Somewhere Over the Rainbow....

Today was hot, hot, hot - around 34 degrees. I decided to take a look around Eastern Kowloon, since at least I could slip inside when the heat became overwhelming. I started by going to Choi Hung.

Choi Hung is Cantonese for rainbow. It is called this because of the rainbow coloured housing estate that was built here in 1962 in an area which was at that time a rural environment of scattered villages, rice fields and water buffalo.

After the Second World War many Mainland Chinese flocked to Hong Kong. A lot of them ended up living in shanty towns, with no water or electricity. The Great Fire of Shek Kip Mei broke out on Christmas Day 1953 when a bucket of molten rubber was accidentally spilled onto a kerosene stove and flames rapidly spread throughout the shanty town, rendering 53,000 people homeless in a single night. The government had to take action in the face of such a disaster, so they built high rise H-shaped concrete housing blocks to provide living quarters for the homeless. While people were better off living in these than in the shanty towns, their rooms were over-crowded and they had to share kitchen and bathroom facilities. It was far from perfect. The Choi Hung Estate represented a huge improvement in the provision of public housing in Hong Kong.

Flats here were still quite small, but they had their own kitchens and bathrooms. Plus there were a lot of other positives. The planners remembered to include facilities, such as: shops, schools, play grounds and transport. Originally the estate had a bus station; but since 1979 it has also been on the MTR. To make it more aesthetically pleasing to the inhabitants, the estate was painted in bright rainbow colours.

When it was completed in the 1960's, Choi Hung Estate, consisted of 7,586 flats and was home to 43,720 people. Choi Hung Estate was visited by several famous people. U.S. President, Richard Nixon, played badminton with residents here in 1964. Princess Margaret had a look around here in 1966 and Princess Alexandra came here in 1967.

Nowadays, it's those bright rainbow colours that cause outsiders to flock to this housing estate. Due to photos of it trending on Instagram, Choi Hung Estate has become pretty famous. Eager photographers flock especially to its rooftop basketball court with its dramatic colours and row of palm trees.

When I visited Choi Hung, I first photographed its rather snazzy MTR sign, which is designed to look like a rainbow. Then I took a look at its rather weird ballet dancing statues.

Choi Hung MTR Sign.

Ballet dancing statues."The Grace of Ballerinas" by Yin Zhixin.

Ballet dancing statues.

To get to the famous housing estate, I exited through exit C4. From there I followed the walkway and at its end turned left. I walked past a school, then crossed a road to a carpark. I climbed the stairs inside the carpark and emerged on the rooftop basketball court. It was a very hot Monday. There was one guy practising basketball, a couple of people taking a break in the shade and one or two gardeners. I was the only one taking photos and no-one cared. I mention this because at one point, pre-covid, so many people flocked here to take photos that some of the residents began to get tired of it, which I guess is fairly understandable. If it hadn't been so hot, I'd have wandered around the estate more, but the sun was beating down mercilessly and I had other things to see, so I only investigated the area around the basketball court then headed back to the MTR.

Choi Hung Estate and colourful basketball court

Choi Hung Estate and colourful basketball court

Choi Hung Estate and hibiscus.

Palm trees, hibiscus and rainbow walls.

Close up.

Close up with palm trees

Selfie with the estate.

Back at the MTR station, I took a look at Choi Hung's sinister middle track. Hong Kongers love a good ghost story, while researching, I came across this one.

Choi Hung Station has three railway tracks, while most other MTR stations just have two. Here's why. Originally, Choi Hung Station was built with just two tracks and when they were completed, an engineer and his team set out on a test-drive to Kowloon Bay Station, but they never arrived and, for a time, there was no trace of them anywhere on the track. Eventually the train did reappear in Choi Hung and all those on board it were disoriented and confused. They were rushed to hospital where several later died, despite no visible wounds or signs of illness. A medium was called to investigate and declared that the track led straight to the gates of hell. The MTR built a third line and the middle line remained abandoned.

Of course, this is all utter nonsense, but there was a rather eerie looking empty train on the middle line when I visited. Perhaps it had just returned from hell.

