Weekend: Demonstrations (我們都是李旺陽)

Demonstrations in Hong Kong are one of the most common means of expressing a message within the local political scene. They are different from demonstrations in many other countries; in the sense that in this city, they are perceived as being incredibly peaceful and orderly. Despite this image being challenged given the [understandable and oft misconstrued portrayals of*] conflicts with police in recent years, demonstrations remain almost a weekly affair, but they tend to be of small-to-moderate scale (a turn-out of around a hundred to a thousand people), and of specific scope in their demands. This plethora of protests is thanks to the fragmented political and social scene in Hong Kong, where individual groups voice their own interests which may exclude and alienate the sympathies of others. This is pretty consistent throughout the year, save for large-scale happenings such as the candlelight vigil of the 4th of June and the annually-expected 1st of July protests. 


But there are occasionally events that occur which temporarily puts aside the differences of many political parties (sans DAB. Always sans DAB.) and draws large numbers of people onto the streets; in this instance, the 'suicide' of activist Li WangYang who was imprisoned in the mainland for two decades and was found dead under suspicious circumstances.


As if the suicide wasn't dodgy enough as it is, sentiments of anger precipitated in Hong Kong after the CCP issued a series of answers and explanations that did not....answer or explain anything. (Avoiding the jokes that Hong Kong people watch way too much CSI to be easily accepting of the obscured conditions of Li's death, even foreign tourists in Wan Chai said that there was no way Li could have killed himself based on the scant imagery that has been circulating online. The international community knows...) The obvious questions have been circulating in the media and social networks; why would a man with no intention for suicide suddenly take his own life? Where would he even get the rope to hang himself? How does a visually-impaired person with limited mobility manage such a feat anyways, especially since it could be assumed that he was under the watch of CCP officials since his release from prison? These questions aren't the most ire-invoking matter; it is the CCP's contradictory practice. Promising an open inquiry but immediately cremating the body of Li, and monopolizing access to the surveillance recordings to Li's room. Cutting off contact between friends of the Li family, and those who promised to aid in their search for truth. (Check out the Wall Street Journal blog for a more fleshed-out account on the happenings.)


Hong Kong people don't have the answers, and any ideas offered will remain speculation. But they can demand for transparency and for the facts to be made clear; they can show their horror at the maltreatment of activists in the mainland; they can pay their respects to the man who fought for the recognition of the killings on the 4th of June 1989. And so this weekend, the inhabitants of this city made their feelings towards this matter be known, and took to the streets under the theme of  '我們都是李旺陽' (translates to 'We are also Li WangYang'. Over a dozen organizations and parties banded together for the demonstration; I opted to partake with Art Citizens, a group formed by local artists and people concerned with the arts. (They debuted last year in the protest calling for the freedom of Ai Wei Wei, and also on the 1st of July 2011 against police demands for no music to be played during the annual protest.) Check out the photos:

Starting from East Point Road in Causeway Bay 

White shirts, white banners, white flowers; a funeral procession 

Blindfolded and waving banners with poems written on them

People from the group marching behind Art Citizens. It was a hot day, and there were many standstills during the march, so it very tiring

During one of the longer standstills just before reaching the Beijing liaison offices. The entire street was packed (can't see all of the people in this photo because many of them were around the corner where the main road was), and I'm pretty sure that the police estimate of 5,400 attendees is fairly off.    

I think underlying this demonstration calling for transparency in Li's death, are deeper concerns within the Hong Kong psyche. What is the worth of a human life to the CCP these days? What is the worth of a human life to us? Can we live our lives quietly and in a docile manner knowing that the CCP has not been held accountable for their actions towards activists in China? How long will it take before the CCP will acknowledge 1989, and how long till the democratic ideals from 1989 realize itself into Hong Kong? Will the imprisonment and mistreatment of activists in the mainland be a glimpse of what is to come in Hong Kong? Can we move away from being a city only concerned with economic development and towards being one guided by a sense of morality?


