Everything's Better in Hong Kong

Sorry to anyone still reading our blog about the delay since our last post. The last few weeks have been pretty busy as we attempt to set up a temporary life here in Hong Kong.

Things are going really well, on the whole. After a day or two of searching, we found a studio apartment through a serviced apartment agency called, "studio studio" I kid you not, our entire apartment is a spacious 280 square feet, but perfectly nice. Having one small sink serve as the bathroom sink and kitchen sink takes some getting used to, but we are pretty happy with the location.

We are located right in the center of a neighborhood called "Causeway Bay" which has the best shopping in Hong Kong. One block outside our apartment is the giant center called "Times Square" because it is so similar to the Times Square of New York. It can be a little loud at night to be in the center of downtown, but it's also pretty amazing to walk out the front door and immediately enter into the sea of Hong Kong life. Within two square blocks there are at least three Starbucks, two McDonalds, a California Pizza Kitchen, a Pizza Hut (more on that later), Krispy Kreme, and dozens and dozens of restaurants and stores. I wish I had the budget for shopping, it's too tempting to walk past Marc Jacobs, Vivienne Westwood, MaxMara, and Louis Vuitton on the way to the subway every day!

Speaking of the subway, public transportation is one of the aspects of life in Hong Kong that most amazes us. Their underground system is called the MTR and it is the most efficient, clean, well-designed, futuristic mode of transportation I have ever seen. It makes Metro, the NY Subway, the Boston T, and the Chicago L look like old relics from the Industrial Revolution. The MTR trains run every two minutes on every line, there are entrances located everywhere to ensure there is no clogging of particular entrances and, for lack of a better word, everything just looks cool.

Your fare is paid with an "Octopus Card" you tap on your way through, much like a SmartTrip card in D.C. The only difference being that your Octopus card can also be used at almost any convenience store (7-11, Starbucks etc.) as well as all public buses, ferries, funiculars, cable cars, etc. One hardly needs cash because the Octopus card is the quick ticket to anything you need around the city.

In reference to the title of today's post, we have begun to realize that nearly everything is just a little better in Hong Kong. By "better" I mean more efficient, cleaner, safer, and more thoughtfully designed.

For example, there is virtually no crime. Despite the downtown feel of Manhattan, I would walk alone in the middle of the night anywhere, including dark alleys and parks.

Additionally, I can walk absolutely anywhere in the city, because there are underground walkways or above-ground overpasses to help pedestrians cross any major street in the city, including highways. Every street in the city has been carefully designed to leave a safe space for buses, trams, and foot traffic. As a result, 7 million people can all get around a massive city quickly and easily, no matter the time of day.

Tired of the hectic nature of the city? Head to the beach!! It stays warm enough to lay out until November and there are dozens of beaches within fifteen minutes of downtown. Hop in a cab from where we live and for about $10 you can go to a gorgeous beach that makes you feel like you're a hundred miles from civilization. Feel like hiking? Take a twenty minute ferry to any of the outlying islands and spend the day on trails through scenic hills. I've never known a place to have such a range of geography in such a concentrated area.

The place that truly amazed Tom and I most is Pizza Hut. Yes, we recognize that may make us sound pathetic, but it is truly a sight to behold. We went one night hoping to get cheap and familiar take-out. What we found was a twenty minute wait for a fine-dining experience. The interior of the Pizza Hut was nicer than Bertucci's and the service significantly better than one might find at Legal Sea Foods. In addition to the usual deep dish pizza, included on the menu were such items as Lobster rolls, fois gras, and cocktails. (Pictured right: Our friend Natasha from Tom's law school eating at Pizza Hut with us)

When even the Pizza Huts are nicer, I think we have something to worry about.