Novi On The Go

China Diary Day 24 Hong Kong via Tram Ride

2012-01-31T18:32:00.000-08:00

Hello Tuesday! I had such a good start last week posting early on our China trip I decided to do it again this week. I hope you don't mind, it gave me a boost in energy, plus the inspiration I needed to share some crafting posts. With this positive note in mind, let's not waste anymore time and boot off to Hong Kong!

After hanging around the Museum of History most of the afternoon we decide to do some exploration across the street, which required walking up this ramp pictured below. I honestly could not remember why we were there, I supposed the structure looked interesting, perhaps the view would be too. The walk was effortless on this graceful curve, accompanied by the lovely green roof and pink rails we reached the top in no time.The outlook through the canopy of the trees, a much different perspective than the ground level view. I like this new angle, even the air seemed much fresher at this height.

Looking down at the roads below, no traffic was passing by for just one second, a rare and eerie moment in this bustling city of Hong Kong although the peace and quiet was much appreciated.

We noticed the roads meandered through segments of green space, judicious urban planning combined nature and manmade as if they coexisted in perfect harmony, many instances of such combination were witnessed in Kowloon Park and Clearwater Bay.My eyes began to peruse the pavement, signs of human activity and development. Just as we thought there was a moment's privacy from the clutches of capitalism, my sight witnessed commercials on the ground level and higher floors, the helpless consumer was constantly targeted.

Traffic in the distance began to generate their familiar noise, at the green go vehicles began to flow from one corner to another. On their path the yellow lines caught my attention, I did not think we came across this piece of roadwork before, what was its purpose?

As cars and trucks went whizzing by, the camera zoomed in to reveal some buildings were in need of resurface work, others were covered in a mesh material to hide the ongoing construction.

Off to the side, a completely different point of view, buildings in tip top shape. The one in the corner was covered with advertisements, so huge they were 4 times larger than the lorry truck, I could not miss them from where we stood and we were far away!

Captured here the bridge we were on, it was equipped with stairways to not one but 2 levels of shops. Shopping was not our purpose that afternoon so onwards we went towards the water to catch the Star Ferry.

While waiting for our boat, a shot of Victoria Harbor once again. It seemed this waterfront and I were involved with a love affair, I lost count of the days and nights we encountered each other, as posted here, here, and here. The ever-changing scenery completely enticed my visual senses, depending on time of day and weather conditions it could look very different. Lights began to appear on the buildings below, it must be early evening then, how time flew by on this last day of Hong Kong.

There were more dramatic shots of Causeway Bay at night but the muted colors of the setting sun that cloudy evening offered a monochromatic calm.

The Star Ferry reached Hong Kong Island in just a few minutes, we decided to take the tram from Wanchai to wherever it went, the fare was a reasonable 2 RMB per person, about 30 cents Canadian. Night fell as the route began, the first shot a blend of ruthless ads with a dining scene under the chandeliers...

... followed by a row of spotlights for a jewelry store.

The camera adjusted to the low light situation, double decker buses were prevalent wherever we went in Hong Kong, a transportation necessity for highly populated areas. I remembered riding one of those in Singapore and London, it was quite a thrill especially when you were at the top level as the bus went flying around a sharp corner!

We went pass a pile of bamboo scaffolding on the side of the road, hmm... either construction was just completed or it was about to commence.

The commercials on the side of the building looked like a fresh display, could the scaffolding be used to put them up? Questions were pondered about paper quality that withstood exterior conditions, there must be numerous pieces judging by the size of the ad but the seams were invisible, talk about quality work. Captured below, the logo for Mikimoto, a name associated with high quality cultured pearls, the kind one would be proud to keep as an heirloom, I could not remember the last time I saw one of their ads.

Sogo, another Japanese company, I recalled the grand opening of their first store made quite a splash in the papers, it made other established chains like Yaohan and Isetan a run for their money. On the side of the road numerous pedestrians waited to cross the road, it was past 7 in the evening, people were either heading home after work or starting the shift for their second or third job.

On the other side of the road, the same scenario although the crowd was not as big as the one pictured above, just like them we were heading somewhere, where to next to be continued next week!

New Tablecloths and Coverings

2012-01-28T15:09:00.001-08:00

A new runner for the dresser

command some sort of covering

for the bedside table too,

one that protects the wood

from daily objects like the lamp

and the alarm. A soothing

pattern was chosen, seaweed-like
waves stirring gently about
in deep calm waters.

But the light on the alarm

display was too bright,

a request was made to sew

another covering for it too.

So the dedicated partner went
into her fabric stash once

again and produced a double

sided piece, angled shapes of

complementing colors on one
side, horizontal blues on the other.

But wait! The sewing projects
continue, the dining table would
like a new cloth too, so back to
the crafting table, the sewing
machine worked its magic and
produced yet another piece.
A mesmerizing interlocking
circles of various tones that
camouflage dining spots all too well,
now someone will have to do
something about that 80's chair
cover, the sewing projects never ends...

New Runner and New Flowers

2012-01-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

Some quiet time was spent over the holidays completing some sewing projects to start off the new year. Thank goodness for the time off work, I finally had the energy to do some creative work! First off a new runner for the dresser, there was no going to the store to shop for material, all fabric used was from my stash at hand. The main pattern a maroon batik with blue rice pattern speckled all over, it looked so interesting I had to purchase all one fat quarter of it. I did run out of fabric, a purple scrap for each corner came to the rescue. The underside was not forgotten, a vintage flowery design which added a flare to the edge also functioned as a second layer.

At the end of the runner sat an elongated yellow pottery bowl, proudly purchased from my friend Vancouver potter Amy Chang. Some flowers were made to keep it company, thanks to the great instructions on this post. All steps were followed except the circle was cut into quarters instead of semi circles, this allowed the flowers to have more petals with less ruffles in the material. The final touch were some wooden buttons from my collection, 3 second hand items were given a new life!

China Postcard Day 24 Hong Kong Museum of History

2012-01-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

Hello Tuesday! I know it's normally Thursdays we go to China but I thought we'd get a head start this week. I spent most of last Thursday and all of my weekend in bed resting, getting over some cold symptoms but I'm much better now and an escape to China is just what the doctor ordered right now!

We are on Day 24 of our China journey, it is our last day in Hong Kong and also the final day of our visit. I've mentioned before there are just a couple more posts to go but looking over the pictures on this day, I think there might be a few more posts left. I can't believe the number of pictures I took on this trip, more than 18,000 and looking back at the past year of Hong Kong posts most of the photos were taken there. I don't know why that is, perhaps because it was the last week of our trip and recording each and every step was a way to savor the journey we had dreamed of for quite some time.

Without further delay, let's embark on this final day! We decided to spend it near our hotel again, the Tsim Sha Tsui area was filled with all kinds of museums, this time the Museum of History caught our interest. Pictured below just steps away from the entrance, a long flight of stairs led the way to a tiled courtyard.

On our right there was a pair of blue and pink buildings, joined together in the middle with interlocking blocks of color, a captivating architectural feature.

The camera lowered to capture the ground tiles, bold lines a graphic detail to match the equally structured buildings in the background.

On the left the tall construction in the distant caught my eye.

A closer look revealed a rather futuristic design with antenna looking rods at the very top. I think this is one of the most unique structures we came across in China.

Our focus returned to the entrance at the Hong Kong Museum of History, it was surrounded by lush greenery, a common landscaping feature we noticed in Hong Kong.

Inside the museum, wide open spaces greeted us, we marvelled at this layout, its ceiling spotlights and color palette comparable to a grand hotel lobby.

The museum started off with a caveman exhibit, followed by pre-British to British colonization era, there was mention of the 3 year Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, which later led to modern day period. Some displays involved loud audio which we found too noisy and annoying, there were also lots of small theaters that played short documentaries. We didn't watch any of it, instead we strolled by and absorbed as much info as we could and took no pictures until we came to the map of land reclamation below. Different colors indicated various reclaimed areas throughout the years, the project started in 1841 as shown by the darker colors, it ended in 2000 with the lighter blue. Land is precious for a small country like Hong Kong.

Everything else we came across was a blur but I remembered my favorite part of the museum was the retro era. Check out the 1960's seats in the cafe below, love that yellow color, I counted 3 different patterns for the tiles on the walls and floors. This must be a cool area to hang out, I imagined customers of various ages seated here and there, munching on a piece of French toast, sipping milk tea or coffee as they flipped through the daily papers for the latest buzz.

In the corner of the coffee shop a shiny little juke box, what kind of music would they be listening to? My mind wondered as my eyes admired the vintage posters on the wall.

A snapshot from the past, captured below a typical corner store where one could get their fix of cookies or candy, an occasional soft drink and ice cream, various canned goods or dried foods. There was one just like this from where we used to live in Singapore, oh how I longed for their spicy tapioca chips...

A display of old items, metal serving trays with bright designs, one had a British crown, another a Chinese double happiness character which might be part of a bride's dowry. I noticed the tiffin carriers at the top, fond memories of family picnics included these as valuable porters of delicious homemade food. The rattan collection on the right was equally memorable, we had the one that had a long handle ending with coils. No mattress sunning chore would be complete without it, it was an excellent tool for beating out the dust from the kapok mattress.

Another favored exhibit was titled Made in Hong Kong, a section that commemorated the manufacturing era of this country, hard working citizens made everything from shoes to clothing...

... schoolbags, ties, toys, torch lights. Come to think of it, I had a metal torchlight just like that as a child, it was heavy to begin with but with 4 D batteries required for operation boy was it hefty!

Small household appliances were produced as well, like this solar pressure lantern below. How does it operate?

Inching down the row of displays we came to a row of product logos, I could not take my eyes off that capital letter A, simple and bold, it was unforgettable like an object of everlasting quality.

More trademarks below, I am amazed by the various illustration styles and fonts, although red seems to be the popular color.

The displays finally came to an end, we headed out to catch a breath of fresh air. The tidy looking courtyard greeted us again, we glanced briefly at the pink and blue buildings and continued on our way. What else is there to do on this last day in China... more adventures to be continued next week!

