April 6th: I sleep in a bit, which these days means getting up around 8 a.m. Then I order breakfast in my room (I usually don't, as I think it's overpriced. But the buffet here, from what I can see, is no comparison to the buffet in Japan, so now I'm a snob.) The room service breakfast is perfect, though. A pot of green tea, fresh fruit, apricot yogurt, carrot juice, a basket of 4 different sweet rolls, and a side order of cappuccino, with Splenda. Who could ask for more? (They do include a piece of Brie cheese, and some cold cuts which are pork. I don't eat the meat.)Side note: In Japan, I couldn't find Splenda to save my life. Most places have either regular sugar or corn syrup. The Japan Starbucks has something called "Sugar Next," which is a very prmitive form of artificial sugar. With fake sugar almost non-existent and everyone using regular sugar, why is almost everyone in Japan slim?
I take my time getting dressed, and my watch is still on Japanese time, so when I think it's 9, it's really 8. That "gives" me an extra hour. I check at the front desk about the location of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, where the 34th International Hong Kong Film Festival is being held. For tourists like me who don't speak Cantonese, they give you a card that basically says "Driver, please take me to..."and check the appropriate box. Then they escort you to a taxi, hand the driver the card, and you hop in the back, like an obedient child, and ride silently to your destination. Which is just fine with me.
The Hong Kong Cultural Centre is at 10 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, right on the water. Started in 1984 and completed in 1989, it was founded by the former Urban Council and, after 2000, is administered by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of Hong Kong Government. It is a place for a wide variety of cultural performances. It also has a very cool, raised platform right on the pier, which affords you a fantastic view of the harbor and the buildings on the other side.
The Concert Hall, with 2,019 seats, is an oval two-tiered auditorium finished with high quality oak, and includes an adjustable acoustic canopy and curtains. It is the home of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and houses an 8,000-pipe pipe organ, the largest in Asia. The Grand Theatre, with 1,734 seats in three tiers, was designed for large scale opera, ballet, and musicals. The Hong Kong Film Award presentation ceremony also takes place in there. The Studio Theatre, with 300 to 496 seats depending upon the set-up, can accommodate smaller-scale theatre and performance works. Then, of course, there's the Exhibition Gallery: 4 foyer exhibition areas, 11 rehearsal and practice rooms.
It short, it's very large. I can't figure out which part features the Film Festival, so I ask someone standing in front of the building. Something I've noticed about native speakers, answering questions asked by tourists who don't speak the language. You get an answer, but since they don't really understand you any better than you understand the language, it's rarely an accurate one. (Like when I was at Itoya paper store in the Ginza District in Japan. I was sent to every floor in the nine story building, until I finally happened to find what I was looking for, in the basement.)It's the same here. The person I asked sent me in the wrong direction, but some fellow tourists who I believe were Australian came over and steered me right. This being the last day, I don't want to miss a minute! My hope is that I will get to watch single every one of the 4 and 1/2 movies that Bruce Lee made. (The last that came out, Game of Death, was finished by a double. To me, except for the scenes where Bruce Lee fights Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Dan Inosanto and others in the Tower of Death, that doesn't count as a Bruce Lee movie. They made his character into someone I am sure Bruce Lee would not have played. But, I digress.)
My hopes were quickly dashed when I found the exhibit, however, as they were no longer showing his movies at the Festival. I had no interest in seeing any other movies, so I spent a couple of wonderful hours looking at the exhibits in minute detail. There was a pair of sunglasses that he wore, the famous yellow suit from Game of Death (copied for Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill"), pictures of Bruce with his wife and children, movie posters (I happen to have two collector's item movie posters from two of my favorite movies of his), clothes he wore, etc.
For me, it was an emotional experience to view even this relatively small collection of Bruce Lee memorabilia generously provided by his family. When I finally finished my scrutiny of every poster, artifact, and writing, I went to do what I love best; buy something to commemorate the event. I saw only one small table where they were selling anything that looked like a souvenir. It turned out to be the book, Bruce Lee Lives! released by his wife and daughter in honor of what would have been his 70th birthday. It's a wonderful book. But I can tell you, whoever planned this exhibition was clearly not an American.
