gweilos interested in chinese culture

if you want to explore the local culture, why look for expats who dig local culture? Why not meet the locals?


Am confused.

oh. I see.


Well there are plenty usually non-expats (i.e there for longer term,perhaps self employed or students, lecturers, involved in arts and culture, environmental, social activists etc)that, is based on the HK contacts that I have that fit your description.


Quite a few of these foreigners can read and speak Mandarin as well.

Ovo--


Your initial post gave me the impression that you wanted to interact with foreigners (male or female)who are, just like you, interested in learning more about HK culture.


Your next post implied finding someone to have a relationship with..


Am I missing something? What really is your objective?

I'm a "gweilo" man, from Canada, and I've been living in Hong Kong for the last few years now.


Myself, I have a great passion and interest in the Asian culture (even before coming to Asia), and I am always trying to furthur my experience and knowledge in that regards. I much respect people of all races and nationalities, and I try to keep an open mind about different cultures and ideas. I feel this can help me to grow as a person, as a human being. And if more people in general would be respectful and open-minded towards each other regardless of differences of race, culture, religion, nationality, etc..., then I think people can share and learn from each other and also build wonderful friendships.


I don't "hang out at bars", I very seldom drink (and if I do it's in moderation, never to excess), and I have no interest in things such as Casinos and gambling... but rather I'd prefer to be involved actively with learning more of the culture here: such as doing Tai-Chi with my Sifu in the park, going for a walk taking in some of the sights, go to a museum, explore around some of the markets and shops, have a coffee and dinner with a friend, and sometimes I might go for a little trip to different places in Asia...


I've been trying to learn some of the local language (Cantonese), and though I do know a few simple words and phrases so far, I find it's a really difficult language for me to grasp and learn. But at least I'm trying, and it seems to make some of the local Hong Kong people happy when I greet them with a smile and say "Hello, how are you?" in their language. At least they see I'm making an attempt to be friendly and that I'm respectful towards them.


I'm open minded and I would like to meet more people and make some more friends too.

Best wishes.

hey Big Don, I'm going to be in HK for 3 weeks and would love to know the chinese culture a bit better. Which museums, market and shops would you recommend?

Big Don, you are right! I m a chinese gal, you are very nice & i m sure you met a lot of friends in HK!

Kiwi: Well, I just mostly explore around on my own when I have the spare time. Perhaps there's no specific places I could recommend. Though, if you go down by the Star Ferry, on the Kowloon side, very near (next to) the landmark "Clock Tower" you'll find some nice cultural places to explore. Also, taking a ride on the Star Ferry is a great, an inexpensive way, to see HK harbor and a great view and perspective of HK as well. Check out some of the parks around HK are great too. Hong Kong Park on HK side, around Admiralty area, and at the top of a large Shopping Mall called Pacific Place (Exit "F" in Admiralty if going by MTR) is a really wonderful place to explore. They have a large Atrium in which you can see lots of exotic type of birds. They also have a type of "plant / flower" exhibition in one of the places there, a "Tea Museum", and if you find "Tai Chi Garden", and feel energetic, there's a tallish "tower" that has a long spiral type staircase (over 100 steps I believe), and at the top you can also see a nice view of the park and various surroundings.

Anyways, it's a really wonderful place to explore.


I also like Kowloon Park, in TST (Tsim Sha Tsui), though it's a smaller park, it's still nice to walk through, more birds, various plants and flower can be seen. There's also a type of museum in that park as well. And it's near the waterfront in which you can walk down for a good view. Personally, I also do Tai Chi Chuan with a wonderful and friendly "Sifu" most mornings in Kowloon Park as well.


There's also a really fantastic "park" type of area near the Sha Tin train "KCR" station. It goes along a river, and I find it's quite a peaceful and beautiful place to walk through.


If you have a chance, I might also suggest to "Ride the Tram" to "The Peak". Once you're at top, it really one of the best views of Hong Kong from up there. And they also have various places to see such as the "Wax Museum" and some nice restaurants. If you feel energetic and have the time, you can walk around the various walking-paths / trails up there.


As for markets / shops.. well, it's always a bit fun and interesting to see some of the various open-street "Night Markets" that you can find in various places throughout HK, such as in the Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei area, as well as MANY little side shops to explore, and there are many shopping malls around HK to see as well.


Really, there's so much to see and do. Sometimes I just take the MTR or the Train and go to some places along the route, get out and just walk around and explore the area a bit. You'll just may be amazed and pleasantly surprised at some of the sites you might see. HK is so full of energy and interesting places to see and explore, I never get tired of it and always find something to do.


So, that's just a few quick friendly suggestions that I can think of for the moment.


Raincatcher: Yep, That's right! ;-)

Anyways, seems there's a hint of sarcasim in your message. Was something I said inappropriate?


Ovo: Hey, I'm always happy to make a new friend. And at this point, especially not knowing each other, I'm not suggesting anymore than an offer of friendship. If you wanted to meet up for a coffee sometime, perhaps go for a walk or something like that as well, feel welcome to send me a message. And though I may be "Big" in my physical size, especially compared to most Chinese (I assure you that I keep fit, as I exercise about 3 to 4 hours each day), but I'm a friendly and kind person who enjoys life. If people can learn to see past how someone "looks", then you might see a wonderful person who could be a great friend. That being said, I'm often told by many of the HK locals that I'm "handsome", so take that as you will.


Best wishes.

Big Don is more local than me


i'm honkie!

As a Gweilo who likes to mix it up with the locals, I think you need group of friends who are mixed… some locals, some Gweilo! I hang out with a running group and a tennis group. In both groups we have some locals and some expats. The locals take us places we might never find on our own. Countless hole in the wall restaurants without English menus, but great food….Cool hiking trails…neat neighborhoods…fun markets. In the year and a half that I have been in HK, I think I’ve seen more of the city than some of my local pals.


