View Full Version : HONG KONG [42] 42 Photo Summary


hkskyline
December 11th, 2005, 12:07 AM
Another 8 parts have gone by and here is another recap thread. Most of the photos are taken from what I have previously shown but now has more commentary. I also have a few new photos in here that were not posted before.

Accompanying Music : http://streaming01.metroradio.com.hk/showbiz/2005song_10/dh_ct.wma

1. Welcome home!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051013/OCT13-S01-092.jpg

2. I really like riding the bus. There are a lot of weird vantage points that nobody has taken before, like this one. However, 9 out of 10 photos taken on buses need a lot of work or be scrapped. That's why I maxed out my 1 gig card in a day.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051006/OCT06-S02-119.jpg

3. After dinner one night, I walked around The Centre to scout a good location to take pictures. I took a seat along the fountain at the front entrance and tried to get my tripod to take this picture as a warm-up.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S02-019.jpg

4. I liked this close-up a lot more though.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S02-033.jpg

5. Redevelopment sometimes just cannot wait.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051006/OCT06-S02-134.jpg

6. The old Hong Kong has virtually disappeared.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-116.jpg

7. Wah Fu Estate is now located next to an upper class residential and high-tech office district. I wonder when will these brightly-painted buildings be torn down and the poor people inside move to a less beautiful setting.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-161.jpg

8. Darn ... a United jet in the way of my perfect shot, but at least it's still in the old livery! Plane spotting in Europe is a lot more fun though. There is more variety with the airlines. However, Hong Kong does offer a huge assortment of Asian airliners.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051013/OCT13-S01-096.jpg

9. I was trying to capture that Dragonair special livery jet earlier. I was snapping pictures on the north side of the terminal and at the time that jet was parked on the south side. Once I saw it moving I rushed back and luckily caught it. By the way, I think I flew on that Air Canada Star Alliance livery jet to Korea the month before. It looked really familiar.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051013/OCT13-S01-120.jpg

10. I wonder what the view is like from the higher floors. There are very few tall buildings and a lot of ugly dark lowrises in the area.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051006/OCT06-S02-184.jpg

11. I walked uphill along the Midlevels Escalator in search of a good unexplored vantage point ...

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S02-041.jpg

12. ... but couldn't find a good vantage point to see the other skyscrapers. In the end, I weaved down a few roads and found an opening.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S02-065.jpg

13. I wasn't too sure where my bus would go, since my 1998 map was extremely outdated and this whole area is new. Eventually the bus stopped near Nam Cheong Station, which wasn't even on my map. As I walked back to the older areas, I can't help but snap a few shots, like this one. I was being steam cooked under the hot summer sun in the fall.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051006/OCT06-S02-168.jpg

14. The BoC's new neon tubes finally puts it on par with the light shows of the other brightly-lit skyscrapers.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S02-174.jpg

15. With smog getting worse and worse every time I go back, I have to resort to less panoramic photos and more close-ups. While my photos of buildings revealed a decent blue sky, this wide shot showed the real pollution problem Hong Kong is now facing.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-197.jpg

16. Tseung Kwan O is one of my least desired districts to live in Hong Kong. A decade ago, some of the first skyscrapers in the area saw buckled walls and cracked pavements because the reclaimed land was settling. There was a huge scandal and people were afraid these buildings were no longer structually safe. It turned out that everything was still OK. Now that the MTR has a new subway line into this district, it's no longer as remote as it once was.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051005/OCT05-S01-281.jpg

17. Air Mauritius flies to Hong Kong regularly. It's one of the more exotic jets you'll see at HKG. Did you know there is a significant Chinese population on that island?

