It's a good job it rains a lot here. If it didn't I'd have almost emptied a reservoir on my own yesterday with all the showers I took. Not because of the spitting but because of the weather. The humidity is killing me, it's at about 100%. I say about as when it's not actually raining it's only 85%. However it's raining a lot and I was coding a lot of walking around. I don't think I could ever live I the tropics full time as the constantly moist everything would do my head in, this is a place where you have to let your clothes dry BEFORE you put them in the laundry bag. People must adapt though as all the locals walk around without a hint of sweat or discomfort, and even the expats seems to be able to wear suits and ties and not instantly look like a damp, bedraggled mess. I say all that but it could just be me as I still see middle aged British tourists with their cardies and jumpers on. They must have been the ones that built the Empire.
Speaking of which I was sightseeing yesterday, trying to find the history and past of this place. But to save you the trouble of doing the same I'll just tell you: there isn't any. The whole city has been built up and knocked down and built up again that there seems to be only about four original buildings left. It's a stark difference to Singapore where quite a lot of trouble has been taken to preserve the original city. Although like Singapore the heritage that is left has all been turned into fancy shopping centres. In fact there are so many 'luxury' shops (ie parts of the LVMH empire) that you find yourself being given directions using them; "straight on to Gucci, turn left at Armani and it's next to the third Dior on the right". Seriously. They do the same in the UK but using pubs. What I don't understand is why these superb rands are still considered exclusive, and can still charge such high prices, when they seem to be ubiquitous. Surely they are just glittery versions of any integer chain store now? Like Marks and Spencer with more glitter. And plastic surgery.
There's obviously plenty of money here to support these shops as I've never seen so many Bentleys and Ferraris in one city in my life. It must be a nightmare trying to thread these massive, expensive baubles between the trams, busses and hand carts. I assume you just take any scratches out of the chauffeurs wages. Most of these über-barges have got two license plates, which I thought meant they were government apparatchik vehicles, which says a lot about my cynicism regarding the glorious peoples revolution. Actually it just means they are vehicles that cross into China a lot. So I suppose that still means they are communists in half million dollar cars. It's a funny old world.
Back to the sightseeing. I did find an old colonial school (closed to the public) now used as the Office Of The Department For The Preservation Of Historic Monuments. They can't exactly be rushed off their feet as the only other old building I found was the church next door. It was a good old High Victorian Evangelical C of E. Apparently they still do the full immersion business which I always find odd for the Anglicans. Fundamental and vicar just doesn't go together in my head somehow. Especially with names like this:
The name of an empire builder if I ever saw one. That's what finished the British Empire. Nothing to dosing self determination, it was when we stopped naming our children Hubert Octavius Spink and started calling them Kevin. No Kevin will ever invade someone else's territory and claim it for the Queen. Kevins can't even get elected at the moment. Where ever you go in the world there are forgotten brass plaques with unforgettable names on them. Just goes to show the transitory nature of politics.
I gave up on the sightseeing, mainly because of the lack of sights but also because of the rain and lack of umbrella. Everyone else had one, and this being Asia, they all have their pointy bits at European eye level. I should have brought my safety specs. I avoided getting totally soaked by riding on the trams. These are great and seem to be completely unchanged from the fifties. Wooden benches, rattling and very, very narrow and low ceilinged. If you are over 5'11" I'd avoid them. Also if you have big feet. I lost count of how many times I've had to apologise for someone tripping over my clodhoppers on trams and busses here. It's not as though the Hong Kongers are particularly little, lots are taller than me, they just seem to be able to take up less space than the hulking Europeans around them. Must be something to do with such high density living.
I also have become a little obsessed with riding back and forth across the harbour on the Star Ferry. It's much easier on the MTR but infinetly less romantic. That's not a word you'll hear from me often, but in some places there just seems to be a right way to get somewhere. Here's it's the ferry across the harbour, in Perth is sitting in the traffic on the freeway. Both are totally evocative of the place you are in. I think HK wins that particular comparison though, even when it was as rough as it was yesterday. It's a bit odd that eh ferry even still exists as there is a tunnel for the trains and for the cars and a bridge as well. Obviously they only keep hold of practical heritage here.
Last night I went back across the harbour to see The Symphony Of Lights. This is "the Guinness world record holders for largest permanently installed light show in the world!". It's a record that's ripe for breaking. I'm not saying it was lame, but it certainly wasn't as impressive as the HK Tourist Board wants you to think. Half a dozen lasers and some searchlights is not what I think of with the phrase "SYMPHONY OF LIGHT". To be honest I was expecting something a little more Australia Day fireworks. Or even something a bit Albert Speer-y. Still it was free so can't complain. This is the symphony in action:
Pretty much that. With lasers.
I did find more evidence to support my theory that all cultural and art centres have to be modelled on Cold War bunkers though. The one here is just the same, although Hong Kong's also has a touch of the municipal bus station about it too. I think it's the brown tiles.
Today I'm shopping so obviously the sun is shining. Perfect weather to spend inside a shopping mall or two.
At least it should cut down on the showering.
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