Some chronology for John Joseph Ray
A most scenic drive near where I grew up -- the road from Cairns to Port Douglas
1980
Hong Kong and China
Another trip I took was to Hong Kong with a day-trip to
Communist China and stopovers in Manila on the way there and back: A
bit less than 2 weeks all told.
China under Communism was perhaps only
slightly less squalid than India but much less varied. I got diarrhoea
from the "banquet" I had there.
It is amazing that Indians and Chinese
outside their own countries tend to do so well economically but do so
poorly at home. It shows the importance of the political arrangements
in place because both India and China are large and fertile places with
many natural resources.
Hong Kong is a marvelous place. The income of
the average Hong Konger is about 20 times that of the average Chinese
so it is not a really poor place.
What it is is dynamic. It never
seems to sleep and there is an amazing array of cheap goods to buy.
You always go to Hong Kong with empty ports.
And Hong Kong
shopkeepers really chase a sale. None of the indifferent service you
get in Australia or the U.K.
I came back with a telephone answering
machine, two suits, shoes and a whole lot of other clothing.
Joy
bought a couple of cameras.
And Hong Kong is the only place outside
America that you can get See's candy -- the ”only" candy. We brought
back loads.
While I was there I took a ride on the Hong Kong Metro (subway, underground railway). It was offpeak and my wife and I were the only occidentals in the carriage. A little Chinese boy came trotting down the carriage and spotted this strange white individual (me).
Being a tease, I made “big eyes” at him. And of course in Chinese iconography, wide eyes are associated with demons etc. So the dear little boy ran screaming back to his parents. Again in their usual observant way, however, the Chinese in the carriage had observed what went on and saw the joke. They had a great (but of course restrained) laugh. There is nothing wrong with the Cantonese sense of humour!
The Philippines
The Philippines is interesting -- like a seedy version of
America. We stayed at the Hilton
But never trust any Filipino as far as you can throw him or
her. They are very nice people like the Indians but I doubt that there
is a single honest bone in any Filipino body. It's their culture.
Honesty is not seriously taught. They have to learn a far harder
lesson: Survival.
I went through the slum suburb of Tondo in Manila
with John Timbs, an Australian Roman Catholic priest who works there (a
brother of Patrick Timbs). It was amazing to see people come out of
their hovels immaculately clean. Most unlike India.
The three chief exports of the Philippines are notable: maids, nurses and wives. English is widely taught there. Even some TV programs are in English
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E.&O.E.
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