China Journal Day 23 A Typical Day in Hong Kong Part 2 of 2

2012-01-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first post of our China trip for 2012! It's been a busy busy Holiday Season, I had to take on extra shifts to beat the Christmas and New Years rush. There was more staff and customers than usual, and more then enough energy to catapult me into the new year. Thank goodness that's all over now, I spent part of of my break cleaning up the place, donating some items to charity stores. Then there was quiet time spent with loved ones over movies and munchies, ahhh... it felt good to relax after a hectic couple of weeks. I hope everyone had a warm and joyful Holiday Season, here's to a healthy, happy and prosperous 2012!!

Let's continue our journey on this typical day in Hong Kong, I thought I'd share some of what we normally see after we left our hotel. Last week we went searching for our favorite noodle joint in the nearby shopping district, below a street sign we often stumbled upon during our Hong Kong travel. All the popular destinations were clearly pointed out, there was no need to carry a map.

Not far from the sign, the infamous Chungking Mansions, made famous in Wong Kar-wai's movie Chungking Express. While researching for places to stay we came across several interesting reivews on Trip Advisor, some comments were too colorful for us, we decided to pass for safer accommodations.

Our hotel was within walking distance to Nathan Road, previous wanderings to this area were at night and a brief daytime walk en route to Kowloon Park. We decided to take a closer look at this popular area on our last couple of days in Hong Kong. Pictured below, just steps away from Chungking Mansions, a very different outlook of downtown with classy looking buildings, much taller and neater in appearance.

The camera zoomed in to view signs for a clothing chain store, United Colors of Benetton became popular in Asia some 20 years ago. Next to it a fitness gym associated with Hong Kong actor martial arts expert Jackie Chan, this was news to us, when did he open a gym?

We walked on to stumble upon internationally renowned fashion names like Louis Vuitton...

... Fendi...

... and Harry Winston, all had been around for ages. I could not help but notice the buildings on this stretch were very elegantly designed, there was something captivating about the cream color and dark accents, they made the area feel so chic. Check out that yellow bus ad, I was instantly drawn to its bright color, a cheerful contrast amidst all that grey. It looked like a promotion for a drink, would I feel happy and refreshing as its joyful color after consuming this beverage?

Pictured below, Valentine, a new name for me in the jewelry line, its stylish commercial added another level of sophistication to this part of town. Beneath it an advertisement for Sheraton Hotel, which suggested Perfect Dreams.

On the same street, more promotions for Perfect Stage and Perfect Wedding that marketed Sheraton Hotel as the one stop entertaining and accommodation venue, somehow the montone palette and simple layout seemed appropriate for this world-class lodging.

Amidst all the international labels there was Burberry, founded in 1856 it has seen many decades in the fashion industry and is still around today. We did not go into any of the shops, but simply passed by with a brief glance through the windows, everything looked so smart.

Another new name to me for shoes, Inniu, Italian in origin, apparently it had been around since 2003. The orange color of the sandal was striking but I did not think the unsightly feet it rested on suitable for this ad.

Continuing on Nathan Road, we came face to face with this gigantic Omega display, the watch was much bigger than life, anyone would notice it whether they were on the road or the sidewalk.

On the other side, a look into the intricate parts inside the watch, I've always thought Omega Swiss watches are not only gracefully designed on the surface but are just as well built on the inside, their products synonymous with quality and beauty.

The final shot for Nathan Road, a window for the House of Chanel, the suit and handbag classic feminine styles that transcended many decades. As I looked at this picture, I recalled glancing at its distinctive fabric pattern on a fashion magazine when I was little. Not too many people I know owned the Chanel merchandise but their signature products were easily recognizable.

It was lovely to spend part of our morning on Nathan Road, as friends Peter and Vonny said this stretch of roadway went on forever, we normally began our day in this location and wandered off to other locations we planned on visiting. Where will we go? The China trip is coming to an end, only a couple of posts left to go, I hope you'll continue to join us next week to see what we discover!

China Diary Day 23 A Typical Day in Hong Kong

2011-12-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

Hello hello! It's that time of the year when everyone seems to be busy with holiday preparations, lots of looking and shopping going around. Let's take a break, put your feet up and take a few moments to escape to China! I have made quite a few posts on our China trip, as a matter of fact it started in February 2009, that's almost 2 years ago. I've been so careful to make sure all photos were presented in a chronological order but so many pictures were taken during the last couple of days in Hong Kong I missed out on quite a few... Ooops!! Here are some that represented a typical day in Hong Kong, we had just left the hotel looking for lunch and stumbled upon the shopping district. The most popular item for sale were clothes and accessories, many were packed into tiny little shops like the ones below.

We were searching for our favorite noodle shop, one we had lunch and dinner a few times before, everything we tried was amazing not to mention good prices and fast service, and only a few blocks away from our hotel.

Our hungry eyes looked high and low, the whole neighborhood of shop signs and buildings of residential flats were calling out for attention. To make it worse, there was construction that added to the confusion.

Amidst the visual clutter we spotted a tailor shop, there were lots of businesses around that catered to custom fit suits.

One shop seemed out of place, an oddity in this neighborhood it was very clean and tidy everything was in its place.

There was even some electronic shops scattered about, it would be interesting to browse through some of the latest gadgets but with hungry tummies that groaned louder we forged on.

A considerable touch to calm down the construction chaos, a sign that clearly stated the dates of project commencement and completion, there was even a phone number for those who felt like complaining.

Inching along we found the yellow sign we had been looking for!

With hasty steps we headed towards it, our minds focused on the task at hand.

The small shop with the yellow banner was our haven for rice and noodle dishes, served piping hot in generous servings. They had the best spring rolls, similar to the ones in Vietnamese restaurants. Their shrimp wontons were so scrumptious in taste and texture (my mouth is watering just writing about it) everything was so delicious this cheery sign was a welcome sight in our Hong Kong travels.

We were on the road for 23 days now, looking for busy and reasonably priced joints was a daily chore, one we did not have to partake in Canada. At home eating out was limited to once a week but a couple times a day for 23 days in a row was an all time record of eating out for us!

After wolfing down beef stew and garlic sauce on pork with rice, we drank the last of our milk tea and Ovaltine. Re-energized we returned to the maze of apartment buildings and business signs.

I honestly did not know how we managed to find our way out of this chaos but somehow we were able to locate the noodle store day after day, it was a miracle. Onwards we went on this typical day in Hong Kong, what will we see next? Stay tuned to next week's China episode!

China Postcard Day 23 Hong Kong At Night

2011-12-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to this week's edition of China escape! There has been quite a few posts on this eventful Day 23 in Hong Kong, we started off wandering through the magnificent Kowloon Park, saw some wonderful paintings at the Museum of Art and crossed the Victoria Harbor on the Star Ferry. It has been quite a journey this China trip of ours, we visited several Chinese cities and found all kinds of things to see and do but spending time by the harbor in Hong Kong became a nightly pastime. We found it relaxing strolling along the walkway by the sea, watching the sky darken at the end of the day, how the buildings glittered when they lit up at night.

As we walked by the same path night after night, we noticed the same Chinese junk we had encountered a couple of nights before on this post, its characteristic red sails a dead giveaway.We watched as the ship floated past Causeway Bay, another famous Hong Kong landmark, one we often passed by and could not seem to miss during our visit.

Ahhh... the stretch of those shimmering buildings along the waterfront, combined with the smell of the salty air what a sight! We were hoping to catch another fantastic sunset but alas the sky was cloudy that night, no chance for the brilliant colors we hoped to see on this post.

Regardless there was something quite stunning about that diamond studded structure at the end of the landscape, what was its name?

A closer view revealed a working boat anchored in front of it.

A different crop of the same area resulted in a completely different picture, I must say Hong Kong is a photographer's paradise.

The clouds dispersed and gave way to a dark blue sky, the Causeway Bay hi-rise began to shine through the darkness just as they would every night.

Below an advertisement on the face of a building played the same message for a future event, I had captured this commercial before but somehow this was a final show, it would not be long before we leave to head home to Canada.

Despite this sad realization I still think the Samsung structure had the best glow, its simple lines and uncluttered lighting design produced an overwhelming amount of colors on the water, its dramatic tones completed the night life of Hong Kong by the water.

We took the Star Ferry across the harbor and returned to Kowloon, dinner was at a small noodle shop in Jordan. Searching for food was a daily chore when we were traveling in China, we were looking for reasonably priced but bustling joints, not an easy task to fulfill at 8:30 PM that night! Re-energized with pork wontons and shrimp dumplings we headed for the Temple Street Night Market, sorry for the absence of pictures but imagine row after row of stalls filled with cheap trinkets, purses, and t-shirts. Key chains with solar powered animation for 20RMB each (about $3 Canadian) caught our eye but we decided not to buy anything and returned to our hotel.

Back at our hotel David captured the view below from our room, he simply leaned the camera against the glass and took the pictures.

We experimented with different compositions and...

... zoomed in to focus on different aspects.

Judging from the food Chinese character and Toys R Us logo below this seemed to be a shopping mall filled with all kinds of businesses. I remembered it was close to midnight, the stores were closed but on the street there were endless streams of pedestrians.

Our attention turned to the lights on the roof tops, they emitted an eerie glow in this shot.

Zooming out and off to one side, many lights were lit up for the night, it was time to head to bed and ready ourselves for more China adventure, see you next week!

Hong Kong Journal Day 23 Arrival at Central Wanchai

2011-12-01T18:17:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for Thursday! I say this because tomorrow is Friday, and also because we get to spend some time today in the wonderful city of... Hong Kong! Yes, it's that time of the week where we run off to China! I cannot tell you how much I've enjoyed sharing our memories from China, let's just say it's one of the highlights of my week, one that I look forward to very much. Thank you once again for joining in.

We were crossing Victoria Harbor, as the ferry neared the terminal at Central Wanchai we noticed the walls were in the process of being painted.

As the boat slowed down we could see people peering out of the windows.

Many watched as a worker used a long pole to pull something out of the water.

We made our way out of the boat and squeezed past the long queues of people, did I tell you the "Star" Ferry was a popular ride in Hong Kong? Lots of locals as well as tourists frequented the passenger ships, it was a convenient and reasonable way to get around, at only 2 RMB per person (30 cents Canadian) it accommodated the smallest of budgets.

As we walked down the long passageway away from the dock, I turned around and saw the advertisements below. They were promoting the China Scouting Fair at the Hong Kong Convention Centre, friends Peter and Vonny mentioned an increasing amount of trading occurred since the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997.

More commercials greeted us as we headed out of the building...

