Marketing Central.

Yesterday I needed to go to Marks and Spencer's in Central and since I hadn't done any exploring over the weekend, due to the weather, I decided to combine this with a visit to the recently refurbished Central Market. Over the weekend we had a typhoon number 8 and lots of rainstorm warnings. A construction worker was killed in Happy Valley when the bamboo scaffolding outside a house collapsed, before the everyone stop work level of storm was posted.

I began by walking down from school. On the way I stopped to admire some beautiful flowers, watch a cute cat up a tree and, to my surprise, considering I'm on the lookout for pawnbrokers' signs, discover there's one on the street next to the MTR that I pass every day, but have never noticed. I've become interested in these signs which show an upside down bat holding a coin.

Flowers on the walk down from school.

Flowers on the walk down from school.

Cats in trees on the way down from school.

Pawnbrokers on the walk down from school.

This photo shows the screen blocking the door and the high up pawnbrokers' seat.

Staying on the theme of pawnbrokers, on my walk along Des Vouex Road, Central I found two more. One of them just off Des Vouex Road was even the right colours: green and red. This is how they look when they are lit up. In the day time they are yellow and red.

Pawnbrokers' Central.

Pawnbrokers' Central.

Second Pawnbrokers' Central.

Then I reached Central Market. Well, what can I say? It was a wet market. It was closed down for years for refurbishment. It's recently reopened. It looks nice, but it bears absolutely no resemblance to how it was before. It was once a place for locals to bargain for cheap, fresh food. It was filled with hustle and bustle. It had colours, smells - not all of them pleasant. Now its interior is just like that of any high end shopping centre. The previous clientele cannot afford anything here.

At first I felt sad about this. Then when I looked up the history of the market, I found it had been through many, many reincarnations. Maybe this is just one more of them. Many places in Hong Kong are gentrifying and sometimes this may be a good thing - but, I think, not always. There's a class of Hong Kong people who are being priced out of more and more places. Where can they go?

Positives of the market were: wall paintings, a museum-like display of old equipment that was once used in the market, old fashioned stalls, staircases from the original building and old photographs.

Negatives were: I felt like I was wandering around any of the billion soulless shopping centres that can be found anywhere in Hong Kong. In fact, it could pretty much have been anywhere in the world.

Central Market Entrance.

Central Market Sign.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Modern Wall Art.

Display.

Old Photo of the market.

Old Photo of the market.

Old Photo of the market.

Old Photo of the market.

Inside the market.

Inside the market.

Inside the market.

View from the market.

Plant Display.

Staircase.

Staircase.

Fancy Lights.

Fancy Lights.

Old Sign.

Weighing Machine.

Weighing Machine.

Old Weighing Machines on display in the Museum Part of Central Market.

Old Weighing Machines on display in the Museum Part of Central Market.

Old Clock and Video about the old market.

Hong Kong Tramways Shop.

Old-fashioned Stalls.

Stalls of Liqueurs.

Stalls of Spirits

In the atrium of Central Market.

In the atrium of Central Market.

In the atrium of Central Market.

After visiting the market, I walked up Victoria Road, past a flock of pigeons onto Queens Road Central. I took some pictures of the tall buildings which to be honest make me feel a bit claustrophobic. I walked past Lang Kwai Fong, a popular clubbing area. Finally, I made it to Marks and Spencer's which was already getting geared up for Halloween.

A Flock of Pigeons.

Donki is a popular new store.

Outside Pottinger Hotel.

Tall Buildings.

Tall Buildings.

Tall Buildings.

Lang Kwai Fong.

Marks and Spencer's.

Close up of bat with coin sign.