A Natural Form of Resilience

Chinese tourists in Kennedy Town last year

On Xiaohongshu, Chinese tourists flock to Kennedy Town, specifically Forbes Street to take pictures of and with the banyan trees that seem to effortlessly cling onto the wall. This phenomenon is unique to Hong Kong.

Some people call them masonry wall trees because stone walls were built between the 19th century and World War II as retaining walls using stone.

Banyan trees in Kowloon Park

As these walls were being constructed, some banyan tree seeds may have blown into the crevices of the stone walls or dropped by birds and managed to sprout and grow, with their roots on the outside of the wall. It's quite amazing these trees have managed to flourish despite such an unnatural environment to establish themselves in.

There are many trees in Kennedy Town, Mid-Levels and Wan Chai.

On this trip I saw some of these banyan trees in Kowloon Park, adjacent to the aviary pond.

Banyan trees are considered to have good feng shui, symbolising longevity and perseverance. It is not a tree that is cut down for its wood because its wood is full of knots, and it is hard to set on fire so it can't be used as firewood.

These trees are beautiful signs of resilience in nature!

Hong Kong Island Promenade is Complete

Visitors can wear shoe covers on the glass walkway

During the Covid-19 pandemic, after dinner during the week I walked along the Hong Kong waterfront from Kennedy Town to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and back, a good 10K.

I enjoyed being among people, in the fresh air and getting exercise.

The last 1.1K section was unveiled to the public

Then on the weekends my friend and I would walk further to Sai Wan Ho, but when we got to Tin Hau and Fortress Hill, there were breaks in the path and we had to walk inland a few blocks before getting back on the harbourfront path.

But yesterday the last section, about 1.1K long was finally completed, from the North Point Promenade to Hoi Yu Street in Quarry Bay. Now people can literally go from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan in 13K.

Part of the North Point section features a glass walkway, where visitors need to wear shoe covers... seems a bit over the top for a path that's mainly for looking at the scenery above than below the water.

Nevertheless this project of designing and constructing a 13k promenade is 16 years in the making and it's great to see it's finally finished.

The path is a great way to see the city

It's a fantastic way not only for locals to enjoy their city, but also for visitors to see how accessible Hong Kong is and to appreciate the views from the waterfront. 

When I recently visited Hong Kong I was staying in North Point and walked along the waterfront towards Causeway Bay a few times. 

Can't wait to go back and walk the whole 13K!

Long Walk Along the Harbourfront

Gorgeous day for a walk and admire the Hong Kong skyline

This morning my friend and I did the 11.5km walk from North Point to Kennedy Town in just over two hours. It was a great way to walk off an accumulation of calories and see the city the way I used to see it when I lived in Hong Kong.

It was already sunny and hot at just after 8.30am when we set off, and luckily we had slathered on sunscreen and wore a hat. We walked past North Point, seeing people make use of seating areas to eat a snack, look at their phones or read the newspaper, and Fortress Hill before going to Tin Hau and Causeway Bay, walking around the Police Officers' Club.

Construction for the route in Sai Ying Pun

In Wan Chai there was a running race going on -- the My Boy 3K Family Run, based off of a comic strip character. We saw many people dressed in blue T-shirts with medals around their necks and then the actual race route along the Wan Chai waterfront. 

When we got to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre it was great to see the familiar sight of Victoria Harbour and both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. I was not able to spot any cats by the rocks though. 

Meanwhile there is construction extending from the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong so that people can walk from the hotel across an overpass to reach the walking path which will be fantastic once it's done; guests won't be confused as to how to get there and be able to enjoy the skyline by the harbourfront.

Pretty soon we arrived in Central, and spotted a military ship docked; I was surprised there were no People's Liberation Army soldiers out in front of the gates guarding the ship...

Military ship docked in Central

At the Ferry Piers there were the usual crowds hanging around waiting for friends or family before boarding together to go to the outlying islands and it wasn't as packed as it used to be pre-pandemic.

