Rainy Wednesday at the Museum of History

Really good museum - definitely a worthwhile stop if you're ever in town. I'm not really big on taking pictures of museum exhibits, but there are some pretty spectacular ones here, and everyone else was doing it, so here you go. Below is a mockup of a home of a family of "boat people" who used to live out most of their lives on the harbor.

Rainy Wednesday: Photogenic children and photogenic clouds

Gloomy and drizzly, good day for a museum. On my way to that of History just off the Kowloon waterfront, I encountered photogenic schoolchildren, see below. I would love to know what Tiny's story is.

Tourists in the temple

In the 19th and early 20th century, temples in Hong Kong were at least as important for their civic functions as their religious ones - the Chinese populace mistrusted, or were just shut out of, many of the official institutions of the British colonizers. Temples were community centers and law courts, and were particularly active in raising money for hospitals. The Man Mo Temple in Hollywood Road (there are lots of Man Mo Temples around) was built in 1847 and still funds a hospital, with the donations left by worshippers and visitors going towards that. Its central location and historical significance make it a big tourist draw, plus it isn't far from my hotel, so I was drawn.

I get around: The ding-ding tram

The award for most charming transportation mode goes to the old-fashioned, double-decker electric trams that have been ambling up and down Des Voeux Road on tracks through the north shore districts of Hong Kong Island for over 100 years. They're known locally as the ding-ding, from their gently clanging bell - their practicality is limited by their small range and slow speed, but if you have the time, they're great fun. For so little money they may as well be paying the passengers, you can hop up and go up to the front of the top deck. If the weather is balmy and the windows open, it's like a magic carpet ride - hovering along quietly above the street, looking down on the passing scene and out into second-story windows, a warm breeze ruffling your hair. I took them as much as possible. (Also, they're good for advertising love sales, if you're having a love sale.)

I get around: The subway

The MTR (Mass Transit Railway) puts New York's subway system to shame with its spaciousness, speed, efficiency, ease of use, cheapness and cleanliness. Of course, that's to a great degree because it's much newer, having mostly been built since the '70s. NYC's system is over 100 years old and there's a  limit to how much retrofitting can be done to upgrade it. And it has more character, local color and history - so there are always tradeoffs. Still, we could take some lessons. Particularly in the cleanliness department.


Yes, New York, that is a subway station. Not an airport terminal or a Bond villain's lair.

Living in a light show.

At night, the wall of mostly fairly ordinary skyscrapers near the waterfront become dreamlike with neon and other colored lights that make my eyes so happy I don't care if it's garish or tacky. As if that's not enough, every night at 8:00 there's the Symphony of Lights, when they pulse on and off and shimmer in time to electronic music piped over P.A. systems, with spotlights and lasers shooting into the sky. I'm not making this up.

Night wandering (and foraging)

Maybe my favorite thing to do was just wander around the streets, especially at night. A sampling here from just one evening, with more to come.