Jamie | Founder of J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | Offering Award Winning Private Tours of Hong Kong
The Kowloon Walled City Park - it should have been Hong Kong's greatest Tourist Attraction, Kowloon Park could have been Hong Kong's answer to Central Park in New York, Deborah and her pink Rolls Royce Phantom, The Tin Hau Temple in Yau Ma Tei, those huge fancy apartment blocks on Old Peak Road, the black moss and an old Rickshaw guy plying his trade at the Peak.
Real Hong Kong Tours
Kowloon Walled City Park
I am one of the few people in Hong Kong that believes that the Hong Kong Government wasted a golden opportunity to retain a corner of the old and long demolished Kowloon Walled City... for me had they done this, they would have one of the greatest authentic tourist attractions in Asia.
Instead they knocked it all down and kept some foundation stones for one building, they built a scale model (see image) and turned the site into a rather bland park, hence Kowloon Walled City Park.
If you type Kowloon Walled City into GOOGLE, you will see what I am talking about... I used to visit the place on a regular basis in the early 1970's (as a young white kid nobody bothered me) as I was fascinated by it and the history.... essentially it was a real cess pit and housed 30,000 - 50,000 drug addicts so quite an education for a young English kid and a total contrast to our safe middle class lifestyle on Hong Kong Island.
One corner, say 15 buildings they could have kept and then built the park around the buildings, they could have made it structurally safe but basically left it intact... what a wonderful place to visit and a harsh reality check about poverty in Hong Kong at the time... our Government basically shows you photographs... what a wasted opportunity.
I do take guests to the Kowloon Walled City Park by special request only
Hong Kong Private Walking Tours
Kowloon Park in TST Kowloon
It is big, it has a totem pole, it has a McDonalds, it has a pond full of flamingo's, the old Military Barracks, it has an aviary, large statues of Japanese cartoon characters and a large swimming pool and that just about sums it up....
It is of course much more than that but it is just not publicised in the right way, I think most people think it is famous for Tai Chi classes in the early morning and that huge flock of pigeons that sit on the roof of the Mosque.
I do like to walk through it every now and then and due credit to the Government there are plenty of seats in the quiet areas if you just want to sit and watch the world go by in very pleasant surroundings.
I do think it should have a major makeover, it has the potential to be a small version of the iconic Central Park in New York and quite frankly the location is brilliant.
Private Hong Kong Tours and the real Hong Kong
Deborah Valdez Hung and her Pink Rolls Royce Phantom
I have quite a few photographs of this somewhat over the top pink Rolls Royce Phantom which is by far the most distinctive car in Hong Kong and yes, the license plate says DEBORAH.
The lady in the image is Deborah, she is Mexican and a former model and married to one of Hong Kong's more flamboyant Billionaires - Stephen who is a bit of car buff himself, she normally travels with a driver and a bodyguard and loves tottering around in her 6 inch heels.
Me thinks she watched the Thunderbirds when she was younger as Lady Penelope springs to mind.
Hong Kong Guided Tours
The Mercedes Benz AMG GT S
The young lady sat in the passenger seat is giving the the PEACE sign.... as well she might!! I have to say that I have loved this car since I first saw it, it is the direct replacement for the gull winged SLS.
Mercedes Benz are not really known for their out and out sports cars but this beautiful car is a winner!
Real Hong Kong Private Tours
The Tin Hau Temple in Yau Ma Tei
This is the one on Temple Street in the little park between the two market areas.. I do not visit on a regular basis as I much prefer a couple of other Temples but it is quite atmospheric and I have to say that this image is one of my favourites.
Real Hong Kong Tours
Apartments on Old Peak Road, The Mid Levels
.... and this is as real as it gets
There are plenty of people who would say that these fancy apartment blocks are not the 'real Hong Kong' something that annoys me greatly as if a dodgy building from the 1960's is the one building that qualifies!
Hong Kong since 1841 has always been a city of contrasts and a city with a massive wealth gap between the rich and poor and having a look at these buildings on Old Peak Road is quite fascinating, oh and the vast majority of the owners and tenants in these apartment blocks are Hong Kong Chinese NOT expats.
Tours in Hong Kong
The Black Moss or Fat Choy
Cleanses the intestinal tract it does, if you have the guts to try it ( yeah, yeah! ) but you will never convince me that this has any medicinal properties.. it looks more like a scouring pad you clean the bathtub with.
Go to Dried Seafood Street in Western District and buy a couple of kg's of the stuff and amaze friends and family on Christmas Day by serving it up with the Christmas Turkey.
Hong Kong Private Guided Tours
BMW Consular Car - a German classic
I love this car, as you can tell by the flag on the bonnet (hood) this is a Consular or Diplomatic Car and to me just awesome! I see and photograph consular cars all the time! and other than the flag the big giveaway is the CC plate.
Hong Kong Private Walking Tours
The Rickshaw
The art of making a bad impression.
Even as a kid in Hong Kong I was never a fan of the rickshaws, there was always something very unedifying about a big fat colonial type being pulled along the road by a wiry little Chinese chap with no teeth and a gimlet eye.
As far as I am aware there is only one current license left and the chap works up at the Peak and it is still unedifying and I stay well clear.
Hong Kong Private Tours
Wong Chuk Hang in Aberdeen
This is Wong Chuk Hang, this is not the Wong Chuk Hang of 5 years ago, it was a dump, this is a gentrified Wong Chuk Hang and it looks rather spiffy.
It used to be a major manufacturing district in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's and then the factories left and it just decayed, it was horrible... and then our subway transit company the MTR decided it was time to connect the place and they have done a brilliant job.
The new subway station is great and it is just 10 minutes walk from Aberdeen Harbour, there are now hip bars and restaurants and craft beer breweries in abundance, Hotels are popping up and it is becoming quite the place.
This is the view from one of the MTR exits and for those that remember the old Wong Chuk Hang the transformation is incredible.
Oh my golly gosh, the simply amazing Pagani Hypercar, hand made in Italy
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