Series 40: Hongkong International Airport

October 13th, 2006 | No Comments

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Hongkong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok is just impressive! With this, I’m starting a new series in my photoblog Binary Silver all in black and white, 12 images.

Relive my posts on Hongkong:

Out of the country
Last night in HK
HK: I’m impressed
Back from HK
1st SEA Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium
HK: Chek Lap Kok
HK: A beautiful city
HK: Transport
HK: Central
HK: People watching
Series 39: Hongkong
HK: Wong Kar Wai movies

HK: Wong Kar Wai movies

September 21st, 2006 | No Comments

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One of my must buy in Hongkong is Wong Kar Wai’s Chunking Express. I’ve watched this during a film festival more than a decade ago as a college student but unfortunately, I was not able to start it since I arrived late in the cinema. It has haunted me since I was able to watch In the Mood for Love and 2046 and made it a point to watch his other movies.

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While looking over some other titles, I was able to find two other WKW movies: Eros, which is part of a three story movie and Days of Being Wild.

Real movies from the master!

Relive my posts on Hongkong:

Out of the country
Last night in HK
HK: I’m impressed
Back from HK
1st SEA Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium
HK: Chek Lap Kok
HK: A beautiful city
HK: Transport
HK: Central
HK: People watching
Series 39: Hongkong
Series 40: Hongkong International Airport

HK: People watching

September 19th, 2006 | No Comments

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Hongkong is a people watcher’s paradise. The millions of people and visitors taking to this city affords one to enjoy them as they go about their daily lives. I’ve only been to a few places in Hongkong but in the malls, and especially the KCR and MTR train and stations, wow, you can already have your eyes full of observing them.

In KCR, most people just chat and talk via their mobiles. I saw many of them, for the entire trip from Tsim Sha Tsui to Tai Wo stations talking nonstop. I wonder how their mobile plans are. It might just be too cheap. Texting (sending SMS) is not much done. While others are busy chatting, some, especially boys and male teens and young men are so engrossed with playing their pocket game gadgets (saw one playing his PSP). Others are just listening to music. Lovers are busy whispering sweet nothings, embracing or the momentary kisses, unmindful of other people watching.

There was this one time, two girls in their early teens, probably high school girls. At first, they were just talking. Then later, they sort of embraced each other then for just a moment, kissed each other’s lips! I was so amused but also shocked that these kids can just do these things in public! People near them just didn’t mind. Hmmm, well, homosexuality has been decriminalized in this city but I was just not prepared to see it being openly practiced considering that this is also a part of China :-)

In the night markets, Japanese tourists are happily snapping each other’s photos at the hawker food stalls, groups of Chinese mainlanders (can easily be spotted by the way they are dressed and act, well, just like tourists) forming a tight group with a guide and a merchant demonstrating his ware, Caucasians, usually men, going over pirated copies of VCDs and DVDs, tourists new to Hongkong visibly shocked at the choices of food and merchandise available.

In Tsim Sha Tsui, Indians just approach tourists and people for I don’t know what they’re selling. Or the street between the KCR and MTR stations, well dressed Indian and some Chinese women with blond hair selling pleasure or calling out possible customers into their bars. There are also other women who are carrying laminated adverts convincing passersby to try out a soothing massage done by well trained, sexy and beautiful ladies.

In the malls, fashionable people are busily checking out items at swanky and big name boutiques while price conscious people, if they haven’t yet gone to the night markets, checking out seriously discounted items on sale.

At the foodcourts, I was just amused and aghast at the same time that the food served are really huge. Just imagine of almost basin like proportions wherein one can wash one’s face! Really big bowls, with big servings and it seems that many have it.

In the airports, Filipino tourists going back are already carrying large bags and happily chatting about their trip. African men baggage upon baggage lined up for a few meters awaiting check in. Other departing passengers checking out duty free goods for last minute shopping. Regarding duty free goods, well, these might be tax free but the markup they add to the basic price is way way above goods with duties. Just imagine a magazine that I saw in Page One costs around HK$55. In the Replay bookstores inside the airport, the cost is HK$85!

