13 April 2019
Surprise no hiking day
Walking around Hong Kong bay to Kwun Tong
Well, it was raining when I woke up, and google told me it would rain more and more as the day went on. So no hiking today. Instead I set off early for a 30km stroll around Kowloon bay. Yes really.
First up, I walked down Nathan road to the avenue of stars, where as you can see, there are various Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan things to check out. Some of the Jackie Chan ones have been vandalised recently because he defected to the mainland and now works for the communist party in a deal he did to stop his son from being executed for drug trafficking and because he owes about 5 billion in back taxes (really!).
It looked like it was about to bucket down, so I snapped the touristy photos every tourist takes and set off along the waters edge, as far as I could go, into a force 9 kill hurricane. Interestingly, it was only windy at all on the water, one street back, no wind. I am pretty sure on top of mountains, windy. Also my view of mountains suggested they were in cloud, and probably in rain, I kept looking at them wishing I was there, but alas, no.
I walked all the way along the waters edge until all of a sudden, you cant go any further, very weird, so weird that you will see I took a photo of the dead end point. Joggers go to this point and turn around. Lots of Hong Kong joggers are old, shuffle slowly, and have all kinds of weird gear to jog with including gas masks with oxygen bottles, welding glasses, I even saw a guy with robotic things on both knees that I think he invented himself.
Near the end point of the water front walk, you can see the old Kai Tak airport which is now the white elephant cruise ship terminal. I decided that would be my goal for my saunter through the rainy streets. As it turns out its such a white elephant, you cannot get to it at all, but that didnt stop me from finding lots of interesting places along the way.
This meant I was back at my hotel a bit early, but not to worry, I found a very cool way to make foxtel (Australian cable tv extortionists) think my laptop is in my home in Australia so I can watch the formula 1 qualifying. They really should give up trying to geoblock people, especially when VPS's are about $2 a year. For my own reference, the trick to make chrome do what I want is this....
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --proxy-server="socks5://localhost:4321" --host-resolver-rules="MAP * ~NOTFOUND , EXCLUDE localhost"
Thats the nerdiest thing I will ever post on here.
I did a bit of work first up, audited the performance of the segregation at source of waste in Hong Kong. Astute observers will know that Hong Kong is now sinking in 'recycling' because China doesnt want it anymore. Similar to Australia, except we have a lot more room to hide it in Kaniva and other places the Hells Angels want to put it.
This is the entrance to a big garden. These guys at the top of the stairs were strumming a guitar and singing. I walked up the stairs and they told me I cant come in this way because they are praying. Its a public garden. I went in that way. The guy got angry with me. The red army needs to come here and SHUT THIS BULLSHIT down.
Here is the garden. It is actually really nice, a great oasis along the very busy very grey Nathan road.
If you come here in the evening, you cant move, its the underpass to the avenue of stars to gawk at the buildings on Hong Kong island. At this time of day it was just me and the cleaners.
Now for some photos of buildings and the water, here is one with some stuff in the foreground in the way. You can see the peak ascending into the clouds.
And this one is a crop, all mountains in cloud, as well as some buildings.
He faked his own death and now lives in Byron Bay working as a busker.
It was about to pour with rain. Eventually it did, but it took a lot longer to arrive than I thought.
I think they are actually demolishing this rather than extending further into the sea.
This is a giant blue colored building that was full of white people eating a buffet breakfast. So I suspect it is a hotel, no idea what brand. 100% white people. I pressed my face against the glass and gawked at them. Stop eating bacon, it will kill you.
That is the old runway at the old airport, if you squint you can see the new overseas passenger terminal, which no ships use.
And as mentioned, all of a sudden the water side walking path hits a very weird dead end. The end of the line.
I thought I found a way back to the water, instead I found this van abandoned in a field fall of churned up rubbish.
I was now into uncharted territory! Not really, everywhere is still shopping malls at the bottom of the mega apartments.
Cool colors. I thought so anyway.
Eventually I made it around past the shipping terminal, I could not work out how to get to it. Nearby is a giant convention centre place called something like International industrial development zone for foreign and global investment corporations for the significant investment of Hong Kong and global pan Asian interests and developments. Except it never took off, so its being converted to a mall. Inside currently, a computer game tournament, using Razer phones rather than actual gaming computers.
Then things got even weirder. Basement 3 is a huge car yard. Lots of different dealers. Lots of supercars. I fled pretty quickly as there were some shady looking characters arguing about a pearl white Lambo with a hideous body kit. Black leather coat guys wearing sunglasses indoors.
Instead I continued on further along the coast, and came to an Aeon mall. Where am I, Hong Kong or Japan?
Inside Japan mall, I avoided all the Japan food and went to Fairwood, which is Hong Kong food Mcdonalds. But I had vegetarian! Its Quinoa patties with pumpkin sauce and ancient grain rice with beans and mushrooms. A really good healthy $5 meal! Earlier I saw my stomach reflection in a building window and was ashamed.
Also inside Japan Aeon mall Hong Kong version you can dress your kids up as fire fighters and stick them in electric cars. I wanted a turn. The little fire fighter outfits would not fit.
It was very much raining now, so I followed the highway, well I followed under the highway. A lot was going on under the highway, all kinds of musical and art performances. Everyone wearing purple. I smelt Jesus. I was right. I ran away fast.
Here I am on the far side of the cruise ship terminal thing, which you simply cannot get to. Is there a tunnel that lets buses go out to it? Or is it actually closed off for good even though its almost brand new?
I stopped for a late second coffee and watched the rain, and a sewing themed park in the newly re developed area of Kwun Tong. It seems to be an area in transition, lots of big new shiny commercial buildings but also old residential buildings.
Time to board the train back to my hotel room. Not a bad view, lots of people. The train was absolutely packed.