Late in 2009 I did a post on the cultural melting pot that is Chungking Mansion.
Located on Nathan Road (opposite the new iSquare Mall) Chungking Mansions is easily the cheapest place to stay in Hong Kong.
However, until recently, it was probably also the ugliest, dirtiest building in Kowloon. I say ‘Kowloon’ because I’ve seen some UGLY structures in the older part of Kowloon Bay.
A couple of days ago I noticed that the outside of the building is covered in the green netting used when construction takes place. In fact, while traveling to the Hong Kong Stadium for the Sevens, I saw some Chinese workers starting to off-load truckloads of bamboo in Nathan Road.
A lot can be said about the lack of green space in Hong Kong. Where an area may exist for the establishment of a park, whatever the size, one often finds the obiqutous, concrete and metal, uniquely Hong Kong ”sitting out area.”
Then of course there’s the rampant (I would be forgiven for saying “condoned“) development of multi-storey residential and commercial buildings.
But that aside, when the Hong Kong government actually gets down to building a “green lung” in this densely populated city, they actually do it rather well. Needless to say, it begs the question: Why don’t they do it more often?
One such park is the Kowloon Park situated in Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui district.
Located right next to the busy Nathan and Haiphong roads, the Kowloon Park is indeed an oasis in this busy shopping and cullinary district.
Formerly a site for the British army’s barracks, some of the buildings were preserved and now serve as museums. Some of these include the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre and the Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre.
The Park also boasts a state-of-the-art Sports Centre with an Olympic-size indoor swimming pool as well as a huge outdoor water-park. The sports centre was a key venue when Hong Kong hosted the East Asian Games in 2009.
I recently enjoyed breakfast in the park, while on my way to the HKFRU’s event with the Hong Kong Special Olympics. I had my trusty FlipCam with me and took some footage:
The Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade takes place on Lunar New Year’s day on Thursday 3 February 2011.
Organisers have announced that all tickets for the exclusive seating area at the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui are sold out.
However, spectators can still line the Parade route to view one of the most spectacular events in Hong Kong.
The route:
The parade starts at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza in Tsim Sha Tsui and proceeds along Canton Road, Haiphong Road, Nathan Road and Salisbury Road, and ends outside Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers.
If you’re planning to take the MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui, here are the directions:
To Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
* MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit F, take passage way to Exit L6.
* MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit L6.
* Star Ferry from either Central or Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui.
To parade route
* MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit A, C, D and E.
* MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit K, L1 and L5.
(Click here to view a graphic map of the Parade route)
The Lunar New Year Parade will also pass through Canton Road, a popular shopping district in TST
In August we told you about one of our favourite hangouts in Tsim Sha Tsui’s food district of Ashley Road.
Colin Aitchison from Ned Kelly’s Last Stand just sent us the Picasa links to 2 galleries of pictures that chronicles the fun, the visitors and the thousands of big band tunes that has been offered to guests from that precariously positioned bandstand over the last couple of decades.
As we mentioned before, Ned Kelly Last Stand is truly one of the pioneers of the genre in the Territory and their recipe for success has made them one of the oldest entertainment venue in Hong Kong.
Pop in next time you’re in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Happy Hour is until 9pm and live jazz starts at 9:30pm
Flashback from way back Ned Kelly’s 12 October 2008 (Pic: Colin Aitchison)
For more more images of Ned Kelly’s Last Stand click here or here. You can also join their FaceBook page
One of my favourite hang-outs when I’m in the mood for some big-band jazz and a couple of big beers (not necessarily in that order) can be found in one of Tsim Sha Tsui’s food-districts: Ned Kelly’s Last Stand in Ashley Road.
In December 2011 Ned Kelly’s Last Stand will celebrate it’s 40th Anniversary. During this time, the entertainment business being what it is here in Hong Kong and indeed anywhere in the world, Ned Kelly’s Last Stand has become a true Hong Kong institution that is known and fondly remembered by patrons all over the world.
