Hong Kong Flower Festival.
Hong Kong.
Life in Hong Kong.
I have now been living in Hong Kong since 1996, so felt it was about time I wrote some information about Hong Kong. The problem is, though I have been here so long I almost never do anything touristy here any more, so instead of running around madly redoing everything - where on earth would I find time - I will be doing this page very, very slowly as I re-encounter parts of Hong Kong and happen to have my camera on me. The most accurate depiction of life in Hong Kong would involve sky high buildings, mountains, beautiful islands, busy streets, Chinese temples, traffic jams; shops, shops and more shops, a very international assortment of restaurants and lovely sandy beaches next to a rather more murky sea.
The Peak.
The Peak on Hong Kong Island is the highest mountain in Hong Kong and probably its most famous sight. You can get here on a funicular railway called the Peak tram or by number 15 bus from Exchange Square Bus Station, Central. There is a shopping centre at the top of the Peak and a Ripley's Believe it or not. There are restaurants, too. You can also walk to the governor's gardens, or take a walk around the Peak. On clear days there are great views over the harbour. Be careful though most days in Hong Kong are smoggy.
View from the Peak.
Mansion on the Peak.
View from the Peak.
Repulse Bay.
Repulse Bay is on the south of Hong Kong Island. You can get here by number 6 bus from Exchange Square Bus Station, Central. There is a lovely clean beach and at the far end of the beach you can visit the Lifesaver's Temple.
Repulse Bay.
Repulse Bay.
Stanley.
This is also on the south side of Hong Kong Island. It has a lovely beach and a market which sells lots of different souvenirs. It also has many restaurants. It is close to St Stephen's which has a beach and a war cemetery.
Aberdeen.
This is also located on the south side of Hong Kong Island. You can get here by bus from Central. It has a busy harbour, many boat houses and the Jumbo floating restaurant which you can reach by boat.
Aberdeen.
Aberdeen.
Causewaybay.
Central Library.
Central Library is located in Causewaybay near Victoria Park. It is a fairly new building and has several interesting sculptures around it. Inside of course there are several floors filled with books including English books. There is a little gift shop on the ground floor and a very peaceful and pleasant DeliFrance just outside on the ground floor. The Delifrance has indoor and outdoor seating. The library is an oasis of calm in Causewaybay. My photos are taken at the Hong Kong Garden Festival in Victoria Park and show the library in the background, so you would only see it looking like this during the festival.
Central Library.
Central Library.
Sculptures Around Central Library.
It was my school's annual PTA Christmas dinner the other night. School finishes at 4 and the dinner starts at 7, so with no real time to go home and back, I decided to walk to Causewaybay and take some photos. I started with the sculptures around Central Library. Central Library is located in opposite Victoria Park. It has English and Chinese books and a peaceful Deli-France restaurant at the back. Around the outside of the library there are a variety of different sculptures.
Sculptures Around Central Library.
Sculptures Around Central Library.
Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, Causeway Bay.
I kept seeing this fancy looking Chinese building from my bus on the way to school. I decided to find out what it was. It turned out to be a beautiful Chinese style church called St. Mary's Episcopal Church. There has been a church at this site since 1911. The church was rebuilt in Chinese-Anglican architectural style in 1937. It was consecrated after the Second World War in 1949. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to go inside the building, but the exterior is certainly very attractive and striking. The church is located at 2A Tai Hang Road, Causewaybay.
Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, Causeway Bay.
Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, Causeway Bay.
Po Leung Kuk Headquarters, Causewaybay.
Po Leung Kuk is a charitable organisation in Hong Kong. Among other things it runs many different schools. The Po Leung Kuk Headquarters are located at 66 Leighton Road in Causeway Bay. These headquarters are noticeable for their impressive looking Chinese style gate and pagoda. The headquarters also house a museum which displays the historic documents of Po Leung Kuk. The Old Hall and the Exhibition Hall of the Po Leung Kuk Headquarters are open to the public.
Po Leung Kuk Headquarters, Causewaybay.
