National Day celebrates the victory of the Communists in China in 1949. Hong Kong is after all part of China nowadays. The fireworks in Victoria Harbour that have brome traditional because of the protest action going on in Central but as we took the bus to Sai Kung town, we noticed many red flags flying along the way. We, that is Øystein, Ingrid and myself. Øystein is a Norwegian pastor who has volunteered to teach liturgy and hymnology at LTS.
At first we thought we could not get on the bus, for the queue was extremely long. If there is one thing Hong Kongers can do it is to queue, perhaps a relic of British colonial days. Alas, queue culture is no longer what it once was back on the UK. We were glad for another imperial relic - the British double decker: it is amazing how many people you can pack into one and what a superb view you do get from up top. A real benefit compared to the London version is the air conditioning, very necessary since even this late in autumn Hong Kong is much like a sauna.
Sai Kung was just as crowded as the bus. We walked along the front, admiring the fresh catch of fish and seafood and how expertly the fishers would pick out their customers’ orders shouted down from the quay far above and how skilfully the orders would be slung upwards in long handled nets. Further along were the fish shops with banks of sea water filled glass cases carrying all manner of live crabs, shrimps, shell fish and usual fish. Hong Kongers insist on FRESH produce.
Ingrid, as usual, had done some reproach and managed to lead us to a back street where Loaf ON could offer a Michelin star. The grub was good and Tsing Tao, the local beer , quenched our thirst as admirably as ever.
We took a taxi on to Hebe Haven and topped us off at the marina. In fact, we should have got him to drop us off a bit further along the coast. Anyway we then caught sampan across the bay to Trio Beach. The granny who was the pilot of this jolly little boat swished us there in a jiffy. The beach was full of what we presumed were domestic servants, enjoying a deserved day off. A noisy bunch they were, but all power to them. The water was about as refreshing as bathwater. We had a dip anyway, and after catching a minibus back to Sai Kung queued up for the bus back to Sha Tin. Once there we hiked up the path to Ai Kwong Yen. Usually, we chicken out and take a taxi (very cheap by Norwegian standards or even British standards come to that.
At first we thought we could not get on the bus, for the queue was extremely long. If there is one thing Hong Kongers can do it is to queue, perhaps a relic of British colonial days. Alas, queue culture is no longer what it once was back on the UK. We were glad for another imperial relic - the British double decker: it is amazing how many people you can pack into one and what a superb view you do get from up top. A real benefit compared to the London version is the air conditioning, very necessary since even this late in autumn Hong Kong is much like a sauna.
Sai Kung was just as crowded as the bus. We walked along the front, admiring the fresh catch of fish and seafood and how expertly the fishers would pick out their customers’ orders shouted down from the quay far above and how skilfully the orders would be slung upwards in long handled nets. Further along were the fish shops with banks of sea water filled glass cases carrying all manner of live crabs, shrimps, shell fish and usual fish. Hong Kongers insist on FRESH produce.
Ingrid, as usual, had done some reproach and managed to lead us to a back street where Loaf ON could offer a Michelin star. The grub was good and Tsing Tao, the local beer , quenched our thirst as admirably as ever.
We took a taxi on to Hebe Haven and topped us off at the marina. In fact, we should have got him to drop us off a bit further along the coast. Anyway we then caught sampan across the bay to Trio Beach. The granny who was the pilot of this jolly little boat swished us there in a jiffy. The beach was full of what we presumed were domestic servants, enjoying a deserved day off. A noisy bunch they were, but all power to them. The water was about as refreshing as bathwater. We had a dip anyway, and after catching a minibus back to Sai Kung queued up for the bus back to Sha Tin. Once there we hiked up the path to Ai Kwong Yen. Usually, we chicken out and take a taxi (very cheap by Norwegian standards or even British standards come to that.