Ghost Train!!!!

Using one of the less sinister railway lines, I journeyed on to Ngau Tau Kok. This is mainly a residential area though at one time this whole area was home to several industries such as: making clothes, making toys, recycling paper, breaking down ships. Apparently Ngau Tau Kok means Ox Head Cape. This was a reference to the shape of the coastline here prior to land reclamation.

Here I must confess I messed up a bit. The first thing I wanted to see was a footbridge designed to look like an MTR train, but I quickly realised that I didn't have enough information to be able to find it. No worries, I simply came back a couple of days later and found it after doing a little more research. The odd thing about doing that though was when I got to the end of the footbridge, I was very close to Megabox the last sight I went to on my original walk. This made me realise I should have finished looking around Choi Hung, then gone to Kwun Tong, then Ngau Tau Kok, then Kowloon Bay and I could have walked everywhere, but not to worry. I guess I can't get everything right when I don't know an area well.

So to get to this footbridge, go to Ngau Tau Kok exit B6, walk towards the waterfront following the signs for the promenade, but when you get to Wai Yip Street, cross the road and head right. The footbridge is a popular place to take photos due to its colouring and shape, but also because it features in a film called 'Love in a Puff'. Many people call this bridge 'Jimmy's Bridge ' after the main character from the movie.

I have never seen 'Love in a Puff.' Apparently it is a 2010 Hong Kong romantic comedy directed by Pang Ho-cheung. The main characters in the story, Cherie and Jimmy, are smokers and meet at an outdoor smoking area following the ban on all indoor smoking in Hong Kong.

I thought the bridge was really quite beautiful. It just shows you, even built up industrial areas can be made attractive with a bit of imagination.

Stairs up to the bridge.

Bridge view.

Bridge view.

Looking through the bridge window.

Bridge view.

Bridge view.

Selfie on the bridge.

Bridge view.

Bridge view.

One of the main reasons I had come to Ngau Tau Kok was to walk along the Kwun Tong Waterfront Promenade. To get there I took exit B6 and headed straight down Lai Yip Street.

The Ngau Tau Kok and Kwun Tong areas are very built up with lots of roads, flyovers and, at one time, industry. Most of that has gone now. In recent times a lot of effort has gone in to revitalising these areas and making them more pleasant places to live. One such project is the Kwun Tong Waterfront Promenade.

In the past the area beyond the massive flyover here would not have been open to the public. It was a huge waste paper recycling plant. Nowadays the ugly flyover is covered in artwork showing scenes from the industrial history of this area. Under the shade of the flyover; cafes, shops and outdoor gyms have been set up. The area where the recycling plant once stood has been made into a walkway. It has excellent views over the harbour towards the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal which was once the site of Hong Kong's airport. In addition to the views, there are areas of green lawn to enjoy and sheltered seating areas where it's possible to enjoy the views while escaping the merciless sun. Sculptures at both ends of the promenade depict the waste paper industry by depicting bales of paper and mechanical cranes. Apparently these are lit up at night and change colour. I should try to come back and see that at some point. This promenade was first opened in 2010.

The Ngau Tau Kok area.

Sign for the promenade.

Before I began my walk along the promenade, I noticed models of several cartoon characters. It reminded me of my visit to the Cartoon Walk of Fame in Kowloon Park. I actually do not really know any of these characters.

Local cartoon characters adorn the side of the promenade.

Cartoon characters.

Cartoon characters.

Cartoon characters.

I liked the fact that people were trying to beautify the area under a hideous flyover. They know they can do nothing about the actual road, but they make the area under it as useful and attractive as possible.

Artwork decorates the flyover. This one shows marine life.

Artwork showing some of the things that used to be produced here such as toys.

Art on the flyover showing making clothes and the fashion industry.

Arty farty shops and cafes under the flyover.

Artwork for sale under the flyover.

Plants and decorations partially conceal the flyover behind the promenade.

