A Walk Around Kowloon

On Saturday, we decided to actually leave Hong Kong Island to have a look around on the Kowloon side. Also, Annette was in search of a dress for the upcoming annual ball (no luck in Kowloon, but did alright in Wan Chai on Sunday). We have been to Kowloon many times - to watch the lights and do some shopping in the markets. Our trips do not usually take us very far from TST, the area just across the harbor.



Fa Yuen Market


Fa Yuen Market

The markets sell many different and exciting kinds of yarn. They also have huge plastic knitting needles. As far as I can tell, all they make are scarves. It is, after all, winter in Hong Kong.


Sweet Potato Vendor

Once we have finished with market shopping, we decided to do a little sightseeing. We went to the flower market, which is really just streets of shops that sell all kinds of flowers and plants, and to the bird garden. It was a little scary going to the bird garden as they found a bird with H5N1 in Mong Kok just last year, but we braved it anyway. It was worth it to see all the birds and, most interesting of all, hoards of Chinese men who were fascinated with the birds and were walking their birds in cages.


Bargaining for Narcissus(es?)(i?)

It is good luck if the bloom opens at Chinese New Year.


How much is that doggie bouquet in the window?


Flower Market


Flower Market [what the heck are these??]


Bird Garden


Beware of Attack Pigeons

At the bird garden, we learned that feral pigeons are bad and dirty and you should never feed them.


Bird Garden


Bird Garden


Bird Garden


Bird Garden


Bird Garden


Flower Market

When we were finished with the birds and the flowers, we decided to venture to Kowloon's Walled City Park. Although we had not even heard of this place until Jared and Hope visited in November, it sounded interesting. And it did not disappoint. The walled city is less than 15 years old, but it has been built in the traditional style. The area it occupies was once the only piece of Hong Kong that still belonged to China when Hong Kong was under British rule (for a more complete history, see the wikipedia article here). It became a haven for all manner of criminals and was torn down in 1993. The existing park was built on the site.


Kowloon Walled City

For safety reasons, a life preserver is provided in case people do not realize that they can actually stand up in a foot and a half of water.


Kowloon Walled City


Bush Dragon


Bush Chicken?


Kowloon Walled City


Kowloon Walled City

One of the highlights of the park was the zodiac sculpture garden. Each of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac are represented by a sculpture, facing the sun in some direction that probably means something if you know more about the Chinese zodiac (which I do not). The fun part was that all of the sculptures were clearly made by different artists and they apparently did not have the benefit of seeing what others were doing. So, the dragon, horse and cow (bull? ox?) were all fairly realistic for what they were and all a decent size. On the other hand, the rabbit was extremely small and the ram looked like a puff of cloud. The bear was not a lot bigger than the rabbit. Too bad for people of those zodiac years.


Annette and Her Chinese Zodiac Sculpture


Wes and His Chinese Zodiac Sculpture (with the ram and bear in the background)


Remains of Original Walled City Gate


Crazy Attack Turtle

I have never seen a turtle with that many teeth and such a scary tongue.


Kowloon's Little Thailand


Tunnel Back to the Island


Tasty Gelato Shop

Back on the Island side, we could comfortably sit in a pub in SoHo and gaze at the gelato shop that we frequent. It has some of the strongest flavored ice cream I have ever had.