One big reason that drew me to Hong Kong for Christmas was the lively atmosphere, in contrast to Western countries where life suddenly comes to a halt during Christmas. I thought it was better to spend those days doing something useful in Hong Kong than sitting and doing nothing in Australia.
聖誕節抽空回港的另一原因，就是喜歡香港的聖誕氣氛，並不會像西方國家般一到聖誕便死寂一片，在香港度聖誕假總比在澳洲呆坐幾天好。
Singing carols and spreading the message of the gospel on Christmas Eve – reminds me of the party on the open-top bus in Barcelona.
平安夜在開蓬電車報佳音，令我想起在巴塞羅那看到的開蓬巴士派對。
Shopping arcades with their decorations and live performances.
各大商場都用心為商場佈置和安排各類表演。
A highlight during Christmas is the lighting decorations, which has probably bored some of the locals already but definitely not those living elsewhere. My friend took me to Tsim Sha Tsui on the evening of 26th December, and as soon as I disembarked from the ferry, a brand new hotel and shopping arcade caught my eye. The whole site was rebuilt from the former headquarters of Hong Kong’s marine police. The office building was turned into a boutique hotel, while the little hill beneath the building was excavated to make space for a new shopping precinct. We must have missed the peak of the visitor crowd during the holiday season, as we were able to walk around quite leisurely without bumping into people. Instead we bumped into more tripods, belonging to the many photographers in full professional gear. It won’t surprise me if Hong Kong indeed has the highest tripod density in the world!
聖誕節總少不了燈飾展覽，雖然有些香港人已看厭了覺得沒新意，但對我這些不是在港居住的人來說，都總想去看一眼。12月26日晚朋友帶我乘船到尖沙咀，甫下船便看到一家簇新的酒店和高檔商場，是由前水警總部改建，把總部大樓變身為特色酒店，而大樓下的小山坡則被「挖空」成商場和露天廣場。那天已過了聖誕人潮高峰期，四處觀賞燈飾時挺舒服，但拍攝的人仍不少，很多還出動整套器材，所到之處盡是一個又一個三腳架，論三腳架密度，我想香港不是世界第一高也是第二高了吧！
The shops and plaza at the 1881 Heritage complex
1881的商店和廣場
The boutique hotel that was once the headquarters of the Marine Police
由水警總部改建的酒店
A paparazzi shot into the restaurant of the hotel!
酒店底層的餐廳
The view from the terrace in front of the hotel
從酒店外面的平臺眺望梳士巴利道
The mast where typhoon signals used to be hoisted
昔日用以懸掛颱風訊號的桅杆
Tripod congestion!
（三腳）架滿為患！
Beautiful view of Victoria Harbour by night - only spoiled by the mist ...
維港夜景，可惜因霧而打了折扣……
Lighting decorations at Tsim Sha Tsui East
尖東的燈飾
Something else that Hong Kong would come close to being top of the world is the ease of public transport. Before seeing the Christmas lighting decorations, I spent the day time with my relatives for yum cha in Wanchai before a trip to Tai Po which is quite a distance away from the heart of Hong Kong. We took a bus that only required 1/2 hour for this 30 km trip through a well-integrated network of tunnels and motorways. It was just as convenient as driving on your own! Tai Po has two big draw cards for us: its well-stocked market, particularly the seafood section which boasted of a great variety of produce and good prices; and a Chinese roast shop that made succulent roast geese and roasted pork that had layers of meat with different juiciness and texture underneath a most crispy skin. One couldn’t have asked for anything better.
