Only in Hong Kong...

Lots of little strange things happen here and while some things may not be strange in other places, I say that context can be everything.

Fong Sui master
Mar 2013, Blessing the building.

Unsustainable efficiency

Feb 2013, courtesy of friend
So Hong Kong.

True efficiency
Jan 2013

Ok, this picture doesn't show it all – but this is an outdoor market stall, leaning against the side of a building. I love that this stall owner has a computer linked up, ready to do her book keeping.

Shopping in HK and my iPhone are one big cliché

There's really nothing more to say.

Hot teenagers and their summer wet dreams 

July 2012
One lovely Saturday morning, I set off for a boat trip with some friends. While waiting for them to pull round from the AMC, two wooden junks rocked up. Since I had a wait, I couldn't help but notice the name of one junk, Wet Dreams.

Ok so is that a Chinglish thing, or a joke? Hard to say.

But it made my day that when the passengers arrived, they were none other than a string of skinny international school-looking teenagers. Complete with a sound system. As it turned out, they'd hired a DJ from Drop, to surprise a friend for his birthday. The other junk in their picture was their dance floor.

WTF can't people in Hong Kong sort and recycle?
July 2012

See my rant in the wonderful Hong Kong zine, Cloak and Dagger.

Seriously expensive yoghurt

June 2012

Ok so yoghurt is never cheap here but this tiny pot of Australian yoghurt, which is the closest western producer of such fine dairy goods, is the most expensive single-serve I've ever seen. It's at least £3.50. It's good, but nothing is that good!

Cardboard café

March 2012

This cha chan teng in Central is entirely clad in cardboard. As the lift doors open, it seems like a shop selling presumably recycled goods. But in fact, there's a cha chan teng serving area neatly hidden behind some cardboad bookshelves.

Visit at 9F, 11 Stanley St, Central

The fight against dropping

Feb 2012

Don't have fun at the beach

Jan 2012

In response to a range of noise complaints on the south side, regarding noise pollution from beach bars, the wise and wonderful Hong Kong government have decided to close a number of cafés and bars on beaches. It seems ironic now, that my complaint before was the lack of a decent deli at any of the beaches.

But it's been the entire winter and more, since the Thai place at Deep Water Bay closed, and there's been building going on. But nothing new has popped in it's place. What a huge, huge waste of space. And I might add, there are no residents adjacent to Deep Water Bay. Duh.

Trash can crime scene

Jan 2012

Life ring – on the 20-somethingth floor
Dec 2011

Weight machine - classifieds
Oct 2011 

Dairy – HK style
Sept 2011
I thought that most Chinese people didn't really 'do' dairy, hence such products being over-priced or local versions being a bit rubbish.

But how this is appetising, especially on a hot day, I just don't know.

Thankfully, this will never be lost.

Bruce who? Roll over Uma, I'm taking care of this one.
June 2011
Could we add more irony?

Tone Down Your Voice
April 2011
It's true – it's loud here.

Beach Digger
April 2011

Health & Safety-free Zone
March 2011
As if climbing that ladder with no-one to stabilise the bottom – and then climb onto the edge with no barrier isn't scary enough, two Banner Ad Implementation Workers (is that PC enough?) then climbed behind the banner to enable the removal. Albeit, behind the ad is probably the safest place for them and provides some kind of Jackie Chan-style stunt-action should they fall, it reaches to the third storey.

That said, this is a fishing country and most fishermen here can't swim.



Naked Lady (what else can I say?)
March 2011
This one came courtesy of a friend. She witnessed the woman depicted stop her car during a busy Monday morning in Central, take her clothes off and stand naked on top of her car.

Ok, so this might happen in other places, but the fact that it happened here is what's so amazing!
Strangely, we couldn't find any news reports about this...

Golden Dragon
September 2010
Checking out some taps on Lockhart Road, Wan Chai.
To be sure, this tap costs HKD $25,800. No kidding.

Fight Club
August 2010

As I said – Chinese people love to fight!


Frozen Coke
August 2010
Getting shaved ice at 12.15am from the local desert shop... eating it on a step nearby... getting in the car to drive to the only frozen coke vending machine in HK.





We followed the instructions, taking a quaff before closing the bottle and tipping it upside down to watch the ice form... it worked pretty well, but I've heard it's hit and miss. Best of all, imagine all the extra chemicals we must be consuming in this latest artificial offering!

Bagpipes
July 2010
Walking through Sai Wan (西環) on a Sunday, to see a Chinese man practicing bagpipes – playing Amazing Grace and in full kilt, no less – in the garage of a kindergarten.