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Newsletter #6 - July 25-31, 1959 |
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Mailed August 7, 1959 from
Singapore Received August 17, 1959 in Wilmington, Delaware Newsletter #6 - covers July 25, 1959 thru July 31, 1959 Greeting from Hong Kong, the exotic: [July 25] Left Tokyo Airport by Japan Air Lines and, as soon as we took off, we were given slippers so that we could remove our shoes and become comfortable. Next we were given the "O-shibari", the little hot towels, which you may use to refresh your face, neck, hands and arms. This is a wonderful Japanese custom. We were relaxed about one hour when a very delicious snack lunch was served. After this interlude, I read awhile and then used my blanket and pillow for a six-hour rest. [July 26] We were awakened for breakfast and, by the time we filled the customary entrance forms, etc., our four, powerful engined DC-7 brought us smoothly to the ground. Our airline hostesses were beautiful Japanese girls who spoke perfect English as well as Japanese and were most courteous and helpful. We were given complimentary fans and sent on our way. Going through customs was not too difficult and, after flying into this lovely harbor with dots of islands in many interesting sizes and shapes shimmering in a little mist of rain, you feel elated to be here. We were able to recognize the sampans, ferries, large and small liners, freighters and other boats which looked like little beetles scurrying hither and yon below the plane. The Kai Tak Airport limousine has us at the International Hotel on Cameron Road in no time flat and we are in our very comfortable, well air-conditioned room. We were unpacked and settled by the time church services were on. We were able to hear the lovely Chinese singing of our own hymns and even much of the sermon without even leaving our rooms since the Chinese church is next door to our hotel. After a little freshening up, we go out to look over Hong Kong and don’t get far until a shop keeper gets us to look over suit materials and other merchandise. This we did - going up and down streets, in and out of shops - until dinner. We even spent some time doing this after dinner. In this Kowloon section there are just thousands of shops and arcades and interesting foreign items to tempt you into purchasing. [July 27...] We spend quite a few days in and out of shops bargaining and trying to make decisions. Meredith and I spend many hours fitting our clothes, shoes, etc., as there are all types of lovely wools, brocades, silks, etc. to choose from. |
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Hong Kong is known as the "Shoppers' Paradise" and experienced, world travellers pave universally acclaimed this British Crown Colony as the cheapest place in the world to purchase. Oriental products such as curios, embroidered goods, silk garments and particularly, items made which involve a large amount of hand labor such as ivory carving, wood carving, custom-made suits, shoes, etc. As you walk the streets of Kawloon, Hong Kong and the New Territories, you see the rickshaws with their smooth, graceful lines and coolies with bamboo poles swinging rhythmically along. You also see the many different shapes and styles of native hats. At night, these same streets, full of scurrying people, are made doubly fascinating by brilliant neon signs, markets still crowded with jostling shoppers. Some of these markets are illuminated by naphtha flares which makes the air full of the smell of the Orient and you can hear the clattering noise of mah-jong tiles - a game commonly played by the people of Hong Kong. There is so much beauty to be seen and absorbed that it is difficult to tell you about it all. The island of Hong Kong is covered with an intricate network of excellent roads winding up and down and around the hills. This network of roads reveals, at every twist and turn, serene and lovely views of beach and sea, steep hills, terraced and gardened houses and even shacklike places of the Chinese refugees from Red China. One of the finest panoramas to be seen is from the Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. You get there by taking a Peak Tram - a funicular railway which defies the ordinary laws of gravity as it glides up to a height of 1,750 feet. From your seat on the tram when you reach the top of the peak, the ferries in the harbor below look like toys and the ships like miniature models. Across the harbor is a superb view of the hilly ranges of the New Territories, which rise beyond the city of Kowloon. You see the shipping wharves in the foreground and the new, giant runway or Kai Tak Airport clearly visible just behind. You also look directly down on the city of Victoria. We also took a trip to Tiger Balm Gardens and, I will say, these gardens are bizarre, unique and worth the climb in the heat to view. Standing sentinel over the gardens is a tall, white pagoda and looking like a many tiered wedding cake. It is silhouetted against a 'dark green hill and is really a landmark which is visible for miles. The gardens are open to the public and indeed present a fantastic spectacle of color. Groups of symbolic, mythological and lifelike statuary, pools, temples, etc. dot the steeply rising hillside in a rich pageant of rainbow shades. Most of the statues are grotesque and depict scenes from Chinese legend and history while others are pure fantasy. The gardens were built by the late Mr. Aw Boon Haw, famed maker of Tiger Balm ointment, which is regarded throughout the Far East as a remedy for many ailments. |
