If you're looking for something to spend your tax rebate on this year,
please consider The Beverly Hills, a condo community overlooking the Tai Po Coast in Hong
Kong. It's your ticket to unlimited access to a race-car track just a
hop, skip and a jump from your front door. You'll also have The Forest
(a miniature version of Disneyland), Audio/Visual Delight (your own
private theater with top-of-the-line, full body massaging recliners)
and the Kings Paradise (wine, cigars and pool) at your finger tips. These
luxurious amenities are all free with the purchase of your 1.7 million
dollar condominium purchase.
Wouldn't it be a fabulous story if I told you that The Beverly Hills was my residence for my 2+ week adventure in Hong
Kong?! Nah, there wouldn't be anything to write about besides my
morning swims in the infinity pool (overlooking the coast) and my
circuit work out in the exercise kingdom (where each machine is paired
with a televised tutorial on how to properly use the machine). And that
would just be a dull reading experience for my audience. Why would I
put you all through such a thing?
Obviously, The Beverly Hills made a lasting impression. I'd never seen
anything like it. It was the most luxuriously detailed residence I've
seen in my life and would put the Street of Dreams to shame. Even the
garages in these condos were fit for a king. 2 walls of golden mirrors
and fancy ornaments and a security camera to match. The 3 hours that I
spent exploring the grounds was more than enough time to capture the
details for this entry. I was in Hong Kong to experience Hong Kong, not an adult's fairytale.
My actual accommodations in Hong
Kong didn't include any of the amenities listed above, but they were
still luxurious for my standards. I stayed with my friend, Justina, and
her mother in a beautiful condo propped up in the Middle Levels of Hong
Kong. I had my very own room, with my very own bed, and my very own
window seat that looked out to a 16 story view the hills. The
backpacking days were gone. My bath towels and bedsheets were washed
regularly, along with my bags and bags of dirty clothes. Every morning
there was a cup of instant coffee waiting for me along with fruits,
pastries, noodles.... My friend had the sweetest live-in maids who took
great care of me, although it was an uncomfortable feeling having
people wait on me and I'm not sure it will ever be introduced to my
lifestyle. They also had their personal driver who picked me up from
the airport and chauffeured us around in style to our nightly
destinations.
Oooops, did I also mention that this adjustment of my lavish lifestyle in Hong
Kong was courtesy of Justina's mother's celebrity status? It was always
a trip walking into a restaurant with Auntie Nancy. Heads would turn,
people would smile, wave and wish her a healthy recovery (she had been
sick before my arrival). We were often escorted to a private back room
at the restaurant to avoid the crowds and pose for a few snapshots from
the server's cell phones. She loved the attention and was always so
kind to her fans. It was a riot being an accessory to a star in Hong Kong and it provided a very rare and unique Hong Kong experience.
I snacked in the studio's cafeteria, climbed an Ancient Chinese castle
on one of the outdoor sets and witnessed a filming of Auntie Nancy's
popular soap opera. I was surrounded by Hong
Kong celebrities in the dressing rooms and on the sets but had no idea
who these people were. I'm sure the locals would have gone crazy being
in my shoes, but how was I supposed to appreciate their fame? I was a
foreigner.
The glam and the fame was brushed off to the side once I ventured off on my own. Hong
Kong was so much more than luxury condos and television studios. I
wanted to experience the food, street markets, botanical gardens,
fountains, outdoor escalators, shopping malls, fishing villages, film
festivals, skyline lazer
light show, hikes and one of the highest levels of public
transportation in the world. There was a lot of ground to cover in two
weeks, but I had a plan to do it all...