... followed by more corporate signs outside, pictured below the structure of long walkways guided the passengers to various bus stations.

We decided to cross the bridge, a shot of the roads below capturing the huge building structures and the clearly painted bus stop sign.

The outlook in the other direction, there was bustling traffic everywhere in Hong Kong at any given time of the day.

Just a slight shift of the camera to the right revealed interesting looking architectural forms which we witnessed throughout our visit to this city.

From the distance we saw the signs light up by the waterfront, a mix of English alphabets and Chinese characters denoted an international group of businesses.

The buildings on the harbor grew smaller as we walked on.

Our attention returned to land, some amazing looking structures especially this one pictured below, it looked like an office building, how many offices do you think there are?

Once again we came upon the Hong Kong Convention Centre, I honestly could not remember a day in Hong Kong without passing this landmark!

By the centre locals and tourists gathered at the Golden Bauhinia Square, many were taking photos by the statue of the golden Bauhinia blakeana. Vonny told us about this sculpture, it was attractive from afar but at just a few feet away I could not help but marvel at its curves, such graceful contours combined with the warmest of yellow. On this delightful note I end this post, we have seen so much during our 23 days in China what will we discover next? Stay tuned next week!

Hong Kong Diary Day 23 Crossing Victoria Harbor

2011-11-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

Hello Thursday! I know there has been a few China posts missing for this month, there just wasn't enough time but I am excited to be able to continue with our China trip today! It gets dark so fast these days with the temperature getting colder, even with the sun on sunny days I am still feeling bbrrrrrrrr... but we can all escape to China where it is a lot warmer.

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my last China post, Hong Kong sure is an interesting city to visit. We were walking by the harbor, watching the boats go by as the warm, salty wind breezed around us. The first boat reminded me of one I created in Singapore for elementary art class, a vessel lined with old tires that acted as bumpers on each side, was this a house boat or a working ship?Another boat went floating by, swaying side to side it looked very charming with golden yellow walls and a green pagoda roof. It was one of the most colorful crafts we saw, we think it's a tourist boat.

Various other boats went sailing by, there was even a container ship and a sharp looking white one.

Victoria Harbor was busy with traffic, another ferry motored across the water, it was not colored as lively as this one on this post but had the common shades of white and green.

We continued on the walkway until we came to the ferry dock, a familiar sight on our Hong Kong travels we used the "Star" Ferry to cross the waters on numerous occasions. It was conveniently located near our hotel and at 2 RMB (about 30 cents Canadian) per person it was a hard deal to beat.

Pictured below a ferry waited at the dock as the passengers board, it was very popular with locals and tourists.

Once on board I decided to capture the interiors, it was not the trendiest but was clean and tidy. I wonder how old those chairs were, they seemed well taken care of and functioned in a most unique way. To sit facing the right way you simply swing the backs in either direction, now that's practical!

As we cruised across the sea, my eyes wandered to the view outside the window, the row of buildings on Causeway Bay in muted shades.

Below the Hong Kong Convention Centre which we came across several times before, signs were starting to light up on some of the buildings, it was late afternoon and the day was coming to an end.

Our crossing over the water was quickly coming to an end too, I hastily snapped a few shots as the ferry neared the dock. This made me think of our boat trips with George, picture taking was a split second decision when you are on a moving object, the surroundings was changing continuously you could not change your position as you would on land.

More instantaneous shots, I love the curve of the roof, a boat was anchored next to the convention centre, let's go and have a closer look!

A close up revealed a golden dragon on the top, would lights be flashing as the boat blared loud disco music up and down the water? The name First Travel sounded like a sightseer, I bet this would be a fun boat to be on.

My attention turned to the buildings, a crop of the vicinity, those were some fine looking lines on the structures.

More strokes in this shot accompanied by the smooth arch of the convention centre.

The ferry kept sailing on until we were behind the centre, Peter and Vonny mentioned there was construction where a new wing was being developed. What will we see next? Join us next week to find out as our China journey continues!

A Quiet Moment

2011-11-20T17:15:00.001-08:00

It's been quiet on my blog, I have been taking the time to re-energize for the month of November. Some moments was spent contemplating the future, other days were devoted to pyjama pants and a crochet project. Pants are now completed, five in total, 2 for David and 3 for me. There is nothing like the warm and fuzzy feeling of new cotton flannel, paired with upbeat graphics of flowers, flames and cartoon characters, we fight the winter blues away. As for the crochet project the circle is growing...

Hong Kong Postcard Day 23 By Victoria Harbor

2011-10-27T00:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Thursday! It's been another busy week but tomorrow is Friday (yay!!) and there is still time to escape to China. Last week we browsed through the paintings at the Hong Kong Musuem of Art and made our way towards the waterfront, below the distant buildings that drew us near.At the end of the row of coconut trees a blue van caught our attention, why was it parked there? We walked up to find...
... a man in a wetsuit, he marched towards the water and looked like he was on a mission.
By the sea, a different diver who appeared to have already been in the water was seen talking to 2 men who looked like authorities, why were they there and what were they looking for?
No one else seemed to be interested in the underwater discovery so we strolled away...
... and wandered towards the elevated walkway.
We wanted to take the stairs but saw there were people underneath the passageway.
A closer look revealed a man leaning on the railing, he seemed relaxed, what was he looking at?
Across the Victoria Harbor a colorful ferry cruised past, in the background the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre amongst other hi-rise located on Wan Chai North.
We had visited this area before, you can see more pictures of the convention centre and surrounding buildings on this post, they looked very dramatic all lit up at night. Everything seemed a lot calmer and muted in the daytime, it was a world of difference.
The colorful ferry sailed on by to the area called Causeway Bay, which we also frequented recently, some night shots by the harbor was shared on this post, click here to see views from Victoria Peak.
We continued on under the walkway, the shiny and smooth surface on the columns made the area feel so classy.
Just a few steps ahead the clock tower could be seen peaking around the corner, but...
... we decided to head back to the stairs, up we went to the higher level to get a different view of the surroundings.
The area seemed to be popular with the locals, a lot of people sat on the tiled bench reading the papers or chatting with friends, the weather was just the right temperature. We kept on...
... but it was not long before we encountered the same clock tower as we did underneath the passageway. In the foreground a row of lights contained in glass spheres, I wonder what kind of light shows were performed here and for what events.
We carried on to find the structure with the sweeping roof, it took up a good proportion of this shot below, I thought it went well with the sweet colored bougainvillea.
A short distance gave way to another composition of the same area, the clock tower was sure captivating.
It garnered one photo after another, this time the advertising display next to it flashed a bright red color, a message of some sort was aimed at passersby.
A final shot of the tower, a jumbled configuration of all the elements: people, buildings, advertising, coconut trees and flowers. Hong Kong sure is a photogenic city, I remembered each step was filled with all kinds of ever changing imagery I kept the camera shutter very busy. Our China adventure continues next week!

China Journal Day 23 Hong Kong Museum of Art Part 2

2011-10-20T19:54:00.001-07:00

Welcome to this week's episode of our China journey! Last week we visited the Hong Kong Museum of Art, I found some nice Chinese watercolors of landscapes and flowers but there were many others that caught my eye. Below part of a long series of flowers including a lotus and some chrysanthemums, several tiny orange berries nestled amongst the leaves, I wonder what kind of fruit were these?Further down the same painting, another branch that bore fruit, the color a yellow orange but they were much juicier in appearance.
A surprising end to the same piece of artwork, a group of vegetables, I recognized a bok choy and a turnip, I think the red colored one was a beet. They looked as if they were freshly harvested, I could not wait to sink my teeth into those crunchy looking stems.
Other than flowers, landscapes and fruit, there was also a study on leaves, this one belonged to the bamboo plant, which was another common topic for Chinese paintings. Its shade a brilliant green, the edges tattered and brown, there was white spots all over the leaf surface, could this piece be hinting towards snow in the woods during the winter season?
I could not remember if there were other styles of paintings other than Chinese watercolor, nor did I recall if there were other mediums. But I came across another long painting, the era was historic, the subject was the people, specifically the folks in the village. The first part was of their working life, it must have been very laborious to till the land by hand.
But there was also help from the trusty water buffalo to carry home the harvest of the day, I could imagine the relief from one's exhausted body when the end of the day was approaching.
Dinner shared together on the kitchen table at day's end, it would be so nice to grow what you eat but I am not a gardener nor am I a farmer, I would guess a feeling of utmost gratitude and fulfillment.
The painting also gave an insight to the common pastime of flying kites, which brought to mind that kite flying is still a present day activity, evident during our visit to Clearwater Bay on this post.
Would you care to be entertained by a monkey on a stick? Performance such as this must be quite popular, look at the large crowd transfixed on the animal. I much enjoyed this piece of art work, although it was in black and white, it gave me a descriptive look into what used to be a simpler way of life.
After viewing this last painting we left the museum, outside a different kind of art, it was not a watercolor on paper or fabric but a 3 dimensional work of steel.
From the side it appeared to be a profile of 2 angular shapes.
But walking around we came to a different point of view, red blocks resembled a tall column, on top a human form reached for the sky. What was the message? The sculpture did catch our attention, it was interesting but we felt it didn't quite belong to the landscape.
One last look at the Hong Kong Museum of Art before moving on.
We made our way to the waterfront, did you know the Hong Kong Museum of Art was located just minutes from our hotel?
The buildings in the area had the same color and of similar structure, modern in architecture style, check out the sweeping roof below.
We followed the row of coconut trees to the water, where did we go next? The location will be revealed next week!

China Diary Day 23 Hong Kong Museum of Art

2011-10-16T16:31:00.001-07:00

Hello weekend! It's... the first Sunday edition of China escape, I hope this coming week will return to normal so we can continue my weekly series on Thursday. Thank you so much for the lovely comments on the last post, I'm glad you guys enjoyed the birds.

After a delightful morning at Kowloon Park we decided to visit the Hong Kong Museum of Art, which was located just a few minutes away. Much to our surprise it was free admission that Wednesday, I think admission is free every Wednesday, normally admission is 30RMB per adult, about $4.30 Canadian. Below the walkway that led us towards the museum, I could not help but notice it was covered with tiles. We were lucky it had not rained during our entire China trip, I wonder if the tiles were slippery when wet. It seemed a strange choice for outdoor application, we saw it on exterior walls throughout our China trip, was this a low maintenance solution?

