Desi Maali From Hong Kong

My wife and I are visiting our elder son and family in Hong Kong for about ten days. This is my third visit to the former British Colony - now a show piece of China as its sovereinity passes back to them in 1997.

What strikes a Delhiite about Hong Kong instantly is its orderliness, cleanliness and efficient civic & transportation services. This Chinese fishing village was turned into a flourishing harbour by the British and the Chinese have maintained it as an important commercial and trading hub since its transfer to them in 1997.The excellent attention to horticulture and landscaping is what impresses Desi Maali immensely. All the shrubs and plants along the roads are sprayed with water almost daily to impart the sheen and shine. Compare this with the dusty trees and shrubs adorning the Delhi city roads.I am uploading a couple of photos I took to illustrate the freshness of the evergreens planted along road sides and the excellent landcaping in Condos.

Although the down town HK roads are narrow with steep gradients,the traffic on them flows very smoothly with no honking by cars , buses or Taxis which whizz around at amazing speed.Compare this witht the din and chaos on Delhi roads which are much wider. And no traffic policemen in sight anywhere. But there is the hidden "danda" and self discipline which does it all!

The population of Hong Kong is almost 90% Chinese. While they are extremely communicative among themselves in Mandadarin, their exchanges with forigners is very limited. This is largely because of their inadequate knowledge of the English language. This is rather intiguing. Why the British who ruled over Hong Kong for over a century did not teach them English, as they did to the natives of the other British colonies, including India.No one has given me a satisfactory explanation for this.

But there is a lot to be admired in the local Chinese. There is plenty of evidence that they have strong family ties.Three generations of most Hong Kong Chinese families live under the same roof. They take good care of their aged parents.Children carrying their very old parents on wheel chairs in the Malls is a common sight.Their children too are a pampered lot wit5h parents sending them to the best schools and buying them expensive toys and clothes.