Po Leung Kuk Headquarters, Causewaybay.
Po Leung Kuk Headquarters, Causewaybay.
Christmas Decorations.
Hong Kong likes to indulge in over the top Christmas decorations. Christmas or Chinese New Year are a good time to take a ferry trip on the harbour at night to see the buildings all lit up. Hong Kong's Shopping Malls - of which there are so many - do the best decorations. Try Ocean Terminal that is, in my opinion, the most over the top. Pacific Place and Festival Walk are good, too. The decorations in my photos are from Causewaybay. Most of them are outside Times Square - a big shopping and restaurant complex. Even the clock was festive. There were several snow globe decorations around Causewaybay this year. The idea is the decorations are inside a snow globe and you make a donation to charity to go inside it and have your photo taken. Most people were just standing in front of them for free when I was there so not sure how successful it was.
Christmas Decorations.
Christmas Decorations.
Christmas Decorations.
Christmas Decorations.
Christmas Decorations.
Christmas Decorations.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park lies on the edge of Causewaybay in the direction of Tin Hau. It is a welcome green area in the heart of one of the most built up areas of Hong Kong. The park is an excellent place for a stroll and a spot of people watching. If you come early in the morning, you can watch people performing tai chi here. Another fun spot is the boat pond where small kids and bigger adult kids sail their remote controlled boats. There are also lots of sporting facilities here such as swimming pools, tennis courts and basketball courts. The park plays host to a lot of festivals such as the Hong Kong Flower Show; Hong Kong Shopping Expo; international tennis championships and the June 4th candlelight vigil in remembrance of the Tiannamen Square Massacre. At the top end of the park gazing towards Hong Kong's excellent Central Library sits a statue of Queen Victoria after whom the park is named. This statue has a rich history which includes being rescued from a rubbish heap after the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during world war II, and being battered by a hammer and covered in red paint by a lone attacker just prior to the handover in 1997. Entry to the park is free and if there is an event going on it is generally very reasonably priced. You can get here by taking the MTR to Causewaybay or Tin Hau and following exit signs for the park. Well worth a stroll. I recently wandered around Victoria Park slowly really paying attention to the things I normally just pass by without noticing. My conclusion is someone, somewhere really cares for this park and has landscaped multiple little scenes into it beautifully. I will let my photos speak for themselves.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park.
Victoria Park.
Every year a wonderful flower festival is held in this park. It has district garden competitions, bonsai competitions, flower filled floats and much, much more.
Flower Festival.
The Noon Day Gun.
I had around an hour to spare before meeting my husband and a friend for dinner in Causewaybay, so I decided to visit the noon day gun. The reason for this was I had just seen a picture of it in the paper that morning being fired by a Leicester City player out in Hong Kong for the 2016 Soccer Sevens. The noon day gun is on the seafront in front of the Excelsior Hotel. It can be reached via a tunnel which can be accessed near the hotel, or by climbing over the overpass at the bottom of Victoria Park. The noon day gun belongs to Jardine Matheson Holdings who have been an important company in Hong Kong since around 1842. At that time they had a lot of warehouses on the waterfront where the noon day gun is located and whenever an important tai-pan was arriving there by boat, they used to fire a gun in salute. Legend has it that a newly arrived senior British naval officer was angered by this practice as he felt a gun salute should only be fired for important government officials. As a penalty for their unacceptable behaviour Jardine Matheson were ordered to fire a gun at noon every day forever and they still do it to this day. The gun is also fired at midnight to welcome in a new year. Hong Kong's noon day gun was made famous by Noel Coward in his song 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen'.
'Mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun.
The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this foolish habit
In Hong Kong they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun
To reprimand each inmate, who's in late.'
The Noon Day Gun.
The Noon Day Gun.
The Noon Day Gun.
Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter.
