I'm working the Cantonese hip hop look, Flava Flav in the South China Sea. But to be really 'street' I'd have to get one of the umbrella hats (http://dydk.com/SAD/photos/green2/58.jpg) the street sweepers wear.
These photos make miss high density living so much. It's brilliant that people in Hong Kong live in high rise buildings. I heard that city planners are trying to implement the same model in Tokyo, so that people move out of Saitama, Chiba and the western suburbs into the Yamanote line loop and reduce their time on the trains. I also heard that Hong Kong is a lovely place to visit but bad to live in. Based on your first impressions, do you feel the same way?
I really haven't been here long enough to give more than a sketchy, stereoptypical impression. But my impression is that rent here is too high to allow the kind of experimental boho lifestyles I'm used to in Berlin. Culturally, what I've seen so far makes me think that HK is a bit like Washington DC: what culture there is exists to amuse people who are there for other reasons. In DC, politics, in HK money. The Fringe Club, for instance, is full of people who look like banker's wives, doing creative writing classes and attending poetry readings and learning how to dance the polka. But mainly what goes on is just an excuse for getting together with other ex-pats and nattering. It's a bit like the world of diplomatic service wives. Tennis at 4, drinks at the Embassy at 6. These people have parboiled meaty faces, bad clothes, baldy heads, loud voices, saggy bodies, poor posture. They are not engaging with Asian culture in any way, as far as I can see. The art in the Fringe Club, poor though it is (some wishy washy water colours, unremarkable photos) goes unregarded; the clientele is all up on the roof, under plastic palm trees with fairy , being served by Chinese in white jackets, talking about spending reviews and consultancy opportunities. But this is all one particularly 'whitey' part of town. I'll no doubt discover more interesting stuff later.
You can always stay in Macao for a while, it's rather cheap and have this surreal casino stuff going on that illuminates the city all along (in the good way from the lights in the bad way for what goes inside). It's one hour from Hong Kong. It's cozy (sometimes awful) and have this portuguese pattern-ship that gives a distressed look to the city. It's like being inside Simcity 2000. Ok, they don't no how to play very well. By the way what songs are you going to perform? 80's? I loved your records from that decade and early 90's. Even if I lost the track when you step into this easy listentronic style I'm still a huge fan. All the best, Ring Joid
A passage on my friend Roddy Schrock's blog (http://www.thing.net/~roddys/blog/) puts a nice slant on my revulsion at my fellow Anglophones here in HK:
'The book Where Europe Begins is just what I've been looking for,' says Roddy. 'It's written by Yoko Tawada, a native of Japan who has been living in Hamburg for years, and now writes primarily in German, but occasionally still in Japanese. This book resonates deeply with me. It's a poetic study of the veils of culture and language that we all wear, and the way language begins to fall apart a bit when living in a place where your old language doesn't function anymore, not only in the practical sense that no one else speaks it, but also with a visceral impact in the way current ideas, memes, to be discussed are of a different breed in this other culture.
I think she sees language as being a murky swamp that doesn't get enough sunshine. Her frustration with it is summed up in the line, "Often it sickened me to hear people speak their native tongues fluently. It was as if they were unable to think and feel anything but what their language so readily served up for them." I've never been so aware of that frustration before this most recent return to the United States, and am reminded of it every time I turn on the television.'
I'm enjoying this Hong Kong series so much. I used to live on the 20th floor of one of the Estoril Court apartment buildings; I think--MAYbe--I can see them in the photos. Even if it's wishful thinking, thanks Momus
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 07:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 11:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 07:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 07:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 09:55 pm (UTC)I'm working the Cantonese hip hop look, Flava Flav in the South China Sea. But to be really 'street' I'd have to get one of the umbrella hats (http://dydk.com/SAD/photos/green2/58.jpg) the street sweepers wear.
the double version
Date: 2004-09-03 01:40 am (UTC)erik
rotterdam
Re: the double version
Date: 2004-09-03 01:42 am (UTC)sorry, don't know the html to post pics here
Re: the double version
Date: 2004-09-03 08:49 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 08:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 09:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 11:57 pm (UTC)All the best,
Ring Joid
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 08:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 09:28 pm (UTC)A passage on my friend Roddy Schrock's blog (http://www.thing.net/~roddys/blog/) puts a nice slant on my revulsion at my fellow Anglophones here in HK:
'The book Where Europe Begins is just what I've been looking for,' says Roddy. 'It's written by Yoko Tawada, a native of Japan who has been living in Hamburg for years, and now writes primarily in German, but occasionally still in Japanese. This book resonates deeply with me. It's a poetic study of the veils of culture and language that we all wear, and the way language begins to fall apart a bit when living in a place where your old language doesn't function anymore, not only in the practical sense that no one else speaks it, but also with a visceral impact in the way current ideas, memes, to be discussed are of a different breed in this other culture.
I think she sees language as being a murky swamp that doesn't get enough sunshine. Her frustration with it is summed up in the line, "Often it sickened me to hear people speak their native tongues fluently. It was as if they were unable to think and feel anything but what their language so readily served up for them." I've never been so aware of that frustration before this most recent return to the United States, and am reminded of it every time I turn on the television.'
My eyes deceive me! It can't be!
Date: 2004-09-03 06:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-03 10:37 am (UTC)And fun Engrish findings. <3
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-04 01:05 pm (UTC)