Fat Tuesday
Trip Start
Oct 08, 2003
1
3
Trip End
Oct 16, 2003
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
We then hit Crystal's Hong Kong facility where we watched a short film they made for me on the garment testing process. very interesting. We then toured the design and product development studio and reviewed some new style ideas for Fall and Holiday.
Some time later, we said goodbye my new buddy Davies and I hit the streets of Kowloon in search of a good way to spend my remaining Hong Kong Dollars. We bargained with street vendors and walked away with some good stuff.
Heading for dinner later in the evening, I didn't realize that I would be spending the next 4.5 hours watching Cantonese fare arrive at our table. I guess it's a good thing that I am going to gain back 15 hours.. I'll need to make up for Dinner. But it was damn good food and great company. Patrick, one of the head executives from Crystal...shared many stories with me during the course of the meal. A fascinating guy, he is the descendant of Southern Chinese who re-located to an island off the coast of Madagascar. Sounds like a Dr. Evil sort of bio when I think about it. Breathtaking.
Of course, I am finally beginning to understand just how serious the Chinese take their food. Each meal is an experience, and like every other aspect of Chinese life, every single thing that you do or eat is either highly symbolic or good for something.
"Ari...you eat the tofu, it is very good for your lungs."
"Ari...you eat the cabbage, it is very good for your eyesight."
"Ari...you eat the chicken feet, it is very good for walking."
It was getting ridiculous.
Colors and numbers the same.
"Red is good color for you, it is good for prosperity."
"this necklace have 4 charms, one for every season and 4 is also number for long life."
"You have two eyes, this is very good number for safe driving."
The cross-cultural humor continued at dinner tonight when Shirley, head of the women's division, told us about "Bird's Nest", a collection of bird saliva that is "very good for the skin."
I hopefully asked, "you rub it on your skin?"
Nope...you drink it. gross.
Dinner was also highlighted by my adventurous consumption habits veering somewhere towards crazy, when I ate duck's foot and fish stomach. You know what they say..."When in China...."
I'd have to say that Asia is one of the most interesting places that I have ever visited. The people are so wonderful, the food is amazing and the dynamic nature of the geography and local cultural norms is fascinating. I will be sad to leave tommorow for I have made many great friends from both our own company and our vendor partners. It is so wonderful to now have a relationship with these people though, and I know that they will not only be strong business partners, but great friends.
To Asia and Back...
I Hope you enjoyed!
-Ari