Relive my posts on Hongkong:

Out of the country
Last night in HK
HK: I’m impressed
Back from HK
1st SEA Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium
HK: Chek Lap Kok
HK: A beautiful city
HK: Transport
HK: Central
Series 39: Hongkong
HK: Wong Kar Wai movies
Series 40: Hongkong International Airport

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HK: Central

September 18th, 2006 | 2 Comments

Central in Hongkong Island is where the financial business hub of the city is located. Here, one can find the famous skyscrapers that Hongkong is known for like: I M Pei’s Bank of China that have feng shui experts shaking their heads in disgust and the impressive HSBC building that many consider as having the best feng shui as its front is unhindered with any structures facing the harbor, to name two. Well, I really haven’t seen much of this island except at Statue Square that teems with Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers every Sunday, their only day off, in their thousands gathering and occupying the open spaces of this square and that of HSBC.

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Statue Square where most of the city’s domestic helpers throng in their thousands every Sunday. Right, some Filipinos already at the Square. I was just amuse that there were also Pinoy photographers among the crowd, just like what you see in most public parks in the country.

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Left, lower portion of the cathedral. Right, one of the lion sculpture guarding the grounds of the HSBC building. It is said that the building generates so much good feng shui that rubbing the lion’s paw’s can bring you good luck.

Of course, I rubbed the paw’s.

Relive my posts on Hongkong:

Out of the country
Last night in HK
HK: I’m impressed
Back from HK
1st SEA Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium
HK: Chek Lap Kok
HK: A beautiful city
HK: Transport
HK: People watching
Series 39: Hongkong
HK: Wong Kar Wai movies
Series 40: Hongkong International Airport

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HK: Transport

September 15th, 2006 | No Comments

What makes Hongkong successfull can also be attributed to its efficient public transport system. From the impressive international airport, one can travel to the city in three ways:

- via high speed Airport Express MTR (similar to the Philippines’ MRT and Bangkok’s BTS) that is also interconnected to around 5 or 6 other MTR lines as well as to the KCR (Kowloon – Canton Rail), the city’s above ground rail system that connects with China and consists of multiple lines too (the MRT is more or less underground except parts of it between Chek Lap Kok and Tsing Yi station. Travel is really fast and operates from as early as 5 or 6 am to an hour and a half past midnight.

- via the double deck buses that are cheap. These buses have two doors, one for entering (front) and one for disembarking (midsection). Just be sure that you have the correct fare (check at the specific waiting areas for the exact fare) since the driver doesn’t give out change. Or better yet, get an Octopus card which is a debit system that you can load and use in MTR and KCR.

- color coded taxis. These are metered taxis but sometimes, the driver doens’t speak English. Its advisable that you carry with you written address of your destination in Chinese. Take note also that from the displayed fare, additional charges applies for baggages, toll and sometimes, night travel.

When I was there, I took all three transport to move around the city.

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The color coded taxis at the terminal in Chek Lap Kok. Vehicles are right hand drive and the green taxis are for the New Territories. There are also blue and red taxis available for other parts of Hongkong.

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Left, the double deck buses somewhat made an impression on me. Some are airconditioned, others are not. This is the terminal just near Harbor City. Right, a free high speed internet station in Kowloon Tong MTR station. Unfortunately, you can only do web browsing.

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Left, KCR line in Tai Po Market. This also connects to the MTR underground. Right, a Tram that is known in Hongkong located at Central in Hongkong Island.

Relive my posts on Hongkong:

Out of the country
Last night in HK
HK: I’m impressed
Back from HK
1st SEA Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium
HK: Chek Lap Kok
HK: A beautiful city
HK: Central
HK: People watching
Series 39: Hongkong
HK: Wong Kar Wai movies
Series 40: Hongkong International Airport

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