When you get to Hong Kong, there are a few things that always seem to top the agenda: shopping and eating. They're inexplicably the most important activities in the territory. It's amazing. But this time around, there was something else too: visting family.

Everyone calls Hong Kong a shopper's paradise. Even with an economic crisis and highest unemployment rate in years, Hong Kong is still the Mecca of every serious credit card warrior. In fact, because of the passing of the Chinese New Year and recovery from the Asian economic crisis, there were a lot of sales in almost every store. All the big names too like Bossini and Giordano. When you compare the cost of clothing in Hong Kong with that back home, it makes you wonder why things cost so much back home. I'll admit, we all picked up a little something while we were there. I finally replaced my old ratty coin purse. It was shot full of holes. (No offense, Rhea. It was great when I first got it.)

Then there's eating. It seems like it's priority one in Hong Kong sometimes. Everyday I was there, we had some sort of breakfast, lunch, or dinner appointment with some relative or friend. Food isn't exactly cheap here, either. So it's much appreciated when the other person is the one treating. That rattles any of my North American sensibilites about "going Dutch", or as the Cantonese put it, throwing the A-A switch (bad translation?). I've been to so many restaurants in Hong Kong now, I can't even keep track of them. But you know, they are a great time to catch with people. Be it aunts or uncles, friends or classmates, it's a good excuse to see each others' faces.

With the dinners also come family. Family is especially important during Chinese New Year. So we were doing the Chinese thing by running around to as many relatives as possible. We greet them with gifts and they reciprocate, usually with lucky money for me. We'd drink tea and talk about ourselves and give greetings. Well, actually, it was mostly my parents who did all that. I usually just kept quiet while I'm with them. What am I going to say anyway?

Most of the relatives, I had not seen for 12 years. That was the last time I was in Hong Kong and I was only 11 years old. So a lot has changed in me and in the places. Most people did not recognize me and always exclaimed on how much I have grown up. I noticed that most people were doing better than the last time I saw them. Some were battling with life and sickness. But I'm grateful to have seen all of them. As for the places, I could still recall some of the little things about them. It was neat to be back and to see what had changed. Were they really the way I remembered them? It was all pretty surreal at times.

Hong Kong was great. The only problem was that I got sick and my whole body was having a general strike. I felt so sleepy throughout much of the day that it was hard for me to do anything. I was afraid that I was going to stumble into the busy traffic sometimes. But other than that, I had a great time. I'd love to go back soon. Heck! Why not? I'll go back in July!

The Hong Kong Log