香港另一樣令人驚訝的地方，就是交通愈來愈方便。看燈飾前，整個白天我都跟着幾個親戚，在灣仔飲早茶後前往大埔。我們從維園坐巴士，全程途經高速公路，30公里路程祇需半小時，沒想到巴士也可這樣快速，跟自己駕車媲美，可見道路網絡和巴士服務有多好！吸引一眾人到大埔的，有琳琅滿目的大埔街市，特別是種類繁多且價錢相宜的海鮮，也有燒肉和烤鵝特別好吃的一樂燒臘飯店，其中那個燒肉，皮烤得脆，肉分成一層層，每層的肉汁和嚼感都不同，可算是燒肉的經典作！
Mouth-watering roasts 令人垂涎欲滴的燒味
People enjoying a quick bowl of tofu dessert
站在街頭吃甜豆腐花
Fresh seafood abounds! 生猛海鮮隨處可見
The mountains of fruit in this grocery are equally impressive!
水果堆積如山的水果店
Hong Kong doesn’t stop any time for anyone, and this change can be felt particularly in the older districts which are undergoing urban renewal like Wanchai. I’ve heard of the fates to one of the more famous old-style restaurants and ‘Wedding Card Street’ through the news in the past, but it was a different feeling when visiting those sites in person. Those places made me realise how unforgiving time and the urban renewal process could be.
香港是個停不了的城市，不斷在蛻化中，在灣仔舊區特別明顯，龍門大酒樓和利東街（喜帖街）的新聞聽得多了，但親身看過後，又有另一份感慨，時間和市區重建真不留人啊。
eBay delivery, Hong Kong style: meet me at Mongkok MTR station!
旺角地鐵站，一年到晚都擠滿交收貨物的人，朋友戲稱是「四季交易會」！
A desolate restaurant of a bygone era
人去樓空的龍門大酒樓
No more buildings - and wedding cards, for now - on Wedding Card Street (see how the same place looked like in March 2007)
拆得一乾二淨後可直望合和中心的利東街
（大家可比較2007年3月同一地點的景觀）
Every little space is prime property for redevelopment!
小小地方也不容放過發展機會！
The most expensive property (per unit area) in the world showing off around town
全球身價最高物業在電車沿線招搖過市
New Year’s Eve was the day for frantic shopping and visiting people, and I really felt like a respite in the middle of it. The Chi Lin Nunnery and the adjoining Nan Lian Garden came to my mind, as it was close to my next destination. Although the nunnery and garden were 5 minutes by walk from built-up area, but once inside the hustle and bustle of people and traffic were shunted away by the peace and quiet, and high-rises gave way to the traditional houses and gardens. What a sharp contrast that was. It was a really precious half an hour that I could spare out of my hectic schedule, to slow down and seek sanctuary in the tranquil settings before I returned to the boisterous world outside.
除夕那天四出探親戚朋友和血拼，馬不停蹄，中間有點空檔，真想寧靜一下，既然傍晚要到又一城，我便想到鑽石山的志蓮淨苑和南蓮園池，雖然那個寺院離開鬧市步行祇消五分鐘，但一踏進去，甚麼擠湧、甚麼嘈吵馬上換成一片清靜，林立的高樓變成亭臺樓閣，堪稱繁囂中的一片淨土。難得抽到空，儘管祇是短短半小時，遊園有點匆忙，但我也覺得可以暫時放慢腳步、遠離繁囂，正是我需要的。
An aerial view of the Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden
志蓮淨苑和南蓮園池的俯瞰圖
Nan Lian Garden, overlooked by many high-rises and surrounded by sound-proof barriers
高樓腳下被隔音屏障包圍的南蓮園池
Left: Xiang Hai Xuan Pavilion; Right: Pavilion of Absolute Perfection and the Lotus Pond
左：香海軒，右：蓮池及圓滿閣
The Song Cha Xie Chinese tea house and its fish pond
松茶榭中式茶館及其魚池
Long Man Lou (Dragon Gate Tower), a vegetarian restaurant hidden behind the waterfall
瀑布後的龍門樓素菜館
The garden is planted with many pine trees and decorated with many rocks.
