Hong Kong – Kowloon
Kowloon (translated: “Nine Dragons”) is the large peninsula north of Hong Kong Island (the name “Hong Kong” means “Fragrant Harbor”). Tsim Sha Tsui is the southernmost district of Kowloon. This is the most popular with tourists. The main attraction here is the shopping.
Aberdeen Harbour used to be famous for the many Chinese sampans (small flat-bottomed boats) and junks that anchored there, and for the ‘floating’ restaurants and houseboats on which the fishermen lived.
At the Hung Hom Ferry Piers, you can take a trip across the harbour to the Star Ferry or Queens Pier in Victoria. Although it is no longer the fascinating exotic place it once was, Aberdeen is still worth a visit. It is most interesting in the early morning, when the catch of the previous night is sold on the harbour promenade.
A wide variety of boats can be admired in the harbour. Here you will find both the larger cargo ships and smaller boats that serve regional trade. There is a colorful hustle and bustle. Trade is done and lived on the water. Many Chinese cannot afford any of the expensive apartments in the high-rise buildings and therefore live on their boats, which are moored at the piers.
We visit a small fish factory, of which there are many here. In small water basins, lobsters and other rare marine animals are kept fresh for the clientele. Ornamental fish are also popular here, which are offered for sale at horrendous prices. Lobsters are a delicacy that are offered at all fish markets.
It is interesting to watch the fishermen unloading their fresh catch. The fishing seen below looks very successful. The boat is filled to the brim with baskets full of fish. The baskets are so heavy that they can just about be carried by two fishermen. Several families often have to live on the proceeds. The fishermen are often at sea for several days. Only the richer fishermen can afford their own boat.
The boating industry consists of small shipyards scattered around the coast, which painstakingly manufacture the boats entirely by hand from wood. Real carpentry work is still required here.
Everywhere in the harbour area you can find the houseboats, on which not only the fishermen live. The boats are close to each other and usually in several rows from the shore. This creates a lively melting pot of different habitats.
However, certain berths are reserved for larger ships. Opposites attract, they say.
The small wooden boats directly in front of the gigantic backdrop of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers provide a bizarre picture.
