Hong Kong Travel Journal

ripleygosling11
Jul 18, 2024
5 min read

Updated: Jan 15

This post chronicles the 2024 trip to Hong Kong, which was a cultural exchange between UWE students and students from HKDI. I am incredibly grateful to have been selected for this trip, alongside three other illustration students and several more from different courses. The cultural exchange gave us the opportunity to get to know the locals and their culture. The HK students had visited the UK a few weeks prior, so it was nice to reconnect with them again in Hong Kong.

Click here to go straight to The Travel Journal Scrapbook.

Hong Kong is extremely busy! With an area the size of Bristol but seven times the population, this is hardly surprising. The city feels like an anthill with its turrets of skyscrapers and its underground metro. It's a place of layers where you never quite know where ground level is. Everywhere seems to be a shopping mall—you exit the station, there's a shopping mall; need to cross the street, there's a shopping mall; want to catch the ferry, there's a shopping mall. There's a strong emphasis on consumerism with luxury fashion brands everywhere. And then there are markets, markets, markets, they're everywhere, and filled with unique and unusual treasures, trinkets, and curios.

While in Hong Kong, the students took us on a local trip to their favourite areas. Around Causeway Bay, we visited Don Don Donki, a popular Japanese supermarket brimming with maximalism in sound, imagery, and experience. The ground floor features prize machines and ascends through floors of snacks, toys, wellness products, and a spicy section at the top. We also visited Wing Kee Noodle, a local noodle bar with a queue flowing out the door and down the street. At Wing Kee, you can customise your noodles to your preference. As a vegetarian, my options were limited; I couldn't have the broth as it was meat-based, but the fresh noodles and tofu, along with soy sauce and garnishes, were delicious.

During our stay, I wanted to immerse myself in the local culture as much as possible. I decided to eat only local food, which led me to discover some delicious gems like fresh spring onion noodles and some less enjoyable ones like durian mochi. I also vowed to eat as many custard steamed buns as possible.

We also had the chance to discuss life in Hong Kong. The students often live far away, some with a two-hour commute to university, and most people have very small accommodations. They also explained the phenomenon of street witches. Under the flyover, a group of elderly women set up what I initially assumed was a shrine for blessings. However, these women are actually witches who curse people. For a fee, you choose head or stomach punishment, and they begin the ritual while you focus on the person you want to curse. The ritual involves being hit with a flip-flop on either the head or stomach to bring the curse upon your intended target.

The architecture of Hong Kong is impressive, showcasing ultra-modern techniques and engineering combined with a signature historic style. The M+ Museum, with its vast atrium featuring bamboo-inspired walls that echo temple structures, is a prime example. The streets are lined with similarly grand buildings. During our trip, we visited numerous galleries and museums, many displaying high-end art and some featuring current political commentary.

I found "Old People's Home" by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu to be particularly impactful. These thirteen life-like sculptures resemble familiar politicians, admirals, generals, bishops, and dictators. Portrayed as frail seniors, they sit dozing off and drooling in electric wheelchairs. They roll on a slow collision course, crashing into each other like bumper cars. The artists seem to offer a grotesque parody of the world order, determined by only a small group of increasingly senseless leaders, and our continuous cycle of conflict.

After our visit to the M+ Museum, we were caught in a tropical cyclone. The heavens opened, and the strongest wind and rain I have ever encountered was unleashed upon us. We were instantly soaked and had to run for cover, which was quite a distance away. I would have enjoyed the thrill of the wild weather more if I hadn't been carrying a new art print.

We then returned to our hotel, dried off, and set out to visit a local bar that had piqued my curiosity earlier in our trip. The bar, called Window and Alley, was tiny, with space for about ten people at most. We spoke with the owners and learned it was part of an artists' collective. The theme of the bar changes every day; that day was whisky night, while tomorrow would feature a calligraphy workshop. Discovering this gem at the end of our street felt like such good luck. Our luck continued as we received a recommendation for a speakeasy bar with live music. It was Saturday night in Hong Kong—how could we resist? We took the Ding Ding (the old tram) to Maggie Choo's, which initially appeared to be an antique shop. However, beyond a curtain at the back, it opened into a 1920s-style bar. Although there was no live music tonight, it turned out to be a nightclub with exotic dancers and cocktails.

Nestled among the gleaming city facades are temples, such as the Chi Lin Nunnery, a Buddhist complex built in the 1920s that serves as an oasis of calm amidst skyscrapers. It showcases classic Chinese timber engineering, exquisite pottery, and golden Buddhas. There was great juxtaposition of classic architecture against the backdrop of skyscrapers! I also found it intriguing that the founding abbots were commemorated with sculptures glorifying their memory, while the founding abbesses received only plaques.

In contrast, the Sik Sik Yuen Taoist Temple offered a different atmosphere, adorned with vibrant colours and intricate patterns on every surface, permeated by the scent of heady incense. Visitors flock here seeking good luck, wealth, and fortune telling. Built in 1921, it was fascinating to witness the distinct interpretations of spirituality by these two religions.

Visits to smaller islands like Lamma Island tell a different story. The pace of life is slower, and you are reminded that you're in a tropical country. Nature is wild, with thick jungle vegetation filled with orb-weaver spiders, enormous butterflies, and hooting hoopoes. Lamma echoes a sixties hippy culture, embodied by Nick the Hippy, whom we met at his street library. Originally from London, Nick has lived on Lamma for over 30 years. With great enthusiasm, he showed us music and described the hippy scene of Lamma, with its psychedelic parties and laid-back locals. His notes on recommended music can be found in the scrapbook.

Thoughts and reflections about illustration:

In Hong Kong, illustration work tends to be highly polished and emphasises a marketable end product, whereas in the UK, there is often a stronger emphasis on the conceptual journey over the final outcome. I believe that successful work requires both aspects: a compelling story and meaningful content, coupled with a high-quality finish that appeals to buyers. There's an expectation in Hong Kong that artists create work with commercial appeal, are adept at discussing business matters confidently, and understand their own value. This mindset is valuable, and it's something I aim to integrate into my own practice moving forward.

During my time there, I took hundreds of photos, gathered intriguing items of visual culture such as snackaging, tickets, and found objects, and made numerous sketches. Upon returning, I compiled everything into a large scrapbook, which you can find here!

The Travel Journal Scrapbook:

I look much better in full screen!

Thanks for reading my Hong Kong travel journal :) The scrapbook is now in print!

Print:

Meetup and exhibition:

To celebrate the trip and reconnect, we gathered at Local Bristol, a cozy bar in Bedminster, where Marco and Marta had organized an exhibition showcasing our photographs from the journey. During our time in Hong Kong, we were given the challenge to find something wet, something dry, something neon, and an art item for under £1. These discoveries were captured, printed, and displayed as part of the exhibition. You can see my photographs below!