365 China Photo: One-A-Day

The weather in Beijing was still around -5C, but Hong Kong was a cool 14C so perfect weather for sightseeing and exploring around. My hotel Jen is in the western part of Hong Kong Island so I always take the tram into the city centre. It trundles past the old parts of the city, which are more local neighbourhoods, which have real character. As you get closer to the centre it loses its local feel and become more impersonal and modern. However you still see amazing sights like this old Pawn Shop from 1940, next to a modern glass office tower. The image of the old tram, with the modern bus complements this and reflects this unique character, which is Hong Kong. Unfortunately many of the historical and heritage buildings were pulled down for redevelopment. So I don’t think the Hong Kong Government has done a very good job of preserving its heritage. However I think it has learnt a lesson or two from Singapore, which understands the importance and uniqueness of persevering its architectural heritage.