PART ONE: THE ORIENT> Hong Kong

13 August Tuesday Hong Kong
To borrow a phrase from the chaps who run this place, Hong Kong is a bloody amazing city. It has the natural beauty of its setting: a finger of land from China jutting into the bay and pointing to an island whose first few acres are flat but which quickly slants up to hills and then mountains.

Speculators have poured onto this land money from every nation, hoping to harvest it many times over in the warm, moist climate and strategic location. The money has taken form in skyscrapers which house banks because of all the goods sold here (and everything is for sale here) money is the greatest commodity. People talk of the rise and fall of its value the way a Minnesotan talks of milk prices, or a Texan of oil. Even the communist Chinese who could end all the magnificence with a whisper of Mao's austere voice choose instead to participate in the trading. Because money is the blood of trade and they must have trade to survive, one sees here the “Bank of Communist China”, a somehow paradoxical title when one associates “bank” with capitalism. Everywhere there are markets and shops selling "made in China" products.
The smells come from the shops and food stalls of the Chinese immigrants poor beyond our imagination, from tenements a New York rat would turn up his filthy nose at. Yet, they too trade and sell continuously because to cease to sell is to die.

14 August Hong Kong
The weather turned the city into a new and exciting visual experience and our choice of adventure was perfect for its mood. Overnight, a storm had blown in bringing rain and chilly gusts of wind to fan the steamy air. The sky was turbulently grey with layers of clouds swirling by like smoke. We walked to the Yue Hwa department store which sells Red Chinese products. Most furniture was shoddily made imitations of western styles and even the Chinese work— boxes and trunks intricately carved but haphazardly lacquered and tooled.
We had “English lunch” of soup, rice, tough meat and chips, ice cream and tea in the restaurant of the stately Palace Hotel. We then began our day. Our tour took us to the heights of wealth on Victoria Peak with a (literally on this blustery day) breathtaking view of Hong Kong, the harbor and Kowloon with the wind whipping clouds of every shade of gray, the sun whitening through every now and then, cliches are insufficient. The public but picturesque beach and exclusive cliff mansions of Repulse Bay were calming in bittersweet contrast to the water tenements of Aberdeen fishing village which I think is a public relations euphemism for a slum where people live out there lives on dingy junks, often never setting foot on land for the course of their lives, so they say.
Here, upward mobility means only that the poor on the water may look up the mountain and see the shopkeepers on the waterfront, then the residents of the government low-cost housing with its wash hanging from the windows, then the upper middle class still higher on the hill and near the top, the exclusive and very private mansions of the executives and high government officials.
At night we ate in a fancy Chinese restaurant near Nathan Road and celebrated Bea's birthday with a romantic dinner.

15 August Hong Kong
Today's highlight was shopping for a ring for Bea. We went to the Communist China department store Yue Hwa, several branches, and Bea could see nothing she really liked for anything near the price we were willing to shell out. Eventually after stopping in at several of the thousands of jewelry stores which lie shoulder to shoulder on almost every street, we made our way up to “Ladder” and “Cat” Streets. The latter is called by the English “Upper Lascar Row.” There we lit in one of the more reputable looking of the many dealers in curios - one where we had been the day before and where we has seen an interesting ring. When we entered we sat before the jewel case and proceeded with the bargaining. We started at $100HK, he at 250. The banter was friendly and amusing. In the end we paid $162.50HK ($32US.). For what was guaranteed to be 150 year old amber cut in Peking and set in 18K gold. It is a fine looking ring, anyway.
The afternoon was spent trekking to Wanchai which is an older and seedier version of the glitter of Nathan Road. It fits the picture of a naval port o' call. Strip joints, gaudiness, tattoo parlors. We ate a good Chinese dinner, tried braised sea slugs which were pretty awful.

We visited the Tiger Balm Gardens, the bizarre creation of a man who made millions selling Tiger Balm salve, an herbal goop said to be good for all that ails you. The garish religious and folk icons, painted in bright colors, festoon all the walls and nooks of the palatial grounds which span acres.


[Letter by Bea]:

15 August 1974 8:30 PM
Dear Ron and Laura & Sherlock & Shadow & Fred & Ginger ... etc.
We just returned to our cozy little hotel room (air conditioned, thank God!) after an all day excursion—walk, that is—to Hong Kong Island. We’re staying on the Kowloon side but it only takes 7 minutes by ferry to cross the harbor. Our day began very pleasantly with your letter, as well as one from Steve. How glad we were to hear from you. We’re also glad that everything is settling down in your household and that you are getting well....
We enjoyed Kyoto, Beppu and Nara very much. To me, they seemed more like the Japan I had expected—Tokyo was just too big, ugly, crowded and unfriendly. But now that we have left Japan and we can compare it to Hong Kong—I can honestly say that it was not my favorite place. It was just too difficult to deal with the heat, the language barrier and the shlepping. Hong Kong, on the other hand, is fabulous! Much cleaner than I had visualized (they have a clean-up campaign which seems to be working). The harbor view is fabulous what with huge skyscrapers all around you — quite impressive. It’s also very nice to be in one place — one hotel room — without moving around (although we’re doing a lot of walking).
We have been having the most interesting meals—for lunch we had something called Dim Sum or Dum Sim (I’m not really sure which). You sit at a table while women walk around carrying all kinds of things in little bamboo bowls—shrimp and pork wrapped in dough—its really super. For dinner, we’ve had many more different Chinese dishes including eel (which Mort loved). Eating times are great fun because not only do they provide us with adventure, but they also give us entertainment and rest.
Today we bought a ring — with an amber stone — supposedly 150 years old and of the Ching Dynasty — oh well, it’s pretty and a great birthday present. The other night we saw “The Exorcist”. I don’t recommend it unless you want to be scared silly. It was ugly!
Saturday, we are leaving for Bangkok where we will probably spend a week before going to India. So please write to India — Calcutta that is. ... Love, Bea and Mort.

16 August Friday Hong Kong
We awoke late and arranged for our flight out tomorrow, forwarding mail and sending some and spent a leisurely afternoon in Statue Park waiting for our film. We bought a woodblock print after hunting a long time. We had good Chinese food for lunch and dinner.
It is time we were leaving. We have no more to spend and window shopping is painful without a goal. We have eaten many good, cheap meals— mostly Chinese, and have become almost blasé about the view of the harbor. Once more across and back tonight for the mind's eye and some creamy pastry and we will have had it.

Cat Street Amber Ring for B's birthday

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