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As we leave Tiger Balm Gardens, we go down the mountainside toward Happy Valley Race Track, which is quite lovely and well kept, but not open this month. There is also a very large sports stadium in this same vicinity, which is known as Hong Kong's sporting activity area. There is also a lovely green area for playing cricket or bowling on the green and lawn tennis located in this same vicinity. Another day [July 29 or 30], we took a tour on the Hong Kong side. You get here by crossing Victoria Harbor on a vehicular ferry and can see ships of all nations intermingled with native craft of all sizes and description. This particular day, the aircraft carrier, U. S. S. Shangri-La, is anchored and several other U. S. destroyers. This greatly added to the 'harbor's interest. We travel over mountainous roads of great scenic beauty to approach the internationally famous Repulse Bay. Really, this area is quite beautiful and a photographer's dream. The hotels and homes in this area are for millionaires only and I am quite sure this is true because the homes are truly fabulous. We next proceed to Aberdeen fishing village via Deep Water Bay where there is a lovely golf course surrounded by more palatial homes of the wealthy people of Hong Kong. We stop at Aberdeen (Hong Kong's Fisherman's' Wharf comparable to that in San Francisco), which is a fascinating fishing village believed to be the original settlement of the island. The numerous junks and sampans anchored here are "homes" to the floating population of about a hundred-thousand Chinese who spend their entire lives aboard these vessels. Meredith and I took a sampan ride and an attractive Chinese woman with her baby son on her back and her young daughter gave us a very interesting tour among the countless boats, sampans and junks. In this area, there are three large floating restaurants - "You Lee Tai", "Tai Pak" and "The Sea Palace". They are all very colorful and beautiful. These double-deckers serve seafood selected by the customer from large baskets half submerged in the sea and tied alongside the boat. A complete assortment of live parrot fish, garoupa, white snapper, abalone, top shell, prawns, lobsters, crabs, etc., is available and, soon after selecting your choice, it will be cooked in typical Cantonese style - a cuisine famed far and wide for its delicate flavor. During our walk along the streets and waters of Aberdeen we were besieged many times by sampan girls trying to entice us to use their sampans for a ride. It certainly is hard to make them understand that you've already had a ride. All in all, Aberdeen is a true "shutterbug's" delight for in addition to the numerous beautiful panoramic views, the fisherfolks and their many children provide an unending series of studies of native life in this sheltered cove. The liberal translation of the word "Hong Kong" is "Fragrant Waters" and this lovely drive through the mountains and bays, which we've taken today [July 30 or 31] , surely made us appreciate this meaning. Besides all its scenic beauty, Hong Kong has another plentiful supply of beauty among the millions which throng the streets and buildings and this is the many beautiful Chinese women. You see little amahs scurrying to and fro with their black jackets rakishly cut and trousers crisply laundered. To me, their clothes closely resemble American pajamas. |
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You see slim mothers with black-button-eyed babies tucked closely onto their backs in gaily colored slings which delight the eye at every corner. The pretty office workers with their tight-fitting, narrow dresses, slit to the thigh and arched insteps and tiny ankles matched by slender hands and tapering fingers are truly very beautiful. These smooth-skinned and finely boned Chinese women in their high, stiff-collared dresses are as poised and proud as high-stepping Arab ponies and have an unsurpassed reputation for human loveliness. I know Meredith and all the men we've met almost look their eyes popeyed to see all the beauty of the Chinese women. We have yet to see an unattractive Chinese woman or girl. Perhaps you'd be interested in hearing about some of our many purchases. Meredith has bought a German Telephoto Lens for his Hasselblad and, also a Japanese Minican Electronic Flash outfit, a self-winding calendar watch, two topcoats, two sport jackets, two pairs of slacks and one suit. I have had tailored two suits, one coat, one odd skirt, one blouse, three dresses, one brocade jacket and a reversible brocade coat, three pairs of shoes to match the brocade dresses and two bags of the same brocade. At home, we'd pay at least $60 to $80 each if we could even purchase such lovely material and detailed handwork. It sure was fun to have so many fittings and to be jammed and fitted by so many men. At one shop, I had three and four men adjusting and fixing me and we both had such fun listening to them discuss the tailoring in Chinese. The Chinese either speak Punti (Cantonese) dialect, which is from Southern China, or Mandarin, which is spoken in Northern China. Either dialect is a tonal language which means that the same sound is pronounced in different tones to refer to different words. This gives their language a sing-song quality. Even though there are many dialects, there is only one version of written Chinese and they say a knowledge of 5,000 characters is considered sufficient for the everyday uses of the average Chinese -- even if there are about 50,000 different characters. We eat all our breakfasts at our own hotel, but have found an excellent place on the Hong Kong and Kowloon side for all other meals. This is the Dairy Farm Restaurant and another place we found is the Golden Phoenix. At night we dance between courses and linger two to three hours over dinner. This certainly makes me feel as if I were back in my courting days. We have excellent steaks served with wines and often times the steaks are flaming with brandy as they are cooked and served before your eyes. We've had Baked Alaska served flaming many times. Meredith has taken several restaurant pictures showing the serving of these foods and I certainly hope they turn out well. This has really been a very enjoyable week in Hong Kong and, since we have five more days here, I'm sure will have more to write about these islands and their many attractions. |
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Our only real headache here is the many restrictions which are placed on materials sent or taken to the United States. Our U. S. Treasury Department (Foreign Assets Control) has regulations which prohibit the importation into the U. S. of merchandise originating in China or North Korea. This makes our purchasing difficult as many of the same products produced in Hong Kong are also produced in China or North Korea. You must have "Comprehensive Certificates of Origin" issued by the Department of Commerce and Industry of the Hong Kong Government for purchases made and a fee is charged for each of these certificates. Fortunately, watches and clothes are okay -- except my brocades and for those I had to get certificates as well as for the furniture we bought. Until my next newsletter, we send our best and hope all of you are happy --- as we feel. Chay-ng (Cantonese for good-bye) Our love Meredith and Charlotte |