Shun Tak in Sheung Wan was basically the same, though with more pollution from the Turbocat ferries. I don't miss the noise pollution and the gasoline smell.

Soon after we arrived in Sai Ying Pun, and at Dr Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Park there were people exercising, children playing, and walking like us. But after passing the sports centre the route was diverted with lots of construction along what used to be the boardwalk.

My friend noted that not much seemed to have been completed since the last time he walked by this area. Alas will have to see how it looks the next time.

Finally we reached Shek Tong Tsui where we saw the former Instagram Pier that has been blocked off for years from public access, and soon enough we arrived at Kennedy Town.

The coffee shop Arabica is still very popular with mainland tourists thanks to Xiaohongshu, and across the street, many were trying to get a shot of themselves with Victoria Harbour in the background. There were more people taking pictures with the line of Banyan trees on Forbes Street. It is quite the miracle how the seeds for these trees landed in between the rocks of the stone wall and managed to cling on and grow into trees. 

Banyan trees are a tourist attraction in K-Town

It was heartening to see most of the restaurants and shops are still around.

An Enjoyable Walking Route at North Point

Under the highway overpass is a place for people to exercise

In the last few years I lived in Hong Kong, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, my friend and I did a lot of walking along the harbour. It was a way of decompressing and also feeling like we accomplished something, counting the number of kilometres with some sweat. I also wore down a few pairs of runners.

Towards the end we could walk from Kennedy Town to Sai Wan Ho on a path hugging the shoreline, though there were some sections where we had no choice but to walk inland before the path continued again along the harbour front.

A colourful path directing cyclists and pedestrians

Recently another section opened up -- right by my hotel in North Point. Called the East Coast Park Precinct, the path going west is under the highway overpass which is interesting. It's jazzed up with bright colours, some exercise machines, motorbike hills for kids and a really tame climbing hill.

There are two paths that periodically converge or separate; one of which juts out periodically so people can take pictures of the harbour or stand or walk and enjoy the view.

This morning I checked out the path and saw a number of seniors taking advantage of the path, some young professionals using the route to walk to work in the car-free zone, some squeezing in a run before work, or walking their dogs.

I walked to Fortress Hill, the next district west of North Point and did a loop around the giant vent shaft which is part of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, before turning back.

In the end I walked about 4km and broke in a bit of a sweat even though it was a chilly 15 degrees.

A mini hill to climb on the left for kids

What a great way to start off the day, seeing this development continue to piece together the shoreline so that people will eventually be able to walk all the way around Hong Kong Island -- if they so wish!

TikTok Influencers Migrate to Xiaohongshu

Xiaohongshu seeing a surge in "TikTok refugees"

TikTok influencers who use the video platform to make short videos in the hopes of going viral are terrified the US government will force the social media app to shut down due to fears that it gives the Chinese government access to users' data.

That's because these influencers make money from their videos, and for some, that's their full-time gig.

However as a result of the impending January 19 deadline, TikTokers or content creators on TikTok are calling themselves #tiktokrefugees and "fleeing" to... another Chinese platform called Xiaohongshu.

There are fears TikTok will shut down Jan 19

Little do these influencers know that Xiaohongshu -- originally translated as "Little Red Book" -- in a satirical nod to Chairman Mao Zedong's book of quotations, is a Chinese company promoted as "RedNote" or "Red" in North America these days.

Xiaohongshu is like Instagram, where users can post pictures and videos. Initially it was called "Hong Kong Shopping Guide" to give tips to Chinese visitors to the city of where to eat, stay, and take pictures. For example they would give detailed instructions on where to have their "Instagram-worthy" shot with say a cup of Arabica coffee along the waterfront in Kennedy Town.

It was great for the cafe having lots of customers, but terrible for traffic in the area, as people blocked roads to get the perfect shot.

Started by Miranda Qu and Charlwin Mao in 2013, Xiaohongshu caught the attention of several Chinese tech giants, like Alibaba and Tencent, and last July the app was worth a staggering US$17 billion. The users are predominantly women, and as a result many beauty and cosmetic brands advertise on the app. Xiaohongshu does not have an e-commerce aspect so users need to turn to Taobao or TMall to purchase things.

