20.April 2019

Kyoto, what a wonderful city. So much more relaxing than Tokyo.

It also helps that it is a very walkable city.

A lot of the famous Japanese images of the shrines and gardens come from Kyoto. You won’t find any here! Yes I did see them and they were beautiful but what I took may do justice to a tourist brochure but not this website (bloody snob…..). I was busy chasing Kimonos , not to wear but to photograph.

However there were lots of imposters walking around especially Chinese mainland tourists in costume for a day. Cosplay? But the ones I got were genuine and they spoke Japanese. You know the expression- If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck!

1.    31 Dec 2018    G9    iso 1000    f8.0    1/640sec

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3.  Going no where fast

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20 April 2019

What do I do when I’m in Holiday in my second most favourite city in the world?

Shopping in Apliu St ( usb-c cables, memory cards , China made photo accessories)

Eating all my favourite foods (1000 year old eggs, preverved sausage rice hotpots , shanghai food, roast pidgeon)

Street Photography- Only because I’ve done my shopping for the day and I’m holding my camera with time to spare…

The G9 is a great camera for street photography.

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2.    Mongkok

6 Jan 2019    G9    iso1600    12mm    f3.5    1/50sec

3. Moko shopping centre Mong kok

4. Newspaper stand outside Admiralty, HK Island

12 Jan 2019    G9   iso 3200    29mm    f5.6    1/160sec

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8. New Territories walk , Plover Cove

Wu Kau Tang to Lai Chi Wo   Sally and Wendy in background

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20 April 2019

I have always enjoyed visiting the Tai O fishing village on Lantau Island.

In the old days it was only accessible by ferry but with the new Airport we can take the bus there as well.

The main business of Tai O now is catering for weekend visitors and selling dried fish. The village has so much character and I always wanted to stay there overnight to capture the Sunrise and Sunset. Most times in the past we had to rush to get the ferry home.

I discovered on Booking .com a B&B place called Espace Elastique . The host Veronica was very helpful and served a wonderful european breakfast. She was born on Hong Kong Island but her ancestry is closely tied to Tai O. She also spent  alot of her life in Finland. I do recommend people stay there to experience the island life and enjoy a lovely stay.

Anyway she lamented how difficult it was to run a business as there were few younger people around and her present helper was approcaching retirement age.

Indeed walking around the island all I saw was the shopkeepers, old people and their domestic help. This was an island of old people. Hopefully my B&W image reflects the demographics.

I think the HK Govt needs to have plans to rejuvenate the island as it is such an asset to the history and the tourism sector. Veronica isn’t  holding out much hope…..

1.    18 Jan 2019    G9    iso400    23mm    f3.6  1/60sec

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