PLANES ARE DELAYED, DELETED AND SURBOOKED
DUE TO MUMBAI TRAGEDY AND BANGKOK AIRPORTS PROBLEMS .
PARIS, CHARLES DE GAULLE, 1 A.M, COOLER WITH COMPUTERS...
NO UPGRADE TONIGHT, BUT LUCKY , GOT 2 SEATS...
AIR FRANCE HKG FLIGHT IS IN COACH AIR WITH QANTAS, AUSTRALIAN CIE.
WINK, T SHIRT PUBLICITY FOR MY FRENCH "P.S"(NOT SOCIALIST PARTY...) FRIENDS, HIYA DOM !
SHAM SHUI PO : ELECTRONIC, COMPUTERS, IPHONES, CAMERAS, 12AM/12PM.
MARKETS... DAY, AFTERNOON, NIGHT, DAILY,SUNDAY, FRUITS,CLOTHES,
HI-TECH, JADE, FLOWERS, FISH, ARTS & CRAFTS, BOOKS, FIRST HAND, 2ND, 3RD...
MONGKOK POPULAR MARKET.
FRUIT MARKET, TST, KOWLOON.
WANCHAI MKT, HKG ISLAND .
CENTRAL, HKG ISLAND .
ON SUNDAYS, AS THOUSAND CHINESE, PILGRIM TO WONG TAI SIN GODDESS TEMPLE
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TEMPLES IN HKG.
ALL THREE MAIN RELIGIONS OF CHINA -BUDDHISM, TAOISM & CONFUCIANISM - ARE PRACTISED
AT THIS COLOURFUL TEMPLE.FORTUNE-TELLERS,SOME OF WHOM SPEAK ENGLISH, OFTEN WORK OUTSIDE .
INCENSE CEREMONY
VICTORIA JAIL
HKG ISLAND, NEAR VICTORIA JAIL, ST.LUKE'S CATHEDRAL
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE ORTHODOX METROPOLITANATE
OF HONG KONG & SOUTHEAST CHINA
METROPOLITAN NEKTARIOUS, ARCHBISHOP OF HKG,
GIVING COMMUNION TO SIMON, AN AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS MAN,
ACTUALLY BUILDING FACTORIES IN DAHLIAN & NEAR HARBIN
FATHER NIKITAS FROM ATHENS IS IN HKG FOR ALMOST 8 YEARS.
ARCHBISHOP NEKTARIOUS ARRIVED 3 MONTHS AGO FROM SAMOS ISLAND/GREECE
HONORED BY COURTESY/PIC FOR MY WEB SITES .
CAN TELL YOU A SECRET, AMAZING, BOTH OF THEM ARE REAL BROTHERS .
PRIESTS, WHATEVER THEIR RELIGION,
ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TRAVEL IN MAINLAND CHINA UP TO NOW .
ST. LUKE, DEC 21ST .
MUST UPDATE, GOOD NEWS, A MONTH LATER,
BOTH OF THEM OBTAINED A 2 DAYS VISA FOR SHANGHAI...
AM ALWAYS SURPRIZED WITH THE FANTASTIC ENERGY & SPIRIT OF HKG
WHICH SLOGAN IS "BETTER CITY, BETTER LIFE".
ABOVE ART-PIECE "RIBBON" BY VAN LAU
WAS ERECTED IN KOWLOON PARK ON DECEMBER 1ST,
WORLD'S AIDS DAY IN 1997 .
THIS TWIN-RIBBON SCULPTURE IS CRAFTED TO COMMEMORATE
THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS.
THE RIBBONS ARE IN A SHAPE OF "L" STANDING FOR "LOVE"
WHICH IS AN INTERNATIONAL SYMBOL OF LOVE & CONCERN
FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS.
AS THE TWO RIBBONS INTERTWINE TO FORM A HEART,
THE SCULPTURE BINDS US TOGETHER TO STOP
THE RELENTLESS SPREAD OF THE DISEASE
GREAT ARTISTS MOBILISATION LAST WEEK FOR WORLD AIDS DAY CANDLELIT .
ABOVE PIC, TEENS BAND FREE CONCERT ON AVE OF STARS
MOTTO "RESPECT & PROTECT"
IN CHATHAM ROAD SOUTH,IS SITUATED HONG KONG MUSEUM OF HISTORY .
A POPULAR VISITOR HIGHLIGHT IS "THE HONG KONG STORY" PERMANENT EXHIBITION
WHICH OUTLINES THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT,FOLK CULTURE & HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HKG
FROM 400 MILLION YEARS AGO UNTIL THE RETURN TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997.