Chew is invited to the inauguration

But now with so many TikTok influencers, especially those from the US trying to set up accounts on Xiaohongshu, Chinese cyber regulators may not be so keen on the flood of people, particularly those not from or in China.

Already Chinese officials have told the company it "needs to ensure China-based users cannot see posts from US users", which signals the government may see the influx of Americans to RedNote as a political security threat.

What's interesting is that already there are unfiltered interactions between Chinese and US users, sharing homework questions for example, or asking what life is like in China and getting real depictions instead of rosy pictures from government sources.

So how will Xiaohongshu get around this? Create a special area only US users can access? That might be too hard to manage, and not really beneficial to US influencers who might be providing content to a limited audience.

Or this is all moot after Donald Trump gets into office on January 20. He has already shown support for TikTok, even inviting CEO Shou Zi Chew to the inauguration on Monday. Maybe those TikTok "refugees" won't have to flee the video platform after all...

Making Hong Kong more Pedestrian-Friendly

This elevated walkway in North Point will open next month

When I used to live in Hong Kong, my friend and I would walk from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan -- but with a few detours along the way because the footpaths weren't all connected.

But it's good to hear another section is completed, a 1.1km strip in North Point will be ready for the public by Chinese New Year, or late January.

The harbourfront boardwalk is an elevated road in the Eastern Corridor that cost HK$6.5 billion (US$837.3 million) that is helping to connect Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan in a 13km pedestrian-friendly promenade.

According to Harbourfront Commission chairman Ivan Ho Man-yiu, the boardwalk project is the "last piece of the puzzle" that will complete the promenade connecting from Shek Tong Tsui in Western district to Aldrich Bay in Shau Kei Wan.

Looking forward to trying out this boardwalk the next time I'm in Hong Kong.

Picture of the Day: Xiaohongshu Photo Shoots

Everyone taking pictures of the street sign in Kennedy Town

Walking around Hong Kong I saw a lot of young Chinese tourists, mostly women in their 20s, dressed up and carrying cameras or their phones mounted on selfie sticks, posing in front of specific streets and landmarks.

They were taking pictures where others on Xiaohongshu or "Little Red Book", a social media and e-commerce platform somewhat similar to Instagram, had posted. 

This was their idea of a Hong Kong holiday, or any trip for that matter -- posing in front of places like Bakehouse, a popular bakery with the coveted blue paper bag, or in front of Arabica coffee shop with the coffee cup that has a percentage sign at its Kennedy Town location.

There are other better places to take photos...

While some of these shops may have a bump in business thanks to these visitors snapping up coffees and pastries, I've heard some of these tourists find empty bags or drained coffee cups to use as props.

Can we say these places have been Xiaohongshu-ed?

Why replicate the same angle as everyone else? Or why not create your own memories of the place with other kinds of pictures?

But no, they seemed obsessed with recreating the same picture (different outfits), and patiently waited for others to finish shooting before they set up their own shot. 

Meanwhile they crowd the sidewalks making it hard for local residents trying to get from A to B.

How long will this trend last? Asking for a friend...

Hong Kong Property Prices Continue to Drop

HK property prices are expected to continue to fall next year

Hong Kong's property prices have had a rough ride this year, hitting a seven-year low in November following the seventh consecutive drop, according to government figures.

Figures from the Rating and Valuation Department showed the prices of private flats fell by 2 percent from October to November. Home prices were still 6.6 percent lower than the same month last year despite the removal of some property cooling measures by the government in October.

Prices of flats dropped by 5.6 percent in the first 11 months of this year, though interestingly rents.

Kennedy Town prices dropped over 12 percent

In the case of my former flat in Kennedy Town, the price fell 12.3 percent in just over two years.

However it is interesting to note rents have gone up by 0.6 percent in November to a four-year high, the 10th consecutive month of rent increases.