There was no pictures of the interior of the museum, all I had were pictures of paintings I liked. Throughout our China trip I kept a notebook of what we saw and what we did on a daily basis but there was no notes on what the building looked like inside, how many stories and if there were other collections of artifacts. We have been traveling for 23 days, my notes got shorter and shorter as each day went by, we did so many things I was too tired to record everything.

The first painting that caught my eye, a peaceful scenery of river and mountains, a few boats floating down the calm waters, it reminded me of our cruise down the Li River in Guilin.

Another painting reminiscent of the Li River, I remembered its size was quite large, a breathtaking backdrop of tall hills nestled amongst the fog, was this Li River or another part of China?
The one below depicted a quiet walk in the woods looking through the trees onto the soothing river.
An artwork with a view of the rice fields over the bamboo grove, I quite like the brushstrokes of this piece, a mix of lively black and subtle light grey ones. It made me think of Lok Ma Chau Lookout when all we could see were farmlands.
Another portrayal of a village field, I much enjoyed the paint strokes of this one too, perhaps because it revealed a simpler way of life working off the land, were those farmers or oxen laboring in the fields?
A couple of watercolors on vistas, this one the sight from the top of a hill, boats anchored in a bay, I imagined soft waves lapping on the shore, a gentle sea wind blowing through the area.
Another landscape illustrated a river scene, a lone boat in the corner, the rest of the painting a blend of bold and soft brushwork representing a hillside and mountains, love the blue which complimented the judicious use of orange.
Then I came to a long painting of flowers, pictured below a delicate rendition of a white lotus, I have seen numerous pink ones but this pale tone made it seemed so pure. The leaves, a fine study of the vein structure, the use of the brush to show its tattered edges was most impressive.
Next to the lotus, some chrysanthemum blooms, each petal edged with a "U" shaped paint stroke, the white blooms that sat adorned the top of the stem caught my eye. There were more flowers on the same painting, every one of them separated by a short poem, I did not recognize the Chinese characters what were the poems about?
Another picture of chrysanthemum, it seemed to be a common topic in Chinese paintings, the illustrative style here was most impressive, it was as if the plants were swaying in the breeze. It also showed not one but 3 different varieties, I like the pink one with fine narrow petals.

One last photo of a painting filled with cosmos, I stood in awe and stared at its fine details, the most sophisticated of them all. It was so enchantingly beautiful I felt lost in the midst of petals and wispy leaves.

There are still more paintings to share but I will have to stop until next our next post on the China series. I hope you have a pleasant week, may it be filled with sunshine and mild weather, see you on Thursday!

A Mini Mini Update

2011-10-13T20:43:00.003-07:00

Hello readers! I had all the intentions to have a China post today, certain pictures set aside and topic decided, but some things have come up on short notice that needed some immediate attention, I will have to postpone today's post until this weekend. Too little energy and attention at the moment to spend on special travel memories, just would not do it any justice whatsoever. Please check back later this week for another China escape!

Hong Kong Postcard Day 23 Kowloon Park Part 2 Animals in the Park!

2011-10-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

I can't believe October is here, days are getting shorter, weather is getting colder, but it's...... Thursday, that time of the week to escape to China! Last week we spent some time in the company of trees at Kowloon Park, I promised to show more of this wonderful place on this post, let's see what we found.

At the end of another stairway we were led down this path, what was that on the right? We were surprised to find an aviary nestled amongst the trees, we peeked in and saw...

... this bird perched on a branch in the corner, its feathers an exotic deep blue, the ones on its crown reminded me of a peacock. What was its name, I did not know.
Another unusual bird, I seemed to remember each was housed with their own species, I could not recall if this one was alone. I could not help but stare at the plumage around its nape, such a handsome shade of dusty blue, the iridescent greens, blues and orange on its back was amazing. It sat there quietly and allowed me to snap a few shots.
Just a few steps away we found another bird that looked very similar to the one above but it had a white tail and was much bigger in size. I wonder where did they get all these birds and how long were they there for.
A white creature stared at me from its cage, its pale feathers and shape reminded me of a dove. It did not struck me as unusual, but the subtle shade and soft details on its rump was quite soothing in appearance.
Then we came to the parrot section, a pair of blue and yellow macaws sat up high on a tree limb. I thought of the time in kindergarten when my dad took us to Jurong Bird Park, I had the opportunity to hold one on a stick and boy was it extremely heavy!
Since then, I had seen some wilderness documentaries that showed parrots roaming in the wild, flying and feeding in the open jungle, I much prefer to see animals in their native environment. These group of smaller parrots below were a quiet bunch, most were napping while others sat looking lethargic, I think they would be a lot livelier if they were free.
Then we came to the last enclosure, what drew us close was a voice that said, "Hello how are you? Lovely to see you!" I believe its name was Benjamin and he was a talkative one, captured below his face a comical expression, it was most amusing to meet him but it was time to move on.
We kept walking, there was sure lots to see in Kowloon Park, just when we thought we had seen everything we came to a pond, compared to the surrounding hi-rise it was huge. I was admiring the dark waters and the aqua colored glass windows when David pointed out...
... the flamingos on the edge, there was so many of them I don't think I have ever seen such a large group before.
We stayed a while to observe them feeding and walking about in the water searching for more food. There was tags on their legs but they were not caged nor were they netted in, what kept the birds from staying here?
The water was so smooth that day it made a great reflection, it was delightful to see the birds in the aviary but watching the flamingos roaming about freely was a gift.
But flamingos were not the last birds we saw, in another pool a Mandarin Duck was seen waddling by, it instantly reminded me of the ones in the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou on this post.
More ducks, a pair of them keeping each other company as a....
... black one with a dull expression swam by.
Many fowls were enjoying the water that afternoon, even the sparrows were taking a bath.
But there were not only birds in the park, turtles of various sizes were sunning themselves on a trunk.
And then there was the koi, they were so colorful, I took numerous pictures of them swimming this way and that. They were so peaceful to look at I would have stayed longer but David called out to me, Kowloon Park was not the only item on our agenda that day.
Returning to the company of trees as we made our way to the entrance, these trees below had such an enormous root system it caught the attention of an elderly couple.
We decided to head over and get a closer view, but look what we found growing on the side of the steps! How long was it there and how did it get there in the first place?
We walked on, more visitors arrived as it was lunch hour.
It was nice to spend the morning at Kowloon Park but it was time to leave for our next destination, join us next week for another episode of China escape!

Hong Kong Journal Day 23 Kowloon Park Part 1

2011-09-29T19:18:00.001-07:00

Welcome to our weekly episode on our China trip today! I am sorry about skipping a China post last week, too many things to do with too little time I simply could not concentrate. Thank goodness this week is much better. We are on Day 23 on our journey, we have been to 6 cities in Mainland China: Beijing, Xian, Chongqing, Yichang, Shanghai and Guilin, it was hard to choose but I must say they were all interesting. I have seen some of the most beautiful sceneries, gorgeous mountains on the Yangtze River and lingering hills by the Li River. One of our goals was to rent bikes and take the time to explore the area, which we did in Xian on the city wall and yet again in a little town called Yangshuo. Our China trip has been a dream come true, we enjoyed it very much and it is my personal joy and pride to share our journey with you every week since February 2010.

There are just a few more posts to go, we are on our last Chinese destination: Hong Kong to visit some friends, relax and unwind before heading home to Canada. While strolling down Nathan Road on this post, Peter and Vonny suggested we visit Kowloon Park. We headed down to the same location, things looked very different in the day time, all we saw were shops...

... and more shops. Brand names from all over the world, clothing, accessories, you named it they got it but they were not what we were looking for.
The bold advertisement across the street caught my eye, but passersby seemed oblivious to it.
A few double decker buses crowded with passengers drove by, they were covered with commercials too but I had no clue what they were about.
My attention turned to the brick building across the street, overshadowed by lush giant trees and succulent green undergrowth, the kind of prolific growth present only in a tropical climate.
Then David noticed the steps that Peter and Vonny mentioned, "go up those stairs and they will take you to the park."
One last look at Nathan Road before venturing into the park...
... onto a new level, the main entrance greeted us. Colossal hi-rise loomed in the distance, they balanced the strong graphic tile patterns on the ground. It dawned on us that Kowloon Park is located in the midst of Hong Kong's downtown core.
We walked down one of the pathways, the traffic noise faded into the background.
At the end of the path, an enormous building stood, its unique design and white exterior tiles reminded of the architecture of a shopping mall in Singapore.
But this was not a place for retail stores, we could smell the chlorine in the air and hear the children playing in the water. There it was behind the blue painted wall, a fair sized swimming pool shared by the community in the heart of the city.
Moving on as we were not there for a swim, a capture of the outside, a mosaic of more tall buildings, residential or office their purpose was unknown.
It was not long before we entered a greener space, bands of tropical plants filled the area, palms on the outlining edge while pink blossoms perked up the middle.
There were red and yellow flowers too, their rich colors contrast against the upright white lamp posts.
What was the reason for this wonderful garden arrangement? There in the centre of it all, a clock counting down the days and time remaining to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
Did I tell you we were in China in October 2007? Let's see, it was 282 days 7 hours, 58 minutes and 50 seconds to this international sports event!

Our focus returned back to the surrounding landscape, I could not help but notice those palm trees had really skinny trunks, regardless they lined up nicely and led the eye to...

... the end of the row where a totem pole stood tall. I was surprised to see this in Hong Kong, it instantly reminded me of Vancouver where totem poles resided in Stanley Park. We had been traveling for 23 days now, despite all the wonderful things we discovered on our trip we were missing home.
Thoughts of home gradually disappeared with the sight of prolific green, all the different shades combined with sculptured bushes gave a feeling of peace. There were lots of benches to sit around but wait...
... there were some steps that took you to another level...
... where there were more benches to choose from, to catch up with the daily news or time away from the office for a bite of lunch.
There was even tables and chairs for those who prefer a different setting, perhaps a morning game of Chinese chess with friends.
Onwards we continue like this man below, more on Kowloon Park next week, so stay tuned!

