We don't live right next to the MTR, but our closest line is the Tung Chung Line and we use it a lot. I've recently become aware that I have explored around every one of this line's stations, except Olympic Station, so I decided it was time I finally went and took a look around there.
Olympic Station is actually located in an area known as Tai Kok Tsui. No area of Hong Kong is actually called Olympic, so why does the station have this name? Apparently it was originally going to be called Tai Kok Tsui Station, but its name was changed to pay tribute to the achievements of the Hong Kong athletes in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. The station's walls are covered with pictures of Olympic events. I photographed these before going out to take a look around.
Rowing.
Cycling.
Taekwondo.
Table tennis.
Hurdles.
Swimming.
[
Running.
Paralympics.
Tai Kok Tsui is to the west of Mong Kok. It's mainly a residential area, but there is industry here, too. It's not an area that attracts many tourists, but it still has some interesting things. The first thing I wanted to see was the Hoi Fai Road Waterfront Promenade. I should have approached it by going out of exit A, but for some unknown reason, I headed for exit E. Was it going to be one of those days?
Exit E brought me out into part of the Olympian City Shopping Mall. I noticed a cute little model of a panda and stopped to photograph it. There was a sign saying 'Scan the QR code and track down all the pandas to win a prize.' I had no intention of doing this, but I did hope I might see more pandas later on.
My first panda.
Display outside a restaurant in the mall.
Frustratingly where I exited the shopping mall, I could see the promenade I wanted to go to, but I couldn't get to it, because it was across a very major busy road. I headed away from the promenade to try and find a place from which I could access it. Naturally I went wrong one more time and found my way along a road that had industry and construction on one side and beautiful painted nature scenes on the other. How very typical of Hong Kong.
Bauhinia and butterflies.
Birds and flowering trees.
Bird and bauhinia.
I retraced my steps and was soon at Hoi Fai Road Park. This waterside park starts out very near the industrial area of Tai Kok Tsui and the water of Victoria Harbour smelt foul here. As I walked further into the park, fortunately the terrible smell disappeared. I had to laugh at the 'No Swimming Allowed' notices though, as I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to jump in there for a swim.
Hoi Fai Road Park Sign.
Banyan trees near the park entrance.
The park had views back towards the industrial port area, views towards Stone Cutters Island and views out over Victoria Harbour.
View towards the industrial area.
A picture frame style seat.
Looking towards Stonecutters Island.
There was a play area for children and a running track for those that are trying to keep fit. There was supposed to be a viewing platform, but this turned out to be a misnomer as there was no view from it.
Children's play park.
Enggie Pup and Artti Kitty in the play area.
Running track next to the play area.
I noticed a sports park near the children's play area. It had lots of motivational signs to encourage people to take up sports, such as 'It's never too late to get good at something.'
Super Sports Park.
There were some interesting boats on the water.
I liked the look of this boat.
From another angle.
Sampan on the harbour.
The park eventually connects with Hoi Fai Road Promenade. There are good harbour views from here. There were more boats and there were a couple of people fishing.
Hoi Fai Road Promenade Sign.
Harbour and bougainvillea.
Harbour views.
Harbour views.
Harbour views.
Boats on the harbour.
Boats and tall buildings.
Fisherman.
There were some shadier places to sit and quite a few beautiful flowers, but the temperature here was 31 degrees today and the promenade was still quite hot and sunny. There were a couple of people jogging despite the heat. I'm pretty sure I saw a video of this area at the weekend when it's filled with people and there are lots of children running around playing here, but on a weekday it was pretty quiet and peaceful.
Waterfront Promenade.
Flowers.
Bougainvillea.
Bougainvillea.
I walked back to the station, looking at the busy roads and high rises on route.
High rise buildings everywhere.
High rise buildings everywhere.
High rise buildings everywhere.
Busy roads and high rises.
I decided I would see if I could find any more pandas. I wandered through Exit D and discovered I was now in the main part of the shopping mall. I saw another panda display and was pleased with having found more. There was a strange restaurant here with cows staring out of it.
Second lot of pandas.
Restaurant.
Walking on a bit more, I was suddenly looking down on a huge atrium filled with panda models. In the background a video showed pandas dancing to music. When I was watching they were dancing to 'Everybody was Kung Fu fighting.' The video was really cute especially when they turned round and wiggled their little panda bottoms to the music.
Pandas everywhere.
The panda models were located on artificial grass and many people were sitting on it, having a snack and leaning on a nearby panda. It was nice to see it being used and enjoyed.
Close up of pandas.
Close up of pandas.
Close up of pandas.
I wandered around a bit more and found even more pandas.
Even more pandas.
Then I spotted a sign for Olympic Park. This is a green area in between the residential blocks here, but it has little wooden models of stick figures representing various Olympic sports. It also had an attractive waterfall.
Olympic sports stick figures.
Olympic sports stick figures.
Olympic sports stick figures.
Waterfall.
Waterfall.
When I consider that this a residential and industrial area which three major roads pass through, I'd have to say it's been done pretty well with walkways above the roads, the occasional green area, a waterfront promenade and plenty of shops and restaurants, so all and all quite a pleasant place to live.
I had intended to go to Tsing Yi after visiting here as Marks and Spencer are doing a 25% off promotion at the moment, but I discovered there was a Marks and Spencer in the Olympian City Shopping Mall, so I just did my shopping there instead. I need to remember there's an IKEA here, too. All and all it was quite a pleasant trip out.
This featured blog entry was written by irenevt from the blog Coming to a close..
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