園內種植不少松樹，亦有不少岩石點綴。
Looking over the Nan Lian Garden (left) and towards the Chi Lin Nunnery (right) from the bridge in between
從連接志蓮淨苑和南蓮園池的天橋回望園池（左）及遠望寺院（右）
The Da Xiong Temple in the Nunnery
志蓮淨苑的大雄殿
Unfortunately many of the pavilions were fenced off (left) and out of bounds for visitors for no apparent reason. There were also many 'Garden Route' signs (right) that were supposed to guide visitors through the paths of the park. But at one stage, the visiting route was so strictly enforced that visitors who missed a turn-off to the toilets were not even allowed to backtrack!
很可惜，南蓮園池內不少樓臺都被攔了去路（左），不能隨意走近欣賞，而園內到處也有不少「遊園路線」指示牌（右），相信是為方便控制人流，數年前更有管理員嚴格執行遊園路線的規定，遊人連因為剛剛錯過往廁所的通道而走回頭也被禁止！
I had more places to go to in the evening, including a New Year countdown with my brother at one of his colleagues’ place (which had a view for the International Financial Centre Phase II, the tallest building in Hong Kong and the centre point for the New Year’s Eve fireworks). All this travelling was only possible with a fast and reliable underground MTR train service, and New Year’s Eve turned out to be an exceptionally busy day on the MTR. Even at 10:30, which is normally a quiet time of the day, the carriages were already 60 to 70 % full (most of an MTR carriage is standing room with few seats). When the fireworks were over and I went home after 1 a.m., I didn’t expect that I had to wait for the second train when interchanging at Admiralty station like peak hour – and that was already with trains running every 2 to 3 minutes, almost reaching peak hour frequency. I haven’t had to spend a long time going home in those small hours.
一天跑這麼多地方，晚上還跟弟弟到其同事家倒數迎新年（全因那裡可直望到國金二期的煙花），有賴快捷可靠的地鐵服務，不過那天由早上至深夜（即翌日凌晨）老是這麼多人乘坐，連平時早上十點半空閒時間，車廂都站滿六、七成，到看完煙花凌晨一點多回家時，在金鐘站換乘，竟然要像平日上下班繁忙時間般，等了一趟車才有空位給我上車，幸好那時列車班次也有兩、三分鐘一趟（比正常繁忙時間祇是稍為疏一點），所以回家也很方便，不是花了太多時間。
New Year spectacular! 燦爛的煙花
Peak hour at 1 a.m.!
元旦凌晨地鐵車廂的人潮跟上下班時間並無二樣！
In the nine days, Hong Kong has shown to me once again how its many facets can exist side by side and be condensed into such a compact package. I am very satisfied with what I have seen, eaten and bought, and I ended up with more luggage than I was allowed to carry for free! Well, the airline only allowed 15 kg of hold luggage, and I thought it would be more than enough since I wouldn’t have to bring so many clothes for nine days. Obviously I’ve forgotten about the luggage allowance when doing the shopping, and I actually ended up 1 kg over. The airline was supposed to charge me for this extra luggage, but the lady at the check-in counter was kind enough to waive it. Lucky me!
這九天裡，香港再次向我展示多種景觀濃縮在這小小地方縱橫交錯的面貌，看的、買的、吃的都令我心滿意足，本以為這次坐飛機只限帶15公斤寄艙行李，回港祇是9天不用帶太多衣服，應該足夠，但我購物一定是太忘形了，回程時行李箱還超重一公斤——航空公司其實規定，超重要按量收費，可幸櫃台那個小姐放我一馬，好險！
聖誕節抽空回港的另一原因，就是喜歡香港的聖誕氣氛，並不會像西方國家般一到聖誕便死寂一片，在香港度聖誕假總比在澳洲呆坐幾天好。
Singing carols and spreading the message of the gospel on Christmas Eve – reminds me of the party on the open-top bus in Barcelona.
平安夜在開蓬電車報佳音，令我想起在巴塞羅那看到的開蓬巴士派對。
Shopping arcades with their decorations and live performances.
