Stanley Market

He keeps having a recurring dream. It's always the same. A roundabout. A market. A beating sun. Blinds.

***

He's been here before. Years ago. Yet, it's still exactly the same. The detail gets filled in. And it all comes back in flashes: purple streaks of hair, prophesying sticks, a crowded restaurant.

Blake Pier

Murray House

Sha Tin - Kowloon Tong (KCR East)

Outside, the silhouette of the landscape whizzes past as he speeds through the New Territories. His hand accidentally touches his neck where Love had bitten him and he was lost.

Tsang Tai Uk

'The oldest villages in Sha Tin were built by the Punti people and first settled about 500 years ago. A number of Hakka villages were added between 200 and 300 years ago. Tsang Tai Uk was founded in the 1870s. The founder was a stonemason who opened a quarry at Sai Wan Ho and a masonry at Shau Kei Wan, and prospered greatly. He decided to invest his savings in building a village for his descendants. He built it in the style of his native home in Ng Wah, far to the northeast, which is why the village looks so different from other New Territories villages. It is built around five courtyards, centred on a fine ancestral hall. It is entered through three iron-bound gates. Two wells in the front courtyard provided drinking water. The roofs are decorated with objects to turn away evil spirits. The village is usually called Tsang Tai Uk (The House of the Tsang Clan), but its formal name is Shan Ha Wai (The Walled Village at the Mountain Foot).'

Hong Kong is trying its best to protect its heritage, its identity. With more than 150 years of British colonialism and its rapid development and modernization, it's impressive that it has still retained this much of its culture. Only when we are this close to losing something dear to us do we start to protect it. And only when we jump over the fence do we realize the grass isn't any greener on the other side.

Che Kung Temple

Andy

Andy ran all the way from Central just to see him again.

King's College Old Boys' Association

Douglas

Winner of the Best Male Model Prize.

Golden Bauhinia Square

It seems as if China wants the whole world to know that Hong Kong now belongs to her. The daily flag-raising ceremony brazenly proclaims it to the few Chinese national tourists who witness the event. The Hong Kong Museum of History dedicates a whole display on the handover.

He thinks however, with reason of course, that the people of Hong Kong are oblivious or ignorant, to say the least, of this. Baptist University's latest newsletter ran a cover story on the national identity of the people of Hong Kong with most students not identifying themselves as Chinese nationals.

But this can only mean either one of two things. That Hong Kong is pretty much still the same or China is slowly changing Hong Kong without the locals having any idea. He only hopes it's the former. Hong Kong needs to balance China in the general scheme of things and act as the source of all good changes which China needs to undergo in order to take control of the future.

Repulse Bay

He retreats to his favourite haunt. There's a sense of urgency for him to get away from it all. From the people he's surrounded by everyday.

Western Market

Hong Kong Museum of History II

'The Hakka people came originally from north of the Yellow River. A series of migrations brought them to the southern Chinese provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong. The Hakka began to settle in Hong Kong from 1684 onwards, but by this time, the fertile plains had already been occupied by the Punti, and the Hakka had to settle on poorer land in hilly areas. In the past, Hong Kong's Hakka people were predominantly farmers who were identified by their traditional clothing, a black or blue loose-fitting, pyjama-like set of work clothes known as 'shanfu' (literally 'shirt and trousers'), worn by men and women alike. Traditionally, Hakka women took care of daily household chores as well as worked in the field. When they were not framing, they made mud bricks, tailored clothing, dyed cloth and did handicraft work. Hakka home cooking is plain and simple, but Hakka sweet pastries prepared for festivities are rich in flavour.'

Hong Kong Museum of History

'The iron bell was made by a famous iron-casting mill in Foshan city in1701. According to its inscriptions, we can see that it was presented by a mother to the Goddess of Mercy to seek protection for her son during his journey to Guangzhou, Guangdong Province to attend the Imperial Civil Examination.'

When everything's said and done, it's not success which matters the most to a mother.

The Wisdom Path

The sun sets over the 'emptiness' of the Heart Sutra.

Farm Road Government School

Winner of the Strongest Bridge Award.

The Peninsula Hong Kong

"The classical grandeur of The Peninsula Lobby is the epitome of all that is great about this legendary hotel. The Lobby is a busy but relaxed all-day drinking and dining venue, and one of Hong Kong's premier meeting places. The world-renowned afternoon tea is a Hong Kong 'must' where guests are entertained by a live string band. In the evening, The Lobby Jazz band plays."

Mother cries

Mother begs him to return home. 'No.' He says. Adamantly. Defiantly.

He's short on time. We all are. He's not going to waste it at home. Wasting precious time away. Wasting away. Getting too comfortable. Too complacent. Useless.

He can't see himself in mediocrity. He just can't. It has to be greatness.

People all around him are moving. Changing the world. He's sailing downstream. He's short on time.

Mother starts to cry. He gets slightly annoyed at her for pulling such a dirty trick. If he's ever sent to Hell, it wouldn't be for his disbelief. It'd be for being unfilial.

Temple Street Night Market

Jade Market

Tin Hau Temple

Baptist University II

He always hangs out with his Caucasian friends. Forgets his roots and loses grip of the ground. Forgets how hard it is for an Asian living in an Asian country to succeed:

The competitiveness of school and the stress of perfecting exam results. The late night tuition sessions lasting hours at end just to get that edge. The juggling of practical and theory lessons for both piano and flute. The three training sessions everyday for national-level swimming competitions.

All for the sake of a brilliant CV. Success is all that matters. To get that scholarship. To get that one-way flight ticket out.

It sucked big time back then. But now, it's all worth it.

Bird Garden

Marcus

Way too cool for school.

Hong Kong Heritage Museum

Venice of the East. Las Vegas of the East. Why must there always be a constant comparison with the West? Why not Suzhou of the West? Or Macau of the West? What is with this fascination with the West? The East needs to be proud of its heritage. Its uniqueness. It has to stand up for itself. Make its own name in the world. Let it resound through the world with reverence or terror.

That said however. He couldn't help but laugh out aloud when he saw it: The Last Supper of the East.

Guia Fortress

Like any other major Chinese city, Macau is giving her all to catch up. Keep up. Her little footsteps and those of other cities make up the giant steps of China. Her ominous steps can be heard directly behind the West. Following. Gaining. Threatening. It will soon overtake the West. And then we'll see who has the last laugh.

Macau revisited

Kuan Tai Temple


Holy House of Mercy


Cathedral


Lou Kau Mansion


St. Dominic's Church


Ruins of St. Paul's


Na Tcha Temple


Section of the Old City Walls


Mount Fortress


St. Anthony's Church


Protestant Cemetery


Casa Garden


'Leal Senado' Building


St. Augustine's Church


St. Augustine's Square


Sir Robert Ho Tung Library


Dom Pedro V Theatre


St. Joseph's Seminary and Church


St. Lawrence's Church


Mandarin's House


Lilau Square


Penha Church


A-Ma Temple


Moorish Barracks