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051020/IMG_3487.jpg

18. Too bad the photo is blurry, but the bus was moving quite quickly and it was hard to keep my hands steady on the railing. Here's an interesting contrast between the old and the new.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S01-023.jpg

19. Surprisingly, this close-up of 2 IFC came out quite well. The tripod has done wonders! Now I need not fear the night!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S03-051.jpg

20. Like much of Hong Kong, hills dominate the landscape. However, that doesn't mean there can't be developments. The connection between Wah Fu and the Wah Kwai estates is made via this long staircase. There is an elevator along the shaft. Don't worry. But for the oversized and the obese, going up and down these steps a few times a day will definitely destroy those hated pounds.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-184.jpg

21. Chungking Mansion is one of the most famous buildings in Kowloon. It has got everything - food, cheap hotels, and crime. Redevelopment schemes have surfaced and disappeared for this building, but there have been some sucess within the area, such as thew new Sheraton and Hanoi Road.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-173.jpg

22. I took a lot of photos that night of October 7th. I lost count but it probably was in the range of a few hundred. Unlike my other night shots before, at least these are now somewhat presentable!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S03-066.jpg

23. Pedestrian bridges are everywhere in downtown Hong Kong. Imagine all the people crowding to the street and crossing those intersections.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S01-373.jpg

24. Ja-Jumbo!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-119.jpg

25. Poor people live in concrete, and rich people get some glass!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051005/OCT05-S01-291.jpg

26. Good old green scaffolding ... always reliable and visible in Hong Kong!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-166.jpg

27. Nina Tower has taken forever to rise! Finally it's topped out and maybe will be finished soon? Maybe the tower is built according to how Nina Wang's lawsuit progresses.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-184.jpg

28. Poor people can easily find a place to jump and end their misery. Their apartments are open-style with plenty of spaces to leap off and even this path is high above the rest of the city below. Suicide is a problem in Hong Kong, although it has improved these days after the Asian financial crisis.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-265.jpg

29. For example, leaping off this place will not only yield a nice view with mountains and water, but will ensure a splattery end to poverty.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S01-201.jpg

30. Leaping off the pier is also regularly featured in sitcoms. But it's a much harder way to die. You'll struggle a bit and then go under. I prefer standing by the pierside to take pictures of skyscrapers.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S03-046.jpg

31. Some Hong Kong photos can be very deceptive. This one seems like a concrete jungle of insane density.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051005/OCT05-S01-310.jpg

32. But this wider shot shows a much more spacious atmosphere and even some urban greenery. The previous picture shows the buildings on the left.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051005/OCT05-S01-309.jpg

33. Adding colours to these otherwise dreary residential skyscrapers may be a good thing after all. Well, at least it's much better than seeing the tiles or concrete peel off. Good to see they are maintaining these buildings well. I went inside a few of them to see the corridors for myself and they are clean and well taken care of.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-201.jpg

34. That brown building on the right is going to look so ugly in a few more years. I can see spots already. Why do they tile these buildings?

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-213.jpg

35. Memories of colonialism at the Hong Kong Museum of History :

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-080.jpg

36. Memories of modernism in Central :

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-184.jpg

37. I wandered into this area with the hope of doing a hike back to Central as the sun set. Well, I was a bit late, and it got quite dark already. What a waste of HK$10 in round trip bus fare.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-202.jpg

38. Cross Harbour Tunnel is the first and busiest harbour crossing. I personally prefer the ferry ride, and the cross harbour bus is in 2nd place.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-002.jpg

39. This picture is obviously outdated. Cheung Kong is not even there! Hence it must've been made before 1999.

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051006/OCT06-S02-079.jpg

40. Can you see better now?

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051013/OCT13-S01-160.jpg

41. Goodbye Union Jack!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051007/OCT07-S01-081.jpg

42. Welcome to the new Hong Kong!

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051003/OCT03-S02-271.jpg

Thoughts
I still have a lot of Hong Kong photos to go through, but I also have other photos from China and South Korea that I want to share with everyone. Hence for now I'll focus more on the other areas, but I will continue bringing Hong Kong content to the forum, including my day at Disneyland, and riding the new rail lines. Thanks for all your support!