Hong Kong Diary Day 22 Sun Pat Kan and Hunting for Lunch

2011-09-15T08:58:00.002-07:00

Thanks for joining us to escape to China today! We continue with our exploration of the little town of Stanley, after wandering through the Stanley Market and strolling down the Promenade we made our way to Sun Pat Kan Sitting Out Area. I could not recall exactly where this are was but captured below was a picture of the sign, I made a habit to record the signs at places we were visiting so there would be no mistake in remembering helpful things like correct names and spelling.We started out from the right, small boats were hauled out of the water for the day, the red one was covered with a blue tarp. I wonder if these were fishing vessels and if so, were they used for a commercial purpose?
My eye wandered to the left, more dry boats on the beach, there was hardly anyone there, the quiet waves lapped against the shore.
I walked towards the boats for a closer look, a shot of the turquoise hauls against the faded yellow building, it was a warm and hazy afternoon that day.
Out in the open the gray sea with a lone fisherman tending to his net, his boat the only one on the sand that was not overturned.
To the very left two friends were playing chess by the water under the shady canopy of a tropical tree, what a way to spend this lazy afternoon.
Across from the shore a row of houses, its structure was most unique, I don't think I have ever seen a concrete roof. Questions came to mind: were they high maintenance, would they crack in the long run and how did they build them?
The homes looked quite mundane, every single one has 2 windows, one on each side of the green double doors. However from this angle they looked rather interesting with their roofs in various shades of gray, some even appeared newly painted.
A shot of one of the letter box of the dwellings, the see through holes were a double coin design.
Some posters were stuck on some of the brick walls, advertisement for some product or was it for a TV show, it didn't matter, I thought they were a delightful spot of color that added a tiny bit of visual interest for this corner.
Leaving Sun Pat Kan Sitting Area, one last shot before our hunt for lunch, a rather disorganized array of buildings on this block that seemed to go together somehow.
Walking down the main road looking for a place to eat, the sides were off limits, as usual the bright yellow fence announced its construction presence to pedestrians and drivers.
There was lots of menu choices, would you care for a fish and chips platter and a side of mashed peas at this English pub?
How about a couple of fusion entrees at this stylish joint with modern interiors...
... or some calamari or pasta at a Mediterranean restaurant with sunny walls?
We were not entirely sure what the food would be like here, red and white checked tablecloths mixed with Chinese red paper couplets and Halloween lanterns resulted in a strange decorative touch. It was lunch time but no one was eating at any of these places so we decided to move on.
Alas we found lunch at a building away from the tourist area, it was packed with locals eating away. A filling combination of beef and tomato, chicken with black pepper sauce and Singapore fried vermicelli with rice and drinks for only RMB $105, about $15 Canadian for 3 adults. Prices in Hong Kong was by far the highest costs for our travel expenses but this was the most reasonable meal we had there. Captured below one last shot of Stanley before heading back to the car.
Day 22 of our China trip turned out to be a visit to a few places, it started out with Repulse Bay then antique shopping on Hollywood Road, more shopping at Stanley Market and some quiet time at the Promenade and Sun Pat Kan. That night we headed back to the hotel and wandered through the neighborhood looking for dinner, a simple meal of BBQ pork and BBQ duck with boiled vegetables and oyster sauce, prices were reasonable but the food was very greasy. We walked about and found an electronics building with stores at all levels selling only electronics but it was past 9 PM and they were closed. Tired from all the traveling we were in bed by 11PM, the first time in 22 days we went to bed early! It was a restful sleep indeed. Next week our China adventure continues!

Hong Kong Postcard Day 22 Promenade in Stanley

2011-09-08T07:21:00.004-07:00

There are still loads of laundry to do and I cannot find my way to the desk, oh well at least I can still type on the computer. Let's forget about the daily chores and escape to China instead! Last week Peter took us to Stanley Market for a quick stroll through the shops, it was not as crowded as we expected but some quiet time was needed so we decided to wander off towards the promenade. As we walked along the colorful circles through the trees drew us near.The circles led the way down the path that was lined with yellow tiles, a mishmash of buildings off to the side, I quite like the look of the older ones mingled in with the new.
I decided to walk towards the buildings to get a closer look, below the view of the drain that greeted me. There were doors and steps that led to this drain area, I wondered what was its purpose?
Back on the street, a feeling of calm and quiet despite the diverse structural shapes, maybe it was because of the gray colored ground, its flat surface was quite comfortable to walk on.
Across the way, the view of the peaceful ocean, the gentle curve of the concrete edge led the walkway towards some pastel colored buildings.
Walking on the trail led us to the newly developed shops by the water.
A closer look at the businesses, hanging tarps over their roofs in triangle shapes, brown paper covered its windows, a disappointing reality: they were closed and unoccupied.
The empty shops went all the way to the end, vacant benches beautifully designed but no one to use them.
As we explored the commercial area there were some shops that were open for business, it appeared they were mostly cafes but the presence of customers assured us this was a new area that had only just started up.
It would be nice to sit and watch the people as they relaxed with their cup of jo, like this man sitting on the edge, but it was time to move on to explore other parts of the area.
On the way we saw a sign on the wall, courtesy of Hong Kong's Leisure and Cultural Services Department, reminding visitors of this park's rules. Regardless of its restrictions it did not prevent us from enjoying the view, the unique architecture of the shops and the walk by the sea. Onwards we go to explore more of the area, join us next week same time same place!

Hong Kong Journal Day 22 Stanley Market

2011-09-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Thursday and Hello China! I am sorry about the lack of posts on my blog, there was also no China post last week, I have been extremely busy with my second book. The good news is that's now all finished!!! I will share that with you later this month, my current state demands some getting things back to order, some housekeeping and cleaning, and also some rest. Despite the list of chores there is definitely time to escape to China. So without further adieu we continue with Day 22, after a visit to Repulse Bay and Hollywood Road, Peter decided to take us to Stanley Market for some window shopping, below the road towards the market, on the left the typical bus stop in Hong Kong with its clearly painted sign.After parking the car, we headed towards the shops, where lots of red taxis were gathered there as well as people.
In the midst of swirling vehicles taking their turns to pick up customers, we finally found our way to the goods.
There was an array of colorful hanging lanterns, I like the pink and purple ones.
More lanterns at a glance, a closer look revealed there was also Chinese calligraphy in picture frames on the wall. The couple on the right was surrounded with seals and calligraphy supplies, this must be an art store doubling as a souvenir stall.
Looking down the tiled street, we were expecting the area to be highly crowded but Stanley Market was a fairly big, I guess the shoppers were dispersed about the place.
More stalls up the stairs, there was quite a few stairs that led away from the main drag, a good variety of merchandise on display, plenty of bargaining went on.
Walking on to explore the area, we followed the businesses towards the residential low rise.
On the edge of the commercial district, a fruit and flower shop caught my eye.
A close up of the flower shop, it brought back memories of Singapore where blooms would be displayed out in the open with no refrigeration system, merchandise would be of a tropical breed such as orchids.
A close up of the fruit shop, a typical Asian practice would be to hang the bananas. Why was this done, was it a good way to prevent bruising?
As we strolled along we saw signs commemorating Old Street Stanley, I felt the retro design and bright colors complimented the area nicely.
As we returned to the car, a similar sign with a slightly different message, the same vintage design was calling out for leasing opportunities. I wonder what the costs were? It was nice to have a brief walk through Stanley Market, but we must move on as there were other parts Peter was anxious to show. Until next week, more about this neighborhood!

Hong Kong Diary Day 22 Hollywood Road (Antique Street)

2011-08-18T19:22:00.004-07:00

Hello, we go to China today! Let's continue with our visit to Hollywood Road in Hong Kong, more commonly known as Antique Street. After stumbling upon a very untidy junk shop in last week's post, it was quite a relief when we found this stall selling Mao memorabilia, there were posters...... and pins and more posters, plus numerous more images of Chairman Mao printed in every size imaginable. I did not recall seeing so many of Mao Zedong's images when we were in mainland China, the only place we witnessed such items was in Wangfujing.
Mesmerized by the variety of vintage goods, I strolled past slowly only to turn around and noticed a poster of a Chinese Emperor. It hung at the very end on the left in the photo below, it looked like a portrait painting from Chinese Imperial times, nestled amongst the revolutionary merchandise it seemed out of place.
Walking along we observed there were also funky looking movie posters, starring Bruce Lee amongst other Asian stars. I did not recognize any of them except for the martial arts instructor himself, although I was delighted to see them on display.
More kung fu posters advertising action packed themes, we were enjoying the awkward composition of the images and type, and could only imagine the chaotic scenes as one character flies towards the other in the moment of fury or revenge. They brought back good childhood memories of my dad taking us to see the latest martial arts adventure.
I began to notice the row shops selling more expensive antiques on the sidewalk. Imprisoned behind lighted glass shelves were collector's items from various dynasties, whereas more affordable goods of teapots and jade pieces were displayed out in the open.
A close up of a shop's display, some lovely looking hand painted blue and white vases on the top row, intricately carved wooden sculptures amidst glazed porcelain. All crowded together they all demanded equal attention, which one should I bring home I did not know.
A corner stall that sold wooden plaques bearing auspicious Chinese characters, bronze statues of Buddha, Chinese knotting made of silk yarns, all kinds of trinkets the list went on... and then there were the swords.
A wonderful array of door handles, shiny or antique bronze, available in all styles and sizes. Before our China trip I had seen some in Vancouver's Chinatown but these were more exquisite in design and much finer in craftsmanship.
We continue to wander along, then in the middle of the street sitting atop a plastic container were these lotus slippers, their bright colors and pretty embroidery a reminder of a cruel and painful practice on Chinese women called foot binding.
One last shot down Antique Street, we could go on but there were too many shops and other places to visit that afternoon.
Before we left we noted there were stores that did not sell antiques on Antique Street. This one below a machinery shop that manufactured small parts, on the brown wooden board was a diagram in chalk of how the item operated, it had been a while since I seen one of these shops.
Below a trolley production business, any kind you want from small ones with cute wheels to big ones designed for heavy duty performance.
As usual in a typical Hong Kong neighborhood there was the little noodle shop tucked in between merchandise stalls.
On the edge of the district there was also a primary school, I love the different pastel colors for each floor.
Also located nearby was the quintessential hi-rise throughout our visit in Hong Kong.
However there was also the older residential low-rise. As we got into the car, Peter pointed out the decorative brushstrokes on the window, white paint in wavelike motion encompassed a double happiness Chinese character, could this be the newlyweds first home? On this joyous note we drove off to the next destination, to be disclosed next week!

