Off to Stanley

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Stanley Fort is on the far side of Hong Kong Island and it used to be a fair trek to get there - hence, when I lived here, it was only a journey we undertook occasionally, catching the bus that stopped at Aberdeen, Repulse Bay and terminating at Stanley. Aberdeen has the typhoon harbour that we’ve already visited, and Repulse Bay has unfortunately fallen foul of the planners inasmuchas they pulled down the iconic Repulse Bay Hotel soon after we left 30 years’ ago and have since replaced it with huge skyscraping developments - one of which I was amused to see was advertising an ‘art deco’ shopping mall. Too little, too late, I thought as we passed through on the bus. Only one comment worthy of note for those of a certain age - it was on this beach that Burt Lancaster kissed Deborah Kerr in the film ‘From Here to Eternity’ whilst they were both in their swimming costumes, thus almost getting the film banned!

Having said about the developments that have taken place over the past years, the bus journey still does hold a flavour of what it used to be like. As the bus winds its way up the Gap, passing some very expensive real estate, you can look down and glimpse the Happy Valley Racecourse. As you come over the brow of the hill, you are suddenly entering a greener place with bays and beaches and, of course, the sea. Eventually, the road takes you down to Stanley, with its market, seafront bars and restaurants, giving it the feel of a slightly lazy laid-back ambience. I can see why so many visitors to Hong Kong love coming out here.

Having said that, there was the walk round the market to contend with. Now, as most of you know, I do love a good market, and John is also fairly keen ... but not when it involves, and I quote, ‘the same tourist tat we saw in the previous shop’. I did manage to get him to walk round the whole place (its not that large), but we must be some of only a few that came away almost empty handed!

I haven’t really mentioned the weather since we’ve been here, apart from the occasional reference to low clouds - we’ve had a mixture of sun and clouds, with temperatures around 30 degrees - both day and night due to the extremely high humidity which makes it very draining. Today it started with the same sun/cloud ratio, but slowly the clouds gathered and the sky darkened. Luckily we were on the bus on our way back when the heavens opened. The rain bucketed down as only the rain can in Hong Kong - we watched as rivers ran down the roads and people ran for cover as the thunder clapped in the sky above. It was still raining heavily when we got back to the hotel, and I was drenched just running from kerb to door.

We had intended to go to the racing, but decided that there was no way we’d be able to see the horses if it did take place, so just went to a local restaurant for dinner ... and I managed to get drenched again ... not to be recommended!

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