hkskyline's 2012 HONG KONG Photo Collection

[hkskyline]

1. Reclamation works continue in the financial district.











6. A tram rumbles past the old Bank of China.











11. Skyline @ night











16. Due to a weird plot size, the entrance to this skyscraper is narrow facing the road, although the site fattens dramatically at the back.











21. Sunbeam Theatre was on the verge of closing earlier this year, but last-minute negotiations saved this Cantonese opera performance venue.











26. Non-air-conditioned buses will be phased out by mid-year.











31. Kowloon's skyline looks rather empty.











36. This plot of land in east Kowloon is being redeveloped into public housing. New towers have already risen behind.













42. Manulife has a large Asian franchise. Like many companies, their support functions have moved out of the expensive Central district and into far cheaper areas such as east Kowloon.

[The Jerk]

Hk=heaven!

[hkskyline]

46. Train travel is fairly cheap in Hong Kong compared to other major First World cities.



47. Since the French took over the local tram company, they have renovated stops, improved signage, and overhauled the fleet. However, one tram remains historic and still charges only HK$2.3 per trip.









51. Redevelopment is evident in this corner of east Kowloon. These buildings will eventually disappear.













57. US$1 million isn't really enough to get something in this luxury waterfront development.



58. In the more modest lower income areas, residents dry their laundry in the open, utilizing public space as efficiently as possible.





60. Public housing is far less glassy.











65. But the poor are still eligible to get good views.













71. Lion Rock rises above the urban jungle. It's actually not a tough hike to get up there, and the panoramic views are most rewarding.







74. Young kids bus spotting once again.





76. This past winter and spring had been very gloomy and wet.





78. Plane spotting in Hong Kong is quite a lot of fun, with plenty of local and foreign visitors on display.

[ColDayMan]

Awesome.

[The Jerk]

amazing as always!

[hkskyline]

80. Hong Kong's poor live in utilitarian housing estates, some on hillside locations like this one. Cheung Ching Estate is located on Tsing Yi Island. For those lucky enough to live on the higher floors, they may even be able to get a harbour and skyline view from their windows.













86. The interior courtyard is a gloomy, eerie place given how tall this block gets.





88. Dryers are not common in Hong Kong, despite its humid climate. Instead, people like to do it the natural way.



89. These older housing estates tend to be less dense. The parkette within the compounds borders the hillside edge with panoramic views of the container port.









93. Signs of mixed land use are easily visible. Downhill, these buildings are industrial.

[hkskyline]

96. Public housing estates are a good source for interesting photos. Here, residents dry seasonal flowers on a pedestrian bridge.





98. Perched on the hillside, this housing estate is actually quite serene, albeit still in Kowloon.

[hkskyline]

[hkskyline]

125. Welcome to the concrete jungle.





127. Even though it is quite hot these days, a tram ride is still do-able since the windows are huge and there is plenty of wind coming in as the vehicle moves.







130. Summer brings clear skies and lovely sunsets.









134. Reservoirs in the city tend to provide decent views. This one near Shek Kip Mei in Kowloon rises above the city with an unusual view.







137. Now you see what a "skyscraper wall" means?



138. This loner would have great views on all 4 sides ... for now.



139. The tall buildings are all post-Kai Tak constructions.







142. Being right next to a huge public housing estate, these parts are frequented by a lot of locals.

[alps]

Really great photos.

I just moved here...not sure what I think about the place or the people yet.

At my new place, I'm preoccupied by two problems: how to get rid of the wall mildew, and how to secure some sort of stick out my tiny window to dry my clothes (as in photo #88.)

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by alps

Really great photos.

I just moved here...not sure what I think about the place or the people yet.

At my new place, I'm preoccupied by two problems: how to get rid of the wall mildew, and how to secure some sort of stick out my tiny window to dry my clothes (as in photo #88.)

You need to use bleach to get rid of the mildew. Hong Kong is a very humid place. There is anti-mildew wall paint available.

The laundry stick is a more precarious thing to try. I personally would recommend getting a small rack and just hang your clothes indoors. You'll turn on the A/C at night anyway, which will help dry the clothes overnight.

[hkskyline]

162. Thanks to the US devaluation, a lot of cheap money is stirring speculation of all sorts of things, from property to currency bills.



163. Poor people live here.



164. Everything is too expensive these days. Property prices have roughly doubled since Lehman fell.







167. These small eateries with tables in the open are a disappearing crowd.













173. Would you walk in this alley at night?



174. Some redevelopments have taken hold.





176. These horizontal signs are quite unique in Asia. Even in Hong Kong, not many streets still have these in mass numbers.



177. No need to use the dryer today. Few homes in Hong Kong are equipped with dryers.

[volguus zildrohar]

Nice shots there!

[hkskyline]

186. Hong Kongers voted on 9 September





188. Care for some traditional and natural remedies?



189. The BBC painted their colours on a few trams, although their local Asian coverage is a bit weak.



190. Hard to believe they're already advertising for the mid-autumn festival. It's still 32C!



191. Meanwhile, planes are baking under the hot summer sun.



192. Protesters have hit the streets against the national education plan, accusing it of brain-washing the next generation to praise the glory of the Communist Party, which lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and need to be praised ... long live the regime!

[The Jerk]

Endlessly fascinating!

[george]

Jeez, some of those residential highrises... Great thread. Really want to visit HK.

[Fabb]

Originally Posted by hkskyline

51. Redevelopment is evident in this corner of east Kowloon. These buildings will eventually disappear.

Somehow, it's a shame that they are going to be destroyed.

I wonder if the people who live there think about it. Are they happy to go ?

[R@ptor]

Great photos!

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by Fabb

Somehow, it's a shame that they are going to be destroyed.

I wonder if the people who live there think about it. Are they happy to go ?

Actually there is little historic value in these buildings, which are not even near 100 years old. Many are delighted they received an extraordinary amount of compensation for the expropriation.

198. Tuen Mun is one of the further suburbs, about a 45-minute train ride from Central. Like all the other planned new towns, skyscrapers are the dominant residential form.



199. However, the density is offset by these planned green areas, which are very popular on weekends.









203. A series of light rail lines, many overlapping each other on the same set of tracks, criss-cross the northwestern New Territories.



204. Luxury residences are being built in this supposedly lower income distant suburb.

[hkskyline]