Next year things don't look good for property prices, says head of valuation and advisory services Hannah Jeong at Colliers Hong Kong. She expects the downward trend to continue in 2024, though the extent of the decline depends on the impact of any US interest rate cuts.

Word of the Day: Special Forces Travel

People like to buy a coffee and sit outside by the waterfront

The new buzzword among young Chinese mainlanders is 特种兵式旅游 or "special forces travel" -- visiting as many destinations as possible in a short period of time while spending the least amount of money.

They look to the app Xiaohongshu to help them plan their itinerary, and Hong Kong is one of their destinations.

Taking photos on the "special forces travel" list

Instead of lining up at luxury brand stores to buy the latest handbag or shoes, they are on a budget and visiting Hong Kong's various districts, though one in particular is really popular -- Kennedy Town, where I used to live.

They are descending on the waterfront, where a certain coffee shop known by its "%" sign -- Arabica -- is a super hot spot for "special forces travel".

The place was already very popular with locals who would come here on the weekends and pose with their lattes and iced coffees, and now it seems their mainland counterparts are doing the same, except in exponential numbers.

In Xiaohongshu, Kennedy Town is described as "the most romantic neighbourhood" in the city, perhaps with the waterfront scenery paired with eclectic stores and cafes, made popular by Arabica and Slowood, an eco-friendly shop that invites customers to buy food in bulk.

It's easy to get to too via tram, MTR and bus.

Slowood is an eco-friendly shop drawing visitors

Some believe young mainlanders traveling on budget is a sign that China's economic recovery hasn't come to fruition as hoped, and the property sector seems to be teetering to the brink with Evergrande Group and Country Garden having deep financial problems.

Other say post-pandemic they want to go out and experience life outside as much as possible to make up for lost time.

While it's good that money will be going to local businesses instead of multinational conglomerates, visitors should be careful while taking pictures at Kennedy Town's waterfront! There's a lot of traffic there that doesn't stop!

Hong Kong's Late Night Bang for Your Buck

Lots of smiley-face fireworks on October 1 this year

Post-Covid there's revenge traveling, revenge shopping and in Hong Kong, revenge fireworks.

It has been yonks since the city has had fireworks. They were cancelled in October 2019 because of the protests and then the Covid-19 pandemic happened soon after.

So the upcoming National Day holiday fireworks are going to be nothing short of a blast. 

Tai Hang Fire Dragon returns in late September

The 23-minute display will be fired off from an unprecedented nine Victoria Harbour launch points (three barges and six pontoons), and will cost HK$18 million (US$2.3 million). 

The fireworks show is part of the Hong Kong government's bid to revitalise the city's nightlife, with various activities and events to encourage people to go out in the evenings.

They include having museums like the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Science Museum and Hong Kong Space Museum open until 10pm; the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance for three days around the Mid-Autumn Festival; Lunar New Year fairs open until the early hours; shopping vouchers that can only be used in the evenings; and night bazaars held in the promenades at Wan Chai, Kennedy Town and Kwun Tong.

Even attractions like Ocean Park and Disneyland need to stay open later, free admission to the Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday nights, and late night movie tickets. Oh and to help you get around, you can have a free ride for every five rides taken after 10.30pm, and free parking in some shopping malls.

Hong Kong Museum of Art to open late

While we appreciate the effort to create things to do, looking at the offerings they are piecemeal and pretty pathetic. Who wants to go to the Museum of Art at 9pm? Wouldn't you rather go to M+? And the night bazaars don't sound appealing... what are they going to be selling? 

The effort to promote nightlife in Hong Kong may backfire, as overcrowding may discourage people from gathering... or I maybe totally proven wrong! 

Kennedy Town's New and Old Shops

A stationary store with everything you need

A friend Whatsapped me to say he was visiting my old neighbourhood, Kennedy Town, even checking out a restaurant on the same street where I used to live.

It's a new restaurant serving chicken cooked in different ways -- Hainan chicken, Sichuan chicken, roast chicken leg...

