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Thursday, January 9, 2020

Cats, Fashion, and Orwell All Bestselling Books in Hong Kong

At the Eslite Spectrum bookstore in Hong Kong, "1984" tops 5th place "If Cats Disappeared From The World" in the store's Top 10 Bestselling Fiction Books.

"1984" and "If Cats Disappeared From The World" on a Top 10 Bestsellers shelf


In the store's Top 10 Bestselling Illustrated Books another cat book, "Hong Kong Shop Cats", holds 5th place. It's topped by "Lives of 50 Fashion Legends".

"The Lives of 50 Fashion Legends" and "Hong Kong Shop Cats" on a Top 10 Bestsellers shelf


Just some books selling well in Hong Kong to ponder . . .

Monday, January 6, 2020

A Face Mask Left Behind on New Year's Day in Hong Kong

I never intended to not post here for such an extended period of time. I certainly am not lacking in material or thoughts. I could post about fresh blood on a wall bordering a garden in Sheung Shui, a young woman stomping on a man's head in Mong Kok, or notes of hope in Central — all in Hong Kong.

For now, here is photo of a face mask, bricks, and a wheelbarrow in the middle of a street in Causeway Bay after a very large New Year's Day protest march and . . . more.

face mask, bricks, and wheelbarrow on a street


While the intended purposes of the items seem clear to me, I don't what exact event led to this state. I don't expect to ever know, but a chaotic scene seems likely. Plenty of such scenes played out on New Year's Day in Hong Kong. And more have since.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Before and After the New Year on a Street in Hong Kong

Just before 11 p.m in Hong Kong New Year's Eve at Sai Yeung Choi Street South seemed moderately usual:

Sai Yeung Choi Street South just before New Year's


Around 3 a.m. New Year's at Sai Yeung Choi Street South had a different feeling though:

Police at Sai Yeung Choi Street South


Happy New Year.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

A Beatdown and a Blockade During Christmas in Hong Kong

As anticipated, there were large-scale protests yesterday in Hong Kong, and the protests continue today. I will post more about them later, including some of the ways they intermixed with the Christmas holiday spirit. For now, I will just share two photos I shared on Twitter recently along with the comments I made there.

I took the first photo not long before 2 a.m. this morning.

woman wearing a Santa cap looking at a man on the ground
Man grabs a young woman's breast.
Crowd beats man.
Man pretends to be unconscious to avoid more pain.
Hong Kong's top riot police arrive.

The incident in Mong Kok didn't appear to have any direct connection to the protests, except that the large number of protestors around probably meant a more intense response, both from the protestors and the police. There is much more I can say and share regarding what happened, and perhaps that will happen as it touches on a number of issues. I will add that the only obvious involvement by the police was chasing away protestors in the area which enabled an ambulance to safely take the man away. I was told the young woman didn't wish to formally report the man. She did not trust the police would handle the matter fairly, which says a lot about how some people in Hong Kong view the police these days.

The second photo was taken several hours later.

debris set by protestors to block Nathan Road
If you thought that the protests in Hong Kong would be over by 5am today, you'd be wrong.

The photo was taken at Nathan Road also in Mong Kok. This certainly isn't the most remarkable photo I took of the recent protests, especially since they were far more intense earlier. But the scene is notable because the protests appeared to be lasting longer into the morning than some other protests that occurred in Mong Kok during the past couple of months.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Anticipating a Lively Christmas in Hong Kong

Compared to November, the protests in Hong Kong have been relatively calm lately. However, they continue, and there are signs they will soon intensify.

yellow Hong Kong protest signs with a Christmas theme


It could be a rather eventful Christmas in Hong Kong. 

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Photographing a Fisher and a Photographer at Victoria Harbour

He only had a line, yet he fished. He only had a camera, yet he photographed.


man photographing a fisher at Victoria Harbour
At Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Hong Kong Buses with The Force

Four years ago I shared photos of displays with a Christmas touch promoting the release of Disney's Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the IAPM shopping center in Shanghai. I haven't seen anything as grandiose in Hong Kong for this year's release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Perhaps that is just because I haven't actively looked for anything. In any case, the best I can do now is to share photos of some of the buses I have seen in Hong Kong with advertising for the movie.

double-decker bus with advertising for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker


double-decker bus with advertising for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker


double-decker bus with advertising for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker


Given my previous interest in advertising on Hong Kong trams, I will keep an eye out for any Star Wars trams. No luck yet though.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

O Fortuna, the Wheel Brings Another Message

First there were ballerinas with umbrellas above "Free HK".  Then there was blackness. Now, there is a different message.

"Stop Police Cruelty" graffiti on pedestrian bridge to Central Piers with the Hong Kong Observation Wheel in the background


The "Stop Police Brutality" graffiti is on a number of beams on a pedestrian bridge connecting to the Central Piers in Hong Kong. In all of the examples I saw, they were placed directly on top of areas that had been painted black to cover previous graffiti.

two examples of "Stop Police Cruelty" graffiti on pedestrian bridge to Central Piers


It is now the predominant graffiti design on the bridge, though there is at least one example of partially symbolic graffiti expressing the protest slogan "Five Demands, Not One Less".

"Five Demands Not One Less" (using symbols) graffiti on pedestrian bridge to Central Piers with the Hong Kong Observation Wheel in the background


However, there appeared to be more examples of untouched painted-black areas than of recent graffiti. This is consistent with what I have seen in various parts of Hong Kong, whether Central, Tsing Yi, or Yau Tsim Mong. Newer protest graffiti, posters, and other forms of visible expression continue to replace older ones, but overall there is far less now compared to a few weeks ago.

And the wheel keeps turning . . . 

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Good Shop in Hong Kong

As one of Hong Kong's major shopping districts, you won't have problems finding a variety of items for sale in Causeway Bay. But if you simply want something good, there is a place on Lockhart Road to check out.

The Good Shop store in Hong Kong


On the day I passed, items ranging from maneki-neko (Japanese lucky cat) figurines to stuffed toy carrots to sim cards. Perhaps the selection will change in the future, but it should still be good.