I went recently to have another look at the noon day gun which is right next to Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter . The typhoon shelter is quite interesting and scenic, though to be honest, this area is currently in the centre of a major construction drive and is a total mess with its forest of cranes, no entry signs and army of construction workers in hard hats. However, visiting this area led me to looking up Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter on line and I was totally shocked to discover that at one point it was to be expanded but this was delayed due to lack of funds and in 1906 there was an absolutely horrendous typhoon that resulted in a massive number of deaths, around 15,000, most of them fishermen whose boats sank in the typhoon. This occurred on September 18th 1906. In other countries such a shocking event would be commemorated. Here it is largely ignored and unknown. Those of us who live in Hong Kong nowadays don't know how lucky we are. Slopes are concreted to prevent landslides in the frequent torrential rain and buildings are designed to sway in typhoons.
Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter.
Tin Hau Temple, Tin Hau.
This temple is on Tin Hau Temple Road in Tin Hau near Causewaybay. Tin Hau is the goddess of the sea. This temple was built by the Tai family in the early 18th century and is still looked after by the Tai family nowadays. The Tai family were Hakkas from Guangdong. Legend states that while they were collecting grass in Causeway Bay, they discovered a statue of the goddess Tin Hau lying among the grass so they built a temple to her on this site. The temple has beautiful carved dragons on its roof and paintings of gods on its temple doors. It is a popular site of worship.
Tin Hau Temple, Tin Hau
Horse Racing
Most Chinese people believe in luck. They love to gamble. The only legal gambling in Hong Kong is on horse racing. For casinos you would need to go to Macau. There are two race courses here: one in Sha Tin, the other in Happy Valley. Both are run by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Both are very popular.
Horse racing.
Central.
Statue Square.
Statue Square is right in the heart of Central district. It was created at the end of the 19th century and was originally called Statue Square because it housed statues of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Edward VII and Sir Thomas Jackson the chief manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) from 1876 to 1902. These status together with the bronze lion statues from outside the nearby Hong Kong Shanghai Bank building were all removed by the Japanese during World War II. At the end of the war, Sir Thomas Jackson was returned to the square, the lions to outside the HSBC building and Queen Victoria to Victoria Park. The other statues were lost. Statue Square is bordered by the HSBC and Bank of China to the north, the Princes Building to the west and the beautiful old Legco Building (formerly the supreme court) to the west and the cenotaph to the south. Statue Square was once very close to Victoria Harbour but is now quite far away due to land reclamation. An interesting time to visit Statue Square is on Sundays - maids day off - the whole of the square is covered with Filipinas. Walk under the futuristic new HSBC building and the sound of the maids chatter is like the chirping of thousands of small birds. Statue Square is also home to Hong Kong Winter Fest around Christmas time and always has a huge tree.
Statue Square.
Statue Square.
Statue Square.
Sculptures In Exchange Square, Central.
There are several wonderful sculptures in Exchange Square next to the IFC Building in Central, Hong Kong. The standing and lying down water buffalo are two such statues. These were created by Dame Elisabeth Frink, a leading figure in British sculpture. Fink studied at the Chelsea School of Art from 1949 to 1953. She created a lot of animal sculptures suitable for viewing outdoors. Hong Kong Land commissioned her Water Buffalo statues in 1986. Another lovely sculpture in Exchange Square, Central is Sitting Couple. It is made of bronze and was created by Lynn Chadwick between 1989 and 1990. Lynn Chadwick was a British sculptor. He was born in Barnes, London in 1914. He died at Lypiatt Park, Gloucestershire. There is also a Henry Moore Sculpture here. The sculpture is called 'Oval with Points'. It is located in Exchange Square. Even if you are not into art, it is a pleasant place to sit!!! It looks like a figure eight and eight is lucky in Chinese so maybe that is why it is popular. Exchange Square also has two sculptures by Taiwanese sculptor, Ju Ming. These depict people doing tai chi, a very popular activity here. Ju Ming was born in 1938. He became famous in Taiwan in the 1970's, and in New York in the 80's.
Sculptures In Exchange Square, Central.
Sculptures In Exchange Square, Central.
Sculptures In Exchange Square, Central.
Sculptures In Exchange Square, Central.
Sculptures In Exchange Square, Central.
Chater Garden.