COMMISSIONER LIN ZEHU .
LIN ZEXU WAS BORN IN FUZHOU IN 1785 .
TUTORED BY HIS FATHER FROM THE AGE OF FOUR,
LIN BECAME A "JINSHI" AT THE AGE OF 27 BY PASSING THE HIGHEST LEVEL
OF THE IMPERIAL EXAMINATION.
RISING THROUGH PROMOTION, LIN BECAME GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF HUBEI & HUNAN .
HIS INTEGRITY & DEDICATION EARNED HIM THE APPOINTMENT OF IMPERIAL COMMISSIONER,
HE ARRIVED IN GUANGZHOU IN 1839 WITH INSTRUCTIONS FROM EMPEROR DAOGUANG
TO ENFORCE A TOTAL BAN ON THE IMPORTATION OF OPIUM.
EXAMPLE OF HONESTY, HE NEVER FLINCHED FROM HIS DUTY .
ORIGINAL NANKING TREATY
THANKS TO HKG HISTORY MUSEUM FOR WELCOMING & COURTESY PICS
CHINESE & BRITISH ENVOYS SIGNED THE (UNEQUAL) TREATY OF NANKING
ON BOARD H.M.S CORNWALLIS , ON 29 AUGUST 1842 .
CHINA CEDED TO BRITAIN THE ISLAND OF HONG KONG WHICH, AFTER 19 MONTHS
OF "DE FACTO" OCCUPATION FORMALLY CAME UNDER BRITISH COLONIAL RULE.
THE QING GOVERNMENT AGREED TO PAY BRITAIN AN INDEMNITY OF 21.000.000 TAELS OF SILVER,
OPEN FIVE PORTS TO FOREIGN TRADE, AND ABOLISH THE CO-HONG SYSTEM.
THE TREATY OF NANKING DIDN'T MENTION OPIUM, BUT THE BRITISH MERCHANTS THEN USED HKG'S
SUPERIOR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION TO SMUGGLE EVEN MORE OPIUM INTO CHINA .
JULY 1ST 1997 .
IN 1984, IT WAS AGREED CHINA WOULD TAKE THE ENTIRE TERRITORY FROM BRITAIN IN 1997,
BUT WOULD BECOME THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (SAR) OF HKG,
WOULD RETAIN ITS FREE-MARKET ECONOMY AS WELL AS ITS SOCIAL & LEGAL SYSTEMS
FOR 50 YEARS . CHINA CALLED IT " ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" .
ON 1 JULY 1997, IN POURING RAIN OUTSIDE THE HKG CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE,
THE BRITISH ERA ENDED .
MOSTLY POPULAR IN HKG !
THE PEAK TRAM.
DATING BACK TO 1888,THIS STEEP FUNICULAR RAILWAY ALLOWS PASSENGERS
TO ENJOY PANORAMIC VIEWS OF HONG KONG.
POPULAR STAR : HKG FERRY .
MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, A STAR WAS BORN, IT STILL SHINES BRIGHT TODAY.
THE FERRIES ARE HONG KONG ICONS WITH THEIR GREEN & WHITE
DOUBLE DECK & WILL CELEBRATE THEIR 110TH BIRTHDAY IN 2009.
THESE VESSELS ARE THE CHEAPEST TRANSPORT IN THE WORLD.
TSIM SHA TSUI TO CENTRAL COSTS 2,20 HK $ (UPPER DECK) & 1,70 HK$(LOWER DECK)
1 US $ = 7,70 HKG $.
AVENUE OF STARS HAS THE BEST VIEW ACROSS TO HKG ISLAND .
HERE, YOU CAN GET ACQUAINTED WITH HKG'S FILM ICONS .
FOREVER POPULAR : "LITTLE DRAGON" !
WHO'S THAT GUY ?
GREATEST FILM IDOL, LEGENDARY KUNG-FU ACTION STAR BRUCE LEE.
LEE HAS BEEN NAMED "STAR OF THE CENTURY" BY THE HKG AWARDS ASSOCIATION IN 2005.
A TWO-METER-TALL BRONZE STATUE OF THE LATE ACTOR
HAS BEEN UNVEILED ON AVE OF STARS FOR HIS 65TH ANNIVERSARY.
STILL POPULAR : PENINSULA, THE GRAND OLD LADY .
THE PENINSULA HOTEL CELEBRATES ITS 80TH ANNIVERSARY .
ON 11 DECEMBER 1928, THE PENINSULA HOTEL FINALLY HELD ITS OFFICIAL OPENING.
THE PLAN HAD BEEN TO OPEN IN 1924, BUT EVERYTHING THAT COULD GO WRONG, DID GO WRONG.
THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE FOUNDATIONS.
THERE WAS A CIVIL WAR RAGING IN CHINA & RIOTS IN HONG KONG.
WHEN IT WAS READY FOR OCCUPATION, THE HOTEL WAS COMMANDEERED BY THE BRITISH ARMY.
THE PENINSULA HAS ALWAYS BEEN POPULAR WITH EUROPEAN ROYALTY.
AMERICAN ROYALTY HAS ALSO ENJOYED STAYING THERE.
"THE KING OF HOLLYWOOD", CLARK GABLE, USED TO SIT IN THE LOBBY
& TO SPEND MORE TIME CHATTING WITH HIS FRIENDS THAN FILMING "SOLDIER OF FORTUNE".
HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY HAILE SELASSIE OF ETHIOPIA, WHO WAS A DIRECT DESCENDANT
OF KING SOLOMON & THE QUEEN OF SHEBA, IS PROBABLY THE ONLY GENUINE EMPEROR
TO HAVE STAYED AT THE PENINSULA .
DURING HIS STAY, HE HAD TAKEN THE WHOLE OF 6TH FLOOR
& WAS NOT IMPRESSED BY THE HOTEL'S PLUMBING .
THE EMPEROR'S COMMANDED THAT THE WESTERN-STYLE LAVATORIES SHOULD BE REPLACED.
WITH EFFICIENCY, THE BRITISH FLUSH TOILETS WERE REPLACED
WITH THE EASTERN VARIETY IN ONLY 2 DAYS .
IT IS REPORTED THAT THE LION OF JUDAH HAD A COMFORTABLE STAY .
MANY IMPORTANT ASIAN POLITICAL FIGURES HAVE PATRONISED THE HOTEL .
THE FORMER FIRST LADY OF PHILIPPINES, IMELDA MARCOS, OFTEN DINED THERE.
WHEN THE ANGLO-FRENCH SUPERSONIC AIRLINER, THE CONCORDE,
ARRIVED IN MANILA ON A SALES PROMOTION TOUR,THE FIRST LADY HIJACKED IT
FOR A SIDE TRIP TO HKG.THE PLANE LANDED AT 3.51 PM & IMELDA & HER PARTY
WERE DRIVEN TO THE PENISULA WHERE THEY DEMOLISHED A MAGNIFICENT
BANQUET AT MARCO POLO SUITE .
AT 7.18 PM, AFTER HER LATE LUNCH, CONCORDE, WITH A VERY WELL-FED
FIRST LADY ABOARD,FLEW BACK TO MANILA .
IN SPITE OF THE HEROIC EFFORTS OF THE FRENCH & BRITISH SALES TEAM,
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES DIDN'T BUY A SINGLE CONCORDE AIRCRAFT...
THE GOLDEN BAUHINIA SQUARE / WANCHAI .
THE BAUHINIA ORCHID-LIKE FLOWER IS HONG KONG'S EMBLEM.
IT'S ON THE FLAG OF HKG & ON THE COINS AS WELL .
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT GIFTED HKG WITH THIS GOLDEN SCULPTURE
WHEN HKG RETURNED TO CHINA ON JULY 1ST, 1997.
IT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OCCASION IN HKG HISTORY -
THE RETURN AFTER MORE THAN 150 YEARS OF THE FORMER BRITISH
COLONY TO PEOPLE'S RPC & THE CREATION OF THE SPECIAL
ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG (SAR) -
EVERY MORNING AT 7.45, THE FLAG HOISTING CEREMONY IS HELD .
ON THE 1ST, 11TH, 21ST OF EVERY MONTH, DURING CEREMONY,
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IS PLAYED BY THE POLICE BANDS .
MOSTLY POPULAR, THE 2 GIANT PANDAS, AN AN & JIA JIA AT OCEAN PARK.
JIA JIA : 151 CM, QUIET, AFFABLE, SHOWING STRONG MOTHERHOOD QUALITIES.
GIANT PANDAS FRONT PAWS HAVE FIVE "FINGERS".
THIS EXTRA "THUMB" IS ACTUALLY A MODIFICATION HELPING THEM FIRMLY GRIP BAMBOO .
STILL IN KOWLOON PARK, I WAS CORDIALLY INVITED TO A SUPER
INSTRUCTIVE EXPOSITION "HKG-FRENCH HERITAGE & PERSPECTIVES ".
INSPIRATION OF FRENCH ARCHITECTURE IN SEVERAL HKG BUILDINGS, THEATRES,
& IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGICAL COLLABORATION .
