Exploring Kowloon

---

This morning I set out to explore a bit. The narrow streets are initially confusing, especially since many of them change names every couple of blocks. I walked through the heart of the financial district where the Bank of China and the HSBC (Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank) both have their corporate towers. (see photo - that's them in the background and me in the foreground.) I walked down to the ferry pier, as I had last night, and crossed the harbor again. My goal was to stroll along the waterfront where the Walk of Stars is. Like Hollywood, USA, there are stars imbedded in the walkway with the names of film legends, but these are Hong Kong legends, so I didn't recognize most of them. However, I did see Jackie Chan (see photo) and Bruce Lee. There is also a statue to Bruce and lots of people wanted to have their photo taken with it. (See photo) I walked uphill to the Hong Kong Museum of History and strolled through its galleries. Hong Kong was colonized by the British for much the same reason they colonized Singapore: trade. In WWII, the Japanese invaded HK even earlier than Singapore, and caused similar hardships for the people. Unlike Singapore and many other British colonies, HK did not move to independence after the war. Instead, the next big change was in 1997 when the British lease on Hong Kong territory ran out and they peacefully negotiated the return to China. Hong Kong today is one of Communist China's SARs, a Special Administrative Region, where the Chinese authorities allow capitalism within limits. The museum does a nice job of presenting HK history and I notice that outside it flies both the Chinese and the Hong Kong flags. (see photo) Next I wandered over to Kowloon Park where quite a number of the local citizens were enjoying the green space and shade trees. The event I wanted to see there was the Kung Fu demonstration that occurs every Sunday afternoon. It was not quite what I expected. It consisted of small groups of people in similar costume performing synchronized movements to recorded music. (see photo) The performers obviously put in a lot practice time, but after about the fifth act, I moved on. I found the subway station and took my first HK subway ride. The trains are quite crowded, at least the ones I was on were crowded and I was on four different ones befor the day was over. I went to the Wong Tai Sin Temple in northern Kowloon. It is a Taoist temple and I liked the statues of the guardians(?) that stand just outside. (see photo) Worship at the temple involves lighting incense sticks so the air was heavily scented with smoke. I took the subway back to my neighborhood and stopped at a noodle shop (see photo) where I had a bowl of shrimp wontons. It reminded me of eating in Japan where everyone else in the restaurant was far more skilled with the use of chopsticks than I was.

---