This garden is to the east of the Legco Building. It is a pleasant place to stop and sit or maybe grab a sandwich for lunch. The park has a tree walk, fountains and sculptures. It is very much an urban park, surrounded by roads and tall buildings. As it is so close to Legco many political demonstrations, take place here. The gardens were built in the 1970s and opened in 1978. They are on the former site of the Hong Kong Cricket Club located here from 1851 to 1975, then moved to Wong Nai Chung Gap.
Chater Garden.
City Hall, Central.
The City Hall in Central dates from the 1950's. The site contains a library, registry office, pleasant garden with sculptures, cafe and theatres. You can come here to watch ballet or listen to classical music. Events are listed on-line or drop into the lobby and pick up some information leaflets. The original City Hall was on the site now occupied by the HSBC. It was a much grander building but was sadly demolished.
City Hall, Central.
Hong Kong Maritime Museum.
This museum is located at pier 8 of the outlying ferry piers in Central. We visited here with our classes for a school trip. The best bit of the museum for me was its wonderful huge glass windows with great views over the harbour and star ferry pier. The museum is located on three floor or decks. The bottom floor deals with the maritime history of Hong Kong and includes sections on sampans, junks, sailing ships, trade and pirates. The next floor had information about ferries, marine life, marine pollution. The top floor was about navigating ships. Several of the exhibits were interactive. The children we took along enjoyed trying to pull up a huge diving helmet, looking for objects in a sand pit and separating them into things that should be in the ocean and things that should not, and listening to different ship sounds. Tel: +852 3713 2500. Fax: +852 2813 8033. Email: [email protected]. Opening Hours 09:30 - 17:30 (Monday to Friday);10:00 - 19:00 (Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays); Closed on the first two days of the Chinese New Year. Ticket Information: HK$30 for Adults, HK$15 for seniors/students, children and disabled (aged 60 and above, with valid ID, under 18, and accompanied by a carer), respectively. The museum has clean toilets and a gift shop.
Hong Kong Maritime Museum.
Hong Kong Maritime Museum.
The Man Mo Temple.
This was my second visit to the Man Mo Temple. I visited soon after coming to Hong Kong and have not been back for around 18 years. This temple is dedicated to Man - the God of Literature and Mo - the God of War. It was built in 1847 and entrusted to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in 1908. In 2009 it was listed as a Grade I historic building. This temple is interesting to visit. It was crowded with worshippers when I went. The ceiling is covered with great coils of burning incense and the temple is filled with many red lanterns. Address:124-126 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan.
The Man Mo Temple.
The Man Mo Temple.
The Man Mo Temple.
Hong Kong's New Ferris Wheel.
When I returned to Hong Kong after spending the summer in Europe, I was surprised to see a semi-built ferris wheel on the waterfront at Central. Each day when I went to the bus stop to wait for my bus up to work, a new part of the wheel would be visible. Despite the fact it has been complete for a while, the wheel has only just become open in December 2014. I stood and watched it rotating slowly before my visit to the cinema last Tuesday and when I left after the film the wheel was beautifully lit up at night. It is a slow rotating wheel which is there for viewing purposes. It looks out over Victoria Harbour. The wheel was the idea of the company Swiss AEX who also built the Bangkok Ferris Wheel. The wheel is 60 metres high and has 42 gondolas which can each hold 8 to 10 passengers. It will operate daily from 10am to 11pm for day time and night time views. A ride on the wheel costs $100 for adults and $70 for children.
Hong Kong Park.
Hong Kong Park lies between Admiralty and Central. You can enter it by taking the MTR to Admiralty, going into Pacific Place shopping mall, then taking the escalators up towards the British consulate. The park is surrounded by tall buildings, but it is still a very pleasant spot for a visit. On the park grounds there is a large open aviary; a conservatory showcasing the flora of different climatic zones such as desert, tropical; there is a teaware museum housed in Flagstaff House the oldest existing colonial building in Hong Kong, an art gallery also housed in an old colonial building and a large lake with a waterfall feature, fish and turtles. The park is open from 6am to 11pm daily and is free entry. The aviary and conservatory are open from 9am to 5pm and are also free entry. There is a children's play park with a much loved huge slide at the top end of the park. The park also contains a restaurant which is pretty good and in a lovely setting. Management of the restaurant changes a lot. The current restaurant is Italian and Thai. Open 11am to 10.30pm.
