in Hong Kong right now. Worse than the heat, though, is the humidity. It’s a fact of life here that summers are hot and humid. And by now, in many ways, I suppose I’m used to it. But “used to it” doesn’t mean you sweat any less. It just means you’ve come to expect it and garners you less sympathy when you complain. So I guess I should just shut up about it. It’s my fifth go around, and I knew exactly what I was in for.
But even after the sun goes down, the humidity doesn’t seem to let up. A cool breeze blows through every now and then, and it’s one of the most pleasant feelings you can imagine, but it's all too fleeting. When the breeze subsides, it’s as bad as ever. And I'm sure you can feel the stickiness in most of the accompanying photos.
O.K. Rant over. I still love summers in Hong Kong.
This July has been chock full of exciting events. From the July 1st SAR Establishment Day and Independence Day celebrations, through the World Cup (which actually started while I was still in the States but didn’t really heat up until after I had returned to Hong Kong) and plenty of old friends passing through town, not to mention a couple of new roommates, so much has happened in the brief month that I’ve been back. And, as always, the time is just flying.
I don’t know that I’ve written much about it before on here, but July 1st is one of Hong Kong’s major public holidays. You see, British rule over the former colony officially came to an end at midnight on July 1st, 1997, and ever since, the day has been celebrated as SAR Establishment Day. For over a century, Hong Kong had been a British colony, but on that date, it became a Special Administrative Region of China.
And not everybody is happy about that, most specifically about the fact that Beijing still has a massive say in the “election” of the Hong Kong Chief Executive. So on July 1st, a massive pro-democracy march occurs, where the people take to the streets to exercise their right to protest—a right that doesn’t exist on the other side of the border. This year, an estimated 500,000 people marched to demand universal suffrage in time for the next election of Hong Kong’s highest official.
The proximity of SAR Establishment Day and the Fourth of July means the public holiday also affords American expats a day off to party fairly close to our own Independence Day. Still, on July 4th itself, we have to do something to display our national pride. This year, I invited a few friends over to the roof, drinking assorted American beer and Kentucky whiskey out of red solo cups, the stars and stripes hoisted over the clothesline, and, after it got dark, projecting Clueless on the big screen. I guess we could have found a more patriotic movie, but as a celebration of ‘90s American pop culture, it was pretty perfect.
My ever-growing list of Hong Kong roommates has also recently been updated. Jonny found a studio apartment in Central that stole his heart, and he decided to move in there, leaving space for a (permanent) roommate in my flat. To boot, Lisa, our landlord’s helper, is traveling with her employers for the next two months, meaning there was yet another (temporary) room for rent for the rest of the summer. So Derek, a very relaxed American, and Frank, a very friendly Chinese guy, have moved in. I find it ironic that almost five years and seventeen (!!) roommates since I’ve moved to Hong Kong, each of these new guys is the first from their respective countries with whom I’ve shared an apartment.
So I’ve made some new friends in the last month and also gotten to chance to reconnect with several old ones! Through some twist of fate, tons of them have made their way to Hong Kong these past few weeks. My old roommate Veronique was in town, passing through on her way to Kunming for vacation. We savored the opportunity to return to the island of Cheung Chau one beautiful Saturday, for wandering, beach time and seafood dinner.
A glorious Cheung Chau sunset
The next day, after a morning stroll around the Peak, I headed out to Sha Tin Racecourse for the last day of the season, meeting up with my friends Matt and Ana. Although Happy Valley is undoubtedly Hong Kong’s more famous racing venue, I shall always love a long day spent at this beautiful track in the rugged New Territories. I miss my frequent race visits during the summer months, and am already looking forward to mid-September’s start of the next season!
Fun at Sha Tin with Matt and Ana
Vero will be back in town later this week for one more night before flying home to France, and she strategically planned it to be a Wednedsay, so you know it will be good fun!
In another French connection, my friend Michelle, with whom I studied abroad in Paris way back in 2007—and whom I hadn’t seen since that semester—was in town for her grandmother’s eightieth birthday! It’s kind of funny... Michelle’s parents were born in Hong Kong, and she comes back about once or twice a year. Although she grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, she now lives in New York City, where I also visit several times a year. But somehow, even with the magic of Facebook, neither of us had been aware of that fact that the other lives in a place where we frequently find ourselves.
Luckily, this time, she saw one of my random posts mentioning Hong Kong and reached out! We got the chance to meet up for afternoon dessert and then again for a Saturday night in Lan Kwai Fong, which just so happened to coincide with the local French community's Bastille Day botellón, a massive European street party. How appropriate! Of course there was lots of nostalgic reminiscence over our time in France and our travels around Europe, and I look forward to catching her next time she’s in town (or I am back in New York).
Botellón in LKF
And my friend from Singapore, Christine, was also here with some friends from the States taking a grand tour of Asia, again giving me a perfect excuse to gallivant around the town showing it off to visitors. Hopewell Center elevator, dumplings, tram ride, Star Ferry, markets, Hong Kong French Toast. Check, check, check, check, check, check.
Of course, perhaps the biggest event of the summer was the World Cup. And although the time difference between Hong Kong and host nation Brazil meant that games started between midnight and 4am, the passion of our considerable population of soccer-crazed European expats meant that bars were always crowded when a match was on, no matter the time.
World Cup watchers in LKF one Saturday night
As fate would have it, my local bar Typhoon, which I have been frequenting since 2009, is the favorite watering hole of Hong Kong’s German community. So I naturally wound up there watching the final at 3am last Monday morning. You can imagine the wonderful chaos that ensued when they emerged victorious! Even though many people had to head to work just as the game was ending, it didn’t do anything to dampen the celebration!
Outside Typhoon with some German friends following the World Cup Final
German flags were waving, beer was flowing and songs were being sung, all while a new work week was about to commence. The street was so crowded with partying fans that the police had to come and ask us to clear the roads for the morning commute!
Post-Victory street party on Lockhart Road
So in spite of the heat, there’s been lots of fun taking place in this city, and I’m looking forward to the rest of Hong Kong’s crazy, glorious, action-packed, humid, wonderful summer!