My friend's purchase of pens

Afterwards he texted me again, asking where the nearest stationary store was and I directed him to Knowledge Stationary Centre on Catchick Street, near Belcher Bay Park.

He went in to get some pens and soon after sent a picture of five pens for HK$70.

I remarked that I missed buying my appointment book there for HK$28, but that I bought my 2023 one in Vancouver for C$26!

The owner told my friend the stationary store has been open for over 70 years!

He will be back towards the end of the year to get his 2024 calendar.

Hopefully this shop, which seems to stock almost everything you would need in a stationary store, will still continue to operate for many years to come!

It's Been a Year...

Miss this amazing view and walk along the harbourfront

In a few days it will be exactly a year since I had my last gourmet meal at Salisterra in the Upper House, a special treat from a good friend, who then escorted me to Hong Kong International Airport. I hugged him and an ex-colleague, thanking them for all their help, and entered the security line, then used my HKID to leave one last time.

The first leg of my trip was to Singapore and then a 10-hour layover (overnight) before flying to Vancouver.

A practically empty airport last April

My almost two years of planning for this exit came to fruition, and then what?

It's been quite the transition, from cleaning out my room to make room for my Hong Kong stuff, trying to get my driver's license sorted (it was a tedious ordeal), still having yet to find a family doctor like every other person in Canada, and reaching out to friends who were still traumatised by Covid.

All the while I have been watching what's been happening to Hong Kong on social media, feeling FOMO missing out on fabulous dinners and events I used to attend, but also feeling sad at watching the city I love being emptied out by migration or prosecution, while the authorities are claiming everything is fine.

I miss the 10K walks I did almost every evening from Kennedy Town to Wan Chai and back, the good friends I made over the years, the contacts I had built up over the years who trusted me to tell their stories, and the amazing food I ate, from hole-in-the-wall noodle shops to decadent Michelin-starred dining.

When I watch people's videos of Hong Kong streets on social media, I can imagine myself when I was there. 

Pureed potatoes with a giant dollop of caviar

Perhaps watching these videos and looking at people's pictures makes it harder to adjust to Vancouver? When I watched the documentary film, Revolution of Our Times, it immediately took me back to the 2019 protests, the massive turnout of people in the initial marches in June, and then after the July 1 march seeing videos of protesters with make-shift tools to barge their way into the Legislative Council.

It reminded me of spending my evenings scrolling through Twitter to see what was happening in the front lines and the next morning furrowing my brow at the government's response. I furrowed my brow everyday which has left a permanent wrinkle on my face.

"One country, two systems" came to a head, and Beijing decided something had to give, and it was two systems into one, as signalled by the implementation of the national security law at midnight, July 1, 2020.

Since then Hong Kong has irrevocably changed, from media organisations shuttering and civil society groups disbanding, to activists, lawyers and lawmakers fleeing abroad or risking arrest. Those left behind are currently behind bars, the vast majority remanded in custody. 

Protest scene from Revolution of Our Times

The likes of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and Joshua Wong Chi-fung have been silenced, the media only able to report what has happened to them in the legal system and not what they have said.

Rationally I know I did the right thing, but emotionally it's hard to reconcile.

Because of Covid it took me a while to reach out to people I know here. Some are still terrified to meet or aren't as interested in meeting up. Luckily I have wonderful relatives who are more than happy to meet, including one cute little puppy.

However I can't lie -- I miss the warm weather, the convenience of public transport and the ability to go out late at night by myself and not be worried about my safety. The increased random attacks in Vancouver on buses and trains and even on sidewalks is very scary, which makes me wonder why things have gone so downhill in the city.

But then I am reminded of the rights and freedoms I have here, and am definitely not going to take them for granted.

Pro-Democratic Civic Party to Disband in Hong Kong

The dapper Leong (centre) steps down as chairman of the party

Another piece of the democracy that Hong Kong used to have will soon disappear. After 16 years, the Civic Party will disband because no members are interested in taking up the mantle due to political events in the last few years.

