Huge in Hong Kong: March 2012

In writing a blog, there are obviously certain stories which you include and ones you don't. I purposely left out a story a couple of months ago, simply because it was embarrassing.

Our first week in Hong Kong, our friends Danielle and Keith Binns visited on their honeymoon. We ventured over to the other side of Hong Kong island, to an area called Stanley. The Stanley Market is a large and beautiful market which is a common attraction for visitors and locals alike. The first booth we came across in the market had cards for sale with names written in Chinese characters and their meanings. Danielle and I decided to buy some for family and friends back home. We agreed on a price, but as I started to do the conversion in my head, I decided it was pretty expensive for a little piece of paper with two characters on it (between $4-5 Cdn each), and I was worried we were being taken for a 'ride'. I challenged the price to see if we could get a better deal, when the vendor exploded in anger. All three of us were yelled at and told to leave. I was shocked, but Keith later explained that he had read it was a cultural 'faux pas' to change your mind, once you've agreed on a price. I try to be aware and respectful of cultural rules and I was really embarrassed by the whole thing, especially because it wasn't that expensive (we later paid the same price for the same product at a different booth). Lesson learned; I would not back out on an agreement on price again.

Correction: lesson not learned.

Lauren bravely eating 'street meat' fish ball

From the Star Ferry, view of Hong Kong across Victoria Harbour

Lauren, a friend from Toronto, was visiting last week. While Mike went to work, Lauren and I toured around HK for a couple of days. We visited many sights including riding the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour, walking around Tsim Sha Tsui (TST), strolling along Nathan Road and, naturally, I took her to the 'ladies market'. The ladies market is a kitschy, over-the-top street market that runs for three blocks and has anything from clothing, to tacky lingerie, technology products, artwork, food vendors and more. Lauren showed true bravery when she ate a fish ball from a street vendor (apparently 'not bad', but no, I did not partake). Lauren also thoroughly impressed me with her tough negotiation tactics, enjoying the game of bargaining with vendors. She scored some impossibly cheap deals for us and I was amazed. I was on the hunt for a small black purse, and we came across a booth with some for sale. As soon as I started looking at them, the small vendor lady was all over us trying to make the sale.

The Ladies Market

Vendor: "$200"
Lauren: "Nah, $120."
Me: Giggling.
Lauren and I evaluated the purse and I debated whether I would actually use it or not, whether I actually liked the look of it or not, debating, debating, debating. After a couple of minutes I decided that I did not really like the purse and I didn't want it. We tried to walk away, but the woman gripped my arm with too much force and said, "no, no, you buy for $140." (a considerable reduction in her price).
Me: "No, actually I don't want it." She was making me uncomfortable by gripping my arm and refusing to let go. I just wanted out of there and twisted my arm free. As we started walking away I got pinched a few times on the back of my arm and then the woman pinched and gripped my shirt so I couldn't keep walking.
Her: "$120. You buy for $120. A very nice purse. A very good deal."
Me: "No, actually I don't want it."
Her: "100. I said 100!" (raising her voice)

Playing around in street art in Tsim Sha Tsui

Me: "No. Let go of me."
Fight or flight was kicking in. I was shocked that she was being so aggressive and holding on to me. She was obviously small in comparison to me (who isn't?), and although I'm sure I could've taken her down, I'm a spineless Canadian who avoids conflict like the plague. Flight, definitely flight.

When I pulled free and we started walking away, the woman was raging and yelling "I said 100! You buy for 100!" while she was slapping my back. We just kept walking and she eventually gave up when we moved through the crowds. Crazy.

Street art in Tsim Sha Tsui

Later reflecting on the physical assault with Lauren, I realized that I had learned this lesson before. Because we had thrown out the number $120, when the woman came down to that number, I really should have bought the purse. It was my cultural 'faux pas', and although she was a raging lunatic, I was the one who originally did something wrong. Once again, public humiliation could have been avoided if I'd just bought the damn purse for a mere $100 ($12.50 Cdn). I would have spent twice that to simply avoid the embarrassment and abuse.

Although it is difficult to find any moral high-ground when you find yourself in a fight with a small Asian woman over a knock-off purse, the culturally correct thing for me to do would have been to pay her off.

Lesson learned... again.

Kowloon, sensory overload when you add in the smells and sounds of this busy area off Nathan Road.

Friends Ayu and Chi - and a cart lady in behind!.

On Wednesday was our 'test' for passing Beginner level 2, and once again, success! I'm trying not to get too excited as I still have a long way before I'd call myself capable of 'conversational' Cantonese, but it's a good start. Although it really has come in handy a few times, it generally seems like most times I try to use my Cantonese, people respond in English. I am enjoying both the challenge of it, and the amount that I learn about culture and history through language. I have decided to take a break, and have not immediately started level 3, but I likely will take it soon.

Mimi & I

After a successful 'pass' by myself and my 3 classmates, we went out for a celebratory lunch. We went to a 'traditional' chinese style restaurant, where ladies bring around cards of dim sum, meat, seafood, and vegetables, and you simply point to what you want. The 'restaurant' was massive, and the name 'banquet hall' would more accurately describe it. We were at table number 236, and there were well over 300 tables in the enormous room which would likely seat 1000+ very comfortably. This place is also so busy that it is often difficult to get a table. A classmate, Mimi had the foresight to reserve one for us. During this celebratory lunch, I felt adventurous. My 'adventures' included a bready-style of beef dumplings, pork belly (fatty, but tastes like pork should), and duck feet!! Yep, although they were 'out' of chicken feet, I can now say that I tried duck feet (maybe duck foot, since I only had one, I'm not a fan). For those curious, it's essentially like eating a chicken wing, but with no meat. It's just skin over bone. Being a bland Canadian, I'm naturally trying to avoid skin on meat (I lean toward boneless-skinless anything), but here they love skin. Hence the obsession with eating feet I suppose.

Duck Feet (left), some crazy seafood-pork wrap (right)

Pork Belly... a chubby pig likely.

Eating with friends.

Meat stuffed bready-dumpling. Delish.

Rich, Aline, Mike & I... horrible angle, but a great day.

Saturday was exciting as I attended my first-ever rugby match. One of the first people that we met in HK, through Rich and Aline (Canadian friends), was playing in a final 'championship' match on Saturday. The four of us navigated through the challenging and unfamiliar streets of Kowloon (suburb of HK with dramatically more 'Chinese'-feel and dramatically less English spoken) to find ourselves at a rugby match and surrounded by white people. My first light-hearted remark of "all of know of Rugby I learned from a Matt Damon movie" earned me a few glares from the more serious crowd. I figured I should just keep my mouth shut and cheer when they did. I didn't understand much of what was going on during the match, although the score was tight and the game was rough. One player was knocked out and his legs were flailing on the field, he was eventually carried off on a spinal board but we were later assured he was up and talking... crazy rough sport. I feel guilty admitting that I liked it. Our friend's team won, which was a nice excuse for an extra afternoon beer.

One other notable event this week was the arrival of our furniture from Canada! YES! We have a bed. No more camping on a futon in the living room. Below are various snaps of our new crib, avec furnishings. Visitors are welcome (our next one is arriving tomorrow)!