23 April 2019
Pictures from a moving tram
Riding on the slow old double decker trams of Hong Kong
I dont think I have ever ridden on the iconic Hong Kong double decker trams? Tonight I rectified that situation.
I predict most people who have been to Hong Kong have been on a double decker tram, but generally I prefer to walk. I decided that if I was going to go on a tram I would first walk most of the way the tram goes, all the way to the furthest stop, then catch it back across most of Hong Kong. If I was spending 50 cents on a tram ride, I was going to get my moneys worth.
The tram had no windows, no air conditioning, terrible seats, no leg room, and sent a violent jolt through my spine frequently. All the things you expect of a tram. It was also painfully slow, I could have walked quicker. I cant work out why anyone other than tourists would take it and yet there are seemingly thousands of them traveling along the same stretch of road.
You do however get a great view, and they are quiet, which meant I could listen to the conversation the girl / woman sitting across from me was having with various people all around the world.
She was probably no older than 21, and I think she was half Chinese, but had spent time in the USA. She was trying to arrange a place to meet for a party with her friends....this weekend. Some of her friends were in the USA, some were in Bangkok, one was in Singapore. She probably had to return to Beijing on Thursday for a polo tournament appearance, but could be anywhere on Friday night, ready for a Saturday party. Apparently meeting in Bangkok was ruled out due to the weather there, but one person who was thought to be in the USA was already en route to Bangkok to sign some kind of investment deal. Singapore seemed to be the ideal place everyone could get to, but only if a venue with a roof pool away from prying cameras could be secured. Has anyone got any ideas to help this poor girl out? If that is her life why was she on the 50 cent a ride tram?
I first walked along the water front, in the other direction to last night, towards Kennedy town. It was hot. Shirtless men were fishing. There was an area advising that it was off limits and used for loading and unloading international cargo, and yet the gate was open and everyone was walking their dogs on the wharf as shipping containers were being moved around. I also played dodge the giant forklift.
Tonight photo of big apartment buildings features a strange flying saucer building. I thought it was a metro station, or maybe a toll point for a freeway, but no, its a public swimming pool
Eventually I got to the end of the wharf, 3 fences between me and a Chinese navy ship.
Here is the view back along the coast. Nice clear skies. My camera is struggling with the white buildings again. The histogram does not show any clipping. Maybe its the terrible screen on my ancient laptop.
Time to board a tram! Even though I am on the top level, from this photo it does not look particularly high, but it is. You look down on the top of double decker buses. The tram is also narrower than a bus. I wonder how many have tipped over?
View 1 of 2 from a moving tram. I was taking photos out the back.
View 2 of 2 from a moving tram. Periodically another tram would pull up behind us, and I would be about 3 feet from the person in the other tram staring at me.
Here is a street market as seen from a moving tram. Time to get off. Getting off was not easy, it took 3 stops before I was able to negotiate the spiral staircase filled with people and get to the front door to get off. Luckily the stops are about 14.5 feet apart.
And here is a market. Nothing special about this market, they generally make for nice night / dusk photos.
I selected this butcher for a moody shot of flesh because it was the only one without the red light globe making it look weird. Generally your choices are pork or starvation.
Except, my dinner had no pork or meat of any kind! Its vegetarian curry. I actually saw it a couple of nights prior and decided that is what I wanted, and so that is what I had.
A bonus photo tonight of my phone screen. I read my phone while eating. Remember earlier I typed at length about Hong Kong graveyards? Googles recommended news story algorithm has placed a story about graves in Hong Kong costing more per square foot than housing. Google is always listening! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU GOOGLE!