Adventure - Hong Kong
I worked with quite a few large crowds during my tenure with SDPD. It included two Super Bowls, the RNC, (Republican National Convention), and countless protests and events. I thought I knew a few things about managing large crowds. That was before last week, when our family visited Hong Kong on Christmas Eve. I then realized, I never really left the sandbox. The crowd size in San Diego was child's play, compared to the sheer number of people in an international hub of commerce where almost eight million people call home.
It was about 8:30 in the evening with the lights of Honk Kong Harbor to our backs as we began walking to the metro which is a series of underground subways. I could write for hours about their mass transit system. It is extremely efficient, user friendly, clean, reasonably priced, and NO graffiti! While in comparison, San Diego can't even seem to get a single trolley line to San Diego International Airport. Mayor Sander's don't let special interests divert the project. In Hong Kong they move millions of people 24/7, through the use of technology, planning, and forward thinking.
As we left the area near Hong Kong Harbor we walked E/B looking for a place to eat dinner. We were exhausted. As we approached the nearby metro station we found it was closed as well as all the surrounding streets. The police had about a million reasons to cordon off this area. Each of them a person.
As we walked further, we saw a trickle of a few thousand people walking towards us to see the fireworks show on the harbor. It very quickly turned into the largest number of people I have ever seen in my life. It reminded me of the famous Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Sorcerer's Apprentice". Like the brooms carrying buckets of water for Mickey Mouse, the number of people would double, then double again, and then yet again. The high speed escalators bringing thousands of excited customers out of the earth was amazing. Every few seconds another train would arrive. Revelers stepping briskly on their way to enjoy their holiday light show. No real pushing or shoving by the crowds, but rather a sense of cooperation. Imagine that.
As we left the bustle of the harbor area we looked for a restaurant near our hotel. Jimmy, (Theresa's dad) was working his usual, "Magic". All the restaurants were booked solid, except for a working class, literal, "hole in the wall" restaurant, that only had four tables. Outside in the cold we were greeted by a lone, pale white, octopus who peered eerily at us as he floated weightlessly in a fish tank facing the street. He had the look of an octopus who already knew his fate.As luck would have it the table by the kitchen was available. It was a, "Hot Pot" restaurant. If your not familiar with the term, it refers to a large pot of steaming broth in the center of your table.
It was soon accented with piles of fresh seafood, meats, noodles, and vegetables in trays on the table. It is all you can eat. You can cook whatever you want for as long or as you like.
For refreshments, I quickly learned in order to get a beer you had to just yell out, "Tsing Tao" above the roar of the fellow diners who were talking so fast and loud in Cantonese, Chinese that you would think it was New Years Eve. The patron at the table next to us had obviously yelled it a few too many times. He was sound asleep and remained that way the entire evening as his friends continued with their festivities, while keeping an eye out for him.
Our boys were in Chinese food, "Heaven". They filled their bellies with lots of warm quality food as the locals around us continued celebrating.
Despite the occasional smell of a cigarette we had a great time. We were too tired and hungry to care. As you look at the photographs you can see their was a pretty good party going on. It was our first Christmas Eve portrait without any of our, "treasures" (our boys) in the family photograph.
Despite the mayhem occurring around them, each of our sons were so content and tired, they soon fell asleep resting their heads on our laps or on a jacket piled on the chair next to them. Over seven thousand miles from home in a foreign land celebrating Christmas with a few "new" friends. Something about our kids being well fed and feeling the warmth and smiles of strangers in Kowloon, increased the sense of holiday spirit. It made those cramped quarters one of our most memorable holidays ever.
As it got later, I started to yell out once again for another, "Tsing Tao", then for a moment, I had second thoughts. After all, we had a winning hand in a foreign country. It was probably time to leave.
Besides, if by accident, Theresa, Jimmy, and I were to also fall asleep, I don't think the owners would have awakened us. They were such gracious hosts, I really think they would have let us merely sleep into Christmas Day.
Theresa and I hope you had a wonderful 2011 and wish you and your family the best for 2012! Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