Hong Kong Postcard Day 22 On the way to Hollywood Road (Antique Street)

2011-08-11T16:15:00.031-07:00

Hello Thursday! Welcome to another episode of our China trip! Last week we visited Repulse Bay and went to prison, this week we are free to roam through Hong Kong again. Our personal guide Peter recommended the antique district on Hollywood Road, a new destination for us, with speculating comments we drove on inching through the traffic jam...... passing through the shopping district of shiny buildings. I did not recognize the area nor did I know where we were, we placed our trust in Peter's driving, who steered ahead ever so carefully.
The glitzy structures gradually turned into more residential developments, they were less shiny, with each window accompanied by an air conditioner.
Coming out of the congestion, the car motored down the street freely, in the distance monotonous looking hi-rise loomed ahead.
More gargantuan erections, I guess Hong Kong is full of them wherever you go, it appeared the area was 100% residences, no shops were in sight.
Bright yellow fences and signs by the road indicating a construction work area, blue and white arrows instructed drivers to move to the left, we drove on carefully...
... and the lane led us back into the busy street again. Green netting covered the tall building on the right, in Vancouver this would denote a leaky condo, would this be the case in Hong Kong?
We began to loose interest in the traffic, I turned my attention to the shops, this little one below selling fruit, tended with care by an elderly couple it stood in its corner, neat and tidy.
Turning around a corner, in front of a small cafe displaying signs of noodle, congee and rice dishes, an old man was seen pulling a heavy basket behind him.
As we continued towards the antique district, the sidewalk came alive with everyday activity, a man walked by a BBQ meat shop as he chatted on his cell. As I looked at this picture the thought crossed my mind man did those poultry ever looked delicious.

We followed and observed him until we all came to a stop at the lights.
As the pedestrians walked on, I turned my attention to this produce shop below, situated at a prime location it was filled with all kinds of vegetables from corner to corner. It instantly reminded me of the neighborhood wet market we used to visit in Singapore, fresh greens would be bargained for on a daily basis, brought home to be cleaned and cooked hastily on a wok for dinner.
The road came to an end and Peter parked the car. In just a few steps we came to this sign that pointed to all kinds of destinations, the one we were looking for was Hollywood Road, Peter pointed out the street went quite a ways so we began our little hike.
On the edge of the antique quarter, the shop in red looked prestigious and authentic.
I could not help but looked up the street, it looked like this could be an interesting stopover.
A stone's throw away, a very disorganized looking shop named Luk Kee, now I don't know much about antiques but this appeared to be a thrift store full of junk! Let's hope the rest of the shops don't look like this, next week our China journey continues on Antique Street, be sure to stay tuned!

Hong Kong Journal Day 22 Repulse Bay and Prison

2011-08-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

Yep you read that right, we are going to prison on Day 22 of our China trip! No... do not scroll down, there will be no cheating so let's head on over to Repulse Bay in Hong Kong, another one of Peter's suggestions. Below the sign that greeted us by the entrance: no kite flying, no cycling, no fishing, no dogs allowed, no ball games, no frisbee... no every other thing that a normal person would associate with beach activities, this seemed very interesting.Just a few steps onto the soft sand revealed there were few visitors on the beach. It was the Fall season at the time, the weather was still warm in Hong Kong, the wind carried a slight salty breeze, it was lovely under the shady canopy. After 3 weeks of traveling through China and walking amidst crowd after crowd, I remembered I was quite delighted to have a quiet moment and thankful to have the beach to ourselves.
Walking out towards the ocean, I decided to turn around and could not help notice the buildings behind us, there was quite a few of them.
Turning to the left, more apartment buildings surrounding the beach front, it was mentioned the waterfront property was one of the most expensive in Hong Kong.
Peter and David pointed out the famous building with the hole, this was done so the dragons from the mountains could have a drink of water from the ocean so the feng shui master said. Never mind feng shui, I thought this was a show of architecture genius. This was also a chance to participate in the surrounding beauty, the hole was a window of the water from the hills, or a view of the mountains from the beach.
The camera zoomed out to capture the neighboring structures, despite the size and height their pastel colors blended nicely with the nature nearby, it all looked quite pleasant together.
Off into the distant, more muted colored buildings made even more subtle that cloudy afternoon, the one on the very right had noticeable swooping lines.
The lifeguard station caught my attention, I like its spiral staircase but where was the lifeguard?
We spent quite a bit of time on the sand, David and Peter went off visiting, I was engrossed with the little shells so tiny many would not have noticed their black or red colors. But it was time to move on as we had other places to go, Peter called out to me which led my eye to this lonely kayak, I guess kayaking must have been one of the approved activities on the water.
One last shot of the beachfront homes before catching up with the guys to...
... the temple that was located on the other end of the shoreline. Colorful tiles on the staircase led to brightly colored statues, the scent of incense was in the air.
The steps also led downwards to this bridge by the water, what wonderful red! It stood out amongst the delightful shades of the pagoda.
There was some statues of animal forms on the pier, I recognized a goat with horns, I think there was a fish creature of some sort too, what were their significance, was this a Taoist temple?
With unanswered questions we left Repulse Bay for another destination, along the way Peter pointed out we would pass by a prison. Fortunately for us the car was stuck in a traffic jam and I was free to snap away with the camera, the first photo a sign on the prison wall.
Below the front entrance of the lockup, it looked formidable, were the walls as thick as the ones around this doorway?
Driving along the prison walls in slow motion amidst the congestion, I was surprised vehicles were allowed this much proximity to the enclosure.
A peak upwards at the jailhouses, were those windows of the cells or administrative offices?
A closer look revealed some glass panes were missing.
The window design on this wall appeared colonial, the walls had a depressing yellow tone, I wonder what crimes were committed to warrant such imprisonment?

Driving on we realized the prison was situated amongst buildings of offices, shopping centres and residences, could this be a low security correctional facility, it seemed a strange location would there not be all kinds of places to hide or catch a ride?

Next week the China adventure continues with our personal guide Peter from Hong Kong, a different location so stay tuned!

Meeting with George

2011-07-30T23:39:00.007-07:00

A very serious meeting with George:

discussion started in the kitchen

while waiting for the water to

boil, it continued into the

dining room while waiting for

the meat to cook. The burnt

smell soon revealed the pork

chops did not survive George's

intense BBQ heat. Oh well

lunch must go on, the buttered

buns went well with the creamy

coleslaw, corn and crunchy carrots.

After a munching recess it was

determined the beef patties was also

too dry, the star of the meal was

the sausage called torunska. Topics

of conversation soon led to

Jenny Craig, storybook illustrations,

the past, the future and the

present, which summarizes this

afternoon's activities.

It was nice to take the time

to visit an old friend, to break

away from the routine

and take a break.

Hong Kong Diary Day 21 Convention Center and Causeway Bay

2011-07-28T20:11:00.002-07:00

It seems there is little else to do but go to work or stay at home and paint for my second book these days. I for one would love to break away from this monotonous routine. I am looking forward to some 'free' time this coming long weekend and fear not, progress had been made each time I sit down to paint, something I hope to share later this week and... I have also set aside some time to escape to China today!

Let's continue on Day 21 of our trip, after a quiet walk at Clearwater Bay, Peter took us to Po Tai O, a fishing village much smaller than Tai O. We then stopped over at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, captured below the sweeping roof of the building, a remarkable shape against the evening sky.

Walking around the structure, another view from a different angle, various shades of blue and green glass a lovely compliment to the concrete grey, the row of white pots a subtle adornment on the edge.
Strolling by the other direction, the interior began to light up as the sun set creating a completely different outlook as one would witness in the daytime, this was one of my favorite sights of this exquisite architecture.
Just a few steps ahead, cars began to appear followed by the crowds, something must have been going on at the time as traffic got to be quite noisy. In the background the center's lights began to glow behind its glass walls like amber in the light.
It was time to leave and head over to Causeway Bay, just a short drive away, Peter left us for the evening, we thanked him again for showing us around Hong Kong and headed over to the water, below the scene as we waited for the night to fall. I have posted about Causeway Bay here, the scenery looked completely different from Victoria Peak.
I could not remember if there were many people around but the night was warm and the skies were fairly clear that October evening, we were hoping for a clear night for some night time pictures of the harbor.
In just a few moments the colors became more vibrant as the sun continued to set.
We waited patiently as the minutes passed, the salty air and calm sea kept us at ease, Peter told us the harbor would look completely different in the dark.
The taller buildings began to illuminate from within, some rooftops began to radiate...
... then the surrounding shorter ones followed in the twinkling brilliance.
We were enjoying the light show when a building's face began to display a colorful exhibit of the upcoming year's event. I recalled Peter mentioning this event but I could not remember what it was.
Nevertheless it kept us captivated as we watched the animated fireworks on this delightful show.
Below the panorama of the waterfront with all of the buildings lit up, it sure paid off to wait for the night to fall, the buildings were a wonderful array like jewels glistening in the dark.

A last shot of the harbor before heading back to the hotel, with no tripod we had left the camera on the concrete sidewalk on a prolonged exposure, the result was a ghostly image of a Chinese junk with crimson sails as it slowly glided along the water. It was nice to have a quiet day after an eventful Day 20, nevertheless we did not go to bed until 1 AM that night.

The China trip had taken up a lot out of our time and energy, did I tell you we were there for almost a month? And in that course 18,000 pictures were taken, some of which I was able to share on my weekly China posts, with the very first post that started in February 2010. I have enjoyed this blog journey of our trip, there are only a few more posts to go, I hope you continue to join us as we reveal another episode next week!

Hong Kong Postcard Day 21 Po Tai O

2011-07-21T20:07:00.002-07:00

I'm glad its Thursday, because this means tomorrow is Friday!!! Painting for my second book has taken up most of my time these days, there is little left for sleeping and eating, but I made sure to set aside some time for my weekly post on our China trip. So here here we go again to Hong Kong, where Peter decided to take us to Po Tai O, a fishing village just a short drive away from the park in Clearwater Bay.

A walk down the ramp towards town, Peter pointed out Po Tai O was much smaller in size than Tai O. After an eventful Day 20 on our journey, we gladly wandered into its peaceful atmosphere. All was quiet, there was no locals around, not even a single tourist.

