Minneapolis Life: Hygenic Hong Kong

Hong Kong was a peaceful retreat as we approach our 12 month anniversary of living in India. Coming from Bangalore, Hong Kong was a breeze to navigate, public transportation and trains arrived every two minutes, perfectly manicured parks, clean, street food, pristine public toilets, beaches, hiking. We soaked in a dreamy oasis in a big city of for lack of better words, organization and logic.

Bangalore sometimes seems to defy logic in my brain-especially when it relates to hygiene and pollution, and lack of earth conservation. Some people say there is so much pollution due to the high levels of population in the city. However, there are 8 million people in Bangalore compared to HK’s 7 million, so that doesn’t necessarily cut the pickle for me. Certainly, accessibility, money and government play a huge role. But, let’s be honest- sometimes it is matter of caring and picking up our own refuse.

To be fair, local grocers seem to do their part in reducing plastic by asking customers to bring in their own tote bags, charging an additional 3 rupees perplastic carry bag needed. However, I leave the grocery store to see chai plastic cups strew across the ground. Adam and I have started our own recycling here of separating our plastics and glass. Guys come around with huge canvas bags and collect the plastic to bring in for a refund. I guess we think we are saving them a little more time and revenue of less searching through the trash piles for the bottles. We have also seen ladies walk up to our dropped off bag of plastic water bottles and take them for their own use. I suppose the reuse pattern of recycling is followed. Not sure of how sanitary these practices are, however.

Bangaloreans take great care of their appearance, and gorgeous hair. However, one aggravating thing I have noticed is how often some folks clean out their systems in public. I am not just saying peeing in public, which is all too common. It appears there is a motivation to clear out anything in the nostrils or throat as well. Morning walks in the park prove to be followed by guttural sounds of executing routine practices of coughing up and sniffing out mucus.

Lack of hand washing with soap is another issue. It is common to find hand washing stations post meals, but what about before? Or post bathroom use? Really, now I do see the reason it is considered unclean to shake with the left hand. It is.

On to Hong Kong. We spent four days here soaking in the sanitation practices. No stray dogs. But perfectly groomed pets abound. (Suppose one could argue sanitation issues arising of having your pet poodle next to you in the restaurant booth which we did see) Pigeons weren’t even around too much, because they are not allowed to be fed. Fined on the spot if found feeding. 150 hkd.

Signage abounded to prevent public littering of all sorts. Spittle? 1500 hkd fine. Leaving your pet dog do do on the street? 1500 hkd fine. Littering trash? 1500 hkd fine. Signage in every bathroom showed how to properly wash hands, clean the toilet using provided disinfectants, and more.

Okay, so seeing superb hygiene and order isn’t the only reason I came to love Hong Kong. I loved the people, the international representation, the energy, hustle and bustle of the city, being welcomed to join in a tai chi class, public green spaces, Chinese green tea, beaches, the food. OMG, the amazing dining options! I am not bitter about my life here in India, but it is clearly a constant matter of severe distaste, the lack of hygiene in food prep, especially in dining out whether it be a street vendor or 5 star hotel.

But back to reality of India. If you’ve hung on this far in my ranting post, the fact is that sometimes the grass is greener on the other side. Literally, it is greener on HK’s side! J A few days upon our return, I sat in our surprisingly clean and very efficient single line metro headed to Indiranagar in Bangalore. To enter my own Bangalore oasis- yoga. The yoga house- an amazing yoga facility I have been coming to for a few months now. And, I was feeling a bit homesick, or hong kong sick, I couldn’t tell. I thought to myself, “how have I lasted 12 months here?” As India always does, as soon as I think one thing, a contradiction is thrown into my view- I looked out the window to a sunset, a rooftop, albeit dirty, to see a mother in her colorful sari, holding her child up high into the air, with laughter and love abound. And I think to myself, in the words of the great Satchmo, “what a wonderful world.”