Monday, May 9, 2016

Hong Kong's fading English feel

I could never praise this wonderful city enough. It is modern, bustling, clean, energetic and has a great mix of urban prowess, nature and culture. 

Like every other place on earth, Hong Kong is rapidly changing and reinventing itself. The biggest change I notice in the city now, compared to 2004 when I first visited is that the English feel and heritage are fading. Back then, a lot more of the English accents sounded like the Queen's English. 

Sure, high tea is popular, the streets bear the names of the colonisers and English is widely in use and more or less enough to get around most of the neighbourhoods, but Hong Kong is slowly evolving into what it calls itself - Asia's World City. An international city that is at the forefront of financial services. 

There is a craze for international brands and a growing awareness of environmental issues, a springing up of vegan and vegetarian restaurants, rising intolerance of mainland Chinese and a host of things both good and bad. I have always found the city and its inhabitants friendly and helpful.