Sunday, 7 September 2008

Lifestyle for Pets.

At the weekends, our normally quiet little town of Sai Kung gets invaded by thousands of visitors from the highly populated areas of Kowloon, Sha Tin and Hong kong island, just on the other side of the mountains which, like a shield, surrounds Sai Kung and the country park and divide it from the rest of the Kowloon peninsular. The only way to get to Sai Kung from there, is by mini bus, bus or private car. The enormous stream of visitors normally leads to huge traffic jams and depressing long queues both at the local supermarket and at the bus stops. Not surprisingly is the goal that all these visitors aim for, the fresh air, the nature and the free space, that Sai Kung and its country park can offer, after yet another week squeezed together in the small and highly crowded spaces in the city. And together with all these people, and their hunger for space and fresh air, comes all their dogs. Sai Kung seems to be a garden of eden for dogs. Sai Kung itself has a rather big population of dogs, and by the weekends invasion, it becomes massive. It then seems, that there's just dogs everywhere, and as an european it can seem out of proportions how some of these dogs are treated; some of the chinese people act towards their dog as it could be their child. The promenade along the sea front, is the best place to go on; "dog and owner behavior" observation. Dogs dressed in t-shirts or what ever form of clothing, dogs wearing sunglasses or hats, even shoes, you name it, as everything goes. Another god spot to watch, is at some of the restaurants with an outside area, here it is rather normal that dogs even get a chair at the table, being fed by their owners, as was it a child. This relationship between humans and animals is -like most things in Hong Kong- a target for doing some business, and as the people behave -by turning all these projections towards their pets- a solid ground for some awkward shops has been given. Like for instance the new Pets Fasion and lifestyle Outlet store here in Sai Kung. So maybe soon we can also enjoy a pets fashion show, with trendy dogs on the CATwalk.

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