Hong Kong to Shenzen

Hong Kong is a growing city and throughout it we noted the use of bamboo as a scaffolding which blew my mind.

According to the internet Hong Kong is well known for its street markets. One of these markets, named "Cat Market" was spitting distance from our hotel room. Historically cat market is known as a place to buy stolen goods but in modern times it is known for a place to buy handmade knick knacks. I sorted through beaded and jade bracelets, chop stick sets, clocks, and posters. I found a couple of booths selling pretty much piles of trash but it was fun to sort through. I found old passports, glasses, and even a telescope. In the end I bought a couple of beaded bracelets for presents.  

Cat Market

One of many staircases in Hong Kong

The day of travel and stale air had given Joseph and I a case of the sniffles. During our pre dinner evening stroll we noticed a medicinal tea stand selling tea as a treatment for various ailments. Joseph used sign language to indicate his problem and the woman selling tea poured him a cup of jet black fluid. Joseph chugged it back and she promptly refilled his cup. I took a small sip and almost vomited but Joseph persisted. I haven't sampled motor oil before but I am guessing there would be some similarities in taste to the Hong Kongese tea for colds. We continued walking and about an hour later Joseph announced he was feeling a bit intoxicated from the tea. We took a seat and I assured Joseph he would not die. 

Joseph feeling as though he will expire shortly but trying to remain calm

In an attempt to distract Joseph from his impending death I recommended we seek a spot for dinner. Joseph was keen to try legit Dim Sum so we hit the internet and found a spot. I don't think the Dim Sum was as authentic as Joseph had been hoping for but it was certainly very flashy.

Piggy Buns

Crazy mushrooms next to a birdcage of bird buns

By the time dinner was over Joseph had been fully distracted from his doom and we were able to go home and get a decent's night sleep before we departed in the morning for Shenzhen, China.

There is so much I love about this sign

We woke up the next day and Joseph informed me that we didn't need to get to China until the afternoon. I decided to do some laundry and found that our hotel offered free laundry including free laundry soap. At this point I officially fell in love with our hotel, Ovolo Noho. I had already fallen in lust with our hotel with the free marshmallows and make your own espresso round the clock but free laundry? That's love built for the long haul.

We decided to sample Hong Kong yoga and took a chill yoga class at "Yoga Bam Bam" before grabbing a quick lunch. We then took a cab to the border. While waiting in line for the Chinese border I had to take an emergency border pee. It was then that I was introduced to the Chinese squatty potty which is a porcelain hole in the ground. Fortunately my yoga practice gave me the ability to get a pretty good squat but I'm not sure what a person without squatting skills would do with these "toilets".

Our cab driver had five cell phones

The scenery between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China

Our friend Roc picked us up at the border. Just like in Tijuana we received the full escort we were accustomed to. In Hong Kong I was reminded of the pleasant equilibrium of San Diego or Houston in the winter. Shenzhen just north of Hong Kong’s border was quite a bit warmer. Roc told us this was due to all the cars and the 17 million people. Some sources on the internet claimed that Shenzhen had the most skyscrapers in the world. My initial impression was that this was likely true. Roc led us to a Mercedes driven by Tony, a fellow we had not met before. Roc wanted to introduce to the main market of electronics in Shenzhen called Huasong Bai. It felt and looked like Times Square in NYC but larger. 

Huasong Bai

Cords for days

Lots of bike riders

                       

I enjoyed walking around Huasong Bai for reasons I imagine are similar to why people enjoy Times Square. It wasn't necessarily because I was in the market for affordable electronics but because it was a sensory overload experience. The buildings were enormous and glamorous, both shoppers and workers were bustling about, there was a lot to take in. Later Joseph and I reflected that in a lot of ways Hong Kong could have been any major city. Shenzhen was unique. I've always known when I shop online or at an American story and the item says "Made in China", that there was a story behind that simple statement. Shenzhen felt like the beginning of that story.

A glamorous mall in Huasong Bai

                

Buying subway tickets in a new city can be overwhelming. Roc to the rescue.

After we'd had our fill of Huasong Bay we took the subway to meet Mr. Jang, the boss of the Chinese company Roc works for. Mr. Chen the other boss would be there as well a woman named April who I believe was brought along for my womanly benefit. We entered a restaurant and were ushered into a private room with a large round table equipped with a lazy susan. Roc had spread the word of my vegetarianism so as the dishes filtered in from the kitchen I was informed of which would be suitable for me to eat. It was incredibly flattering that they had taken so much care to ensure I had something to eat. There was lotus root layered with rice and special vegetarian fried rice in addition to the staples of Chinese cabbage and crazy mushrooms. It was all delicious.  And that feeling of being doted upon would become another theme of this trip. The hospitality shown to us on this trip was unlike any we had ever experienced.

Afterwards we returned to our hotel to rest before another exciting day in Shenzhen. 

A Mahjong room off the main gym in the hotel

A very Asian looking gym in the hotel

An emergency screenshot saved to my phone. Overactive bladder knows no borders!