The Mansions

My roommate will undertake that wonderful expatriate pilgrimage known as the “visa run” this weekend.  Chinese visas almost always feature a stipulation that the foreign visitor must leave the country after a certain number of days.  Once the foreigner crosses the border, they are free to reenter China and the countdown starts again.  So basically, if you have a one year visa with a 90 day limit, you must leave China every 90 days and then reenter the country.  You can literally just walk across the border, have your passport stamped, and reenter the country without even waiting, all in one afternoon.  If it sounds stupid, pointless, and confusing….that is because it is.  However, it makes it possible for foreigners to qualify for an excessive amount of vacation days, and I am definitely okay with this. 

The most popular destination for expatriate visa runs is the former British colony of Hong Kong.  I know what you are thinking.  “But Trevor, Hong Kong is part of China now.  Why is it considered a foreign country?  Shouldn’t you have to go to Mongolia or Korea to be considered outside of China?”  Don’t question the logic here folks, because Hong Kong is great.  Hopefully it will remain this way after 2047, when Beijing can “officially” alter Hong Kong’s way of life, but I wouldn’t bet on that horse.  But I digress; look for more on this subject in future posts.  My roommate asked me if I had any recommendations for sightseeing and places to stay.  My answer to both was the same; Chungking Mansions. 

First Floor Bazaar

Quite possibly the world’s most famous and lovable ghetto, Chungking Mansions is a 17 story deathtrap on Nathan Road in Kowloon across the bay from Hong Kong Island.  The Economist basically hit the nail on the head when it labeled Chungking Mansions as the real-life equivalent of the Mos Eisley cantina bar from Star Wars.  No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a visit to the Mansions.  Contained in its walls are people from all over the world, speaking every language imaginable, and living, sleeping, and working within the aging confines of this low rent, high rise slum.  

The Mansions are known for specie (gold and silver) smuggling.  Not to be confused with species smuggling. 

 

I certainly don’t mean to create a negative image of Chungking Mansions by using the world slum to describe it either.  If I was going to live in Hong Kong, the Mansions would be my first choice of accommodation, no matter what kind of budget I had.  Made famous by films, such as Chungking Express and Bloodsport, it embodies the globalized world.  Taking a step inside the carnival-like bazar on the ground floor and not having someone offer to sell you a fake Rolex is simply impossible.  And honestly, who can’t use another fake Rolex?  Many of the travelers staying in the building’s cramped (I am talking closet sized here) youth hostels are thrill seeking, broke tourists like me.  Looking for cheap accommodation and willing to sacrifice fire safety for chance to be in the “middle” of the world’s most exciting city.  The building’s exposed wiring and lack of sunlight go a long way to facilitate the idea the Mansions is a world unto itself, not governed by any external force.

The building's dilapidated facade

This metaphor certainly extends to Hong Kong as a whole.  After reverting to Chinese authority in 1997, the former Crown Colony remains resistant to encroachment from Beijing.  I myself witnessed this year’s joint “Return British Sovereignty” (yeah, it’s a thing.  I was shocked too) and “Autonomy Movement” protest on January 1st.  And with Beijing’s crackdown on freedom of the press in Hong Kong, it is little wonder why the lawless, freewheeling atmosphere of the Mansions has become a symbol for the city over the years.   

One of the building's inner courtyards.   

     

You simply have to love the irony.  In a city synonymous with wealth, extravagance, and the rich/famous, the most exciting and interesting place just happens to be a ghetto.  And why not?  For every person with an interesting story to tell, living in a bungalow on Victoria Peak, Chungking Mansions has ten.  Albeit, in much more unsafe and cramped conditions. 

Not exactly up to "code', but whatever

Spacious Accommodations

It didn’t take long for the Mansions to work its way onto my roommate’s itinerary, and it is perfectly understandable why.  A trip to Hong Kong just isn’t complete without a visit to Chungking. 

Truly a city within a city