Hong Kong Park.
Hong Kong Park.
St John's Cathedral.
St John's Cathedral is located in Central on Garden Road. It is a beautiful Anglican cathedral which was built in 1849. It has several lovely stain glass windows. There is a religious book store on one side of it and the Court of Final Appeal on the other. The Court of Final Appeal is housed in an old red brick building which dates from 1917 and which once housed the former French Mission Building. The cathedral is open from 7am to 6pm daily.
St John's Cathedral.
St John's Cathedral.
Hong Kong Trams.
Hong Kong trams are one of the cheapest ways to see the north of Hong Kong Island. A journey costs $2 . Pay as you leave the tram. You can also use your octopus card. The original Hong Kong trams were all single-deck trams. These were followed by open-air double-deck trams in 1912 and by enclosed double-deck trams in 1925. The trams run from Kennedy Town in the west to Shau Kei Wan in the east. There is also a line out to Happy Valley. Sometimes the trams are very crowded and you have to stand, but if you can get a seat they are an excellent way to sightsee on Hong Kong Island.
Hong Kong Trams.
150 Years Of HSBC..Hong Kong: HSBC Bank.
Apparently HSBC opened its first branch in Hong Kong in March 1865, so 2015 is its 150th anniversary in Hong Kong. To commemorate this, it is bringing out a special 150 HK$ note. It also put up a great advert in the MTR showing some of the changes that have taken place in Hong Kong during that time. The adverts show pictures of the same thing in the past and present such as the harbour, industry, schools, housing. I loved these adverts and was sorry to see them coming down. Very clever.
150 Years Of HSBC..Hong Kong: HSBC Bank.
150 Years Of HSBC..Hong Kong: HSBC Bank.
150 Years Of HSBC..Hong Kong: HSBC Bank.
Victoria Harbour.
Victoria Harbour separates Hong Kong Island from Kowloon. It is a wonderful natural asset for Hong Kong but is gradually getting smaller and smaller due to land reclamation. There are three road tunnels under the harbour plus tunnels for the MTR lines. The best way to cross the harbour with a view is to cross it by Star Ferry. You can board the ferry at pier 7 Central and go to Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. It only takes a few minutes and costs next to nothing. There are two decks to the ferry: upper deck costs slightly more than lower deck. The star ferry was founded in1880 by Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala a Parsee resident of Hong Kong. All the Star Ferries have star in their name such as Morning Star, Evening Star etc. The Star Ferry Company also does Harbour Tours.
Junk on Victoria Harbour.
The IFC Building.
The IFC building- the International Finance Building - is the tallest building in Hong Kong. It is located in Central near the outlying island ferry piers. Most of the building is offices, but it also includes The Four Seasons Hotel; a shopping centre and a cinema. One of the things we like to do is to take the lift near City Super to Podium 4 (P4) level where there is a rooftop garden with seats, a water feature, excellent views over the harbour and towards some of the surrounding tall buildings. Whenever we visit the excellent, and extremely comfortable IFC cinema we buy food from one of the IFC food outlets - City Super, McDonalds, Starbucks, Pacific Coffee and bring it to this garden to eat before the show. There are also some rather expensive cafes and bars on P4 level with excellent views. By the way cinema tickets in HK are cheaper on Tuesdays, except public holidays.
View from the IFC.
View from the IFC.
View from the IFC.
View from the IFC.
Fernando Botero Sculpture Exhibition.
