The Last Emperor

Whew, I just logged the last of my Vietnam footage in time for Hong Kong. We arrived in port 2 hours ago. Producing a chronological documentary always starts the same way - with a bright and early sunrise. Sometimes it's a bust but other times it's worth the sleep deprivation. Today was worth a waning 4 hours. The city skyline looks like a ultra-modern computer simulated erector set. Stainless steel high rise pierce the sky lending to it's futurist appeal. A super glossed highway winds it way around the ocean bay, snaking through tunnels and bldgs like the introduction to the Jetson's cartoon. It's space age globalization and I love it! This excites me more than any palace, cathedral, temple or pagoda. No matter if a city is grandiose, majestic and opulent, if obvious poverty and inequality exists in the streets, the experience is ruined. I thought seeing the world might help plug up my bleeding heart because it's a miserable burden to be so affected. On the contrary, the world's economic scales are so unevenly tipped it's impossible to look past it. Coming into Hong Kong is a much needed oasis. As will be Beijing, The Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven. I'll be back Wednesday with tales of China's greatest philosopher, dim sum discoveries and new fung shui tips.