As I write – or rather tap out – this opinion piece the first rays of dawn-driven light are starting to reveal the skyscraper ringed harbour that services the bustling metropolis that is Hong Kong. But let me back track a few days.
Hong Kong Harbour from on high. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
A week ago we boarded a plane flying directly to Shanghai. Where we had been before, spending five happy days there about 10 years ago. This mega city of 25 million residents is amazing and the early morning arrival at Pudong Airport saw us shuffling through the immigration area where not only is the passport checked, but fingerprints are taken. Unless the visitor is over 70 years of age. One look at me and the Chinese official’s face broke into a smile as I was waved through. Clearly my less than cherubic countenance determined the prints were not necessary.
So why 70? Do older people constitute a lesser risk in China than those more nubile? Who knows but we were able to skip quickly to collect our bags and head for the Maglev train into the city. This unit departs every 15 minutes riding on a cushion of magnetically controlled levitation at speeds up to 420kph. On our day it was ‘going slow’ at 301kph.
Peter Carr
Arriving at the city terminus we plunged down into the bustling metro – this being the 8am rush hour for commuters. Many readers will have seen photos of Tokyo commuters where metro station staff push and pummel passengers into their carriages leaving those inside with their noses pressed flat against the glass of the sliding doors.
Well in Shanghai the sardine can packing trick is performed without the pushing folk leaving us all inside taking turns to breath. Luckily thanks to YouTube I knew we only had five stops before struggling, baggage laden, to fall out onto the platform. Had we not been near the door we would possibly still being whisked around the 530 station Shanghai metro system.
I will leave the stay in this huge city for a later article when Cambridge News is a bit slow. So the following day we boarded our cruise ship and proceeded down the winding Huang Pu river to spill out into the mighty Yangtze which starts a huge distance away in central China.
Lee Kum Kee Xinhui Plant, China. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
The heavy industry along the river is amazing but soon we were cruising towards Hong Kong three days away. A quick fun fact on China. Trying to send emails using Gmail meets with dismal failure as the Chinese authorities will not permit use of the American’s wicked initiative. Go figure.
Tensions between China and Taiwan are constantly simmering and passing a large and lethal destroyer with the huge red flag over the stern was evidence that the Chinese are leaving nothing to chance.
Back here in Hong Kong – re-owned by China since 1997 – there is a military garrison full of Chinese army folk who do not venture out into the streets even on their days off. Their very walled-in presence being deterrent enough to ensure behavioural compliance by the general population.
So it is Monday here in Hong Kong and my birthday so no doubt some small celebrating to undertake at 30 degrees and almost 90 per cent humidity. Tomorrow off towards Vietnam.
Hong Kong harbour. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
