There are a lot of high rises here in Hong Kong and Kowloon. We’re staying in one of them. Hong Kong is also along the edge of a typhoon that is slamming places south of here. There was a weather warning this morning, which we didn’t notice before wandering out into the wind. It wasn’t raining at the moment so we figured we’d explore a bit.

I enjoyed taking pictures of the nearly empty streets, and learning that my lens can get fogged up. I thought it was the display screen that was fogging, but eventually figured out it was the lens. The pictures are kind of interesting though, I thought.

Hong-Kong-5 Hong-Kong-4 Hong-Kong-3 Hong-Kong-2

The storm has tapered off and now the streets below are filled with honking traffic and people with umbrellas. There are a few sirens now and again, too.

I spent the day pretty much holed up inside after getting drenched while out on the morning’s brief adventure. I have work to do on my writing, so it’s been a good day to get caught up. But I took a moment to photograph the International Commerce Center with its top in the clouds. It’s the tallest one here and now ranks as the 7th tallest in the world. Man reaches higher and higher with buildings, but I’ll take a pine tree any day. Apparently, if you go just a bit east of here on Hong Kong Island, you get to nature. That would be nice to explore, but probably not in the cards with this weather! Not that I’m complaining, it’s kind of exciting for a Californian to be in this much rain.

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The rain has stopped and I can see between the buildings to a far reach of Victoria Harbor.

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Yes, I love the zoom on my Panasonic. The picture above is really far away

And here’s what Hong Kong looks like at night, as viewed from Kowloon, across Victoria Harbor.

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If that looks like a TV floating in the sky…well, it is. It’s on top of a building, but somehow the building doesn’t show, so it looks like it’s floating. It’s in Kowloon, and that’s Kowloon in the foreground. The wall of lights in the distance is Hong Kong, across the harbor.

Tomorrow, by the time you read this, we should be out exploring things a bit more and capturing more photos of this teeming metropolis.

 

Published by Nicci

Author of romance and women's fiction; published with The Wild Rose Press.

24 thoughts on “Neon nights and typhoon days in Kowloon and Hong Kong”

  1. Excellent post, Nia! Loved the last photo, with all those colorful lights against the urban darkness. You have mentioned your camera saying that you love its powerful zoom. I miss the zoom of my previous camera. With the new one, I will have to buy zoom lens. Another annoying point is that the user has to change the lens in the field. Changing subject, as you know, we are under a severe drought. It must be singular to be watching and feeling a typhoon in Hong Kong like you did today. HK seems to have an infinite number of skyscrapers (maybe because of the price of the land, and overpopulation). One thing that I admire about the society in HK is their quest for freedom and democracy. You and your husband have safe trips! Next stop is Australia? Take care! 🙂 Fabio

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    Reply

    1. Thanks for your comments, Fabio! Yes, it is nice to escape the severe drought, but even so, I’m starting to get homesick. We stop over in Bali before Australia. It’s going to be a chance to decompress after the most challenging part of our around the world tour. I can’t wait to get to Australia, too, where we are visiting friends. 🙂 Speaking of lenses, I love this mini camera for travel because it quickly zooms and auto tracks and focuses. This is key when I’m traveling so as not to miss anything and to have all the pictures turn out even when I’m shooting from the hip.

      I am sorry that you are unhappy with your camera. You have my permission to go back to your old camera and skip buying a zoom lens for the new one! Whatever you do, don’t worry, your photographs are beautiful and it is the eye of the photographer, and the spirit, that count.

      Yes, there is much to admire about the citizens of Hong Kong.

      Smiles, Nia

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      Reply

      1. Nia, It seems to me that more fun is on your way. Great! Bali may be one of the best places to just relax and rest. A few days there and you will recharge your batteries for sure. Australia seems to be a country like home. That was my feeling when I was visiting London, and some cities in New Zealand. The English culture is still so strong in many places in the world. Are you going to meet Leanne in Melbourne? We have a nephew that lives there. Our son Dave is in Nelson, NZ. As you know, tomorrow Sep. 18th will be referendum day in Scotland. I would vote for No, if I could. I still remember the vote for separation of Quebec from Canada, which did not go through for just a small margin of votes.
        Thanks so much for your thorough response! It is a privilege to read your comments!
        And I agree with you that “it is the eye of the photographer, and the spirit, that count.”
        Thanks again, take care, and you both have fun!
        🙂
        Fabio