I HAVE BEEN MOSTLY INTERESTED & INTRIGUED BY THE FOLLOWING (REAL) STORY .
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF BISHOP AUGUSTIN FORCADE (1816-1885),
FOUR SISTERS FROM ST PAUL DE CHARTRES ARRIVED IN HKG IN 1848
TO BEGIN THEIR MISSION OF SERVING THE POOR .
THEY FOUNDED "L' ASILE DE LA SAINTE ENFANCE" TO RESCUE ABANDONED BABIES,
A MAJOR PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AT THIS PERIOD .
IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BRING UNWANTED BABIES TO THEM ,
THE SISTERS WOULD PAY 5 TO 15 CENTS PER CHILD.
BY THE END OF 1849, THEY HAD TAKEN IN 226 IMPOVERISHED CHILDREN.
SOON, L' ASILE WAS RECEIVING AN AVERAGE OF 5 TO 7 ABANDONED CHILDREN PER DAY,
ABOUT 2000 PER YEAR, OF WHOM MORE THAN HALF DIED
WITHIN A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS.
IN 1851, THE SISTERS OF ST PAUL BEGAN TO PROVIDE EDUCATION
FOR ORPHANS AND THEY LATER EXPANDED THEIR SERVICES INTO HEALTHCARE.
DURING THE PLAGUES OF THE 1890'S, ESPECIALLY THAT OF 1894,
THEY PROVIDED MEDICINE TO MANY INHABITANTS OF WAN CHAI
THE SISTERS SUCCEEDED ON ESTABLISHING AN HOSPITAL IN I898 WITH AN ALMSHOUSE.
IN 1900, A TERRIBLE EPIDEMIC OF CHOLERA, CONVICED THEM THAT
CONDITIONS WERE OVERCROWDED & THAT THEY SHOULD MOVE
SOME OF THEIR SERVICES TO LE "CALVAIRE".
ST PAUL'S CONVENT .
BY 1910, L'ASILE WAS A VAST ETABLISHMENT CONSISTING OF MANY
SPACIOUS APARTMENTS, LONG TERRACES & BEAUTIFULLY PLANTED GROUNDS.
IT INCLUDED THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL, BLIND ASYLUM, ALMSHOUSE,
HOSPITAL, NOVITIATE & BOARDING SCHOOL .
IN 1917, THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD TO PAUL CHATER, GIVING THE SISTERS ENOUGH MONEY
TO BUY THE LARGE COTTON MILL BETWEEN HAPPY VALLEY RACECOURSE
& CAUSEWAY BAY POLO GROUND .
ALL OF L' ASILE DE LA ST ENFANCE'S FACILITIES WERE MOVED TO THIS NEW LOCATION IN 1917.
ON PICTURES,CHILDREN ARE WELL DRESSED, THEY LOOK HEALTHY, BUT SERIOUS & SAD .
BLESSED BE THE SISTERS WHO HAVE DONE SUCH WORK !
WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF CHINESE LANGUAGE, UNDER DIFFICULT CONDITIONS,
JUST WITH THEIR FAITH & COMPASSION .
PLAN TO FIND THIS CONVENT TO LEARN THE WHOLE STORY & THEIR NEEDS NOWADAYS .
KOWLOON KUNG FU CORNER.
ON SUNDAYS, SUPPORTING DISTRICT KIDS LEARNING KUNG-FU
& DRAGON DANCE UNSTEAD OF BURNING CARS...
SAD RECORD, 1200 CARS WERE BURNT DOWN IN FRANCE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.
FOR LUCKY FENG SHUI, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS WEAR OR CARRY SOME RED COLOR...
PARK MEDITATION CORNER WITH GORGEOUS POINSETTAS .
STILL NO NET CONNECTION & NOT ANY FREE TIME...
THANKFUL FOR CARE, CMT & MSG !
HONG HONG'S COMPLEX PERSONALITY OWES SOMETHING TO ITS SINO-BRITISH PAST, BUT IT'S THE DECADE
SINCE THAT HAS TRULY BUILT ITS CHARACTER . SURVIVING A PARTIAL REINTEGRATION WITH CHINA,
A SEVEN-YEAR ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, AVIAN FLU AND A SEVERE ACUTE
RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS), HAS GIVEN HONG KONG A NEW SELF-BELIEF .
THE CITY IS POSITIVELY BOOMING & IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO CATCH THE VIBE .
KOWLOON PARK IS THE PERFECT OPEN-AIR VENUE TO SPEND
YOUR TIME & PRACTICE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES .
