France 2008

Hong Kong, 10-13 May

		Hong Kong was very hazy while we were there. Actually, it wasn't haze: it was pollution from Shenzhen on the mainland. †
		The sun as seen from Macau. *
		Residential "mansions" on Nathan Road, Kowloon. *
		A stairway up a steep hill, as seen from the Hong Kong Island tram. *
		North Point Markets, at the end of the tram line. †
		Stalls at the market. *
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Cheung Chau is a small island, reached by ferry from Hong Kong Central. It's very pleasant to wander around, as motor traffic is banned.
		It has a real harbour, used by fishing boats. †
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		Lion guarding an entrance. *
		A small shrine at the base of an old banyan tree. †
		The annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival was being held, so the streets were busy. *
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		As night falls, the moment everyone has been waiting for arrives. Opposite Pak Tai Temple, competitors stand poised at the bottom of this enormous bamboo tower studded with imitation buns. On the signal, they scramble up and try to collect as many "lucky" buns as possible. The higher the buns, the more points they are worth. *
		The temples had big spirals of incense ... *
		and there were huge burning sticks of incense, the size of power poles.*
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		Cheung Chau, like all of Hong Kong, is not always neat and tidy. †
Macau, which used to be Portuguese, is now a Special Administrative Area of China, like Hong Kong. But you have to go through Immigration at both Hong Kong and Macau when travelling between them.
		The facade of St Paul's Cathedral in Macau. *
		Looking up the hill at St Paul's facade. *
		Looking downhill to Macau Town. †
		The main square in Macau Town. *
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From Hong Kong, we flew to France.