My love affair with Hong Kong.

Hong Kong grew on me! It wasn’t love at first sight, but as I slowly found myself roaming the streets of Hong Kong, getting lost in between, hopping from one train ride to another, I slowly developed feelings for Hong Kong.

It was like getting to know someone and loving the entirety of the person, not instantly, but slowly. For someone who loves the sound of the waves, the feel of the sand in between my toes, the smell of the salty air, and how open, simple and slow time feels by the ocean, Hong Kong was a jungle I didn’t know anything about.

The tall huge building enveloped me like giants so stiff they won’t smile back. The crowded train platforms where people stared at their phones most of the time, made me feel like I was in an age and time that what I knew in my forty-plus years of existence nothing about. I was so lost! I felt so sad. I wanted to fly back home so badly. I ached for home!

But I was there! I felt I had to make sense of it all. So we stayed for a couple of days.

As we slowly traversed Tsim Sha Tsui day in and day out, walking endlessly for hours just to amuse ourselves while we waited for our Leave Home Safe app to give us a go so that we could dine and be merry. Victoria Harbor became my refuge. There, I was closer to the ocean. I didn’t mind that the backdrop was endless buildings contrary to a horizon where I could see just shadows of land and stories of places I’d want to know about. Victoria Harbor was the highlight of my affair with Hong Kong. I didn’t realize that sitting quietly and watching people pass us by comforted me in such a way that my worries slowly ebbed like water passing through a narrow passage.

To feed my weary heart, like a child wanting so much to have a drink of her favorite beverage, we went to Kowloon Park. Amongst the trees and the carefully manicured shaped plants, I felt happy and alive. Hong Kong slowly brought me to life. It tried so hard to make me appreciate not everything it had to offer, but maybe some. The only difference was I waited for that first heartbeat to happen. If it were to speak to me, I’m sure it’d say – I’m here now. Give me a chance!

And so I did!

As I write this piece, I feel an ache in my heart. Maybe I left a piece of it there. Because in Hong Kong, I discovered so much of myself. It taught me patience for one! I was uprooted from my usual, but Hong Kong has polished me to be more open-minded. It taught me that there is beauty in the mundane of things. Emotions amidst a sea of people. Quietness in the shuffle of so many steps hurrying to be somewhere. And that happiness is found in a place is not something a place gives you. Instead, it is a feeling that is already with me.

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Hotel: Hotel Hart 
What we did: Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park, Dine at Tim Ho Wan, Eat street food at Tsim Sha Tsui & Mongkon (best Siu Mai ever), walked endlessly and discover places, visit Kowloon Park, visited Central on a Sunday, did grocery to save on food cost because we couldn’t dine out. We also had ourselves tested at their covid testing site for free (3rd day, 6th, and 7th day).