We headed towards the water, unlike Tai O, there were no twists or turns, navigation was simple and straightforward. In just a few steps we arrived on the edge, the familiar sight of laundry hung out to dry greeted us.
As the sea lapped against the shore, we noticed the houses were built on concrete foundation, not on wooden stilts like the ones in Tai O.
Most homes were newer, cleaner and tidier like the ones pictured below. I quite like the red couplets that decorated the entrance doors, I hope they bring the homeowners lots of happiness and good luck.
There were homes situated right next to one another in a row, but there were houses that stood alone like this one. It was a modest size, but a comfortable one for a small family. I would imagine with the number of plastic chairs stacked out front, extended family members gathered here once in a while for a merry reunion.
The scent of incense beckoned us along, we found a small shrine on the edge of town for residents to worship.
Across from the temple the view of the peninsula, just a few fishing boats tied to shore, they were much smaller than the ones in Tai O, I did not notice any engine motors.
Another outlook from a different angle, the water was so calm it was almost smooth as glass.
One last shot before heading inland, just a few short buildings in the background and some small vessels in the foreground, somehow this conjured up thoughts of a simple life by the water.
Returning to the car, we passed by a seafood restaurant, Peter said there was only a couple of them in Po Tai O.
Next to the eatery, a fresh seafood stall with tanks of live creatures, there was all kinds of swimming fish...
... and a good variety of shellfish on display. The photos reminded me of the wonderful dinner we ate that night, Peter's parents took us to a marvelous rooftop restaurant where plate after plate of battered and fried cuttlefish, razorback clam in black bean sauce, boiled shrimp, steamed garupa, steamed scallops on their shells, and chicken feet and it has been a long time since I ate chicken feet. All was delightfully delicious. It was the kind of place where guests chose their menu and while they sit and wait at their tables, the chefs in the kitchen prepared their meals.
"Look! A local!" I exclaimed with excitement as a little boy with yellow pants went walking by, we all decided to follow him.
He was looking for his playmate, I tried to take their photo but they both dodged the camera shyly, these were the only souls we saw in Po Tai O.
One of 2 last photos to share, as usual my eyes could not ignore the flowers, a golden hibiscus with double petals grew out of a tiny pot outside a home.
The camera also captured a common Chinese ingredient in the kitchen, a basketful of dried orange peel. Curiously there was no dried seafood in sight like Tai O, no drying in the sun nor was there selling of the dried goods. Our visit in Po Tai O was short, but we much enjoyed the restful minutes there. Next week our China adventure continues... in another part of Hong Kong!

Hong Kong Journal Day 21 Clearwater Bay

2011-07-14T19:54:00.002-07:00

I can't believe its Thursday! There's lots to do but at least the painting for my second book has started, and there is still time to escape to China. It has been quite a trip traveling through mainland China, click here to see the destinations of our entire trip. After a very busy Day 20 on our journey Peter took us to Clearwater Bay for some quiet time.

Down the path at the park, not a soul in sight.

There has been a tremendous amount of walking on our visit, our heavy legs took us up some steps, this was when we discovered the lone stroller ahead of us.
At the top of the steps, a grassy area with wooden animals, it seemed to be a designated kids play zone but no children were to be seen. I decided to ride one of them, the newly painted timber was very hard and uncomfortable, nevertheless I found the antlers amusing. The ones with horns off to the side reminded me of lambs whereas the others with antlers on top made me think of reindeers, some even looked like grasshoppers.
Leaving the area of fun we followed the trail down the path, Peter said a nearby hill is a popular spot for flying kites.
And there it was on top of the hill, the silhouette of a man holding a colorful kite beckoned us.
A closer look revealed the man was busy preparing his kite for flight...
... then he started to run around very fast so his kite would catch some wind. I could not remember if he was successful in flying his kite, maybe it was not a particularly windy day.
But the kite had a unique shape...

... and I remembered the decorative patterns on the ground, there was some lovely painted kites amongst the floor tiles.

I really like this one that looked like an old man, his facial expression is somewhat amusing.
This one below reminded me of an owl. There were a few more designs but each one was of similar style, they were not traditional but a modern interpretation of the wind's toys. I like the way the kites were painted, the colors were muted but they went perfectly with the peaceful atmosphere of the place.
Trailing down the path, I turned my head to look back at the peak, some silhouettes were captured, outlines of people gathering to enjoy the calming effect of the park.
Pictured below, a distant vista, it was cloudy and humid that afternoon, I could smell the saltiness of the nearby sea.
There was a lookout of the distant islands, complete with benches and tables for contemplating.
Heading down, I lagged behind as usual, there was something appealing about the meandering paths, each turn revealed a different photo opportunity.
Further down, we were engulfed by the trees, there were actually quite a few trees, we could hear the rustling of the leaves in the warm breeze. The trees were slim in the trunk but looking up, they were tall in height and offered a fair amount of shade.
The tranquil quality of the area put me at ease, it made me notice the littlest of things, like the pattern on the fence post, I even found the fence design interesting.
A couple of highlights amongst the bushes, this spider was a good size, with its legs stretched out it was the size of my hand!
An unusual variety of berries, the orange colored fruit peeled open as they ripen to reveal a purplish grey center.
A plant with delicate leaves, which had the most intricate vein structure.
One of the last twisty paths led us down to...
... the ranger station, a handsome looking hut with a terra cotta roof, it was equipped with an air conditioner. I could not help notice the surrounding tropical plants, their form was most distinct, I like the ones on the ground with the pointy leaves.
Back to the car, as Peter drove away he said there was another destination before heading home for dinner. Join us next week as we continue our China adventure!

Hong Kong Diary Day 20 Citygate Outlets Mall and Victoria Peak

2011-07-07T19:13:00.002-07:00

Hello Thursday! We continue with our China posts today. There has been a week of quiet on my blog, I tried to post before our camping trip last week but had trouble signing in... so without further delay, here's the last bit on Day 20 in Hong Kong. After a wonderful day in Tai O we took the bus back to Kowloon City, pictured below the roof at the bus terminal, a lot of metal and glass formed this exterior structure, a substantial shelter that would accommodate a huge crowd.As Peter and David walked to the car, I looked around and noticed some towering buildings. I had seen some tall apartments before but these were so high they did not fit in the picture.
Peter pointed out construction nearby, it was not residential but a secondary school. Apart from the yellow blocks of paint, this reminded me of the schools in Singapore, grey and monotonous, classrooms with over 40 students per class. Just like Hong Kong, bigger establishments were built to meet the needs of a larger population.
David remembered the one cool thing about Hong Kong was its architecture. If it were not for the blue accents in the corner, this building below would come across as cold and lifeless, it must be a real challenge to design something that's big and interesting.
One last shot from the terminal, a zoom down the platform, an image that portrayed modern Hong Kong, a far cry from Tai O, the little fishing village we visited earlier in the day.
Leaving the bus terminal, Peter suggested shopping at the Citygate Outlets Mall nearby. I remembered the Giordano t-shirts I purchased in 1993, most of them I still wear today even though the colors had faded. We had not bought a single clothing item in mainland China and were excited about this shopping opportunity, there were all kinds of stores representing international brands. We were instantly greeted by the glitz and glamor of shopping centers, boy were those floors ever clean and shiny, even supermarkets like this one below seemed to offer a kind of Utopian world that came with perfectly ripened fruit in impeccable packaging.
Shopping malls have come a long way in modern cities like Hong Kong, they have been designed to offer the ultimate shopping experience where consumers step in and don't ever want to leave.
Captured below, a fuzzy heart-shaped mascot said, "This way to a good mood!"Paired with the notion of keeping up with the Joneses, the acquisition of material goods beyond their buying power have caused a lot of consumers to fall deep in debt. Was it all worth it?
After only 30 minutes of shopping we were loaded with clothing items of all kinds, good for another decade or two. Until this part of our trip, we had spent only a small amount on food and souvenirs, a large part of our traveling budget was spent in Hong Kong, the cost of food and clothing is similar to Vancouver. Outside the mall the air was much fresher, we left to pick up Vonny, dinner was at a small noodle shop in Tsim Sha Tsu, Peter said we should visit Victoria Peak.
Peter left the car in the parking lot, I could not remember how much parking was but I recalled it was not cheap, neither was gas. We took the elevator to the highest level, the row of window decorations greeted us. A series of black cats and flying bats denoted a Halloween theme, Vonny said Halloween was recently celebrated in Hong Kong.
As we walked towards the viewpoint, a big screen TV showcased advertisements from karaoke to game shows, contact lens products to clothing, much like the big cities we visited in mainland China, Beijing and Shanghai, advertising was abundant in Hong Kong.
Below the view from the peak, the panorama of Causeway Bay, Hong Kong's most expensive real estate.
After a few minutes we began to notice the lights started to change on some of the buildings, creating a different outlook.
A close up of the ever changing lights, it went from red to purple...
... to blue to green.
Some of the building's roofs were illuminated.
The tall building with shimmering light on the right looks like a glittering calculator.
Our eyes wandered off to the side, some lights on the buildings were arranged in graphic forms, others outlined the structure.
We stayed a while to capture some more viewpoints from different angles, I think these were taken by David who placed the camera on one of the ledges.
Despite the mist in the air the pictures turned out very clear.
Looking at these photos today I could not help but think of how different the skyline looked during Earth Hour, go to the link here and scroll down to the second picture to see.
A last look at the buildings at night, it has been a very eventful Day 20 in our China journey, by the time we got back to the hotel it was 1 AM and we were tired. A suggestion to sleep in the next day was made, next week our China adventure continues!

Drawings for My Second Book!

2011-06-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

It took me some time to come up with sketches for my second book, I wanted the pictures to be better than my first book Her Beef Stew, better in every way, more action, more exciting, more expressive. These past weeks, whenever inspiration strikes I would be working away on my desk, drumming up all kinds of ideas to make each and every drawing a better drawing. And this week, they were all finished! Today I share just a couple of them with you, your very own sneak peek into this second book I am currently working on.

A Simple Sweet

2011-06-25T23:16:00.004-07:00

At the end of the week

a project deadline was completed,

a visit to the night market

was my mini celebration.

There was fresh produce, sweet

desserts, wood fired pizzas,

chilli, even kettle corn.

The craft vendors had an interesting

array of creations, different music

bands played for the wide

range of audience.

But my eyes were on the local

strawberries, small and red,

they were not as sweet as anticipated

but they were sure fresh, a

delightful treat with low fat yogurt,

a simple sweet at the end

of the day.

