Day 20: A Different View

One of the most beautiful things about Hong Kong is its mix of old-and-new. I’ve always commented on the fact that this is one of the few places in the world where a broken down “dai-pai-dong” (roadside restaurant shack) can stand next to a pristine five-star hotel and still look like it actually belongs there. I could even go as far as to say that it is the mix of old vs. new that really givers the city its charm, yet it’s a shame that the government does not see it as such. It is an even bigger shame that they are quite adamant in destroying what little heritage landmarks we have left here in order to make room for more steel and glass towers that lack personality and serve as nothing more than dull office spaces that squeeze the life out of people and convert them into living zombies.

I have had major issues with the Urban Renewal Authority here. When I found out that they had a hand in projects that involved the replacement of iconic Victorian architecture (e.g. City Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre), it didn’t really bother me that much, perhaps because this had been years before I had come to the city…though it did hurt a little to see Hong Kong lose part of its heritage. But having lived here for 12 years and becoming so familiar with the environment, I have now started to feel a sharp twinge of pain every time I hear the name of the authority that claims to want to bring Hong Kong into the future. However, I honestly believe that sometimes it seems that they’re simply out to destroy our colonial history. Wouldn’t be surprised.

Just over the last two years or so for example, they have managed to destroy the Central Star Ferry Pier, Queen’s Pier, Wedding Card Street and many more. They have also threatened to get rid of the Victoria Prison and Central Police Station, the Blue House, and some others that I can’t think of from the top of my head. What I don’t understand is that if this is supposed to be a leading city, shouldn’t they be able to hire “leading” city planners and designers and decorators to maintain our city heritage? Does everything need to look like a stone or glass block? Take the Cultural Centre for instance…what’s the point in that building? The Victorian railway station that stood there was about the same size and would have served as a fantastic cultural centre with a little bit of remodelling inside, instead of building that dungeonesque boomerang building of roughly the same size. The Queen’s Pier also did not need to be torn apart for a bypass to be built – the bypass could be constructed around it. Easy. Pricey, but easy. But then the government doesn’t care about anything more than how to make more dough anyway…

I’m sure many people would say that I’m being naïve and that progress is inevitable, change is good, land is expensive in Hong Kong, blah blah blah. Is it really worth it in the end to lose your history though? Is it so wrong to preserve the few monuments that watched, if not took part in making the city what it has become today?

Macau has gotten it right...and notice how the Macanese are so much more patriotic towards their city? Because they understand it and appreciate it; because their history isn’t torn away from them.

Anyway, these two photos below are from Wan Chai. The photo to the left is the Urban Renewal Authority’s way of justifying the destruction of Wedding Card Street. The words “stylish, hip, trendy, chic, grand, modern” are plastered all over the street now. Modern my foot… the towers will look like most every other behind-the-skyline towers in Hong Kong – bland. But then bland is chic apparently… the other photo is part of a kids’ mural near Wedding Card Street. This part is focusing on the demon (Urban Renewal folk) destroying the homes on the street. Kids are smart. We should listen to them more.

Today's Flickr Uploads: Blue and Green Cheung Chau

Day 19: A Humid Issue

Well it's become more and more obvious over the past few weeks that my apartment is about to go into pieces. Literally.

Since they started the renovation work on the outside of the building, I've noticed damp patches build up on some of the outer walls of the building. Now, in normal circumstances, I wouldn't care because the water would simply evaporate and if it does start to mold, I can simply wipe it off the surface or blow-dry it for a bit. These are not normal circumstances, however, 'cos as soon as the water leeks through the walls, it peels the paint away because my landlord is was stupid enough to have the whole place painted in water-soluble paint and I know for a fact that it was not because he wanted to be eco-friendly. In fact, who in their right minds would use water based paints in a humid sub-tropical location?

Honestly, I should not have to pay rent to live in a place where the paint is peeling, mold is growing and where I am woken up very early in the morning with extremely loud drilling noises that drive me and my pets crazy. Though I think having this oddly decorated head in my room is already a sign that I've gone mad. Don't ask me why it's there...it just amuses me. Every so often, I change the way it looks and each time it gets more and more hideous. Before this, for example, he was just wearing woolly earmuffs, that have now become my dog's favourite chew-toy.

Today's Flickr Uploads: Trail-walking in Cheung Chau

Day 18: Liquid Sex

Chocolate Martini : Liquid Sex

Day 17: Winter is a-coming.

Winter has decided to come a little early this year in Hong Kong. As a rough estimate, the current weather conditions right now are the same, if not worse, than the cold-wave spell we had last January. Sure the temperature hasn't dropped below 20 degrees or so, but if you have ever lived through Hong Kong winters, you know that number doesn't really mean anything because it's the wind-chill that really is the killer here. But man, it's kind of scary how obvious the weather problems have become because of global warming.