Yesterday I visited Central Harbourfront to see a collection of nine sculptures by Fernando Botero, the famous Colombian painter and sculptor. These sculptures will be on display in Hong Kong between now and August 14th, 2016. Botero’s sculptures have already been displayed in New York, Paris, Venice, Berlin, Mexico and Japan. Fernando Botero Angulo was born on April 19th, 1932 in Medellín, Colombia. Throughout his career he has travelled widely. He currently lives and works in Monte Carlo. Botero created these nine sculptures between 1982 and 2003. One sculpture was of a cat, the others were mainly of rather generously proportioned women. I went to visit the nine Fernando Botero sculptures on display at Central Harbourfront. They look good with the Central skyline behind them and they are worth a visit if you are in Hong Kong before August 14th, 2016. They are located near the big wheel.
Fernando Botero Sculpture Exhibition.
Fernando Botero Sculpture Exhibition.
Fernando Botero Sculpture Exhibition.
Fernando Botero Sculpture Exhibition.
Fernando Botero Sculpture Exhibition.
Fernando Botero Sculpture Exhibition.
Central Harbourfront.
Built on reclaimed land Central Harbourfront is a flexible event space in Hong Kong. It is home to Hong Kong's big wheel - the Hong Kong Eye. It is currently hosting a summer fest and sculpture exhibition - June 2016. It hosted a Hindu monkey god festival last week and I have also been there for a revival of Li Chi Kok amusement park. It is near the star ferry pier and maritime museum. Watch this space.
Central Harbourfront.
Central Harbourfront.
Central Harbourfront.
Central Harbourfront.
Central Harbourfront.
Central Harbourfront.
Hong Kong: Zoological & Botanical Garden.
I recently visited the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens on a school trip with my P2 class. I think it is around eighteen years since I was last here and it has changed a lot. I think there are more cages and animals than there used to be. The animals are mainly birds, tortoises, lemurs, raccoons, orangutans and some rather noisy gibbons. As well as the animals there is a refreshment kiosk and a children's play area. I also noticed a rather grand statue of King George VI, which was erected in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of British colonial rule over Hong Kong (1841–1941). This is not a huge zoo and it is free entry. The zoo is near the former residence of the governor of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong: Zoological & Botanical Garden.
Hong Kong: Zoological & Botanical Garden.
Lei Yue Mun Holiday Park And Village.
One of the advantages of living in Hong Kong and being a primary school teacher is that I get to visit some places that a tourist or even a non-teaching resident would not normally get to see. Lei Yue Mun Holiday Park and Village is one such place. It is a former British military barracks which since 1985 has been run as a children's holiday camp. Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village nowadays is open to the public and has facilities such as soccer, gate ball, basketball, tennis, archery, indoor bowls, a swimming pool, climbing, badminton, plus barbecue sites. It also has a horse-riding school. Under British rule this barracks was known as Lyemun Barracks. The barracks were captured by the Japanese during World War II. Lei Yue Mun is located at 75 Chai Wan Road. It covers an area of 22.97 hectares. The camp site overlooks Lei Yue Mun Channel and thus has magnificent views over Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. To get to the camp site take MTR train to Chai Wan and get off at Chai Wan Road, then walk for about 10 minutes to the Holiday Camp.
Lei Yue Mun Holiday Park And Village.
Lei Yue Mun Holiday Park And Village.
Lei Yue Mun Holiday Park And Village.
Horse Statue.
The podium in the centre of a pond in Central near the cenotaph and statue square houses different sculptures at different times. On my previous visit it had an elephant standing on a man's back. Now it has a horse sculpture. This sculpture is known as 'Monument for a Horse' which is part of Le French May. The horse was sculpted by Jean-Marie Fiori. It depicts a horse but it is riderless with no king or hero on its back unlike traditional equestrian statues. Jean Marie Fiori was born in France in 1952 and now lives and works in Paris. He is a graduate of the Beaux-Arts and holds a master’s degree in Fine Arts form Paris Vincennes VII. A lot of his work focuses on animals.
Horse Statue.
Ever changing statues
Between Statue Square and Victoria Harbour in Central there is a podium surrounded by water. It hosts different statues. I do not pass it often but when I do the statue has often changed. Last time I passed there was a moose on proud display. I looked for info on what it was and why it was there, but could not find any. Just looked it up on line. The statue is by French sculptor Daniel Daviau and is called Moose in the City. It is part of Le French May.
