March 2008

Tin Hau Temple & Stanley [ Chek Chue ]

Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong, China.

It is a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island.

It is east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O, adjacent to Chung Hom Kok. Administratively, it is part of the Southern District.

The proper Chek Chue refers to the village town but Stanley generally refers to all the surrounding areas of the peninsula after the beginning of British rule and native Cantonese name Chek Chue became synonym to Stanley.

Legend has it that the notorious pirate Cheung Po Tsai was active in Stanley. That is why the district became known in Chinese as Chek Chue (local dialect for Bandit’s Post).

wpid-2381111235_5b7cd4250c-2008-03-31-07-14.jpg

There was once a Cheung Po Tsai Cave near the Tin Hau Temple west of Stanley, but the cave was filled in the early 1950s.

After the annexation of Hong Kong in 1842, the British made Stanley the temporary administrative centre, before moving it to the newly founded Victoria City (present day Central) on the north shore of Hong Kong Island.

wpid-2381933072_af25bfccca-2008-03-31-07-14.jpg

Stanley was the location where British and Canadian troops made their last stand before surrendering to Japanese troops during the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941. Stanley Fort, the former British barracks in Stanley, is now occupied by the People’s Liberation Army.

This change followed the handover of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China in 1997.

Tin Hau Temple & Stanley [ Chek Chue ]

Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong, China.

It is a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island.

It is east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O, adjacent to Chung Hom Kok. Administratively, it is part of the Southern District.

The proper Chek Chue refers to the village town but Stanley generally refers to all the surrounding areas of the peninsula after the beginning of British rule and native Cantonese name Chek Chue became synonym to Stanley.

Legend has it that the notorious pirate Cheung Po Tsai was active in Stanley. That is why the district became known in Chinese as Chek Chue (local dialect for Bandit’s Post).

Tin Hau temple

There was once a Cheung Po Tsai Cave near the Tin Hau Temple west of Stanley, but the cave was filled in the early 1950s.

After the annexation of Hong Kong in 1842, the British made Stanley the temporary administrative centre, before moving it to the newly founded Victoria City (present day Central) on the north shore of Hong Kong Island.

IMG_7199.JPG

Stanley was the location where British and Canadian troops made their last stand before surrendering to Japanese troops during the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941. Stanley Fort, the former British barracks in Stanley, is now occupied by the People’s Liberation Army.

This change followed the handover of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China in 1997.

I Can’t Go Anywhere Without Meeting Someone I Know.

it’s like the Masque of the Red Death…..As the markets swoon and jobs are lost, the carousing goes on.The demographics of Hong Kong have been skewed over the past week with an influx of middle-aged white men – virtual strangers for the rest of the year who have been making token, and extremely brief, appearances in their local offices. Many have creatively concocted business trips that coincide with the rugby event.

At the preliminary rugby dinners earlier in the week, Hong Kongers were mortified at the sight of 40-something gweilo gentlemen dancing together, singing along with pride to It’s Raining Men, in ebullient displays of bonhomie usually confined to the more bohemian districts of San Francisco.

To the Stadium….where getting in was worse than entering the former Iron Curtain. The gestapo working as front-house security were binning inflatable plastic hands that kids were trying to bring in, with no more explanation than “No, no, NO!”. Shame on you Hong Kong Stadium for making kids cry. It’s not illegal for children in a free society to carry an inflatable hand – irrespective of the slogan it carries.

The executive level greeted us with a flourish of themes, costumes and freebie handouts, but making our way between the investment bank boxes we also got a feeling that the party was somewhat apparently less rowdy than in previous years.

Perhaps this had something to do with the fact that the coveted box passes were harder than usual to come by and that some boxes were only possible to get into if you were lucky enough to be on a pre-determined guest list[ Like Me ….. ].

For people in the outdoor areas of the boxes, the absence of Sweet Caroline in between the games may also have played a role as there appeared to be less spontaneous dancing and singing going on this year.

Inexplicably this long-term crowd favourite was played only once in two days.  

Whilst at the HK 7’s I bumped into my old boss from the training team on holiday watching the HK7’s.  wpid-2375992184_270f4b8a02-2008-03-30-07-39.jpg

Just For Junya – The Nihon Team doing Sumowpid-2375980216_ab435da751-2008-03-30-07-39.jpg

wpid-2375885186_3bbd9f6867-2008-03-30-07-39.jpg

wpid-2375998340_55bdedc047-2008-03-30-07-39.jpg

Big Dilemma In This Match :Who Do You Support ? – As a Brit V.Hard

wpid-2375894476_3a33f144e0-2008-03-30-07-39.jpg

The fella dressed as a chicken of course , this was one of just 1000’s of outfits , photographers dream , I decided to watch rugby instead.Alas it was over too soon but I saw the hallowed ground that Chris Redman made his own .

wpid-2375207921_255589b8ae-2008-03-30-07-39.jpg

I Can’t Go Anywhere Without Meeting Someone I Know.

it’s like the Masque of the Red Death…..As the markets swoon and jobs are lost, the carousing goes on.The demographics of Hong Kong have been skewed over the past week with an influx of middle-aged white men – virtual strangers for the rest of the year who have been making token, and extremely brief, appearances in their local offices. Many have creatively concocted business trips that coincide with the rugby event.

At the preliminary rugby dinners earlier in the week, Hong Kongers were mortified at the sight of 40-something gweilo gentlemen dancing together, singing along with pride to It’s Raining Men, in ebullient displays of bonhomie usually confined to the more bohemian districts of San Francisco.

To the Stadium….where getting in was worse than entering the former Iron Curtain. The gestapo working as front-house security were binning inflatable plastic hands that kids were trying to bring in, with no more explanation than “No, no, NO!”. Shame on you Hong Kong Stadium for making kids cry. It’s not illegal for children in a free society to carry an inflatable hand – irrespective of the slogan it carries.

The executive level greeted us with a flourish of themes, costumes and freebie handouts, but making our way between the investment bank boxes we also got a feeling that the party was somewhat apparently less rowdy than in previous years.

Perhaps this had something to do with the fact that the coveted box passes were harder than usual to come by and that some boxes were only possible to get into if you were lucky enough to be on a pre-determined guest list[ Like Me ….. ].

For people in the outdoor areas of the boxes, the absence of Sweet Caroline in between the games may also have played a role as there appeared to be less spontaneous dancing and singing going on this year.

Inexplicably this long-term crowd favourite was played only once in two days.  

Whilst at the HK 7’s I bumped into my old boss from the training team on holiday watching the HK7’s.  Well Would You Believe It?

Just For Junya – The Nihon Team doing SumoNihon Team

_MG_7027

Who Do You Support ?

Big Dilemma In This Match :Who Do You Support ? – As a Brit V.Hard

_MG_7030

The fella dressed as a chicken of course , this was one of just 1000’s of outfits , photographers dream , I decided to watch rugby instead.Alas it was over too soon but I saw the hallowed ground that Chris Redman made his own .

_MG_7126

   

Let’s Go Swimming

wpid-2374021780_24937df859-2008-03-29-23-14.jpg

wpid-2373182617_7657d7f567-2008-03-29-23-14.jpg

wpid-2374000092_0df9bf4a3c-2008-03-29-23-14.jpg

Let’s Go Swimming

Lily By Daddy

Daddy By Lily

Harrow DYRMS85

Good Luck Zimbabwe Today

My thoughts and hopes go out to both Mr Makoni and Mr Tsvangirai’s supporters.

Next »