In 1884 the British colonial government in Hong Kong built a Victorian-style building in Kowloon as the headquarters of the Marine Police, directly facing the Victoria Harbor on Hong Kong Island across the strait. A signal tower was added to the compound to indicate the […]
All posts filed under: East
Maritime Asia, Past and Present
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana, American-Spanish philosopher and novelist Since the invention of raft which eventually led to the creation of ship, humans have wandered not only across rivers and lakes, but also seas and oceans to […]
Western Hong Kong Island: A Walk Back in Time
History is a subject many people scrutinize with frown on their faces, one that triggers discussions and evoke memories, both good and bad. It also is a terrific means to raise a optimism and bring purpose, particularly in a world where tragedy is what sells […]
Lai Chi Wo: A Lychee Nest No More
Four centuries ago when China was ruled by the Qing Dynasty a few Hakka people – native to vast lands in southeastern China – searched for a new place to settle down, probably caused by growing competition and limited opportunities at home. They eventually found […]
An Unlikely Urban Sanctuary
Tiny palm-sized winged creatures hopped gleefully among curious visitors. Each bearing a navy blue mask around the eyes, a contrasting ribbon amid its cotton white feathers. Bedazzled eyes followed them as they tweeted and then flew away to nearby branches where cut pineapples, papayas and […]
A Day of Retreat at Stanley
From Hong Kong Island’s heavily-indented southern coastline a sleepy town called us in on a chilly winter night. The double-decker bus that we took meandered through winding, narrow roads, dimly lit by street lamps, while houses and apartments were occasionally sighted from the bus’ window. […]
From Mei Ho House to the World
China, 1946. The World War II ended just a few months earlier, ending the brutal Japanese occupation on China. For decades the armed forces of the Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party fought against a common enemy. But as soon as the Japanese […]
A Boat Away, A World Away
Protecting the southwestern coast of one of Asia’s foremost financial centers from the occasional violent gusts of the South China Sea, Lamma Island with its heavily indented coasts boasts a life pace so different from the constant haste in downtown Hong Kong. A part of […]
Treasures of A Heritage Trail
The MTR train moved at a steady pace leaving the ever-bustling Tsim Sha Tsui district in Kowloon. On the ground above the train station dozens of skyscrapers scrambled for space in this constantly developing part of Hong Kong, just across the harbor where one of […]
Tai O: Withstanding Rapid Change
Time moves in a constant pace, everything else changes along the endless tunnel of it, some do so faster than the others. When it comes to cities across the globe some places are changing very rapidly where transformation is carried out not in a matter […]
Food of the Fragrant Harbor Part 2: Little Treasures
On Earth, heaven can be found in idyllic tropical islands with turquoise water, picturesque villages amid green pastures on the slopes of snow-capped mountains, scenic freshwater lakes surrounded by verdant hills, or… in morsels of sweet and savory pastries, delectable steamed dumplings, and melt-in-your-mouth custard […]
Food of the Fragrant Harbor Part 1: Earth & Sea
Hong Kong is known among Asian visitors as a gastronomers’ paradise. Apart from its world-renowned dim sum, countless local dishes await to be discovered and devoured beneath the endless skyscrapers – reason enough for me to go back after two visits to the city. From […]
What an Amazing World! 