Otherwise, they would have had a plethora of items for sentimental visiters to purchase. One thing we Americans know how to do is sell every item under the sun that is even remotely related to the subject of interest. Like T-shirts, keychains, every one of his training books, DVD's, and so forth. Geez, what a marketing opportunity lost! Everyone who was at the exhibition was having their picture taken in front of the exhibit (except me, of course, since I gave Kentaro back his camera). They were standing in front of the exhibits for long periods of time, just like me, scrutinizing every picture, every word. One would think that the promoters would understand just how intensely devoted Bruce Lee's fans really are. Huge opportunity, missed!! But, so it is.
I went past Chanel, Hermes, even Coach, as I persisted on my search. I was accosted by Indian tailors who insisted I must need clothes made. But I resisted them all and continued on my mission, finally finding the record store, seemingly dead center of this one of many shopping malls crowded together in the area.
I was pointed in the right direction for Bruce Lee movies (luckily, Bruce Lee is a universal term that doesn't require fluency in Cantonese). I quickly bought the four available DVDs, which were documentaries or home footage of Bruce demonstrating his art of Jeet Kune Do. I even found the Hong Kong Legends version, containing all 5 movies plus extra footage for HK$390 ($50 U.S.).
Before coming to the Orient I had done a little research on Bruce Lee movies. I found out there was a Hong Kong Legends version of all the movies that not only contained additional footage, but also had Bruce Lee speaking instead of the lame British/American voice they have in all my copies of his movies. I know the script well enough that I could handle watching it in Cantonese, and I wanted to hear his voice instead of the substitute. But it said the DVDs required a special type of DVD player not available in the U.S. So I asked the clerk about it, he checked the back, and said yes, it was incompatible with U.S. DVD players. I tried to found out where I could get the appropriate DVD player but the language barrier proved too much.
My hopes were quickly dashed when I found the exhibit, however, as they were no longer showing his movies at the Festival. I had no interest in seeing any other movies, so I spent a couple of wonderful hours looking at the exhibits in minute detail. There was a pair of sunglasses that he wore, the famous yellow suit from Game of Death (copied for Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill"), pictures of Bruce with his wife and children, movie posters (I happen to have two collector's item movie posters from two of my favorite movies of his), clothes he wore, etc.
For me, it was an emotional experience to view even this relatively small collection of Bruce Lee memorabilia generously provided by his family. When I finally finished my scrutiny of every poster, artifact, and writing, I went to do what I love best; buy something to commemorate the event. I saw only one small table where they were selling anything that looked like a souvenir. It turned out to be the book, Bruce Lee Lives! released by his wife and daughter in honor of what would have been his 70th birthday. It's a wonderful book. But I can tell you, whoever planned this exhibition was clearly not an American.
Otherwise, they would have had a plethora of items for sentimental visiters to purchase. One thing we Americans know how to do is sell every item under the sun that is even remotely related to the subject of interest. Like T-shirts, keychains, every one of his training books, DVD's, and so forth. Geez, what a marketing opportunity lost! Everyone who was at the exhibition was having their picture taken in front of the exhibit (except me, of course, since I gave Kentaro back his camera). They were standing in front of the exhibits for long periods of time, just like me, scrutinizing every picture, every word. One would think that the promoters would understand just how intensely devoted Bruce Lee's fans really are. Huge opportunity, missed!! But, so it is.Well, reading the book at the nearby Starbucks only whetted my appetite for more Bruce Lee stuff. Besides, here I was in Hong Kong, the only place the Hong Kong Legends version of his movies was supposed to be available. So, where was it??
I went back to the exhibition and the very nice young lady at the small table who was selling the Bruce Lee books. I asked her, where can I get Bruce Lee movies? She was kind enough to write out the address, phone number, and a little map of Hong Kong Records at nearby Harbor City Shopping Mall. Luckily, it was close enough to walk and so I did, following her little map and asking instructions along the way at various stores.
I went past Chanel, Hermes, even Coach, as I persisted on my search. I was accosted by Indian tailors who insisted I must need clothes made. But I resisted them all and continued on my mission, finally finding the record store, seemingly dead center of this one of many shopping malls crowded together in the area.
