Kowloon and memories....

March 12
The hotel shuttle took me to the Turbojet ferry terminal. I bought a ticket for the 10:05 am ferry.

Here is a clear shot of the bridge that joins both islands.

It was a very rough ride.... We arrived about 15 minutes late because of the weather!

I walked from the Turbojet terminal to Star Ferry (about 2km) with my backpack.
The famous Star Ferry terminal

Got a SIM card for the cell, loaded some money on my Octopus card (a tourist card that can be used for public transportation, dining and entertainment), and got some information from the toursit rep. Got some information on where my hotel is and started walking there... About 4 km.
Nathan Road - shopping

So, when I had planned my HK trip I decided I was going to try and find where I used to live.... 48 years ago. I used Google Map to find the address and it told me the bus route I needed to take.
28 Pak Tai Street

We lived on the 7th floor, the right side. My aunt lived on the left side. I remember my cousin and I used to bounce a super ball between the two apartments. We lost a few balls.

There used to be a battery store at the front... Now it's an upholstery store

The inside of the lobby... Just as I remember it! Same same but different.

I stood there for a long, long time just looking up and remembering. Remembering the layout, the small kitchen, the bunk beds. I was hoping that I could have gone inside but it had a security door.

I headed back to the hotel and explored Nathan Road. Nathan Road is the main thoroughfare that is lined with shops and restaurants and throngs with tourists. I went into a few stores - found a pair of shoes but decided against it! Cost was $2,299 HK dollars which is $313 in Canadian dollars. I stumbled onto Kowloon Park. I found these characters in the park.


He's supposed to be a Chinese star....

I got back to the hotel only to find my room was very cold, too cold to stay there. I told the front desk they sent up an extra blanket. The room got even colder as time went on (and I turned off the air conditioning when I first checked in). On my way out, I asked the front desk to see if they can turn the air down or the heat up. They said they would take care of it.

I decided to visit the Sky 100 Observatin Deck. I took the bus down there but decided not to go up there because of the weather (would be seeing the same thing we saw at Victoria Peak).

So I walked back to Star Ferry to look at the old Clock Tower. Standing 44-metres tall, the old Clock Tower was erected in 1915 as part of the Kowloon–Canton Railway terminus. The once-bustling station is long gone, but this red brick and granite tower, now preserved as a Declared Monument, serves as reminder of the Age of Steam. It has also been a memorable landmark for the millions of Chinese immigrants who passed through the terminus to begin new lives not just in Hong Kong, but in other parts of the world via the city’s harbour.

I had a leisurely walk back to the hotel

Room is still very cold. Called down to Reception and they sent up another blanket. Called back down to them and asked that I change room....
I'm now in a different room... Much warmer!