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*the idea of 'disorderly protesters' who 'instigate' and 'provoke' conflict is a dangerous myth. It needs not mentioning the issue of media bias, selective reporting, and the recognition of the media as a corporation out to sell a story using the most eye-catching images. You do have a tiny number of people in the crowds who are egging for trouble with the police, and they are responsible for their own actions. But if you have been near that situation the first thing that happens is that fellow protesters will talk the individuals involved down from open conflict. 


Sometimes (or better to say oftentimes) it is the Hong Kong police that overreacts, leading to scuffles; they say that protesters are 'violent' and pepper-spray them, but what is this 'violence' they speak of? Shaking a few police barricades? Trying to resist against the oft-unreasonable restrictions imposed by police to the demonstrations route? The definition of 'violence' employed by the Hong Kong police has a pretty low threshold, especially when you compare with the 'violence' that occurs around the world. (And looking back at the debacle of the HKU 100 celebrations, where police confined students in the campus stairwell, what was the supposed offence of the affected students? The simple act of shouting for democracy on campus grounds during the mainland vice-premier's visit.) 


Not saying that the Hong Kong police should be painted in an antagonistic role; many them do try to be helpful, keeping protesters away from passing traffic and keeping in communication with the protest organizers to ensure that things are going along as planned for both sides. (And I won't even hazard a guess into the sort of conflicts they go through trying to juggle what their jobs demand and wheretheir personal sympathies lie.) But then you have police officers doing this sort of thing: check out this video on youtube showing how a police officer grabbed the head of a youth protester who was turned away. Completely unwarranted, unjustifiable, and unfortunately for the sake of all, unnoticed in the mainstream for now. For a police force that is so against 'violent measures', they sure don't have an issue employing it for their use. 

Weekend: Yau Ma Tei (through Wooferten's Mobile Bar Battle)

Yau Ma Tei was originally a village, though the exact meaning of the name 'Yau Ma Tei', and the industry the name harkens from, is unknown. (Funnily enough, the MTR tried to name the station there as 'Waterloo', after Waterloo Road, when it first opened in the 1970s.) Urbanization made it almost unrecognisable from its historical image; it once had its own bay and beach, and now it is a part of a densely populated hub quite a ways from the water. You can tell how the coastline has shifted thanks to the aptly named Reclamation Street to the west. Following Wooferten during one of their weekend events was a good way to catch a glimpse of just how fascinating the area is. 

Wooferten (浩化廳) is one of my favourite places, calling itself as a community art space, something that is rather lacking in this city. And they do take 'community' seriously, welcoming neighbours to gather and sit in their space on Shanghai Street, and initiating outreach events to bring people together. 


Last weekend, Wooferten (alongside 素人之亂 from Japan, and with the help of Mr. J) hosted the Mobile Bar Battle , with the slogan of 'Hong Kong Never Drunk'. The purpose was to hand out free alcohol to the locals in the area, but instead of making them come to the art space to get it, the alcohol was brought to them. The event featured the locally-brewed Yau Ma Tei beer (see previous post), also providing a fair share of store-bought canned-beer, and miscellany alcohol that Mobile Bar Battle participants brought. As the visiting Japanese activist at Wooferten said, alcohol is a social lubricant, bringing people together. And true to his word, the turnout was awesome. 


Some photos to share: 

Wooferten at 404 Shanghai Street, just before setting out for the neighbourhood. It was hot, it was very sunny, it was sweat-inducing. But it was well worth going

Waving banners, pushing trolleys and carts of beer around. The planned route took us through a couple of blocks in the area

So adorable! But never fear, no minors were given alcohol. This little girl contented herself with Vita brand lemon tea and some roast pork from the cart

Walking past the corner houses (more details about these in a previous post) that are so common in the area. The great thing is that you can still see how 'lived-in' these buildings are

Couldn't resist photographing this wonderfully illustrated bag (reads 'this city is dying'), especially since it echoes the current sentiments of many young people in HK. 

Sharing the roast pork around. Couldn't grab a piece, since the young'uns and the elderly were given first dibs

Heading down the wet foods market on Nelson Street

Pouring alcohol to anyone (over 18!) who wanted it 

Cheers, matey! 

