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Hong Kong day 5
Today we decided to take the bus to Stanley on the south side of the island. We are able, after Mary's internet research, to pick up a bus almost outside the hotel to Stanley; an interesting journey again. All HK bus drivers seem to drive at breakneck speed no matter the road conditions. The route took us past the Hong Kong stadium, the venue for the HK rugby sevens next week, to the junction with the turning for the Peak then on past Aberdeen in the distance and through Repulse Bay to Stanley.
We briefly walked through part of the famous market out on to the beach front to look at Murray House, one of the oldest surviving public buildings in Hong Kong. It was built in 1844 as officers' quarters of the Murray Barracks during the early years of British rule, named after Sir George Murray, the British Master-General of the Ordnance at the time of construction. In 1982, it was dismantled for the building of the new Bank of China Tower. Over 3,000 building blocks were labelled and catalogued for future restoration. The building was rebuilt in Stanley in 2001.
Next to it is Blake Pier, originally situated on the waterfront in the Central district of HK island. The pier was the landing place for new Governors, British royal dignitaries and other VIPs visiting Hong Kong. Yachts, barges, sampans and traditional Chinese Junks could easily dock at the Blake Pier and it was basically the connecting and landing point between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. In 1965, Hong Kong Government decided to demolish the Blake Pier. The pavilion and its iron-steel roof was dismantled, moved and rebuilt in Morse Park in Kowloon. The unique shaped roof was used as a cover of a pavilion and served the next 40 years as a park shelter. In 2007, the iron roof was transferred to Stanley and returned to its role to serve as a public pier again.
Leading off from this area is Ma Hang Park which is really just an area of natural vegetation with walkways through, interesting though, even if there are signs everywhere saying beware of snakes !! In the park was the Pak Tai temple, perched precariously on the cliff edge. It was built in 1805 when Stanley was a major fishing village, and dedicated to the "protector of fishermen." Offerings are still made there today as we witnessed. Next we went to the Tien Hai temple adjacent to Stanley Plaza, a new shopping development, founded in 1767. It is the oldest temple on Hong Kong Island and is one of more than 70 Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong, dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea and protector of fishing people. It is believed to have been one of the bases of the notorious pirate chief Cheung Po-tsai, who captured Hong Kong in 1770. The bell and drum inside the temple are believed to have belonged to him. The temple also contains a tiger skin that is not, despite the notice beneath it, that of a tiger shot by an Indian policeman in front of Stanley Police Station in 1942.
While we were in here a sea fog rolled in and obliterated the view across the bay within ten minutes. We were now hearing more and more fog horns of the passing ships we had previously seen in the distance.
The Murray building is now occupied by various restaurants of which one, a Vietnamese restaurant had very nice seating out on the veranda at first floor level so this looked the spot for lunch and a very good one it was. We both had the set menu with spring rolls and and pomelo salad followed by wok fried beef with vegetables and red rice - delicious. After lunch we finished looking around the market before the equally hairy bus ride back. Again as we passed Repulse Bay the fog was at varying levels giving some very eerie sights.
On arriving last Sunday we were given vouchers for a drink in the bar so decided to take them up tonight. Having enjoyed this we went for a second round. When paying we were told it was still happy hour and were served our third drink. Instead of half price it was two for one, so we slept well.
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