Moose Statue.
Elephant Sculpture, Central.
A gigantic elephant statue balancing on a man's back has appeared in Central district near the cenotaph and statue square. The statue was created by French artist Fabien Merelle and will be on display until 6th July, 2013. The elephant is modelled on an elephant in Singapore zoo, The man is based on the artist Fabien Merelle himself. The sculpture is called Pentateuque which apparently refers to the first five books of the bible and is supposed to represent man bending over under the weight of religion, culture, customs etc. The sculpture, part of a Hong Kong luxury art festival, has been sold for 250,000 euros to a Malaysian art collector. We seem to be going through a weird and wonderful animal art phase - see also rubber duckie.
Elephant Sculpture, Central.
The Resurrection of Lai Chi Kok.
When I arrived in Hong Kong in 1996 my guide book mentioned a fun fair in Lai Chi Kok. Neither of us are especially funfair people, but it was on our things to do list. Before we got around to getting there, it suddenly closed down in 1997. For many Hong Kongers of around my age this was a major tragedy. They had lots of happy childhood memories of visiting this fairground, so this summer 2015 it was revived in a new location at Central Waterfront. It will only be there for 70 days. It is near the new big wheel. The funfair dates from the 1960's and has elephants, dinosaur slides, bumper cars, a haunted primary school and much more. It was very very hot when I visited, but definitely worth a look. Entry is free. You just pay for any activities you do.
Lai Chi Kok.
Lai Chi Kok.
Lai Chi Kok.
Lai Chi Kok.
Lai Chi Kok.
Central Ferry Pier.
The reclaimed land near Central Ferry Pier is still being worked on. I do not often go to this area, but when I did recently I found: big wheels, junk rides, fancy harbour star ferry rides, the big bus, the Maritime Museum and the revitalized Lai Chi Kok Funfair. The funfair is supposedly only there for seventy days. When I have more time I will visit the Maritime Museum.
Central Ferry Pier.
The Sun Yat Sen Museum.
Sun Yat-sen was a revolutionary leader. He dedicated his life to overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and setting up the Republic of China. He attended secondary school and university in Hong Kong. The Sun Yat Sen Museum was opened in 2006. It is located in a beautiful old building, the Kom Tong Hall, which dates from 1914. This building was originally the residence of a local businessman Ho Kom-tong. It has many fantastic period features such as stained glass windows, wooden panelling, beautiful staircases and fireplaces. It has been listed as a declared monument since 2010. Outside the front of the building there is a statue of Sun Yat Sen. Inside there are exhibitions about his life and about Hong Kong during his lifetime. There are also several film shows. Admission is HK$10. The museum is located at 7 Castle Road Mid Levels. It is open Monday to Wednesday, Friday: 10am - 6pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10am - 7pm Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year's Eve: 10am - 5pm It is closed on Thursdays (except public holidays, the anniversaries of Dr Sun's birth on 12 November and death on 12 March), and the first two days of the Chinese New Year.
The Sun Yat Sen Museum.
The Sun Yat Sen Museum.
The Sun Yat Sen Museum.
The Sun Yat Sen Museum.
The Museum of Medical Sciences.
The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences was established in 1996. It is housed in a lovely old colonial building - the Old Pathological Institute of Hong Kong. It is surrounded by pretty gardens. The ground floor houses an exhibition on SARS. There is an upstairs section and a basement section. I was interested in the horrific model of bound feet. There was also a diagram showing what happens to the bones when feet are bound and a tiny pair of shoes worn by women with bound feet. Admission is HK$20. Opening hours are: Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday & Public Holidays 1 pm to 5 pm; Mondays, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and the first three days of the Chinese New Year Closed Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve Close at 3pm. Address: Caine Lane, Mid Levels.
The Museum of Medical Sciences.
The Museum of Medical Sciences.
The Museum of Medical Sciences.
Bonsai.