各大商場都用心為商場佈置和安排各類表演。
A highlight during Christmas is the lighting decorations, which has probably bored some of the locals already but definitely not those living elsewhere. My friend took me to Tsim Sha Tsui on the evening of 26th December, and as soon as I disembarked from the ferry, a brand new hotel and shopping arcade caught my eye. The whole site was rebuilt from the former headquarters of Hong Kong’s marine police. The office building was turned into a boutique hotel, while the little hill beneath the building was excavated to make space for a new shopping precinct. We must have missed the peak of the visitor crowd during the holiday season, as we were able to walk around quite leisurely without bumping into people. Instead we bumped into more tripods, belonging to the many photographers in full professional gear. It won’t surprise me if Hong Kong indeed has the highest tripod density in the world!
聖誕節總少不了燈飾展覽，雖然有些香港人已看厭了覺得沒新意，但對我這些不是在港居住的人來說，都總想去看一眼。12月26日晚朋友帶我乘船到尖沙咀，甫下船便看到一家簇新的酒店和高檔商場，是由前水警總部改建，把總部大樓變身為特色酒店，而大樓下的小山坡則被「挖空」成商場和露天廣場。那天已過了聖誕人潮高峰期，四處觀賞燈飾時挺舒服，但拍攝的人仍不少，很多還出動整套器材，所到之處盡是一個又一個三腳架，論三腳架密度，我想香港不是世界第一高也是第二高了吧！
The shops and plaza at the 1881 Heritage complex
1881的商店和廣場
The boutique hotel that was once the headquarters of the Marine Police
由水警總部改建的酒店
A paparazzi shot into the restaurant of the hotel!
酒店底層的餐廳
The view from the terrace in front of the hotel
從酒店外面的平臺眺望梳士巴利道
The mast where typhoon signals used to be hoisted
昔日用以懸掛颱風訊號的桅杆
Tripod congestion!
（三腳）架滿為患！
Beautiful view of Victoria Harbour by night - only spoiled by the mist ...
維港夜景，可惜因霧而打了折扣……
Lighting decorations at Tsim Sha Tsui East
尖東的燈飾
Something else that Hong Kong would come close to being top of the world is the ease of public transport. Before seeing the Christmas lighting decorations, I spent the day time with my relatives for yum cha in Wanchai before a trip to Tai Po which is quite a distance away from the heart of Hong Kong. We took a bus that only required 1/2 hour for this 30 km trip through a well-integrated network of tunnels and motorways. It was just as convenient as driving on your own! Tai Po has two big draw cards for us: its well-stocked market, particularly the seafood section which boasted of a great variety of produce and good prices; and a Chinese roast shop that made succulent roast geese and roasted pork that had layers of meat with different juiciness and texture underneath a most crispy skin. One couldn’t have asked for anything better.
香港另一樣令人驚訝的地方，就是交通愈來愈方便。看燈飾前，整個白天我都跟着幾個親戚，在灣仔飲早茶後前往大埔。我們從維園坐巴士，全程途經高速公路，30公里路程祇需半小時，沒想到巴士也可這樣快速，跟自己駕車媲美，可見道路網絡和巴士服務有多好！吸引一眾人到大埔的，有琳琅滿目的大埔街市，特別是種類繁多且價錢相宜的海鮮，也有燒肉和烤鵝特別好吃的一樂燒臘飯店，其中那個燒肉，皮烤得脆，肉分成一層層，每層的肉汁和嚼感都不同，可算是燒肉的經典作！
Mouth-watering roasts 令人垂涎欲滴的燒味
People enjoying a quick bowl of tofu dessert
站在街頭吃甜豆腐花
Fresh seafood abounds! 生猛海鮮隨處可見
The mountains of fruit in this grocery are equally impressive!
水果堆積如山的水果店
Hong Kong doesn’t stop any time for anyone, and this change can be felt particularly in the older districts which are undergoing urban renewal like Wanchai. I’ve heard of the fates to one of the more famous old-style restaurants and ‘Wedding Card Street’ through the news in the past, but it was a different feeling when visiting those sites in person. Those places made me realise how unforgiving time and the urban renewal process could be.