Ending the Mobile Bar Battle route at this local park. Live music, casual chats, a jovial atmosphere all around

Credit goes to Wooferten for their effort in providing the goods used in the Mobile Bar Battle

Overall, the event was well-received by people in the locality. There was the occasional person who overtly comments on how the Mobile Bar Battle group was 'being pointless' and 'doing something rubbish', but who cares? Local stall owners waved and sampled the alcohol, people in windows waved, and a lot of people were smiling as the group walked by. Patrolling policemen jokingly said they might try some when their shift ends. And the fun wasn't only experienced by the people we encountered, but the Mobile Bar Battle was also fun for those of us who tagged along. 

Weekend: Cycling, Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk

People are getting really into the cycling lifestyle, and I'm not referring to those ah-baks cycling around in the middle of the city delivering take-out food or giant canisters of gas. Cycling is a growing movement in the city, manifesting through cycling-devoted groups (ranging from government-sponsored bodies dedicated to cycle racing, mountain bike enthusiasts, and an NGO seeking to raise awareness towards the concerns of HK cyclists. For the latter, check out the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance website and facebook. They offer comprehensive info on carrying your bikes on public transport, safety tips, and more.) If you live in the New Territories like I do, you'll see die-hard cyclists in their lycra cycling outfits pedalling around on their racing bikes every evening. (There is also the amusing sight of lycra-wearing cyclists...on a tiny urban fold-up bike.) But for most people, the sport itself is a weekend activity for socializing. 

My friend and I chose to do the Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk route on a Saturday, which has been covered by CNN.go and HK Magazine. It is one of the most popular cycling routes (removed from traffic for the most part, is well-paved, and signposted**) in Hong Kong, offering paths through some of the nicest scenery. The routes are well paved, and are generally wide and spacious. (Because of the construction near the site of Providence Bay after passing the Science Park, there are barriers erected on the left side of the cycle path. It doesn't obstruct the path itself, but many cyclists bottleneck themselves along this stretch because they all swerve to the middle to avoid colliding with the wall.) 


The signposting is fairly consistent throughout the first leg of the journey, though it seems to be sparse upon reaching Tai Po. There was no sign pointing towards Tai Mei Tuk when we reached a fork after exiting a subway tunnel, and we had to ask another cyclist for directions. As a marker, if you pass by the Tai Po Industrial Estate on your right side, you are heading in the right direction. 

While the bike route is mostly self-contained (not having to share it with pedestrians or cars), there are certain sections where you will intersect with a pedestrian pavement or traffic crossing. In the latter case, even if it seems as though there is no car approaching, just wait until it is your light to cross. Cars have that uncanny ability to suddenly show up when least expected, and safety should always come first. As some would say, a car is 鐵包人 (person encased in iron), whereas a cycle is just 人包鐵 (iron encased by a person.) Upon impact, it isn't hard to guess who would come out with fewer injuries. 

The cycle shop we rented our bikes from in Tai Wai. We went with this one one because it was situated very close to the East Rail station, though you can ask locals for cycle shop recommendations if you need to. 

We were charged 80HKD/each for bike rentals, and that is for the entire day ('day' being defined as until daylight fades: returns must be made by 7pm.) I'm sure we got suckered since both my friend and I look like out-of-towners, but it wasn't an outrageous price so we went along with it. In regards with bike returns, most shops will have a drop-off point in Tai Mei Tuk (though if you choose to bring the bike back to Tai Wai, you might earn a bit of a refund with the bike rental fee, around 10HKD in this case), but you should ask explicitly where they are in Tai Mei Tuk. We learnt this the hard way; the drop-off point for this bike rental shop was actually a 5 minute bike ride (15 minute walk) outside of Tai Mei Tuk, on a small village road full of cargo containers. It took some luck to even spot the shop banner hanging from the mesh fence. It looked like something straight from the deserted streets of downtown Los Angeles.  

