A Nostalgic memory called Hong Kong

Mentioning Hong Kong SAR, the most unforgettable memory that I recall is when my family still used the outdated TV set to broadcast Hong Kong series when I first have a sense of what I was seeing at the time, is called a movie. It’s undoubtedly evident that Hong Kong motion pictures play a crucial role in children and generations from the 80s until the 90s and somehow even the early 2000s. Besides the great fame of the marvelous cinematic industry, Hong Kong was, at that time, also famous for its unique retro neon signs spotted around business shops on the islands and its authentic Chinese culture that reflects through every drama, series, and movie. Coming to Hong Kong, I did not expect anything other than to find my childhood, though it should not be easy because of the inevitable modernization of the city throughout the years.

A blast of emotions

When I first set my step on the streets of Tsim Tsa Shui, my eyes are covered with a combination of people, taxis, vendors, and buses. It was hard to describe how happy I was at that moment, to finally be present in one of the most famous areas of the Kowloon peninsular. Tsim Tsa Shui, in my thought, is where represents Hong Kong in a TVB series (a Television that used to be nominated as a symbol of Hong Kong) Tsim Tsa Shui is not that large, definitely since the limited size of the Kowloon peninsular but you may find hundreds of restaurants, souvenir shops, and malls along some signature roads namely Canton Road, Beijing Road, and Nathan Road – the main road of the area.

Not to mention Chungking Mansion – whose residents are almost immigrants from India, Pakistan, or the Philippines but live in the recognized uncomfortably living area that may just fit an adult only for approximately 80 US dollars a day. It’s also the cheapest rate I found for the area.

Memories of Hong Kong in the past turned into a real wow when I had a chance to roam around the streets of Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei area. It was truly a heaven of food and pet shops where you just needs to look and choose what you would love to try.

Modern buses, old buses, and even tall Hong Kong-styled buildings all mix to create a vibe that lives up to my imagination about an authentic Hong Kong. For people who have Claustrophobia – you may find it irritating to stay here for even a few minutes as everyone flocks to the streets on Saturday to shop, eat and chat and this creates a super chaotic scene that is tiring with people.

The whole Yau Tsim Mong district that covers Tsim Tsa Shui, Yau Ma Tei, Sham Tsui Po, and Mongkok turns out to be so interesting and fun when the nights come. That is also when my mood about Hong Kong comes to the highest with the neon signs covering some of the roads and streets namely Temple Street and Tung Choi Street.

In fact, I was quite disappointed with both night markets since there is not much to see except vendors selling the same products made in China that you may find mostly in other countries. A number of the vendors inside seemed to be permanently closed, perhaps because of COVID-19’s effect since 2020 even though Hong Kong has already resumed their tourism for half a year. But still, it was enough of what I always dreamed of a Hong Kong that my inner child wishes to see. I still remembered how vivid the streets are in the scene of the famous movie – Kung Fu Hustle directed by Stephen Chow – a senior and respectful actor and director today.

Hong Kong is not only about Kowloon Peninsula but also about Hong Kong Island, where most skyscrapers locate. If you find Kowloon more about an authentic and traditional Hong Kong; Central District and Causeway Bay of Wanchai District will prove how modernization and tradition can stand together in one place. I must admit that the Central district resembles those busy areas of Tokyo Shibuya Cross or New York Time Square (though in fact, I haven’t been there). The interestingly busy but clean and manageable vibe encourages me to explore the area more. Much as I understand, this is where you may find some of the best foods in Hong Kong that make the fame of the city, such as Mak’s Wanton noodles. The structures and constructions of buildings here are just like any other in a developed country.

But is it sleepless at night? I believe No. At least with New York or Tokyo, you may find abundant activities at night but this is not the case for Hong Kong. An upsetting truth I found during my time there, was that the lifestyle here in Hong Kong seems to be more peaceful when the night comes, or it’s because I visited at 11 pm when every store closes (When this may not be exactly the same with Kowloon Peninsula) except for Lan Kwai Foong.