I'm beginning to post my new Hong Kong photo collection to my website. Check it out (see below for link)!

Other Hong Kong Series Threads
http://www.info.gov.hk/banner/cbrandban.jpg
Part 1 : Central (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=260175) | Part 2 : Tsing Yi Island (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=264122)
Part 3 : Aberdeen (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=264123) | Part 4 : Bank of China Observation Deck (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=264513)
Part 5 : Kwun Tong Grit (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=265015) | Part 6 : Kwun Tong Grit Continued (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=265019)
Part 7 : Langham Place & Olympian City (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=265420) | Part 8 : Sham Shui Po Grit (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=265444)
Part 9 : Fun & Sun in Stanley (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=267741) | Part 10 : Cruise to Lamma Island (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=267910)
Part 11 : Downtown @ Night (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=267928) | Part 12 : Tai Hang Road - Rich & Poor (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=269601)
Part 13 : Hiking Lamma Island (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=270044) | Part 14 : Exploring Mongkok's Streets (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=272164)
Part 15 : A Bus Ride Through Kowloon (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=272336) | Part 16 : Repulse Bay - Beachside Living (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=273950)
Part 17 : Night-Time Bonanza (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=274121) | Part 18 : Hopewell Centre Top Floor (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=274810)
Part 19 : Wan Chai's Redevelopment Woes (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=275314) | Part 20 : A City of Contrasts (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=275889)
Part 21 : Streets on the Island (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=276803) | Part 22 : Sham Shui Po Ghetto & Street Life (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=278975)
Part 23 : Po Toi O Fishing Village (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=278980) | Part 24 : Skyline During Sunset (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=279319)
Part 25 : The Other Victoria Harbour (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=279757) | Part 26 : Cruising the Harbour (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=280386)
Part 27 : Sai Kung Seafood (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=281260) | Part 28 : Rich People's Views, Congested City (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=283822)
Part 29 : apm & Hillside Public Housing (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=284371) | Part 30 : Cheung Chau (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=284885)
Part 31 : The Peak (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=286080) | Part 32 : Beaches, Alleys, and Olympic Pride (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=287316)
Part 33 : 40 Photos, A Million Stories (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=287749) | Part 34 : All the Colours of the Rainbow (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=288088)
Part 35 : A Zillion Observation Decks (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=288555) | Part 36 : Tseung Kwan O (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=289026)
Part 37 : A Mixed Bag of Photos (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=289573) | Part 38: Dim Lights, Bright City (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=290750)
Part 39 : History Museum (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=291220) | Part 40 : Night Time Extravaganza (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=291377)
Part 41 : Old Grit & New Highrise Monsters (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=292667)

Sher
December 11th, 2005, 04:32 AM
Great job! Nice to hear that you still have lots of photos coming! :)
Do you have a laptop with you when you went back to HK? or you got a lot of memory cards? Just wondering how you manage all your images.
BTW, you got a wrong image for #27 i suppose.

hkskyline
December 11th, 2005, 05:20 AM
I had a laptop with me and I took it along when I was travelling, so I would unload my memory cards every night and shoot lots of photos again the next day.

I started off with 3 cards - 2x256 + 1x128. Then I got another 1 gig card and one more 256.

Oops .. #27 is the staircase to Wah Kwai Estate!

HKT
December 11th, 2005, 01:24 PM
Nice job, all those threads really take a lot of work to do and thanks for that!

spicytimothy
December 11th, 2005, 09:10 PM
wow... I love these summaries :-) Nice to hear that you still got loads more to come :-) your Seoul threads are also really good I can't wait to see some of ur Chinese ones :-) Maybe I should do something like this for my Tokyo trip...


nah... too lazy :-p

spicytimothy
December 11th, 2005, 09:14 PM
btw hkskyline! I went your site and you took a pic of my old apt in one of ur Tai Koo Shing pics :-D Thanks!