Having been in China for a little over a month now, the single strongest impression I have of the country is its massive population. It’s one thing to read about Beijing’s population of 20 million people, but walking in the streets or riding the subway really puts that number in perspective. I’m especially thankful for my speed-walking tendencies when I’m rushing through a subway station trying to catch a transfer train because it ensures I can get in line quick enough to actually squeeze onto the subway. From what I’ve seen of China so far, the sheer number of people who are commuting, dining, and shopping is a common sight throughout the country.
I recently spent a week in Hong Kong, and the area reminded me of Beijing with just as much bustle. In the U.S., I grew up in a city with a population of barely a million people, so even Hong Kong’s population of 7 million people was overwhelming. In fact, the Hong Kong Book Fair, an annual week-long book-selling extravaganza that is a paradise for book lovers, attracts over a million people each year alone! The line outside the event moved at a snail’s pace for 40 minutes before I actually entered the building, and once inside, the Exhibition Center’s six floors seemed inadequate for all the books and book enthusiasts. After hours of browsing and quite a stationery and book haul (Pride and Prejudice in Chinese, anyone?), I went outside hoping finally to be able to extend my arms horizontally but was instead surrounded by more people at the Golden Bauhinia Square. The square, which has a gilded flower sculpture at its center, is the site of the handover ceremonies in 1997, so it attracts both locals and tourists. From the picture, it’s hard to tell that it was taken by me sticking my camera straight up in the air and blindly pressing capture, and then running from the swarm of people as quickly as possible. I’ll get used to the crowds eventually!
Golden Bauhinia Square, Hong Kong