香港是個停不了的城市，不斷在蛻化中，在灣仔舊區特別明顯，龍門大酒樓和利東街（喜帖街）的新聞聽得多了，但親身看過後，又有另一份感慨，時間和市區重建真不留人啊。
eBay delivery, Hong Kong style: meet me at Mongkok MTR station!
旺角地鐵站，一年到晚都擠滿交收貨物的人，朋友戲稱是「四季交易會」！
A desolate restaurant of a bygone era
人去樓空的龍門大酒樓
No more buildings - and wedding cards, for now - on Wedding Card Street (see how the same place looked like in March 2007)
拆得一乾二淨後可直望合和中心的利東街
（大家可比較2007年3月同一地點的景觀）
Every little space is prime property for redevelopment!
小小地方也不容放過發展機會！
The most expensive property (per unit area) in the world showing off around town
全球身價最高物業在電車沿線招搖過市
New Year’s Eve was the day for frantic shopping and visiting people, and I really felt like a respite in the middle of it. The Chi Lin Nunnery and the adjoining Nan Lian Garden came to my mind, as it was close to my next destination. Although the nunnery and garden were 5 minutes by walk from built-up area, but once inside the hustle and bustle of people and traffic were shunted away by the peace and quiet, and high-rises gave way to the traditional houses and gardens. What a sharp contrast that was. It was a really precious half an hour that I could spare out of my hectic schedule, to slow down and seek sanctuary in the tranquil settings before I returned to the boisterous world outside.
除夕那天四出探親戚朋友和血拼，馬不停蹄，中間有點空檔，真想寧靜一下，既然傍晚要到又一城，我便想到鑽石山的志蓮淨苑和南蓮園池，雖然那個寺院離開鬧市步行祇消五分鐘，但一踏進去，甚麼擠湧、甚麼嘈吵馬上換成一片清靜，林立的高樓變成亭臺樓閣，堪稱繁囂中的一片淨土。難得抽到空，儘管祇是短短半小時，遊園有點匆忙，但我也覺得可以暫時放慢腳步、遠離繁囂，正是我需要的。
An aerial view of the Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden
志蓮淨苑和南蓮園池的俯瞰圖
Nan Lian Garden, overlooked by many high-rises and surrounded by sound-proof barriers
高樓腳下被隔音屏障包圍的南蓮園池
Left: Xiang Hai Xuan Pavilion; Right: Pavilion of Absolute Perfection and the Lotus Pond
左：香海軒，右：蓮池及圓滿閣
The Song Cha Xie Chinese tea house and its fish pond
松茶榭中式茶館及其魚池
Long Man Lou (Dragon Gate Tower), a vegetarian restaurant hidden behind the waterfall
瀑布後的龍門樓素菜館
The garden is planted with many pine trees and decorated with many rocks.
園內種植不少松樹，亦有不少岩石點綴。
Looking over the Nan Lian Garden (left) and towards the Chi Lin Nunnery (right) from the bridge in between
從連接志蓮淨苑和南蓮園池的天橋回望園池（左）及遠望寺院（右）
The Da Xiong Temple in the Nunnery
志蓮淨苑的大雄殿
Unfortunately many of the pavilions were fenced off (left) and out of bounds for visitors for no apparent reason. There were also many 'Garden Route' signs (right) that were supposed to guide visitors through the paths of the park. But at one stage, the visiting route was so strictly enforced that visitors who missed a turn-off to the toilets were not even allowed to backtrack!