On the plus side, winter skies are beautiful and are throwing gorgeous sunsets over the harbour. This photo was taken at twilight from the docks that my building stands behind. I'm proud of myself for keeping steady enough to take the shot without using a tripod. Oh and I live in the wide building to the left, in the front.


Still, despite the bone chilling cold, I never get sick of watching kids walking around town dressed like Randy in A Christmas Story. Only, it's nowhere close to snowing here. Oh how parents love to torture their children (and themselves seeing as they don't dress any better).


Winter also means that Christmas is coming! My favourite time of the year - something I look forward to starting 26th of December of the previous year. Unfortunately, this year's Christmas is promising to be the worst I've ever had! Though, I'm hoping to be able to afford this or this lomography camera to keep myself occupied.

Day 16: Electrocution

Today's been a day of running errands, singing papers, talking to people who think too highly of themselves bankers and wondering why the management of the building I live in is out to:

(a) kill me, or
(b) make me feel like I am living in a concentration camp.

This photo was taken outside my apartment, in the main lobby, that I mentioned on Day 3 of this blog. Only last time, they did not have nearly burnt out wires hanging out in the open within reach of short people. Maybe having an obvious fire hazard out in the open and/or maintaining a feeling of a badly maintained concentration camp is how they are hoping to get the residents out of here so they can sell the apartments for sky-high prices after the renovation is complete.


And for the record, I did not take this photo today, though the scene has not changed in the slightest since I took it a week ago, so I did not see a point in taking another shot.

Day 15: The Ten Thousand

Today was fairly eventful which helped a lot to keep my mind off things...well except the first thing I did because that is one of the things I want to keep my mind off of, which is that I went for a blood transfusion. And as with every time I have to go do it, it either leaves me incredibly tired or as was the case today, incredibly hyper. And so, I decided I would try to accomplish what I really should not have done in that condition and headed up to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Shatin.

The best way I can describe the place is to give a reference to the Tiger Balm Garden that were shut down many years ago (shame), but I'll get to that in a minute. First, there was the entrance... Now when one thinks of an entrance to a monastery, one assumes that it will be welcoming. Well this one couldn't have wanted to tell you to go away and mind your own business. For one, the entrance was near what looked like a ditch in a farm. From there, you start walking uphill along a modest slope with several gold fibreglass Buddhas on either side of you... But then you turn the corner and you see another one of Hong Kong's 80-degree-gradient steep slopes with steps... not just a few steps, but about 500 steps...literally. But to cheer you up, there's 500 or so more of those gold fibreglass Buddhas on either side of you to keep you amused. I even saw one that had a marijuana leaf for a fan (though I'm sure that is not what the artist wanted to portray).

But in all honestly, it was not too bad because I took it slow and it had all been worth it once I was up there (as it always is). Now the reference to the aforementioned Tiger Balm Garden: gaudy. That's what the monastery is...gaudy. There's lots more of those gold statues that line every boundary of the holy place, 4 very scary looking statues (including one of a big blue dog that's there for no explained reason), a 9 story bright red pagoda (which was actually very cool) and oh yeah, a gold-gilded body of the founder of the monastery with very large letters in front of it saying "Corpse of Rev. Yuet Kai." That bit was slightly creepy. But no, I'm being a little too cynical about it all. It was actually very cool I thought and almost had the exact charm the colourful scenes at the Tiger Balm Garden used to have. Added on top of that, there were some beautiful urban views of Shatin valley below, but the coolest part was that the walls inside the temple were lined with rows upon rows of Buddha statues (pictured above). There's 13,000 in all just within that small building...it was amazing. In fact, the whole monastery holds countless Buddha statues, and the name "Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery" comes from a Chinese saying whereby "Ten Thousand" is merely used to describe something myriad.

Here's a couple more photos:

On my way down, I even came across a honey/bee farm and nearly got crushed by a mountain of bamboo trunks. It was fun.

Day 14: Warped and Twisted

.........Harsh words & violent blows
.........Hidden secrets nobody knows
.........Eyes are open, hands are fisted
.........Deep inside I'm warped & twisted
.........So many tricks & so many lies
.........Too many whens & too many whys
.........Nobody's special, nobody's gifted
.........I'm just me, warped & twisted
.........Sleeping awake & choking on a dream
.........Listening loudly to a silent scream
.........Call my mind, the number's unlisted
.........Lost in someone so warped & twisted
.........On my knees, alive but dead
.........Look at the invisible blood I've bled
.........I'm not gone, my mind has drifted
.........Don't expect much, I'm warped & twisted
.........Burnt out, wasted, empty, & hollow
.........Today's just yesterday's tomorrow
.........The sun died out, the ashes sifted
.........I'm still here, warped & twisted (-Anonymous)