Confessions of a Corporate Shopaholic

I’m a liberal, and I am definitely not a fan of political propaganda drawn up by the sometimes out-of-touch administration and its mothership.  Yet when some critics claimed that the latest talks of civic education planned to be rolled out in our primary and secondary schools are  “brain-washing tools” , I can’t help to think that the teachers perhaps need to develop better and more sophisticated rebuttals than that.

No I’m not that naive to think that the administration isn’t planning to spoon-feed our young generation of the glorious prosperity of our state, ever.  Every policy and every cent spent has an agenda, so the motive is definitely there.  Though I believe whoever finding the way to “brain-wash” our generations Y & Z through a few hours of public school curriculum deserves a Nobel price.

Today’s youth is rebellious in nature, and it is not necessarily a bad thing.  We have to embrace it no matter we like it or not.  They are independent thinkers, though some may argue the logic of their thinking.  One thing for sure, they will not take in any knowledge or thoughts as granted.  So what are the chances of having them brain-washed by the most transparent form of patriotic education?  Just look at the student riots everywhere from London to France to Seoul.  These countries have a much longer standing as sovereign states, and they are still struggling of social unity across the classes.  So what is Hong Kong afraid of being a territory known for our indifference in our nationality?

Come on, except the occasional declarations on immigration forms abroad, how often do Hong Kong people acknowledge our nationalities?  We distance ourselves from mainland China because we cannot condone the many backwards policies and practices in the country, but we want their cash and the related business and job opportunities.  We make an effort to explain to our foreign friends that we are from Hong Kong and it’s used to be a British colony, but we know it’s political incorrect to express any reminiscing sentiments over the colonization period.  We know we are led by the supposedly independent Hong Kong government, though it is so lame-ducked and out-of-touch with the general public that it’s just unfashionable to even be sympathetic with the unimaginable duty it shoulders.  So what’s left of us?  A bunch of incredibly materialistic citizens who will flock to wherever that brings us instant gratification.  In more cases than not, to Hong Kong, that means CASH.

That’s why if you think our youngest generation has not caught on with the trend, you are just kidding yourselves.  Instead of brain-washing through civic education curriculum, just dangle a big fat deck of $500 notes in front of them.  That will do the trick.

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CNNGo.com put up an article of “Life after dark:  10 things best done around midnight in Hong Kong“.   How appropriate.  One of the biggest reasons I still consider Hong Kong my most favorite place of abode is its ultimate accessibility.  Where else in the world could you find convenience stores, eateries, massage centers and karaoke boxes around the clock?  And you don’t even need to get on taxis if you don’t want to.  There are affordable enough buses and mini-vans to almost every corner of the territory, 24 hours a day.  I admit it, I am just spoiled, and I hope my fellow Hong Kongers could realize that they are amongst the luckiest ones on earth in terms of convenience and indulgence.  Of course, the price to pay is light, noise and crowdiness pollution.  There is just no way to escape it.

Alright, let’s see what 10 things CNNGo has in mind for us to do here past midnight.

