Destination? HKG

As a first Asian hemisphere experience I chose Hong Kong; an interesting decision considering its current situation. I was astonished by the amount of shopping malls that can be found on this island. Whether you are looking for shoes, bags, food, cosmetics, souvenirs; the malls have it all. Although during the week people don't shop as much, come on the weekend and you will see people making a day out of going to these shopping centres. So, my first impression of Hong Kong you ask ? An island who's economy thrives off food, beverage and shopping. Now, don't get me wrong i'm all about retail therapy but I also long for a less materialistic approach to life.

However, even while being very material oriented, Hong Kong will still hold a special place in my artistic mind. If you open your eyes wide enough and tilt your head up to the ceilings high enough, you will find that these malls are architectural masterpieces. They even have bathrooms that resemble museum installations and forms that paint a picture effortlessly. This is not just something that happens in the mall, the entire island is built in a "form meets function" way. From hotels, to bridges, to towers, to unique pieces of furniture; Hong Kong is the design central.

This first Asian extravaganza has taught me that beautiful things are often not for the eye to see at first glance. It takes an extra 50 degree rotation of the neck upwards or 10 additional seconds of eye focus to realise the beauty of simplicity. The simplicity lies in the fact that something so mundane can be turned into a masterpiece that only a few will have the chance to realise.

Come to Hong Kong for the art museums? A waste of time in my opinion, just look up or down or to the left or the right and find yourself in one of the biggest art museums of the world. That is: the city, the malls, the streets... the bathrooms. Hong Kong is the museum and you are the one that decides what museum you want to make of it.