And yes! Speaking about Lan Kwai Foong, the “red area” in legendary that Vietnamese always rumor about, is now a street with a handful number of bars, pubs, and some convenience stores. Disappointed or not, I guess it’s still early to say since the city is hit extremely hard by COVID-19 and even the protest in 2019, which created a huge loss to HK SAR’s government due to the uncertainty of safety for tourists. But I believe that closed properties will resume their business again and the street may recover to its previous fame soon. But for now, it does not satisfy my imagination about the place. And to be honest, you may not find any prostitution or sexual solicitation service here anymore (if you wish, of course) since that has been banned on the street for a long period. But I still saw some offering these kinds of sexual activities near Temple Street Night Market provided that I did not mistakenly recognize them the night at the end of the backstreet. But sure I don’t support these activities. Find at your own risk！

With Causeway Bay, I had a so-called Hong Kong retro-styled hotpot in the middle of the area with a modest restaurant called “Suppa”. With a reasonable price of approximately HKD 200 per person for a set of 4, I suppose it’s a good deal to have a sip with your friends and enjoy the so-called “Hong Kong 90s vibe” in the middle of Causeway Bay.

The restaurant may be small with just 6-7 tables on a single floor of a building but the way it is set up does enhance my dining experience to another level of living back in my childhood. Those red stickers on the wall, emerald and red shaded neon lights, the radios, the ribbons all of those things brought me back to what I have seen during that day’s movie in a moment.

The taste may not be everyone’s favorite as it’s a bit plain to me (though you can dip foods with their condiments and sauce) but perhaps, that is the authentic taste of Hong Kong hotpot. The soup base is tomato soup with half a fried tilapia and mushroom soup with plenty of mushrooms inside. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with the hotpot there.

Another specific feature that Hong Kong attracts me, is the Ding Ding Tram – a 20th-century monorail train that runs across Hong Kong island from East to North. They have, perhaps, 3 lines, each interchange at most stations. From some Hong Kongers’ points of view, taking a Tram from far away Sheung Wan MTR station to Quarry Bay near North Point is the best option. This is because most people will get on the Tram from Central or Causeway Bay or even Wan Chai MTR. And this does not guarantee you a seat (eventually not any chance for the upper floor).

Believe me, you may not want to stand on such a Tram if you are tall. So, to secure a seat for yourselves, do what the locals do yeah! We had chances to take the Tram both in the afternoon and at night. Meanwhile, the different timeframe has their own experience, I lean more to the evening one. This is the best moment to catch the sunset (of course if it does not rain there) and the vivid scenes of lights from business shops around. So, I hopped on a Tram and Tada….. let my inner child enjoy every aspect of the ride.

From movies to real life

What did I say before? I came to Hong Kong to live the life of my childhood again. And definitely, it won’t be enough without visiting some famous spots which have been spotted on scenes from those famous series and dramas! The first place to take note is Victoria Harbor.

As a must-not-missed destination for every tourist coming to Hong Kong, Victoria Harbor offers one of the best skylines in the city, together with The Peak (we will discuss this later) This is where, inside some TV series, mostly those genres of drama, romantic and detective, the protagonist and supporting characters come to express their stress as well as tragedy moment. I did feel a bit of overwhelming by the number of tourists there, as the place is always packed with people either night or day. But who is to blame, for the signature landscape of Hong Kong, I bet everyone wants to have a check, at least once in life, right?

It’s so refreshing and relaxing when you have a chance to stand on the Avenue of Stars, enjoying the light winds from the sea, and seeing all those skyscrapers that symbolize an energetic Hong Kong. I was so satisfied with the emotions I had at the place that I even visited it again a day later, in the evening when the sunset.

It boosts my enjoyability with the interesting hand-prints of some famous Hong Kong directors, actors, and actresses namely Jackie Chen, Bruce Lee, and Anita Mui… (not to mention the statue of Bruce Lee nearby Starbucks yet). Right there, some couples used to cry about their lives through the dramas, happy when they get some good news. Finally, I was there to recall all those touching memories of myself with their characters.

Another to mention here is Wong Tai Shin Temple. Mostly, when a character has something unsure about his life or simply he just wants to find a sense of inner peace for a while, Wong Tai Sin Temple will be the first place they decide to visit. The temple connects to a large mall beside the MTR station and in case you are tired because of the hot and humid weather of Hong Kong, it’s nothing better than roaming this mall.

Outside of the temple, there are dozens of vendors selling incense sticks, lucky pouches, or temple-related souvenirs that are quite commercial, in my thoughts. They even have several shops just to do fortune telling from your face’s moles and palm lines. But when coming inside the main hall, there are also a lot of tourists and locals praying for good luck, marriage, and career, which proves the reputation of this temple.

Indeed, I did feel not satisfied at all with the main hall, as it somehow creates a feeling of commercial to me instead of a respectful destination that used to be a part of any 90s series. But still, It may be just me who had this feeling, but still, the temple attracts a lot of people coming to pray. The temple has a garden itself that is quite refreshing with a typical Chinese structure that you mostly see in any Chinese ancient royal-related-theme series. Besides that, I feel nothing more rather than just a bit disappointed in this place. But yeah, I can’t deny that it is also a part of my childhood. Things are supposed to change, just a matter of time, right?

