Union Jack

More than 15 years ago, the union jack was lowered for the last time in Hong Kong, folded up and taken back to Britain by Chris Pattern and Prince Charles.

So it is rather a surprise to find it still being 'hoisted' all over Hong Kong by the locals.    In fact the union jack currently seems to be a fashionable symbol here.    Once you are alert to this, you see it everywhere.   So I sometimes try to count how many I can spot in a given location or time period.


16-Sep.   Ladies market Mong Kok.  7 union jack t-shirts in 1 hour.  I managed to photograph 3.

And one striking window display.

29-Sep:

Outside the Post Office

Kowloon station.

Along the Peak circuit

At the Peak Lookout

30-Oct  Avenue of Stars

Pacific Coffee Nathan Road

Wan Chai

1-Oct   China National Day

Discovery Bay Beach.  2 (out of a few hundred people)

Dinner Cruise.  2 (out of about 200 people)

3-Oct   From bus into work

7-Oct  Parkview Charity Bazar

and Harbour City Muji

I don't know what, if anything, this signifies (apart from how nerdy I can be).   Probably just a post-Olympics 'cool britania' fashion trend.   But I suspect it also speaks of some affection for the UK and its institutions.   And perhaps even some reaction or wariness against domination by the Communist mainland - I never see the chinese red star  being worn in the same way for example!    Having said that, Im sure most locals are very proud to be Chinese and express this in many ways that are less obvious to me.    

Postscript:  Jan 2013

Im still seeing lots of union jacks around Hong Kong on a wide range of goods.  

Union Jack purses and bags

Union Jack I-phone cover

Union Jack Smeg fridge

Charity Bazar

On Sunday we went to the annual Parkview Charity Bazar.

This is held on the podium garden.  There was a small stage with entertainment through out the day.  We saw a Thai Boxing demonstrations, some folk singers, and 12-year-old Yuto Miyazawa - 'the worlds youngest professional guitarist'.

Hannah enjoyed the bouncy castle

And the festival food, especially candy-floss the junkiest of junk food.

We broefly browsed the many stalls offering clothes, food, sporting equipment, financial products, antique watches etc.   As well as second-hand books and toys.   Rika bought Hannah some new dresses. 

We had to get Hannah some new shoes so Rika dragged me reluctantly down to Harbour City in TST Kowloon.  This is Hong Kong's largest  shoppping center and so pretty much my idea of purgatory.  We just went to Ocean Terminal (115 shops), only one part of the monster development.

It was actually quite pleasant with harbour views and a Cruise Ship docked alongside.   Rika successfully bought a bench from Muji and Hannahs shoes.  We had Sunday dinner at a nice Singaporean restaurant - with an excellent view of my work - then home via the Star Ferry.

Parklife 4 Car-Park-View

Car-Park-View.   We have just rented the car-park that came with our apartment to another family here.  This usefully covers our taxi bill.

As part of this process,  I became aware that underneath the Podium there are 6 massive levels of car-parking with spaces for hundreds of cars.   Access is by permit only and controlled 24 hours by the guards at the 'Scroff office' and electronic gates.

As you'd expect, there are many expensive cars, and many with personalized number-plates.  So I decided to explore a little...

Firstly the Parkview people-movers.  'Parkview' obviously...

'Married' makes sence since they host weddings.

And 'Beijing' with mainland number-plates.   Sending a signal to their esteemed guests?

'Chyau Fwu' is the family company of the Wong/Hwany family and the developer of Parkview.  (link)

'WinLoyal' is a Hong Kong Trading company in textiles and leather.

As you'd expect, many of the private cars had names....

Plenty of lucky number '8' s.

BL1558 is 'Bliss 8'

Mr 1588?   Hmmm.   1588 is the year of the spanish armada.  Mr. Gasket 1588 Balancer Timing Tape is a product (designed for timing high-performance engines...).  And there is a china-based Mr 1588 selling in E-Bay....

I liked this one:  Semper Fidelis is Latin for "Always Faithful" or "Always Loyal".   Well known in the United States as the motto of the United States Marine Corps, and often shortened to "Semper Fi"  in Marine contexts (Wiki)

'Patito' is duckling in Spanish.  As in 'Patito Feo' - ugly duckling.

 
A 'yummy mummy' runabout

The 'A Team'

Perhaps their favorite film is the 1995 thriller 'Seven'

Master of Ceremonies?

Old-style class.

And our unused carpark...