Current chairman, Alan Leong Kah-kit made the announcement on Monday after no nominations were received for the executive positions in the party. As a result the Civic Party will disband after a final vote in an emergency general meeting in February. 

Leong says no one wants to lead the party

Leong said "it was not a surprise" no one came forward, and that no one had any ideas on how to keep the party going.

"That has not been unexpected, given what happened and what transpired in the past half year or so," he said.

When the Civic Party is dissolved, Leong said he will leave politics.

When I used to go on long walks along the waterfront from Wan Chai to Sai Ying Pun or Kennedy Town in the evenings, I saw Leong maybe three or four times, walking along the harbourfront too, or standing at an observation deck in front of Tamar, watching the world go by. 

Maybe he was pondering the future of the party and his fate. He is not as active on social media as Emily Lau Wai-hing is, who makes an effort to visit her friends, now in jail; perhaps he too is waiting until he has shed all his political responsibility, or just trying to lay low in general.

The Civic Party was founded in 2006 that represented professionals including lawyers, accountants and academics. Senior Counsel Audrey Eu Yuet-mee was the party's founding leader.

Eu was the Civic Party's founding leader in 2006

The party had seats elected into the Legislative Council since 2008, but in November 2020, four of its members were ousted from the legislature for being "unpatriotic".

Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong were declared disqualified, which triggered mass resignations by opposition legislators, and in turn resulted in a mostly pro-Beijing legislature.

In addition, Yeung and Kwok Ka-ki, along with Jeremy Tam Man-ho and Lee Yue-shun, are currently charged under the national security law, as part of the 47 political figures and activists charged with conspiring to commit subversion over the primary elections that were held in July 2020.

Yeung, Tam and Kwok have been detained for more than 21 months, waiting for the case to go to trial. They have all pleaded guilty and have asked to be sentenced as soon as possible. Their lawyer told the High Court in September that they "have been anxious", spending almost two years remanded in custody with no chance of bail.

However, Lee was granted bail, and will stand trial together with 16 other defendants who denied the charge in late January next year.

The quartet was ousted from Legco in 2020

With these prominent members in jail, and Dennis Kwok in exile practicing law in New York, it's hard to see how there is any future for the Civic Party, let alone any kind of pro-democratic political party to exist in Hong Kong anymore.

Covid Cluster in Kennedy Town

Sai Wan Estate has been locked down after infections found

It was quite a surprise to see the University of Hong Kong's medical faculty posted a warning on Twitter for its staff and students to be aware that there is a Covid-19 cluster in Kennedy Town and to avoid eating and doing any "mask off activities" in the area!

Kennedy Town was where I lived for nine years, a sleepy residential area that soon became hipster when the MTR came in and droves of people came to check out Instagram pier (that unceremoniously closed almost two years ago), have coffee from Arabica and buy bulk food from Slowood.

Instagram pier was a fun photo-op place

When HKU medical faculty issued this warning, it was unusual because the Centre for Health Protection didn't report a growing cluster in this area in Western district. But the health authorities have since locked down an entire housing estate and found 22 infections out of 1,680 people tested so far. 

Yesterday Chuang Shuk-kwan of the CHP said they had found "very high viral loads" in the sewage samples from Sai Wan Estate, especially in its building called West Terrace.

All five blocks are locked down until Friday morning after compulsory testing is completed. 

Hong Kong recorded 294 new cases, and one death.

This contrasts significantly with Taiwan which has just over 90,000 new cases.

I arrived in Los Angeles this morning. To prepare for the flight we complied with all the requisite US government requirements: a rapid antigen test conducted by a medical professional (CAD$90 each) and have the written test result printed out, and a copy of the vaccination record. 

Flying into LA this morning

We uploaded all this information when we checked-in online, though for some reason when I uploaded my Hong Kong vaccination record it could not be done and I was instructed online to show this document at the airport.

Just in case I printed out everything, the attestation that we each tested negative and we were vaccinated (at least two jabs). When we arrived bleary-eyed at the airport at 5.30am, no one asked to see any of this paperwork, none of the airline staff nor US immigration officers...