The Peak, or Taiping Mountain, is where some music videos in Vietnam dating back from the 2000s took place. Mostly about love and affection, the album HKT in Hong Kong and Ung Hoang Phuc in Hong Kong, both of whom are famous singers and female bands at that time, reached a hit record. I still remembered how popular those songs are.

They were turned on most of the time at any coffee shops, since they all took place in Hong Kong, most of which are from Taiping Mountain. Thus, the hype of this place. The Peak, nowadays, is one of the unmissable symbols of Hong Kong.

Taking a Tram here is more than easy, using an Octopus card or ticket bought from travel agencies. I love the refreshing air on the top of the mountain. Looking from a pavilion near the Tram station, the Hong Kong skyline is a wow to me. It’s more breathtaking than from Victoria Harbor. No wonder why people called Hong Kong the city of buildings. You need to stand there on your own, to understand how magnificent the city’s landscape is.

One of the most touching and emotional moments of my days in Hong Kong is when I visited Hong Kong Heritage Museum. For anyone who does not have any idea about this museum, the museum is a must for those admiring Hong Kong’s famous culture of Cantonese Pop as well as cinema. This remarkable landmark is located in the New Territory district, about 300 meters from Che Kung Temple. Reaching here requires some effort as you need to switch to a few MTR lines if departing from Tsim Tsa Tshui or Central District.

Apart from the distance, this museum is quite large with 4-5 main exhibitions. 3 of which represent a signature Hong Kong that I always remember about. The first chamber you may encounter at the main entrance of the museum is Jin Rong Gallery. For me, Mr. Jin is an admirable model in writing. I did not read any of his works but I saw most of them on TV (when I was still young and even quite a few times now). People got to know him, mostly for his talent in creating a mysterious and unexpectedly colorful world of martial arts. Each of Jin Rong’s pieces of work shows how the old talented writer dedicate to the message conveyed in each masterpiece. From The Legend of the Condor Heroes to Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils – my all-time favorite work of Jin Rong.

The exhibition theme is Jin Rong’s life, works, and how those pieces are turned into famous historical dramas (Yeah, with the help of TVB definitely). I enjoyed this theme though I did not understand much of the Chinese letters used to compose. Some translations, including Vietnamese versions, are also displayed there, to prove how famous those classical series are. Who can deny that we used to dream of being a hero with high rank and skills that can defeat anyone who we hate? Yes, it’s me and my wonderful childhood. I even played a role-playing game called the same name Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils operated and developed by Sohu, a software company in China Mainland. With all of these features that are highlighted within the exhibition, I rate it as really worth 40 minutes of commuting from Tsim Tsa Shui.

Another exhibition that one should not miss, which is also a hot topic over the years, is Hong Kong Pop 60+. This one takes place on the second floor with plenty of displays.

As the name already shows. Hong Kong Pop 60+ is a collection of images, costumes, and belongings as well as posters of those famous singers, actors, and actresses who played a crucial role in promoting Hong Kong culture toward the world. Though Hong Kong’s Cantonese Pop and cinema are not that famous anymore when compared with Korea’s or the Chinese Mainland. But, still, I have to admit that I almost cried myself to look back at those days that are well presented there.

It was one of the most impressive collections that I have ever seen. Anita Mui, Jacky Cheng, Stephen Chow, and all other celebrities, are all there, bringing their fans old memories when they are still in the glory time. They may not be as famous as before now, but they are still remembered, at least inside every soul from the 90s-2000s.

Hong Kong Disneyland – Momentous

Besides all of the above, Hong Kong also welcomes me with a wonderful day in Disneyland Resort – one of the only 6 Disneyland that is currently open as a theme park. Disneyland is already a symbol of the fairytales that I bet none of us wants to miss. Tired after a whole day queuing for the game, I was awarded the best show of all time that named Disneyland the world of happiness – The momentous show!

The show is a collection of performances with lighting and a symphony of waters whose songs are from Disney Studio’s famous theme inside movies namely Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, or Tarzan…The reputation of the show goes with fireworks used in every song. It was magical and marvelous that I could not leave my eyes off the show just for one second. It’s worth every penny spent on this show.

My trip comes to an end when I reached Chek Lap Kok International Airport the next day. I could not appreciate how happy I am, to visit Hong Kong and to live up to all the memories that make me today

Hope everyone who comes to Hong Kong SAR is treated with a charming Hong Kong as I was.