Yes, I do realise bonsai are Japanese, but these miniature trees are also very popular in Hong Kong, too. You can buy them pretty cheaply at Hong Kong Flower Market, Mong Kok. I used to own several but was not very successful with them, so sadly they are no more. There is also always a wonderful display of them at the Hong Kong Garden Festival. I love the ones that are used to create an entire mini-landscape as in my photo here.
Bonsai.
Stephen And Stitt.
The original HSBC bank in Shanghai had 2 lion sculptures placed outside it. The main Hong Kong branch of HSBC at 1 Queen's Road Central decided to have the same. In 1935 the bank commissioned two bronze lions from Shanghai-based British sculptor W W Wagstaff who died in 1977, aged 82. The lions took around two years to make. When they were finished, the Hong Kong lions became objects of veneration and people brought their children to see them and stroke their paws and noses for good luck. During the Second World War when Hong Kong was occupied by Japan, the lions were confiscated by theJapanese and sent to Japan to be melted down. Fortunately the war ended before this took place. After the war an American sailor spotted the lions in a dockyard in Osaka and knew where they had come from. They were returned a few months later and to their original guard posts in October 1946. The Hong Kong lions are also called Stephen and Stitt. Stephen is open mouthed and roaring, Stitt has his mouth closed. Stephen has bullet wounds in his left hind-quarters dating from the fighting in the Battle of Hong Kong.
Stephen And Stitt.
Stephen And Stitt.
Bank Of China Lions
Just for contrast with Stephen and Stitt, the HSBC lions, next door the Bank of China lions are very Chinese in character. They remind me of the lion costumes used in the lion dance. They do not look at all like real lions.
Bank of China Lion.
Handover To China 1997.
The handover to China took place on 1st July 1997. This is marked by a public holiday on July first each year - SAR Day - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Day. These old photos show the royal yacht Britannia waiting to take the last British govenor - Chris Patten and his family back to the UK and HMS Chatham waiting to take back some of the army.
Handover To China 1997.
Handover To China 1997.
Restaurants.
Grappas Pizzeria: Relaxing evening out.
Grappa's is an Italian restaurant situated in Hong Kong. There are several the one we just visited is located in the basement of Jardine House in Central. It was more relaxed than most Hong Kong restaurants as they did not give us an out time and allowed us to sit and talk as long as we wanted. We had an excellent thin crust four cheeses pizza and a penne arabiata. Happy Hour lasts till 9pm. Staff were friendly and there is free wifi.
Outback Steakhouse: Central meeting point.
There are several Outback restaurants in Hong Kong. We normally go to the one in Causewaybay. They are also located in Wanchai and Tsuen Wan. This is an Australian restaurant. It offers a selection of steaks, salads, pasta and burgers. We love their very unhealthy Aussie loaded fries which are smothered in cheese and bacon bits and come with ranch dressing. Service here is generally quite good.
Outback Steakhouse.
Typhoons.
Summer is typhoon season here. There is a warning system in force. Typhoon 1 is the lowest level - won't affect you, typhoon 3 - getting closer, expect unstable weather, typhoon 8 and 10 - stay indoors avoid sea areas. The buildings here can withstand typhoons. In severe typhoons the tall towers are designed to sway. Everything closes in a severe typhoon and public transport will eventually stop running. Biggest dangers are being hit by flying debris, being swept into the sea, landslides from torrential rain. The photos show the aftermath of Typhoon York. A typhoon 10 direct hit. Worst typhoon I ever experienced.
Typhoons.
Typhoons.
Protests and Road Closures
At the moment, October 2014, there are protests going on in Hong Kong. For a while many roads were closed due to the protests. Most but not all are now re-opened. Some bus, minibus services still have slightly diverted routes. As a tourist this will not affect you much. My pictures show one of Central's busiest roads a few weeks ago when it was closed to traffic. *Update these protests are no longer taking place. Traffic back to normal.
Barriers block the roads.
This featured blog entry was written by irenevt from the blog Irene's Old Travel Pages - Asia..
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