Drag queens and refugee tales: touring the ‘real’ Hong Kong

Guide Michael Tsang was capable of take vacationers freely round Asia’s monetary hub in 2019, introducing them the town’s protest motion, explaining “one country, two systems” and exhibiting them scenes of financial inequality.
Since the coronavirus pandemic lower off overseas guests and a sweeping nationwide safety regulation handed final 12 months restricted what Tsang’s excursions may present, his enterprise has been hit laborious. So he shifted to draw native residents with activism excursions, together with the town’s LGBT motion and refugee group.

During an August tour he took 30 folks to a drag present with an individual referred to as “MissTina UglyHaira” who types herself after singer Christina Aguilera. Prancing up and down a bar within the metropolis’s Soho district in excessive heels and a mesh prime, Tina particulars a few of her life tales earlier than lip syncing and gyrating for the viewers, who applaud loudly.
Karen Lai, who stated she had a “very conservative” upbringing, referred to as the expertise eye opening. “I realized it is nothing like my parents said,” stated Lai, 29.
Tsang, who stop his finance job in 2016 to start out Hong Kong Free Tours, stated he wished to assist deliver concord to society and interact folks from completely different aspects of life.

The excursions, which additionally present the town’s disappearing heritage, non secular variety, socio-economic inequality and housing disaster, are a far cry from typical procuring and foodie journeys.
“Society is so polarized these days, so we try to do something to try and resolve the issue,” he informed Reuters.
One of Tsang’s excursions visits the town’s famed Chungking Mansions, a labyrinthine advanced with ethnic eating places, guesthouses and shops promoting all the things from low cost telephones to burqas.

Social employee Jeffrey Andrews, a Hong Kong resident of Indian descent, launched tour goers to small family-owned companies contained in the advanced. He defined that some folks have been apprehensive as a result of the subjects have been typically delicate, together with political and spiritual persecution.
“It’s really representing the diversity in Hong Kong… it’s what we are aiming for – people to connect,” Andrews stated.
Sally See, 22, stated that in addition to exhibiting her new issues, the tour lined plenty of subjects that Hong Kongers hardly ever speak about.
“We get to meet strangers and talked with more people,” she stated. “I think it’s really fun, especially now we are stuck in Hong Kong, so I feel like I am a tourist again.”