Hong Kong, City Secrets: Rugby Sevens

04.06.2010

I have a confession. I went to the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens during a spell of what I?d to believe was temporary amnesia. I trooped to the Hong Kong Stadium at Causeway Bay ? despite my annual post-Sevens vow that I will NOT endure another year of the wheat-stenched South Stand (the stadium?s hooligan headquarters) madness, which includes urine-filled beer jugs flailing about, indecent exposure and a whole lot of drunken debauchery from expats and tourists alike.

I have a confession. I went to the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens during a spell of what I?d to believe was temporary amnesia. I trooped to the Hong Kong Stadium at Causeway Bay ? despite my annual post-Sevens vow that I will NOT endure another year of the wheat-stenched South Stand (the stadium?s hooligan headquarters) madness, which includes urine-filled beer jugs flailing about, indecent exposure and a whole lot of drunken debauchery from expats and tourists alike.

 

In Hong Kong, the Rugby Sevens is to men what Halloween is to women. The female wardrobe du jour (a sweeping generalization) fell into a few categories: cheerleader, air hostess, tutu-dressed-something, discount-Avatar, and the curious choice of Where?s Waldo. But the men dominated the dress-up game with through-the-roof effort. I saw everything from Steve Erwin, the boys from The Hangover movie, pharaohs, an Arab sheikh, an iPhone, sushi, TinTin and Top Gear?s The Stig, to the Mad Hatter and a cross-dressed Alice in Wonderland, Tiger Woods, Care Bears, and Mao Zedong. To say the least, it was an impressive turnout. What was more interesting was how the costumed Sevens zealots were a living, breathing ?year in review.? (Case in point, ?Tiger Woods? was humping every girl he encountered. Slightly crude behavior aside, you can?t deny their wit.)

 

Frankly, I?m not too sure where this dress-up phenomenon began. How did dressing in your country?s color evolve/devolve into a fancy-dress wildcard spectacle? But, as they say, if you can?t beat them, join them.

 

P.S. ? I went as Farmer Joe. Better yet, someone asked my friend and I, ?Are you Paris and Nicole from The Simple Life?? Psssssh ?. !

 

Visit www.hksevens.com for details.