Boats, Buildings and Bridges.

A stroll along Tsing Yi Promenade.

13.12.2020

Today I decided to go to Tsing Yi to go for a walk and to do a bit of shopping. Tsing Yi is an island between Tsuen Wan and Lantau Island. The name Tsing Yi literally means Green Clothes, but the island is actually called after a type of fish that once thrived in the waters off this island. Apparently around sixty years ago Tsing Yi was only accessible by row boat, but now it's a transport hub with eight huge bridges connecting it to other parts of Hong Kong.

I arrived in Tsing Yi by MTR so exited into the Maritime Square Shopping Mall where I took some photos of the Christmas displays.

Christmas at Maritime Square.

Restaurant in the mall.

I exited the mall onto the promenade outside. It's Sunday - a day off for most of Hong Kong's multitude of helpers, so many of them were spending it picnicking here in the open air. I noticed a very large number of the maids here were Indonesian, while most maids in Hong Kong are Filipina.

In front of the mall.

Maids' day off.

Looking towards the waterfront.

I decided I would follow the promenade for as far as I could go in both directions. I began by heading off left in the direction of the Ting Kau Bridge.

In the distance I could see Tsuen Wan Permanent Cemetery, perched like most cemeteries here on the slopes of a hill. Apparently the Chinese prefer cemeteries to be placed on hillsides facing north for good Feng Shui. I could also see many tall buildings in Tsuen Wan.

A boat passes in front of Tsuen Wan Permanent Cemetery.

The cemetery viewed through one of Tsing Yi's bridges.

Buildings and boats.

Near the end of the promenade on that side I could see the Ting Kau Bridge in the distance. It was a bit hazy so my shots of it aren't great.

Looking towards the Ting Kau Bridge.

I liked the atmosphere of the promenade which was filled with people fishing, jogging, cycling, sitting peacefully reading, performing tai chi, attending an outdoor dance class, listening to Chinese music, strolling or walking their dogs.

Gone fishing.

Walking the dog, sort of.

Posing.

In quiet contemplation.

Dance Class.

Jogging.

As with everywhere in Hong Kong there were plenty of pretty flowers if you just looked hard enough.

Flowers.

Looking at Maritime Square through the bauhinias.

Roots.

Returning to Maritime Square and heading right I passed lots of bridges, cranes and container ports. There were some rather complex road systems here, too.

Container Ports.

Bridges.

Roads.

Boats.

There was quite a bit of washing drying in the open air which you don't see as much as you used to.

Hung out to dry.

Just liked the idea of this in black and white.

Even the tiles went with a fishy maritime feel.

Fishy tiles.

Posted by irenevt 11:01 Archived in Hong Kong

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Comments

I would be afraid that my laundry would fall if I dried it from a window like that!

by hennaonthetrek

God bless Hong Kong! Thanks for sharing your interesting story with us here, Irene...

by Vic_IV

Hi Henna, Actually you are right, washing does frequently fall off here and get stuck on various parts of the buildings. If it can be reached, most people will leave it downstairs for their neighbours. If it can't, you have just lost it for good.

by irenevt

Hi Victor, thank you for visiting. Hope all is good with you.

by irenevt

Interesting to see all those maids picnicking - it seems an odd idea to me that so many people would have maids. And I was curious about the name of Tsuen Wan Permanent Cemetery - do you also have temporary cemeteries?!

The life along the waterfront looks very normal and relaxed - good to see

by ToonSarah

Hi Sarah, I found this rather strange myself when I first learned about it. I hope I can explain it properly without causing anyone any offence. As I understand it the problem is Hong Kong is small and mountainous and has a large population. We do not have a lot of space here. Burying a loved one is an expensive business. People rent burial plots for around a period of about six years or so,then their loved ones are dug up and cremated. Their ashes are either reinterred in a smaller space or scattered. This is the only way to make room for the newly dead.

There is even a proposal to create floating cemeteries on ships as this would be one way to create more space.

by irenevt

Here are some quotes from a local newspaper, The South China Morning Post about this problem:

The average waiting time for a space at a public columbarium, which costs about HK$3,000, is now four years, making it about the same as getting a public housing rental flat. A space in a private columbarium can put you back about HK$1million.

Due to the space shortage, even those who opt for a burial at a public cemetery must be prepared for the grave to be exhumed after six years so the body can be cremated.

by irenevt

This is another quote from the same article:

Local architecture firm Bread Studios has designed a cemetery called “Floating Eternity”, which, if built, would offer 370,000 columbarium niches on a converted cruise ship and would thereby not use up Hong Kong’s valuable space.

by irenevt

Seems like it would be easier just to be cremated in the first place.

I liked the fish tiles. Cute idea.

by Beausoleil

Hi Sally, yes but as I understand it cremation isn't customary at all. It's only because there's no choice.

by irenevt

I was thinking the same as Sally but I guess customs around burials are strongly ingrained and people want to try the best they can to honour them

by ToonSarah