At the Ngau Tau Kok end of the promenade there is a sculpture showing a mechanical crane lifting bales of paper and a heap of paper bales near it, not the most beautiful of scenes, but personally I like that the art here links to the area's past.

Crane and bales of paper.

This sculpture is supposed to look like a crane picking up bales of paper.

Sculpture with seaview behind it.

Sculpture from another angle.

It was extremely hot on the boardwalk, but I went onto it anyway in order to enjoy the views. The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal which I visited earlier this year became a temporary isolation centre for people with COVID. I'm not sure whether or not it still is. It should be a bustling cruise centre, but so many aspects of life have gone wrong since it was built. There are viewing platforms you can climb up to to enjoy the views from the shade.

Viewing area.

Looking out of the viewing platform.

Viewing platform from the front.

Shelter and view.

Looking across the boardwalk towards Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

Knocked out by the sun. I know the feeling.

A pleasant place to sit.

Small boats ply the waters.

View along the promenade.

Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

Harbour views.

At the Kwun Tong end there are more art works designed to look like bails of paper stacked on top of each other. Like the ones at the other end these are lit up at night.

Art based on bales of paper.

Art based on bales of paper.

Art based on bales of paper.

Art based on bales of paper.

Art based on bales of paper.

I walked all the way to Kwun Tong Pier. Boats sail from here to North Point and Sai Wan Ho on Hong Kong Island.

Near Kwun Tong Pier.

Near Kwun Tong Pier.

Near Kwun Tong Pier.

Near Kwun Tong Pier.

I retraced my steps and headed off towards the MTR. On the way I stumbled upon Tsim Yip Street Park. This park contains art work highlighting the industries which were once commonplace here such as sewing clothes and making toys.

Tsun Yip Street Park.

Tsun Yip Street Park.

Tsun Yip Street Park.

Tsun Yip Street Park.

Further on I noticed a strange statue of a man outside an office building called Landmark East.

Walking East by Polo Bourieau.

Walking East by Polo Bourieau.

I then got on the MTR and headed towards Kowloon Bay. From the station I took exit A and walked towards the Zero Carbon Park and Megabox. It took ten to fifteen minutes to get there. Apparently there is a free shuttle bus from the MTR. I came back on this, but could not find it on the way.

The Zero Carbon Park is an exhibition hall and education centre for low or even zero-carbon building design. I had a wander around their exhibition and discovered it is geared more towards those working in the construction industry than the general public. Still their gardens were worth having a look at. There is an eco cafe here and a very pleasant area of urban woodland. The Zero Carbon Park was opened in 2012.

Entrance to the Zero Carbon Park.

Exhibition Centre with solar panels on its roof.

Urban woodland.

Nearby tall buildings tower over the site.

Model of the site in the exhibition centre.

Eco cafe.

Eco cafe.

Flowers in urban woodland area.

Inside the exhibition centre.

Inside the exhibition centre.

Finally, I went to Megabox, a huge shopping centre. When I was a teacher, my kids used to get excited about coming here. I guess it does have quite a lot of stuff for kids. There's a play centre and an ice-rink. Personally I have never been inside it before. I don't really like shopping centres and this one did nothing to change my opinion. I wanted to go to the Wellcome Supermarket which I discovered was on floor seven. I was on the ground floor and couldn't see any lifts. I took an escalator up one floor and thought to myself: 'This will take ages.' However, the next escalator took me straight to floor five. That seemed more like it, but then unfortunately, the next one took me to floor nine and it took me ages to find the way back down. I foolishly bought too much heavy stuff. I should not have done this as it was a long way home. I made my way via the very busy and overcrowded lifts to the basement to catch the free shuttle bus back to Kowloon Bay MTR. The queue for the bus was enormous, but the shuttle turned out to be a large coach. I was the last one allowed on. From the MTR, I made my way back home, weighed down by bags.

Megabox reflected in exhibition centre pond.

Megabox.

Little Prince Exhibition.

Huge escalators but I had no idea where I was going.

Vertigo anyone?

View over the Zero Carbon Park from Megabox.

View from Megabox.