Lastly, there are SOOoooo many great places to go in HK, it seems silly to only hit the tourist spots. Sure the view from the Peak is nice, but you can walk there, and there is a little park at the top (real top of the peak) not top of the tram station. Or you can go to lantau peak (much higher than Victoria peak) but you have to hike there. Ok hit the dragon’s back on the way to shek-o, or go downhill mountain biking at tai mo shan… ok, I could go on forever, but my point is, there is so much to do and see, hitting all the crowded, westernized, overpriced tourist traps gets really old, really quickly.

aspect


lol take it easy!

Raincatcher: ok, cool. It's sometimes hard to get the intended tone / mood / joke, etc.. just reading text on a screen over da internet. Plus, my mind-reading skills are somewhat limited too. ;)


Aspect: oh, woe is me. I am such an uncouth, uncultured and unknowing gwielo, therefore I most deservedly receive thy bashings. All I know is about sweet-n-sour dishes served up by Jackie Chan. Please oh-wise-one, in your much-more-superior-cultured-knowledge than I, share with us inept hopeless pasty-white-westerners, what local places and activities might you suggest that we can visit and do so we may get a glimmer of what real HK culture is. Thank thee oh wise-one. ;-)


Raincather: Hehe.. see, that's the way ya lay on the sarcasm.

Ovo: I think Victoria Park is okay, but I would say that I prefer Hong Kong park over Victoria. Also, Victoria Park seems to get a bit too overly crowded at times (especially on the weekends). Though I do have fond memories of being in Victoria park about two years ago, I was watching some of the "Sifus" of various Martial Arts performing and competing in "Push Hands" type of competition. I was along with a couple of friends (who are also Sifus themselves). Then unexpectedly, I was invited to perform and compete in the contest. So, even though I was not quite prepared, I didn't want to let my friends down, so I agreed. To make a long story short, I competed in a few matches, and I did very good and won all of them. It was a big surprise to the other perhaps thousand or so people watching and I got to meet and was introduced to many of the other "Sifus" there that day. Since then I have been invited into the Martial Art community in Hong Kong, I have been invited to many, normally "exclusive" Martial Art type of events that might normally be just for Hong Kong and/or Chinese "Sifus", and I've put on various demonstrations at some of these events, which is quite unique considering I'm usually the only "gweilo" at such events with about a thousand or so Hong Kongers and Chinese people there watching. And I am now a certified member of the Hong Kong Martial Arts Association (which is a bit of a rare honor for a "gweilo"), and now I also teach regular Martial Art lessons in HK as well.


Ahhh, sorry, got rambling on there. ;)

Hmmm, a couple other places I visited before that I thought was really interesting was Repulse Bay. Be sure to check out all the very artistic statues there.

And one day I went with my Sifu and a friend to, I believe it was Stanley Park? Had to take a bus to get there, which had great scenery along the way. Anyways, I recall it had lots of neat little shops and restaurants (we had a cold beer and a lunch in one of the little seaside restaurants), and there was some historic building(s). Oh yeah, and a largish "temple" there which I visited and paid my respects.


Well, there's so much to do and see around Hong Kong, and when I have the spare time I like to keep exploring around. Though I've been here over 3 years already, there's still a lot of places I've not been to yet and so many more things I want to do here as well.


Aspect: good for you. Though I might need some help in translating what your message actually means. Well, enjoy your "free" lunch. :)

Aspect... interesting recommendations =) Triangle park and ex-bruce lee residence aye... don't think I will have the chance to go there and "personally pay my respects" there lol. Out of curiousity... have you ever signed the guest book there?


as for OVO - at the begining of the year I WAS based in HK, for a grand total of 8weeks then I got unexpectingly relocated... always thought I will have chances to explore the city "sometime later"..... and later it is.... still now..... will change the profile after if it allows.

OVO - any good place for Thai food? And coffee? I am always on a look out of a good food & coffee while I was in HK.....

Kiwi - for GREAT coffee, i like cafe O at 2 Arbuthnot Rd, in central... for a decent cup of coffee and really yummy fresh juice concoctions, try Kosmos on D'aguilar st just below Lan Kwai Fong. Both places have free wireless internet access, so you can post in the AX relationship forum while you sip your beverage!

hm ovo- you'd be surprised who's chatting up the thai and filipino bar girls.


In any case- these girls are ordinary people, trying to eke out a living for their extended family back home, some probably looking for a real chance at love. I've found them to be one of the nicest, friendlist people in HK.


(am female, BTW)

D'oh! OVO... you're going to kill my affection for cafe O... now i can't look next time i go in... **thinks to himself - a little dirt never hurt anyone**


On the thai food note, i don't know what that place in sai kung is called, but I have been there... very tatsty green curry. YUMMM!


OK now i'm hungry! Time to go home and cook seafood risotto! Mmmmm...

OVO I am really confused, so are you asian or white, not that it matters, but i still do not get this!!

As for Travelling, exploring HK, I live half+half in HK and Toronto, look at the Official HK website


http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/touring/hkwalks/index.jhtml


it has pre-planned wlaking routes for all districts of HK including remote islands, you can even print out the maps too, it is fantastic, and we have done couple of them, it works really well..

lol ovo you do know a lot about 'western culture' .. good for you .. and in that case maybe you should look for gweilos interested in 'eastern culture' as 'chinese culture' simply ain't enough to match your wide knowledge?

to learn about a culture doesn't necessarily mean you have to live there hon.. especially when we are talking about the 'culture' you were mentioning.. for instance, sitting infront of a screen all day can do.. but again you are already doing that.. so good luck hon!