I’ve been thinking back to my mom and uncle’s trip to Hong Kong to visit me in 1996 when I was still living there. This trip stood out because as we walked around the city that week, they pointed out their recollections of 1960s Hong Kong. It was so magical to hear their memories and to see before my eyes what had changed so drastically over 30 years. Back in the 90s, most of the changes (most, but certainly not all) in Hong Kong seemed like progress. The wharves in TSTE may have been eyesores, but whatever replaced them wasn’t and still isn’t spectacular. In Repulse Bay, where I’m standing in this photo, the old Repulse Bay Hotel was gone, replaced by a replica when developers realized their mistake in tearing down the beautiful building.
When I take my kids to Hong Kong, I wonder how much of what I remember from my time there will be gone. I’ve been going to Hong Kong just about every year since the city really started changing–structurally, aesthetically, and politically–six years ago. But every time I go back, I worry that it will be the last time to see certain old buildings or the last time to dine at certain old favorites. It’s so hard to see a city you love change in ways that strip away its identity and the very things that make it special.
Stay tuned for more observations.
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