Our first stop for the day was The Peak, and we were going to ride a tram. I was excited. A tram... how very charmingly old world! The tram used to be the main mode of transportation. Today, you can still go around Hong Kong riding a tram, as explained here.
My dearest and I. He arrived in Hong Kong early in the evening the day before.
The entrance to The Peak Tram is on the left side.
It took us a while to queue and get in the tram. A lot of tourists were going to The Peak, too, but not as many as those who would have gone on a Saturday or Sunday (we went there on a Monday). And since it was taking a tram a while to get back after transporting an earlier batch of tourists, I decided to take some pictures of what was displayed on the platform:
The old ticketing system
A tram personnel's uniform
Just some pictures that tell you I was there. Haha!
When it was our turn to ride the tram, all the seats already got taken when I hopped in. I didn't mind standing throughout the duration of the ride. What bothered me, though, was the slope we were traversing on. At first, I kept my balance and composure. I even got to take a video, with one hand holding on to a hand rail and one hand holding my cellphone. But when the slope got steeper, I had to stop and hold on to a hand rail with both hands. I thought I was going to roll over, and I didn't want a video of me doing that.
We got to The Peak past 12 noon, but we weren't hungry yet because we had a heavy breakfast from the hotel's breakfast buffet. We decided to see the Sky Terrace first. Too bad it was cloudy and foggy. We didn't see the view of Hong Kong. But we still went up for the experience, and the guides gave us a handheld device that looks like a PS2. The device showed videos of what we were supposed to see at the Sky Terrace, explaining the history of the different landmarks and buildings in Hong Kong.
After maybe 20 or 30 minutes, I wanted to leave the Sky Terrace and go back inside. It was so cold, and the wind was blowing really hard. I was scared of getting blown away! Haha! I was holding on to my beanie and kept myself low so the wind wouldn't knock me over. I knew it wouldn't happen, but I was still scared.
My mom, my sister, my dearest, and me. My dad took the photo.
We went Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum next. It was amazing! We saw the wax replicas of almost every famous person in the world--from Hollywood stars, Asian actors and actresses, artists, historical figures, singers, athletes, and even cartoon and movie characters.
How I wish we have more people who are like you,
Princess Diana!
Careful, Spiderman!
You'r so hot, Wolverine!
Selfie with Lady Gaga. Tried to match her expression. Hehe
Playing the piano with Lang Lang.
Not really. That piano is programmed to play automatically. Hehehe.
Lee Min Ho! Didn't get to catch you last week in Manila, but at least,
we got a picture together a month ago. :P
With Madame Tussaud, after whom this museum was named.
Who says we can never be royals? :D
Fooling around with Doraemon,
one of my favorite anime characters.
Was giving Shakespeare some comments.
I could see he was irritated. Haha!
My dearest and I with Albert Einstein. So great to meet this great genius. :D
After the trip to The Peak and the wax museum, my dearest and I went to the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Last year, I visited the art museum too because I wanted to see the Andy Warhol exhibit. This time, I didn't know whose works were on special exhibit. What I knew was whoever the artist was, his or her works were bound to be interesting. I was right.
Sculptor Ju Ming's "The Living World Series" was on special exhibit. The series shows his sculptures that capture everyday scenes that can be scene anywhere, like a woman on a park bench, children playing, etc. He didn't give a title to each piece because for him, the title limits the observer's interpretation. Here are some of the pieces in the series.
We also visit the other areas of the museum. One of the artwork in the contemporary arts section struck me. It was this:
"Mini Ripped Rooms (Sub-divided Flats)" by Margaret Che Cheuk-Wai, 2012
It's a piece about living in small apartments in Hong Kong (where the metaphor of a rabbit's narrow intestines, heart, lungs, and other internal organs come in) in the face of high rents. I think it's meant to criticize this situation, because living in shoe-box homes is difficult, uncomfortable, and in a way, dehumanizing, especially if it's topped with ridiculously high rents. The same thing is also happening here in Manila. Condominiums have been sprouting like mushrooms all over the city in the last few years. Spaces get smaller and smaller and are sold at whopping, jaw-dropping prices. I think it's a phenomenon in a lot of cities in the world, and it's a price to pay to get close to opportunities.
Anyway, enough of that serious stuff. Haha!
I really enjoyed visiting the Hong Kong Museum of Art. I'm not gifted in the visual arts, but I do appreciate works of art, may they be paintings, sculptures, installation art, or even a well-crafted DIY project. I think they all have stories to tell and they reflect the experiences and personality of the artist.
I love this art wall. :D
My dearest and I explored Langham Place and the Mong Kok night market after the museum visit. And then walked around some more before heading back to the hotel (although he was staying at a different hotel from where I and my family stayed, but it was just across ours). It was time to get some rest and sleep again, because the next day, my dearest and I would be headed to Macao. How exciting! I couldn't wait.