WEEKLY EVENT FEATURES A VARIETY OF TRADITIONAL KUNG FU DEMONSTRATIONS
& CULTURAL PERFORMANCES SUCH AS CEREMONIAL DRUMMING & LION DANCES.
CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS HAVE BEEN WIDELY POPULARISED IN HKG FILMS
& ARE ATTRACTING NEW INTEREST FROM AROUND THE WORLD .
THEY INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF STYLES & UTILISE MANY DIFFERENT WEAPONS
IN THEIR DISTINCTIVE ROUTINES, MAKING THESE DEMONSTRATIONS BY STUDENTS
& MASTERS, BOTH EDUCATIONAL & ENJOYABLE .
AT KOWLOON KUNG FU CORNER THIS SUNDAY, THE YING TSUN NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION WHOSE WORLD REPRESENTATIVES CONFERENCE
WAS HELD IN HKG & CHINA WITH A TOTAL OF OVER 800 PARTICIPANTS
FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ( HKG, CHINA, USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, ITALY, FRANCE )
VERY CROWDED YESTERDAY AS SEVERAL KUNG FU MOVIE STARS WERE PRESENT .
FELLOW PHOTOGRAPHERS
HONORED TO BE PART OF THE JURY
AFTER EACH COMPETITION, WE MUST CHOOSE THE WINNER
(SHOW RED OR BLACK COLOR)
PLAYING RULE : ATTACK BUT NEVER HURT .
ONE HAND MUST ATTACK WHILE THE OTHER ONE MUST DEFEND
SOUVENIR PHOTO WITH YING TSUN MEMBERS, THE MASTERS ARE SEATED IN FRONT.
I NEVER LIKED HOLIDAYS ,
MAY BE THAT'S WHY AM RATHER WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING.
WANTED TO SUPPORT, THANK & PAY AN HOMMAGE TO ALL THESE
HUNDREDS KIDS, TEENS, CHINESE YOUTH .
IT'S NOT THEIR RELIGION, THEIR LANGUAGE, BUT THEY TRIED TO BRING
JOY, SMILES & CHEER FOREIGNERS VISITING OR LIVING IN THEIR COUNTRY.
NO MATTER FALSE NOTES, THEY ARE NOT PROF. MUSICIANS,
THEY SANG BIG PART OF THE NIGHT, IN SUBWAYS, BRIDGES, GARDENS, HOSPITALS...
ALL OF THEM, VOLUNTEERS, LET THEIR HEART SPEAK, REALLY MOVING .
CONGRATS TO THIS HOPEFUL & PEACEFUL MESSAGE !
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL CHRISTIAN FRIENDS !
WORLD'S BIGGEST PLANE, THIS AIRBUS A 380 WAS THE VERY FIRST OPERATED BY SINGAPORE AIRLINES
TIRED BUT SAFE & SPOILED AS A PRINCESS IN AN EMPTY SINGAPORE BOEING 777-300 !
OUT OF NET FOR A FEW DAYS WAS MY PUNISHMENT...
MY LUGGAGE HAS BEEN LOST BY SIA AIRLINES,
ALL COMPUTERS, CAMERAS, PHONES BATTERY CHARGERS WERE INSIDE
FINALLY, LEARNED IT TRAVELLED TO LONDON ABOARD THE MEGA AIRBUS ABOVE !
IN PARIS FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN BACK TO SINGAPORE & HKG .
THANKS TO YOU FOR SHARING ANOTHER ON-LINE YEAR !
SENDING YOU ALL BEST WISHES FOR A BEAUTIFUL & PEACEFUL YEAR 2009 .
CHINESE OX NEW YEAR BEGINS ON JAN 26TH .
FOLLOWING THE RAT, THE OX IS A LEADER, BRIGHT & CHEERFUL,
MAY IT BRING YOU LOVE, LIGHT & JOY .
FEW MINUTES AGO, LAST SOUVENIR PIC OF EIFFEL BLUE LOOK ESPECIALLY
DESIGNED FOR FRENCH EUROPEAN PRESIDENCY WHICH ENDED AT MIDNIGHT.
BEST GOOD LUCK WISHES TO CZECH REPUBLIC FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS !
WELCOME TO SLOVAKIA IN EURO ZONE.
MY THOUGHTS & PRAYERS ON THIS YEAR BEGGINING,
TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN HOSTILE REGIONS.
ON ABOVE PICTURE, SUNSET OVER ICY MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN 5 DAYS AGO .
"С РОЖДЕСТBОМ ХРИСТОВЫМ", MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ORTHODOX FRIENDS , BLESSINGS .
More: http://www.hsengine.com/s?w=Blue+Christmas
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