The Lost Tales of Hong Kong: A Collection of Short EssaysBy Siu Si (Author), Alice Cheng (Editor and Translator)Feeling nostalgic? Fancy a trip down memory lane in an exotic city? There is no need to wait, especially if you need a break to relax.Today, the world seems to get more crowded by the minute. People speak more loudly than they intend. Pedestrians walk in a hurry. You have a sudden craving for your favorite childhood snacks that no longer exist. In your mind's eye, you watch your parents' retreating figures as they shuffle their feet down a dirt path toward the setting sun. The Lost Tales of Hong Kong has the capacity to transport you in space to a former British colony in South East Asia and in time back to the mid-20th century. In a different place, at a different time, kids grew up in a neighborhood where everyone knew each other. Laundry was hanging out to dry on bamboo poles. The tram tinged. A street vendor balancing a tray of white-sugar sponge cake on the head chanted: BAAK - TONG - GOU.It was an era of great struggle for most people before the city became a bustling metropolis. But life could be filled with simple pleasures. A plethora of bubbles rose enthusiastically when a bottle of soda was opened. Some of the bubbles broke apart into tiny water droplets and sprayed a laughing little girl in the face. On an evening in November, a young father hugged a bag of warm roasted sweet potatoes close to his chest as he went into the cinema with his preteen daughter.A quiet traveler hit the road to observe the change of four seasons. In summer, two butterflies rested on a low fence. Tow-colored pigeons flew random loops. In autumn, there was the scratching sound of a leaf rake. The sky was a wide expanse of unbroken blue painted with wax crayon. In winter, winds were gusting. Wild reeds were waving. Two towering trees with bare branches reminded one of woodcut prints. In spring, an oriole returned home from a distant land. She had a love story to tell.From the author who received the Hong Kong Arts Development Council's Life Achievement Award in 2015, this collection of short essays is a breath of fresh air.