I'm Back!

Hi Everyone,

First I have to say that it's been a while! About seven months to be exact! What have I been doing during this time? Mostly working and playing around Hong Kong, plus taking some side trips to Taiwan, Korea, and Thailand. Aside from that, these past three months in particular have held some unexpected challenges for me and I've been scrambling to get things right again.

But with all that behind me, I am pleased to announce the reopening of "New China Hand." The first big thing I have to announce is that I've moved into a new place to live. Up until March, I had been living in Mong Kok in Kowloon, the busiest, most dense populated section of Hong Kong. Even though walking the streets could be a trying experience during the more busy times of day, I really came to love the area's local flavor and smell (stinky tofu!), as well as the excellent selection of restaurants and shops available just outside my door.

Now I have moved into a serviced apartment on Hong Kong Island, right in between Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. It's a comfortable place, fully furnished and still in my price range. Allow me to talk a little more about Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. Wan Chai is without a doubt the most infamous bar district in Hong Kong Island. It first got worldwide attention in the 1950s, through the popular novel-turned-film "The World of Suzie Wong." It's the story of a romance between an American (played by William Holden) and the title character (played by Nancy Kwan,) who is a prostitute living in Wan Chai. Since the Vietnam War, it has become a favorite place for British and American sailors to spend their shore leave while in Hong Kong. Now it is host to an eclectic mix of English pubs (including the venerable "Old China Hand," by which this blog's title was inspired) and strip clubs with names like the "Bottoms Up Club."

Causeway Bay has a far better reputation I think. Home to some of the most upscale and expensive shopping centers and restaurants on the island, it is certainly a fun place to spend a Saturday afternoon. My favorite place to go there is Sogo, a giant Japanese-style department store which has everything from a grocery store to luxury clothing lines to a bookstore.

Although my time in Hong Kong is running short with less than a month to go, I still intend to use this space for posting any recollections of my time here that come to mind. Once again, thanks for reading and see you next time!