很可惜，南蓮園池內不少樓臺都被攔了去路（左），不能隨意走近欣賞，而園內到處也有不少「遊園路線」指示牌（右），相信是為方便控制人流，數年前更有管理員嚴格執行遊園路線的規定，遊人連因為剛剛錯過往廁所的通道而走回頭也被禁止！
I had more places to go to in the evening, including a New Year countdown with my brother at one of his colleagues’ place (which had a view for the International Financial Centre Phase II, the tallest building in Hong Kong and the centre point for the New Year’s Eve fireworks). All this travelling was only possible with a fast and reliable underground MTR train service, and New Year’s Eve turned out to be an exceptionally busy day on the MTR. Even at 10:30, which is normally a quiet time of the day, the carriages were already 60 to 70 % full (most of an MTR carriage is standing room with few seats). When the fireworks were over and I went home after 1 a.m., I didn’t expect that I had to wait for the second train when interchanging at Admiralty station like peak hour – and that was already with trains running every 2 to 3 minutes, almost reaching peak hour frequency. I haven’t had to spend a long time going home in those small hours.
一天跑這麼多地方，晚上還跟弟弟到其同事家倒數迎新年（全因那裡可直望到國金二期的煙花），有賴快捷可靠的地鐵服務，不過那天由早上至深夜（即翌日凌晨）老是這麼多人乘坐，連平時早上十點半空閒時間，車廂都站滿六、七成，到看完煙花凌晨一點多回家時，在金鐘站換乘，竟然要像平日上下班繁忙時間般，等了一趟車才有空位給我上車，幸好那時列車班次也有兩、三分鐘一趟（比正常繁忙時間祇是稍為疏一點），所以回家也很方便，不是花了太多時間。
New Year spectacular! 燦爛的煙花
Peak hour at 1 a.m.!
元旦凌晨地鐵車廂的人潮跟上下班時間並無二樣！
In the nine days, Hong Kong has shown to me once again how its many facets can exist side by side and be condensed into such a compact package. I am very satisfied with what I have seen, eaten and bought, and I ended up with more luggage than I was allowed to carry for free! Well, the airline only allowed 15 kg of hold luggage, and I thought it would be more than enough since I wouldn’t have to bring so many clothes for nine days. Obviously I’ve forgotten about the luggage allowance when doing the shopping, and I actually ended up 1 kg over. The airline was supposed to charge me for this extra luggage, but the lady at the check-in counter was kind enough to waive it. Lucky me!
這九天裡，香港再次向我展示多種景觀濃縮在這小小地方縱橫交錯的面貌，看的、買的、吃的都令我心滿意足，本以為這次坐飛機只限帶15公斤寄艙行李，回港祇是9天不用帶太多衣服，應該足夠，但我購物一定是太忘形了，回程時行李箱還超重一公斤——航空公司其實規定，超重要按量收費，可幸櫃台那個小姐放我一馬，好險！
Comments
I probably got away with it because I proactively offered to take a couple of books out of the suitcase.
:-)
Gruss
YY
Another thing is definitely the wet market... everything looks so fresh there... And nothing beat the taste of dishes cooked with live-chicken! See my favourite dish made by my mum with lived-chicken:
http://boundaryinterfaces.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/%e9%9b%9e%e8%9b%8b%e9%9b%9e/
BTW... when is your next visit home (Hong Kong)?
Chi Lin certainly knows how to make its money - but it's a charitable organisation, so hopefully all the money gained is put to good use!
Did you visit Chi Lin in the most recent trip? What places have you visited? I'm checking your blog everyday!
YY and boundary:
Actually on that day (26/12) many youngsters were buying lots of big clams （蜆）presumably for Christmas barbecue. These people really know what to eat! YY, you should try a barbecue in HK once. You'll be impressed!
Boundary:
My next visit is probably September or October. How about you?
Siu Heng:
That's the danger of shopping in HK! Many things are so cheap that I'll buy them first and worry later. I also agreed to carry a couple of small items for a relative, and sooner or later all these little things add up to quite a lot of weight!
Clams are best for soup, stir fry, or hotpot... not sure whether they are good for bbq... Have you ever been try clam picking in Oz?
I probably would return in Aug or Sep... So, maybe we can go hotpot or BBQ, eating clams together? LOL.