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Published: December 22nd 2010
Ahh, my last full day in Hong Kong. I was up by 9 and out the door, a full day ahead of me. I stopped for a healthy breakfast of Mrs Fields cookies and hopped on the metro.
The plan for the day was to head to the old police station in Central and then the HK Arts Center for a photography event. Trying to navigate the streets of Central using my map, I got quite lost but saw some wonderful nooks and crannies of the city. After an hour of turning right and left and hoping for the best, and then some backtracking because something looked interesting, I arrived at Man Mo Temple. Man Mo is a famous temple on Hollywood Road, HK's first street. I had been excited for this detour because I thought I hadn't been to this temple yet; I was wrong, this is the temple I visited two years ago with Julie. The mystery temple still illudes me.
I made it to the old police station around 11am. At the police station were a few exhibits, but the one I was most excited about had historic photos of HK, dating as far back as
1858-1875. These are the first known photographs of HK and it was just amazing to see the area when it was still farmland with a few scattered shanties and a few foreign-built mansions, divided only by massive spans of grass. There was also a 35mm exhibit as well as some large, personal photos. I just love photography.
After the police station, I walked across the courtyard to the old prison. An art show was being held there. Some of it was interesting, some of it not, but I found the prison fascinating! The size of the prison and its cells makes Alcatraz look like a luxury resort. It was interesting to see the juxtaposition of the old station and prison backdropped by modern--sometimes shiny--HK high rises. Such a lonely place, surrounded by such a city!
Wandering back through the city en route to the metro, I came across a restaurant I'd seen signs for on other trips. I decided to check it out--besides, how can I not be intrigued by a place called "Shake 'Em Buns"? It turned out to be a small burger joint, with only 3 booths and about 10 seats at two counters. Having a
veggie burger on the menu (the "Sissy Boy") I stepped right up and ordered. I decided a coconut milk shake would be a nice addition and sat down to wait at one of the counters. Book in hand, I nearly missed it when my food was ready. Hands down, this was the best veggie burger I've ever eaten; it didn't crumble, it didn't feel like a pile of vegetables or beans in my mouth, and it came with tangy sauce and veggies piled on. I shall return.
I made my way down to Victoria Harbor and to the HK Arts Center for the afternoon. I was surprised how far it was from the metro--I'd have thought something so important would have its own metro exit! There were several photography exhibits at the arts center as well. Some were contemporary photos of HK, Taiwan, Macao, and China; some were personal photos of a mans' life; some were of families that had both lost spouses in the Sichuan earthquake and then remarried; some were of life in Tibet; there were natural landscapes; there were photos taken at night; there were historic photos of Mao, some of them previously published, now shown
in their full, unedited form. It was a lot to take in, but I loved every minute of it.
I spent some time walking by the harbor, taking in the view from HK Island. (I usually enjoy it from Kowloon.) Sadly, the pollution was thick that day and the view was overshadowed by it. I had just a bit of time to kill before meeting a friend for dinner and wasn't sure what to do, so I started heading back toward the metro, thinking I'd go down a few stops and people watch. En route, though, I saw a Pacific Coffee and knew I had to stop in. There were few people inside, and Xmas music was playing. Big armchairs beckoned. I snuggled in for an hour with my book and one last cup of coffee, enjoying the peace that a quiet coffee shop can bring on a windy day.
I met my teacher friend back at the apartment and we went to a local Thai restaurant. Since I hadn't really explored the neighborhood by the apartment, I was happy to do so. The food was alright, but it made me long for Thailand. Then we went back
to the apartment. I spent the rest of the evening packing up my bag and reading and relaxing, knowing that Monday morning would come too soon.
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