I was pointed in the right direction for Bruce Lee movies (luckily, Bruce Lee is a universal term that doesn't require fluency in Cantonese). I quickly bought the four available DVDs, which were documentaries or home footage of Bruce demonstrating his art of Jeet Kune Do. I even found the Hong Kong Legends version, containing all 5 movies plus extra footage for HK$390 ($50 U.S.).
Before coming to the Orient I had done a little research on Bruce Lee movies. I found out there was a Hong Kong Legends version of all the movies that not only contained additional footage, but also had Bruce Lee speaking instead of the lame British/American voice they have in all my copies of his movies. I know the script well enough that I could handle watching it in Cantonese, and I wanted to hear his voice instead of the substitute. But it said the DVDs required a special type of DVD player not available in the U.S. So I asked the clerk about it, he checked the back, and said yes, it was incompatible with U.S. DVD players. I tried to found out where I could get the appropriate DVD player but the language barrier proved too much.
By then, I'd spent over an hour and a half just finding the DVD's, and I was wondering if I could fit a DVD player in my overstuffed suitcase, even if I did manage to find the store. Then, I thought about the difference in the type of power source (i.e., the outlets needed) in each country, breathed a sigh of disappointment and decided to pass on the Hong Kong Legends package.
As I wound my way out of the mall (which was connected to another mall, and another in a seemingly endless maze), I happened upon Uniqlo, a store Kentaro introduced me to in Japan. A kind of Forever 21 or Wet Seal, it offers stylish clothes for low prices. Since I left my coat in my large suitcase, back in Japan, it was a bit cold walking around Hong Kong without one. It was supposed to be in the high 70's during my visit, but every day was dawning cold, cloudy, and rainy. So I picked up couple of light sweaters with an Oriental flair, then found my way out onto the street, grabbed a cab and headed back to the hotel (using my handy instruction card from the hotel clerk).
As I wound my way out of the mall (which was connected to another mall, and another in a seemingly endless maze), I happened upon Uniqlo, a store Kentaro introduced me to in Japan. A kind of Forever 21 or Wet Seal, it offers stylish clothes for low prices. Since I left my coat in my large suitcase, back in Japan, it was a bit cold walking around Hong Kong without one. It was supposed to be in the high 70's during my visit, but every day was dawning cold, cloudy, and rainy. So I picked up couple of light sweaters with an Oriental flair, then found my way out onto the street, grabbed a cab and headed back to the hotel (using my handy instruction card from the hotel clerk).I'm always a bit slow to catch on to trends (for example, I didn't become a Bruce Lee fan until the late '90's, long after his death), and when Kentaro repeatedly mentioned Uniqlo to me, I was only mildly interested. There are no logos on the clothes (a must for chic in America!), and there was so much to see there I was overwhelmed. Now that I'm back home, I'm wishing I'd bought more, and there is currently only one Uniqlo in America: In Soho, New York.
Anyway, back at the hotel I went and worked out for an hour prior to poring over my new Bruce Lee book. After all, I am a disciplined individual and a grown-up, right? The minute I finished, however, I went back to the room, changed, and went two floors down to the Tin Tin Lounge for a glass of champagne and a chance to savor my treasure.
Anyway, back at the hotel I went and worked out for an hour prior to poring over my new Bruce Lee book. After all, I am a disciplined individual and a grown-up, right? The minute I finished, however, I went back to the room, changed, and went two floors down to the Tin Tin Lounge for a glass of champagne and a chance to savor my treasure.As it turned out, it was 2 for 1 time at the Tin Tin, so one glass of champagne developed into two glasses. I was already moist eyed, reading over essays about the man I admire so much. The champagne only enhanced my sentimentality, I am sure. But for me, it was a magic couple of hours I spent there before dinner. Lost in my own little world of Bruce Lee, reading different essays about him (half the book is English, the other I believe is Cantonese, but I'm not sure). In Hong Kong, however, Bruce Lee is one of the most universally admired men in the world. So everyone there understood my devotion, and in fact turned up the light over my little table in the dimly lit room, making sure I wouldn't miss an exciting word.
To many (me included), going to a bar or lounge and having a drink is something done with friends and usually means lots of talking, laughing, and dancing. But my memory of that late afternoon on 6 April 2010 at the Tin Tin Lounge in Hong Kong, doing nothing but silently reading a book, is an exquisite one that I will always treasure. Simple things really are the best.
No comments:
Post a Comment