1. Go squid fishing.  Well, I think the only time I ever did that was over 15 years ago, and I think you don’t need to wait till midnight to do that.  You can rent your own junk or join one of those packaged tours with fellow passengers you don’t know.  I only remember that I was so excited to catch my first squid that I yanked it a bit too hard and found myself and my friends splashed by black ink all over our clothes.  Actually, I also remember that the squid didn’t taste that good afterwards.  I blame it on the primitive cooking techniques on the boat.  My point is, unless you are under 20 years old, don’t do it.
2. Visit the “gwo laan”.  Gwo laan is the Chinese name for the wholesale fruit market in Yau Ma Tei.  I did that about 2 years ago around midnight and it was exciting to see fresh fruits arriving in boxes fresh from their source, and many of them come from Japan and the United States.  The fruits are fresh, and the prices are much cheaper than retail without the mark-ups.  The only draw back is that you have to buy in boxes, so be prepared to share it with your friends and family afterwards before they go bad.  Last but not least, have someone drive you.  It wasn’t much fun for me to carry a heavy box of Japanese peaches on the overnight bus that day.
3. Take a red minibus to MongKok.  Or, I should say, take one from MongKok to anywhere in Hong Kong.  MongKok is like the center of nightlife in Hong Kong, and it is ready to transport people to everywhere else after you take everything out of it.  You will see every layer of Hong Kong population you can imagine on the minibuses and around the waiting lines.  Teenagers, working class, suits, drunks, you name it.  Plus you will get the most exhilarating ride you can ever imagine.  7 minutes will get from MongKok to the New territories.  It’s much more exciting than any roller coaster ride since the latter is definitely more safety proven than the former.  Take it at your own risk, please.
4. Get lost on Cheung Chau.  Hmmm, this is something I never did at the wee hours at night since the last ferry back to the island departs around 11:00pm (or not? I don’t really know).  Cheung Chau to me is a bit too commercial within the many outlying islands of Hong Kong.  Though if you get to stay overnight there, the severely haunted holiday houses near the beach will surely make any scary movies ridiculously amateurish.
5. Watch a rooftop movie.  Oh sorry, I don’t even know this existed to be honest.  In Hong Kong’s humidity, I think only tourists will find this enjoyable.
6. Hang out at the beach.  Actually this is really a romantic thing, especially if you have a car, since it won’t be much fun to be stranded without return transportation.  But come on, it’s still only less than 30 minutes away from city center.  Where else can you find beaches that accessible on earth?  It’s a good place to chat, enjoy the silence and hear the soothing waves.  It can be a bit scary to stare at the dark waters, but isn’t it incredibly sweet to hold on to your companion’s hands to begin with? 
7. Eat at an all-night dai pai dong.  This is also an amazing experience, but I will advise you to let your partner know of this ahead of time rather than swinging it out of nowhere.  As long as expectations are managed, the experience is down to earth, casual and oh-so-much-fun.  If your partner has his or her clubbing attire on, the scene can be a little ridiculous.  However if this is the contrast you are looking for, who cares?
8. Get middle-of-the-night dim sum.  Well a lot of our midnight activities center around food, and I can’t find anything more applaudable  than the recent around the clock dim sum phenomenon.  There is nothing more satisfying than having freshly steamed dumplings, cheung-fan and beef balls when you have too much to drink.  I prefer that to the oily pizza slices, kebabs and hot dogs, any day.
9. Walk with the ghosts.  Again I didn’t know there is such a tour of Wanchai’s ghostly neighborhood, until now.  A tour guide will “explain the abundance of ghosts stems from Wanchai’s long history and high rate of casualties.”  Hmm, I also believe this is really designed for tourists.  In densely populated Hong Kong, everywhere is a ghostly neighborhood.  Come on.
10. Go for a bike ride.  Alright, at least there is some suggestion that is not food oriented.   I have a feeling however that this is also popular for someone aged under 25.  This is a subtle hint that I am nowhere qualified.

So, how many of the above have you done around midnight in this city?

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Aside from sit-down restaurants, the most patronized F&B outlet in town for me is Starbucks or Pacific Coffee.  No I don’t really go for the caffeine kick or the taste of freshly ground coffee beans, and quite frankly I don’t find the quality of these coffee chains any appealing either.  I visit their outlets when I need a place to rest my feet, stay sober from the crazy pedestrians on the world’s most crowded streets, and to kill time in between appointments around the city.  In Hong Kong where a 500 square feet jewellery store in Causeway Bay was reportedly rented for HK$1.4 million per month, or the new to-be-opened Apple store is spending US$20 million on fit-out in Central’s IFC mall, a HK$33 venti cappuccino feels like a bargain for a 2-hour refuge in the midst of all that madness.

There is a lot to be studied under the Starbucks logo.  Economists use Starbucks’ pricing of different sized drinks to explain costing theories.  Psychologists will tell you how that each order can be customized provides the one final shred of perceived control that each patron gets to salvage in today’s helpless world.  Nutritionists question the high calorie content of its Frappucinos (and plenty more), though Starbucks fearlessly rolled out its Trenta-sized iced products that are 30% larger than Venti.  At 916 mL, the Trenta is actually larger than the average capacity of the adult human stomach (900mL).

So what are The Top 10 Things You don’t Want To Hear From A Guy At Starbucks?  Here is David Letterman’s answer.

10.”We ran out of coffee filters, so I’m using one of my old undershirts.”

9.”Try our triple cappuccino — It’s a legal alternative to crack.”

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