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Dragon Boat Festival

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  1. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skyhook:
    Is that a form of reverse racism that you're suffering or what's psychologically known as white mans burden ?

    Interesting phenomenon, and if I were to reflect upon immigrants living in western countries, nice to see that their cultural spirit is openly enjoyed in the west. Nothing would be weirder to me than Asians back in Melbourne not getting involved in local community events, one of my friends actually supplied/financed the first HK made Dragon Boats in Melbourne that are used every CNY.

    HK has had gweilos living in HK for 169 years, like it or not sweetness, but we Europeans are also part of the resident community/history here, and Dragon Boat racing, like yachting is part of the spirit, nice to see non Chinese folks contribute/participate in such a popular event, that is shared by ALL residents.

    Rant over
    I tend to agree with you when it comes to the dragon boat festival celebration itself and to cultural identity in general. It is emergent rather than essentialist, and it tends to incorporate many different cultural inputs. However, when I think of DB itself, as a place to live, it seems to be much more of a colonialist model, not accepting or assimilating, but simply trying to reproduce something of US or Australia (less so Europe from the little that I observed, but I did see very little) in Hong Kong. That is something I wouldn't enjoy but I can easily see people who are in HK for reasons other than experiencing life in a new culture (whether short term contracts, corporate transfers, money) seeing this as an easy way to transition to life in an otherwise strange new world.

  2. #32

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    Folks as think mollie is talking about the fact that lots of gweilos were drunk and noisy on the boat back took island.....not reverse racism or such sort of crap....


  3. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by fraxbo:
    I tend to agree with you when it comes to the dragon boat festival celebration itself and to cultural identity in general. It is emergent rather than essentialist, and it tends to incorporate many different cultural inputs. However, when I think of DB itself, as a place to live, it seems to be much more of a colonialist model, not accepting or assimilating, but simply trying to reproduce something of US or Australia (less so Europe from the little that I observed, but I did see very little) in Hong Kong. That is something I wouldn't enjoy but I can easily see people who are in HK for reasons other than experiencing life in a new culture (whether short term contracts, corporate transfers, money) seeing this as an easy way to transition to life in an otherwise strange new world.
    Discovery Bay is like Australia ? Really ? It's nothing like Australia in any way that I can relate to.. Melbourne where I am from shares a lot more in common with Paris than what Hong Kong does lol Hong Kong shares nothing visually in common with Paris....

    Discovery bay is a gated/restricted community and very much a local creation, but just because non Chinese folks who work/run/manage HKIA who happen to have children choose to live there, then it's somehow like Australia or the USA lol

    Using that logic in reverse then, Glen Waverley, Balwyn, Kew, Donvale, Boxhill, Templestowe and Doncaster look like China ? Just because a fair percentage of the Melbourne Chinese community lives there ?

    Pffft !
    Last edited by Skyhook; 24-06-2012 at 03:06 PM.

  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skyhook:
    Discovery Bay is like Australia ? Really ? It's nothing like Australia in any way that I can relate to.. Melbourne where I am from shares a lot more in common with Paris than what Hong Kong does lol Hong Kong shares nothing visually in common with Paris....

    Discovery bay is a gated/restricted community and very much a local creation, but just because non Chinese folks who work/run/manage HKIA who happen to have children choose to live there, then it's some how like Australia or the USA lol


    Pffft !
    I'm genuinely interested in your interpretation of it as you seem to disagree with my assessment. As I said I visited one afternoon on an atypical day, so I might be mistaken. However the people living there and the look of the place reminded me of some California coastal communities (particularly around San Diego) and some of the beach areas around Sydney. I have not visited Melbourne so I can't assess whether it is like Paris, where I lived for five years as a youth. It must be rather nice I suppose.

  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by fraxbo:
    I'm genuinely interested in your interpretation of it as you seem to disagree with my assessment. As I said I visited one afternoon on an atypical day, so I might be mistaken. However the people living there and the look of the place reminded me of some California coastal communities (particularly around San Diego) and some of the beach areas around Sydney. I have not visited Melbourne so I can't assess whether it is like Paris, where I lived for five years as a youth. It must be rather nice I suppose.

    Let me get this straight, you are comparing Sydney, ie places like Bondi, Cottage Point, Watsons Bay, Vaucluse etc and one of the best looking natural harbours in the world, to Discovery Bay ? WOW

    Sorry, but I don't see anything architecturally similar either, houses here are NOTHING like homes constructed back in Melbourne or Sydney.

    Photos for reference
    Melbourne Australia - Flickr: Search

    St Kilda Melbourne - Flickr: Search

    Williamstown Australia - Flickr: Search

    Sirens Williamstown - Flickr: Search

    http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Albe...k.%20Australia

    http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&...tralia+&m=text






    Cottage Point Sydney - Flickr: Search

    Bondi Beach Sydney - Flickr: Search
    Last edited by Skyhook; 24-06-2012 at 03:19 PM.

  6. #36

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    Do you live in DB by any chance? If so you may be proving my hypothesis true in anecdotal form. Your love of your home in Australia is admirable, but need not detract from your appreciation or or affection for Hong Kong. It is a very naturally beautiful and artificially beautiful place. There is no reason you can't appreciate those things as well. Maybe you don't like it as much as Melbourne or Sydney but the fact that both are set on beautiful harbors and are major cities sans there is a naturl base of similarity from which to build. At discovery bay the low rise architecture and the semi resort feel all recalled Sydney and San Diego for me.


  7. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by HowardCoombs:
    Oh, yes - I had completely forgotten about that tragic incident.
    Hiphongkong.com- Daily Musings - Death on Dragonboat Day

    I had not seen that webpage (and its comments) before; just found it while searching...very sad indeed.
    He was a friend of mine and a member of Geoexpat.

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