Hong Kong Postcard Day 20 Tai O An Area of Renewal

2011-06-23T20:58:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy week, a project deadline has kept me from blogging but I made sure to set aside some time to escape to China! We are in Hong Kong visiting Tai O, there has already been a few posts about this special little village but there was one last part of Tai O Peter wanted to see, so we made our way back towards town, down the windy path pictured below.Back into the neighborhood of tightly built residences where people lived so closely you could chat with your neighbor across the street without leaving your home.
The occasional open space was noticeable, as was the great variety of exterior materials and texture, be it pastel colored stucco or gradating tiles.
We followed Peter, who was looking for a specific area of Tai O, one that was going through some changes. The walkway led us to...
... an empty housing lot that was scattered with bricks and rumbles leftover from construction projects.
As we ventured further, we found some homes made of metal sheeting, it appeared newer developments were rising above the remains of the past.
A closer look revealed they were neatly structured with clean angular shapes and lots of windows.
Check out this one on the left with numerous tiny windows, I wondered what it would look like from the inside. My eyes were drawn to the adjoining rusty green residence, the paint poorly disguised its corroded walls.
In some way, the newer homes made a pleasant difference to this older part of Tai O, where houses were built on stilts right over the water.
As the camera wandered around capturing images, the sound of sawing in the distance caught my attention.
The camera zoomed in to find a husband working laboriously while his wife stood by, offering help only in a verbal manner.
Closer to us, a pile of construction materials left on the side, there was a kitchen sink, some scraps of wood and some rolls of roofing membrane.
Why was this part of Tai O going through a stage of renewal? Our observation returned to the development right before us, on the ground were strings that determined each lot, that was when we noticed the charred remains of the homes.
A fire broke out in the year 2000, about 90 stilt homes were destroyed, leaving many families homeless, a lot of the residents were elderly and poor. I was told the government was slow with the rebuilding process, there was talk of better housing designs with clean running water and sewage systems. It had been 7 years and there was still vacant lots waiting for reconstruction.
I looked on at the blackened remainder amongst the heaps of debris, what was once somebody's home that held all their belongings. I hope the government would complete the restoration that was badly needed for this area.

On the way back we noticed a fire extinguisher station, colored in bright red with bold Chinese characters that clearly spelled out its purpose, we questioned if this was there before and if it was used to stop the spread of fire in 2000.
The maze of walkways guided us back to the market, lining the fence on the bottom right were a network of pipes.
More pipes accompanied the path, this time there was more than one.
We came across this amazing trail that zigzagged marvelously, how would one construct a water pipe here?
The wooden path trailed off into the unknown distance, it was unfinished, a mirror image of the current government rebuilding project.
We walked on leaving the renewal zone, past the new homes made of metal. As I followed David and Peter, I thought about my visit to Tai O, it has been a very interesting afternoon, all the way from the pier to the museum, the dried food market was an eye-opening experience as was the search for lunch, I really enjoyed walking through the neighborhood where we found homes by the water and got a closer look at the lifestyle in this little fishing village. It is truly a special place, many thanks to Peter for suggesting it and guiding us around. Until next week, our China adventure continues!

Hong Kong Journal Day 20 Tai O A Closer Look at Home

2011-06-16T21:59:00.004-07:00

Hello and welcome to this week's post on our China trip! We are in Hong Kong exploring the fishing village of Tai O, Day 20 of our journey has been most exciting, we visited the museum, the dried food market, our search of lunch led to a stroll through the neighborhood, where we discovered homes by the water. We also got a closer look at some parts of the home, revealing the way of life in this little town.

Pictured below a working area right outside this house, there were tables for cutting up the catch of the day and buckets for rinsing and sorting out parts.

Nearby a fish drying area accompanied by a relaxed but watchful guard dog.
Another fish drying area, no dogs around but it was protected by covering of green net.
More hanging fish, there were few homes without them, these ones were left out in the open, no dogs or covering, there was not a soul watching. The ones that were laid flat had their heads wrapped in paper, could these be salted fish ready for sale?
Not all fish were hung individually by their tails, this lady below was drying trays of fish.
I managed to get a close up of a fresh tray of fish, these were suspended in the covered balcony situated right over the water. Their heads and entrails were removed, their size was quite small, what kind of fish were they?
While walking through the homes by the water, we stumbled upon a platter of fish drying in the sun, it was placed next to the walkway on a heap of salvaged materials.
I could not resist capturing the glistening scales, they still looked fresh even though the flesh underneath was shriveled from the heat.
Some dried seafood were weighed down with metal screens and wooden blocks to prevent curling whilst drying. These were round shaped and very thin, could they be butterflied fish or was it cuttlefish?
We were able to roam through covered patios of some of the homes, some of them were quite large like this one below. Judging by the round table, chairs, and baskets and ropes strewn about, it was a working room as well as a dining area.
A much tidier deck with a great waterfront view.
Mahjong in the cool shade by the water, what a way to pass the time, I could imagine the chatter of conversation amongst the mixing of tiles at the end of the day.
Not all verandas were spacious, this one below is quite small but there was room to dry the laundry and store some items, there was even space for the kids to play.
A close up of the kid's motorbike, love the black and yellow! There were 3 stools, were there 3 kids in this family?
I have mentioned gardens before, and I had to include the photo below, any bit of green space in Hong Kong was a prized luxury, especially if it was part of a home. There was no need for a grand area, just a couple of wooden planks and pots of various materials, pottery or plastic filled with all kinds of tropical plants and there you have a garden!
A peek into a kitchen, it was most tiny with everything you need within arm's reach, be it garlic, seasonings, utensils, wok or sink.

An outdoor living room setting in a marvelous green, on the door 2 fu characters on diamond shaped paper, plus another one off to the left totaling 3 fus that just about guaranteed blessings of happiness and good fortune.

So ends this post with this picture in mind, there was no grand residences in Tai O, most homes were small and compact. Somehow the residents made it work, there was room to live, work and play. In their little space people seemed to be content, which brings to mind do we really need so many things and a big house?

Next week our China adventure continues, just a little bit more on Tai O, a very special part that Peter was eager to see.

Bamboo Shadows

2011-06-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

There is something striking

about the shadows of the

bamboo, like that of

a Chinese painting,

bold brushstrokes black

ink on white rice paper.

Follow the Shadows

2011-06-15T00:32:00.002-07:00

Follow the shadows

of the weeds along

the path by the river

one weekend day,

the breeze was cool

the air was warm

it felt just right.

Nothing to think about

except to relax.

Random Flowers for Tuesday

2011-06-14T11:58:00.004-07:00

Some flowers to share

from a walk by the river,

the ones with the white

anthers look very interesting.

I think its petals have fallen

off, I think it's a weed.

It doesn't matter, even

the pale yellow broom seems

pretty basking in the sun.

The last photo with a

mysterious pink blossom,

I do not know its name

but I see it everywhere.

The weekend was very busy

some time to work

and some time to rest.

I hope for a good week ahead

I hope to finish some tasks.

Hong Kong Diary Day 20 Tai O Homes by the Water

2011-06-09T12:57:00.040-07:00

Hello Thursday! Let's continue with our China trip where we tour the fishing village of Tai O. It was an adventure to stumble upon the museum, visit the dried food market, and explore the neighborhood but there was more to discover with the homes by the water. Pictured below residences along the waterfront, built on stilts right over the ocean.Small motorboats with powerful engines were parked right outside the doorsteps, however the potted plants on the crowded garden balconies caught my eye.
Below the grandest garden of them all, there was some pink from the blooming bougainvillea but the space was filled with numerous pots of bonsai.
On the water a motor boat zoomed by, its registration number clearly painted on the side, I could not help but notice the straw hat, this was the first time I saw it on a real fisherman!
My eyes followed the boat to these houses, spaced evenly in a row they looked very tidy, I would very much like the one with the orange door.
The view across, a panorama of the fishing town, I have only seen Venice in photos but this scene somehow reminded me of it.
A close up of a distant spot, the blue and white stripes were very typical of nautical design, it seemed appropriate with the yellow and orange boats.
Under the line of hanging fish, a fisherman checked on his vessel, the sea level was very shallow during this low tide but it did not stop him from preparing for the next day.
A lot of boats were anchored that afternoon, everyone was home from the day's work, all seemed peaceful and quiet, much like a village scene from an Asian oil painting.
I realized this part of Tai O was most inspiring, taking pictures proved most challenging, everywhere I turned was a great opportunity, I had no choice but to capture different angles while standing in one spot.
Panning around with the camera I could see laundry hung out to dry while residents relaxed in the shady upper deck.
Walking along we stumbled upon this magical area, I found it most intriguing perhaps because the tide was at its lowest point a lot of the seabed was exposed.
Despite the shallow water it was calm as there was no wind, the resulting reflection on the muddy surface was so clear.
The wooden boat that would float so freely on high tide was marooned...
as were the green and yellow crafts...
... and the fishing gear.
Moving on we began to notice newer homes, these were made of metal, aluminum sheet to be specific. Other than its rust free feature I did not think they were the most aesthetic pleasing nor did they seemed very sound proof.
Further down a most unique boat was stranded, it was a Chinese sampan, I never thought I could witness it during modern times.
My vision began to wander down the walkway, at the end of the row of weather worn metal homes...
... were the remains of beams that used to support a home, a close look revealed they were made of bricks.
Some walkways ended abruptly, like this one pictured below...
... and this one across from where we were standing.
The camera zoomed in on the floor, wooden planks of various lengths and size were laid down to create a walking surface, they appeared very uneven and unstable.
Another passageway continued on as steps that led down to the water, we ran out of paths to explore so decided to turn back. Next week I shall share with you some more of these wonderful homes by the water as our China adventure continues!

Reflection Entertainment 2

2011-06-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

The river we strolled by also

provided an unlimited supply

of artwork, just a ripple

caused by the smallest amount

of breeze displayed a

slightly different reflection.

Random castings of poles

on the bluest of water,

bold strokes soft lines

and everything else in between

were all that intrigued the camera

for just a few seconds,

all the best variations shared here.

Reflection Entertainment

2011-06-07T17:15:00.003-07:00

Reflections of the harbor on

the windows by the sea walk,

the boats and cranes and containers

were warped on the glass

forming waves of endless

images, providing continuous

entertainment as we walked by.