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Hi Fabio,

        We are in Bali and really enjoying it. We are at a sheltered resort, and have wandered down to the beach. It is beautiful and peaceful. Everything smells so good here. They have placed these really fragrant flowers in a little bowl by the bed. They are called. Cempaka Flower, native to Asia. I have to take an allergy pill, but it’s worth it! LOL

        We are not seeing Leanne this time. We did last time, and she took us to The Great Coast Road. It was incredible. She and I talked nonstop for 14 hours. This time I am stopping in Australia to work with my colleague, John Holland. We are working on stories together. I’m going in a new direction and will have a new short story ready for you soon. It is called In Drones We Trust.

        That’s amazing your son lives in Nelson NZ and you have a nephew in Melbourne. We loved Melbourne and are looking forward to experiencing New Zealand.

        We booked tours in NZ. We are going to tour the Doubtful Sound on the south island, and the Bay of Islands on the north island.

        I keep checking for news about the referendum in Scotland. Early counts look like a narrow No victory. I am hoping for a no vote. I don’t think it was wise to drop the voting age to 16 for this vote.

        Thanks for staying in touch! It is so nice.

        Nia

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Hi Nia,

        Glad that you are enjoying Bali! Be careful in regard to the allergy and keep having fun. You are joining forces with John for more stories? Looking forward to reading your next works!

        Great that you are booking tours in NZ! I think that’s the best way to know more places when we don’t have much time. If you want to see my photos from NZ, here they are:

        http://magneticnz.wordpress.com/

        I am so glad with the results in Scotland! per Financial Times, No is at 54.3% and Yes at 45.7% I cannot imagine UK without Scotland!

        Ze, my wife, and I are traveling in the end of the month to Seattle and Victoria, BC. We are taking a ferry from one city to the other.

        Take care and I wish you the very best!

        Thanks so much for writing regularly and so well! It is a privilege to have a friend who is also a writer!

        Bye for now,

        Fabio

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      4. Thank you for sharing your NZ pictures. They are incredible! I can’t wait to see it for myself.

        I was so happy about the vote in Scotland. I hope that they continue to stay together and find ways to compromise. I think it is important for like minded people to be strong and stick together now, not fracture apart. I hope that this experience helps lead to the right mix of self-determination and combined strength.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Nia, I had quite an experience when I left the turbo-prop and I had the first breath in Nelson – the air was so pure!
        Another of the good memories of the place is the number of birds that were singing early in the morning of every day of November. Amazing! Note: not good if you want to sleep a little more. 🙂
        I share your happiness in regard to the outcome of the referendum. Things will have to change, hopefully for the better. Loved your entire paragraph on the matter!
        Thanks so much for your extremely good conversations!
        Take care!
        🙂
        Fabio

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      8. Good luck, Nia! I am sure that you are a great editor as well. Two minds working together is more than the sum of the parts. Keeping my fingers crossed for excellent fruits from this partnership!
        Have a great weekend! In Bali, I am sure you will have a wonderful one!
        Take care!
        Smiles!
        Fabio

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    1. Thank you, Laurie. It is? It’s the first time I experienced it and you’re right, it’s pretty interesting. I retracted the lens wet but my husband said send it out again and from then on we dried it with his t-shirt each time. Then when we returned to the hotel, we left it open for the duration it allows before shutting off, about 7 minutes. It seems fine, as I took a lot more photos and nothing seemed amiss. Thanks!!

      Nia

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      Reply

      1. Not really, just being impish. 🙂 Glad to hear you dried it out. Maybe you should get some of those little packs that they use to draw moisture out, can’t think what they’re called.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. It’s good to be impish, Laurie! Don’t ever change!

        I probably should get that little pack but it’s hard to get stuff when you’re traveling. It will be what it will be. It happened on last night’s photos too, but I just dried it off and hoped for the best. 🙂

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      5. That’s the main thing Nia, you’ve saved the photos. 🙂 You should have a good years worth of blog photos by now.

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      6. Yes especially if I string them out. But I tend to get bored and have to move on to new things. However there is always the artistic rendition! I took a photo of a painting I want to use for a starting point to make a sci fi book cover.

        Like

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