Hong Kong vs Philippines

 

I do not know if it is just me or if others do it as well, but whenever I go abroad---wait, that makes it sound as if I’ve gone abroad hundreds of times and not, as is the actual case, three, so let me rephrase that last bit: in the few times that I have gone abroad, I could not help but compare our country with the places I visit. The same applies to Hong Kong, which provided what is currently the freshest stamp on my passport. I made a list of things about Hong Kong that make me like it better than the Philippines:




1. Their public transport system ---bus and railway---is infinitely better than ours. The buses and trains arrive when they’re supposed to arrive, leave when they’re supposed to leave and are never as cramped as the ones we have here. Also, you can ride the subway to almost anywhere. But I guess that applies to ALL first world countries, right? (If not, then please educate me, I am ignorant).

2. No pickpockets. Unlike when I go to Quiapo, I pretty much did not take any special precautionary measures to secure my stuff the entire time we were there, but everything remained intact. (Or was I just lucky?).

3. I have never been particularly fashion-conscious (understatement of the year), but I loved how the locals dress there. It wasn’t just because they were chic and stylish, but because, unlike the “fashionable” people here, they didn’t all dress in the same way (although most of them wore dark colors, but I’m guessing that’s only because it’s winter).

4. The Symphony of Lights Show was awesome in itself, but I fell even more in love with it when I found out that it was actually a joint effort of the business establishments and the Hong Kong government. Now that’s governance for you (sorry, I’m a bureaucrat, I can’t help but appreciate these things).

Because I’m patriotic, I also made a list detailing why I like the Philippines better than Hong Kong:

1. Everything’s so expensive there. Our hotel suite caused HK$1,600 a night (and the hotel we stayed at was not even fancy, just the YMCA Salisbury). Each meal, unless you eat in 7-11, would set you back at least HK$50-60. The minimum subway fare is HK$8.5.

If you’re earning British Pounds or US Dollars that might be peanuts for you, but when you’re from a Third World country like me, then yeah, that’s expensive.

2. I cannot, cannot stand the cold. I was already wearing three layers of clothing (shirt, light hoodie and thick jacket) and I still felt cold. I guess that just proves that I’m an island girl through and through.

3. The Philippines just has a greater variety of tourist spots.

4. The Jollibee Spaghetti sold here tastes so much better here than the one sold in Jollibee Hong Kong.

Other Hong Kong-related posts to follow.