Wandering Wednesdays

This week’s Wandering Wednesday comes from Hong Kong. Back in 2006 I had the chance to circumnavigate the globe on two different sailing vessels. The first was the illustrious SV Robert C. Seamans… which is an unfortunate name for a ship. The second one was the MV Explorer which was more of a floating fortress than a vessel. When on board it was often times more like living on board a Sci-Fi space ship than any ship of the seas I had yet to live on. Fitting then that we should have found ourselves in Hong Kong.

6532_574378274367_19600029_33881986_2529610_n — Hong Kong

Hong Kong is like the interior of a pinball machine fused with scenes from Blade Runner. All of the old world charm as remained in the city but has been bred with an eye stunning sense of technology. It is anachronistic at best, with vibrant traditions flourishing next to a modern generation that is rushing towards the future with break neck speed.

n82300949_30253957_6987 — SV Robert C. Seamans

I was in port for only a few days with my good friends Meredith and Ryan Sheldon before we decided to hop a ferry to mainland China and travel up the coast by train.

The picture up top is of the night before we left, out on deck on the Explorer. We had just got back from exploring an alleyway that specialized in chicken feet and bars that were made out of ice and provided its patrons with fur coats. It was one of the many serpentine cobble-stoned alleys of Hong Kong that would crawl through the heart of the city. It’s sides were covered with novelty stalls laden with costume items and bobbles for you cell phones. The other side would be covered in stalls that had earth stained vegetables and roots.

I still wish I had taken more time there, I really only got the chance to step into the city before it flung me out. I’m envious of my friends that have had the chance to set up shop there and hold on as the world spins past them.

This summer we are just going to have to try it again I suppose.