Do check the bike before leaving the shop, making sure the wheels are inflated, the front and back brakes are functional, the grips aren't worn down, and the height of the bike seat is appropriate (normally, I prefer the seat to be high enough so that my toe barely touches the ground when I'm standing straight. If the seat is any lower than that, my knees hurt during cycling because they are forced to bend too far.) Have the shop adjust these things for you, and don't be scared to ask for a different bike if you are not satisfied with the one provided by the shop staff. And if the cycle plan intends for stops at several locations for rest or sightseeing, ask about bike-lock rentals as well (or just bring your own.) 

The cycle path travels alongTolo Harbour, so there will be plenty of sights like this. This photo was taken a little off the cycle path (less than a minute away from it) just before entering Tai Po. 

No bike lock for us, so we were always keeping an eye out on our rides. It is worth stopping at Plover Cove for a bit of a sit and a think. There are some hipster-types by themselves, sitting on the rocks, looking into the distance, and writing in their Moleskin notebooks. It is a good place to contemplate the meaning of life, and have a bit of private angst...at least before the crowds arrive.  

Sitting at Plover Cove Reservoir. With such nice scenery, we brought our own snacks and lunched outdoors. (If anyone else plans to do so, please don't leave any rubbish behind.)  

The road at Plover Cover Reservoir. It isn't strictly a cycle path, but park authorities driving in their van are fairly patient (didn't even use their klaxon once) and will give cyclists time to move aside for them. But beware of the pedestrians along this stretch, and also at either end of the roundabouts! There are plenty of people who come up here to fly kites, and their kite strings can entangle an unwary cyclist.

View from the reservoir, people enjoying the watersports facility in Tai Mei Tuk. Windsurfing is another big thing in the Hong Kong sports mindset.  

Tai Mei Tuk is a great destination for cyclists, thanks to its scenery and its good selection of restaurants and places for refreshments. However, because the location has been on the tourist radar for quite some time, the prices and food venues have 'upgraded' itself. (Though it was good to see that the Thai restaurant I went to back in 2006 was still pretty much the same.)  If the price range of an indoor eatery is a little over one's budget, head to the waterfront area and there will be some cheaper outdoor eats, such as curry fishballs and noodles. Alternatively, if you are willing to lug a bag of coal, raw foods, and other BBQ equipment on your bike, Tai Mei Tuk has plenty of BBQ hearths for public use.  

Since a large part of Tai Mei Tuk is devoted for BBQ-ing visitors, so prepare for a lot of smoke and noise near these sites. There are quiet spots away from the Tai Mei Tuk crowds, such as this little bit of coast. There isn't any 'official' access to this stretch of rocky shore, but someone did gouge an earthy path from the road that leads to it. There were only several other people there picking up shells. 

If you return your bike in Tai Mei Tuk, you can catch the 75K bus at the bus terminus (close to the big BBQ site) back to Tai Po Market station, which will link you up with the rest of the MTR system. 

Note: If you are not sports-inclined, I would recommend cycling up to Tai Po, since the entire length of the route from Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk can reach around 20km. It might not sound like a great distance, but under the sun and wind, it adds up to quite a bit of physical exertion. There is a great Waterfront Park in Tai Po to explore, not to mention that Tai Po is interesting in itself. 

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Tips:

Tip 1: Start your journey early to avoid the post-lunch afternoon rush! We started around 10am, and arrived in Tai Mei Tuk a little before 1pm. By the time we left the area at 4pm, the crowds were starting to cycle in by the dozen...including those cyclists with the loud boombox (literally a boombox, not just any music player) strapped to the back of their bikes. They would make for an interesting anthropological study...the culture of boomboxing bikes. 

Tip 2: If you are cycling on the weekends, keep an eye out on the cycle path. Like the phenomenon of 'weekend drivers', those who only take their cars out for a spin on the weekends, there is such a thing as 'weekend cyclists'. They tend to be a bit unpredictable with their turns, and are prone to braking suddenly, so it would be ideal to overtake them when you can. (Unless said 'weekend cyclist' is your mate, in which case, there isn't much you can do short of making new friends.)

Tip 3: If you can't cycle uphill, walk it. There is no shame in doing so! Better be safe, than to struggle on your bike and zig-zag into someone else. (Notable uphill stretches; the subway tunnels near the Science Park; the road just before entering Tai Mei Tuk; and the path to Plover Cove Reservoir.) 

