Hong Kong Borealis

Hong Kong is feeling more like itself again.  The phrase that seems to be spouted ad nauseam has been "Hong Kong is back".  I'm not sure that's necessarily true and whether that's ever going to be possible, but it's certainly moving on.  For that alone, I'm quite thankful.  The crowds were slowly coming back and the streets were starting to get the old buzz and vibe about them again.  It used to be a bit frustrating at times having to deal with the crush of people in Hong Kong, but the absence of the visitors had gone from being a boon for the locals who wanted more space to a more ominous sign of the state of things in the city.

One of the nice changes was the return of public events and functions.  One of the first to come back to the city since all the restrictions began was the open air installation "Borealis" by the Swiss artist Dan Acher.  It was set up on the big lawn in West Kowloon and it was meant to be a recreation of sorts of the Northern (and I guess Southern) lights.  I read varying reviews of it, but I wanted to go and see what it was like myself.  The mere fact that there was a big public event like this was enough reason to go out and to see it. 

The crowds were back in force.

It felt strange to be out with so many people again.  Many were still wearing masks, but it didn't matter.  There was an energy in the air that you can only get in a huge crowd.  People were walking around looking up, some were laying on the grass, others sat on picnic rugs.  At various spots on the grass, large machines released a fog that slowly rose through the air, catching the different colours of the light be projected across the length of the lawn.  It created a form of "borealis" that we could enjoy here without the cold.

We stood for a while, and we wandered through the crowds.  There was a novelty to experiencing this rush again and it was quite clear we weren't the only people feeling happy about this.  I looked up at the sky, the IFC building in the distance bathed in the coloured lights from the fog.  It all looked very pretty.

We thought about leaving, then we changed our minds and decided to embrace the moment.  We walked into the middle of the grass and sat down.  We lay back and then looked up at the sky, the lights dancing across the moving fog, the noise of our surroundings, the constant shuffle of people.  It felt good that some form of normality had returned.

Guo Dai Lai

There are milestone moments that people go through in life.  Things like starting school, graduation, first job, first kiss, first love.  Most people will at some time or another go through these different events in their life, but there are other milestones that seem more culturally specific.  These seem to be harder to deal with, as the different expectations, understanding and excitement seems to impact how the events are experienced and enjoyed.  As Veronica and I grew closer, I wanted things between us to be more serious and so I asked her the question that is asked in cultures around the world.  This was a milestone moment in our lives.  What followed though were some moments that I was less aware and certainly less prepared for.  Part of the Chinese (and in particular Cantonese) culture for any engagement involves a series of fairly elaborate rituals involving gift giving as a part of a "bride price".  I'm sure it all stemmed traditionally from more a need to show favour and worth (which it seems may still be the case for some), but for me it was definitely more of a show of respect to Veronica's family.

It wasn't something I knew much about.  I was shocked by the amount of items which were considered to be a requirement.  There were fruits, cakes, dried seafood, wines and other assorted random items which were part of the delivery to the family.  Everything was also wrapped up extravagantly in the bright reds that are a part of all things festive and happy in Chinese culture.  Even the process of delivery itself was a bit odd to me, as it couldn't be "me" who delivered everything.  Instead I needed to find a friend who would help me as some sort of representative or herald.  Once everything was accepted, I was allowed in.  There there were further exchanges of gifts to each of the members of the household.  It was a happy occasion, and everyone had dressed for the occasion.  Photos were taken, more gifts were given back to me and then tea and cakes were served.  There was something odd about having to go and give the presents and money to Veronica's family.  I wasn't used to this idea and for me, it was at odds with the idea of a modern world with both men and women equal.  It all seemed to be a bit outdated, but then again I guess most traditions usually are.