The small stage precariously perched on one side of the venue has hosted numerous bands over the years. These include: Sergio Mendez Band, Jimmy Rogers, Kenny Ball & His Jazzband, Winifred Atwell, Rosemary Clooney, Kay Starr, Matt Monroe, Charlie Barnet, Bob Wilber, The Imelda May Band, Kenny Martyn, The Tom Jones Band and many others.
These days, bandleader Colin Aitchison and the Colin Aitchison & The China Coast Jazzmen is responsible for entertaining the fans and the five or six musicians who do duty every evening do a grand job of entertaining the packed crowds who swarm in every evening around 9pm.
Ned Kelly’s Last Stand is open daily from 11h30 to 2am. and the live Dixieland jazz daily starts from 9:30pm until around 1am.
It serves Australian fare, including juicy pork sausages with mashed potatoes and onion gravy; beef stew; fish and chips; Australian sirloin steak; Irish stew; hamburgers; and cottage pie (baked bowl of minced beef, onions, vegetables, and mashed potatoes).
How they manage to feed and entertain so many hungry and thirsty patrons in such a small venue is beyond me, but who cares? They do a damn fine job!
Happy Hour is from 11:30am to 9pm, with reduced prices.
(Pictures below: Mike Jansen)
Here’s a taste of Ned Kelly’s Dixieland Jazz band, courtesy of alblurt06 on YouTube:
Additional video clips of Ned Kelly’s Last Stand/The China Coast Jazzmen can be found here
Many of you will agree with me when I say that staying on the straight and narrow as far as healthy eating and lifestyle in Hong Kong is concerned, can sometimes be quite a challenge. Add raising two pre-teens in the mix and it becomes even more challenging.
For those of us who need some guidance and a word or two of advice, help is at hand.
Hong Kong’s first collective HEALTHY LIVING EVENT is coming to Duo Restaurant in Hollywood Road, Central courtesy of Sarah Baker and local lifestyle magazine Healthy Times.
Organisers assure us that this event will be the perfect opportunity to find out more about healthy products and services available locally. You will also have the opportunity to mingle with like-minded folk and share ideas and tips. There will be different speakers who dedicate themselves to health who will share what they do in Hong Kong.
Continues below. SA readers please click on the banner to support Howzit-HongKong:
HK$100 at the door gets you in and you will have enough food and organic wine to keep you content throughout the evening. On the menu will be:
Organic wine, raw food, healthy crepes, edible arrangements and many other delicious and healthy snacks.
Duo Restaurant and Cafe can be found on G/F, 118 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong and you can read more on the event’s FaceBook page here
While I was living in Taiwan, a colleague used to tell stories of his days spent in Chungking Mansions. He was travelling on a “backpackers budget” and Chungking was the only the place he could afford. In a city where space for accommodation (both for locals and tourists) come at a premium, Chungking Mansions is universally known as probably the cheapest place to live in Hong Kong.
Wikipedia describes it as: “a labyrinth of guesthouses, curry restaurants, African bistros, clothing shops, sari stores, and foreign exchange offices. It often acts as a large gathering place for some of the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, particularly South Asians (Indians, Nepalese, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans), Middle Eastern people, Nigerians, Europeans, Americans, and many other peoples of the world.”
I have not stayed at Chungking Mansion, but must admit that I do like to go there to buy some otherwise hard-to-get South Asian spices, fresh vegetables and other products. When I do venture out there, I’m always amazed at the long lines that form at the elevators. Bear in mind that air conditioning on the ground floor is virtually non-existant and in the height of summer this place could be unbearable. “Melting pot” then takes on a whole different smell! However, the queues that form also tells me that the place is also very popular, especially with budget-conscious travellers.
My visits to Chungking Mansions have also be limited to the ground floor mall, so I cannot tell you what it looks like upstairs. However, while research Chungking on the internet, I came across this informative video (posted 2 years ago):
Stay tuned for a first-hand account, right here on Howzit-HongKong.