Tip 4: Some bike rental shops will require identification documents as a means of guarantee when renting their wares. Bring your ID card/passport with you. 


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** post edited due to the comment from Dennis (see below)

Weekend: Sai Kung, Hong Kong Geopark

Weekend lolls around, time to venture around. With the weather warming up and the sun returning to the Hong Kong skies, it was a good time to take a day-trip out into the Geopark area by boat. Unknown to a lot of people (well, unknown until the news coverage about the Geopark a couple of years back), Hong Kong has a plethora of geological formations that are just as incredible as those you see overseas. 

Less musings from me on this post, mostly photos and captions of the Ninepin Group (果洲群島) we went to: 

Leaving the hustle and bustle of the city for a day

The boat we took. The tour guide was sitting at the very front, and it was difficult to hear what was being said given the din of the other passengers and the sound of the boat engine. But it was a Cantonese tour, so despite my aptitude with everyday Cantonese (ordering stuff in restaurants, asking for directions to the loo, etc.), I wouldn't have understood the complex terminologies being used. 

We were supposed to hop onto the Ninepin Group for a bit of exploration by foot, but the waves were too strong for the smaller boat to get the passengers safely onto that rocky outcrop. Our group went back for a second attempt in the afternoon, hoping that the change in tides would bring about better conditions; but alas, it was not meant to be. A boat staff member that clambered onto the island had difficulties trying to get off it afterwards.

But can still admire the columnar joints from afar! Their hexagonal shape aren't noticeable from this angle, but if you managed to get onto the island and take a look from above, it would be evident. The presence of columnar joints means that Hong Kong used to be a site of volcanic activity, though the craters from such a past are not visible today (the prof I talked to said the crater would have measured 20km in size.)

An arch in the area (alliteration!) I'm personally stoked to see this in Hong Kong, since we've learned about these formations back in school but never had a chance to see one locally. 

The smaller boat ferried passengers close to the arch; the waves were very turbulent and occasionally splashed onto some of us. Best not to wear your favourite garbs on days like this. The smaller boat intended to take us through the arch, but the waves were just too strong.

After checking out the Ninepin Group from a distance, we went onto Tung Lung Chau (東龍洲) for a bit of food and a mini-hike up one of their strangely named hills that infers to a 'female chicken/hen'. (I've tried looking for a bit more information about how this name came about, but no luck so far.) Am not a big fan of outdoor activities, and hiking ranks low on my list of 'to do' things, but even I thought it was a worthwhile walk.

The Geopark tour we went on was a specially-arranged one, but you can head to the Sai Kung piers during the weekends and catch a boat that will take you onto the waters. Browse around first for the better deal, and ask as many questions at the counters before joining. The fees for these will vary (at least 80HKD upwards for about two/four hours.) 

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Detour:

No day tour by boat is complete without heading off for lunch on an island. They can be tourist traps, cheesy with their decor, and not the poshest places to have a meal, but it is all part of the experience. Here are some snaps of that:

The restaurant was called 'Seafood Island' (海鮮島); not being discreet about the sort of dishes they specialize in. Expect to see big tables for twelve, plastic table covers, small toilets, and a pretty loud dining environment. But if you're on a group tour, you don't exactly expect peace and quiet to begin with... 

The island we were on during lunchtime. There is a very small Tin Hau (天后, also known as Mazu in other cultures) temple to the very left of the settled area. Tin Hau temples are common in this area because of the fishing heritage in the area.  

Fishing boats docked around the waters

Everyday items in the fishing village. This was an old lady's kitchen area, and she produces her own dried shrimp (蝦米) there. The dried shrimp was a bit pricey, but she also sells other sorts of tasty desserts, such as... 

...this tasty thing. They are called Cha Guo (茶果), which comes in a variety of forms, flavours, and fillings. This one was served on a leaf, and you buy them as a whole (I was sharing with a friend, hence the lady cut it in half for us.) The inside of this one was filled with shredded radish, dried shrimp, and a bit of mushroom. It tasted mildly salty, but it was delicious.   

Old fashioned grinder, don't see many of these anymore