P.S. My Mom Was Wrong...and Other Hong Kong Thoughts

Why, you may ask, was my mother wrong?  If you are reading this blog, go back to the entry about Mom and "Third Persons."  And I am proof she was very wrong.  You see, I have been sitting in the Shangri-La Hotel in beautiful downtown Hong Kong, with a racked up knee, foot and right hand.  And I have never had more attention in my life -- not even by my Mom!!

After observing all the HK Asians working here, I have to say our American hotels could learn many lessons from them!  They are always smiling -- and without their hands out for a tip.  And they are always accommodating.  For instance, we went to their cafe for lunch yesterday -- a humongous buffet with food from all nations.   But I was in a wheelchair.  They pushed me to a table close to the beginning of the buffet stations and proceeded to tell me that one of their servers would either go with me to pick things out OR bring me things to the table!  The manager dropped by to say hi.  The servers all stopped to see if we needed anything.  So today we went back to the cafe.  This time we decided to order from the menu.  And Keith, the manager, dropped by to "chat".  I found out he has a baby girl expected in June, June 11th to be precise.  And his birthday is on June 13th.  So is his mother's.  Oh, and he has one brother who is married with a one year old son.  But this will be the first girl in his family in ages -- and she will be named "Charming."  And he bought his mother an apartment in the building next to his, so he could take care of her.  THEN he offered us a free dessert, if we wanted.  You know us.  We wanted!!

And last night we had dinner at the hotel's 2-star Michelin rated Cantonese restaurant.  FIrst time we've eaten at a 2-star, that we remember.  So we had exquisite and weird dishes, surrounded by only other Asians, enjoying the adventure.  And the restaurant manager spent time explaining the dishes to us in detail, so we knew what we were eating.  He had worked in Japan for 12 years and after the nuclear meltdown, moved his family to Hong Kong to safeguard them.  When the meal was over and we were safely ensconced in our room, he sent a waiter to our door to give us a printout in a leather folder of the meal we had just consumed.  Above and beyond!!  And they took me through their 1000 bottle wine cellar to avoid stairs in the wheelchair.

These "third persons" are so kind, accommodating, smart (not to mention fit and thin!) I was jealous.  The concierge contacted all the airlines for our trip home tomorrow, and has Cathay Pacific employees ready to stay with us through customs all the way to the plane -- and pick us up in CHicago and take us to American, which says they cannot help.  They do it all with a smile, quickly, when noone else would help quickly.

And, sorry, Mom, I want to be Asian.  With those lithe figures, that industriousness, that long straight hair and those gorgeous complexions that seem to hide age beautifully.  Yes, I really do!!  So I have to take back all Mom's rants and raves about Asians and, although I know I can't change races this late in the game, I can try to model myself on their inherently cheerful attitudes and ability to work hard!!

This was an excellent stay at a wonderful hotel, despite the accident.  And maybe it was BECAUSE of the accident.  I had time to sit in the expansive lobby and observe hundreds of people moved through there with help from a dozen Asian girls, who seamlessly guided them to the proper counters.  We have never had such service anywhere in the world before!!  In the US we need to teach "courtesy" to our young ones.  They certainly have it down in Hong Kong.

So...would I go back to Hong Kong again??  In a flash.  Yes.  Even with the 15 hour flight ahead of us.  The accident, maybe fortuitous, gave me a chance to reevaluate!!!

REALLY, THE END!!