Field Trip
Kowloon - Wong Tai Sin & Yau Ma Tei
Updated on 29/12/2020 1 pm Sunny
Wong Tai Sin
Route: Wong Tai Sin Temple → Lung Cheung Road → Green Minibus Terminus → Fung Tak Park
Hotspot 1: Wong Tai Sin Temple
Today's mission is to see the location that I will shoot next year. I went to locations 1 and 2, wherein the Kowloon district, as I haven't visited this place, I believe that I must be careful and remember all routes.
I will shoot images and recorded sounds in Wong Tai Sin Temple during the Chinese New Year. During the festival, there will be many believers who come to pray for good luck and health. I will shoot four images in Wong Tai Sin Temple, including the entrance, the main altar, Confucian hall, worshipping platform, and supreme paradise Pai-Fong main gate.
When I arrived, Wong Tai Sin Temple has covered by bamboo scaffolding, and it has continuing repair works. I am worried about when the repair works finished because the bamboos are weakened the atmosphere a lot and block the sight. Here is the route.
Opening hours: 07:00 - 17:00
Address: 2, Chuk Yuen Village, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon
Hotspot 2: Lung Cheung Road
The next location is Lung Cheung Road. You may be curious why I choose here. Even though it is not a special place, it is an important transportation hub. It is also a compulsory road for me to go to school. Every off-work period here always will have traffic congestion or accidents. After the social movement, the roadblock also leaves some traces of graffiti. I believe most people have many memories here. Turn back, and there has a road to go to Wong Tai Sin Plaza.
Hotspot 3: Green Minibus Terminus
A minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. Whenever I pass through Lung Cheung Road, there is always a long queue of people waiting for boarding to go home. Green Minibus Terminus is located between Wong Tai Sin Plaza and Chuk Yuen Lianhe Village. I really like the loop road, and every green minibus is preparing for service. There have four green minibus routes that take this section of Sha Tin Road as the terminus. Among them, 37A, 37M, and 38M are heavily used and often crowded.
On that day, a hawker fried chestnuts as his business. The sound and smell are really attractive. On the right-hand side, buses are non-stop arriving and leave. I believe the soundtrack will be rich because the surrounding environment is changing.
Hotspot 4: Fung Tak Park
Fung Tak Park was completed as early as 1995. It is a theme park designed based on the famous Chinese literary "Journey to the West." The park has separated into six areas. The most attractive area is the waterfall. When I stand closer, water from the top falls quickly and making noises. Although the park has not many people crowd, the story and history behind this park are worth exploring.
The area that I will shoot is the entrance, Five Finger Mountain, Crystal Palace, Flame Mountain, and exit. Here is the route.
Opening hours: 06:00 - 23:00
Address: 42, Fung Tak Road, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon
Yau Ma Tei
Route: Yau Ma Tei Theatre → Fruit Market → Jade Hawker Bazaar → Temple Street
Hotspot 1: Yau Ma Tei Theatre
The next location is Yau Ma Tei. Yau Ma Tei Theatre is the only existing cinema in Hong Kong built before World War II. The theatre is affected by pneumonia until further notice, and I cannot shoot photos inside. However, I will shoot images on Waterloo Road to capture the whole building and passer-by. On the other side, there is a red brick building like the theatre as a performance venue.
Across the street, there is the fruit market next to the theatre. It is amusing that the literary atmosphere and noisy market gather. Although Hong Kong is a tiny place, there have its advantages. After you enjoy the performance, it is convenient to buy fresh fruit with only a few footsteps!
Opening hours: 13:00 - 20:00
Address: 8 Waterloo Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Hotspot 2: Fruit Market
Fruit market (Gwo Laan) gathers more and more retail shops selling seasonal produce worldwide. Before dawn, workers will deliver cargoes and products sent to every shop to ensure consumers could buy fresh fruit. Every shop's staff will shout loudly to attract customers' attention and conduct transactions. After finishing the field trip, I bought some sweet strawberry and yellow pitaya back home!
It is easy to see cats in Gwo Laan. Most retail shops will feed cats. I guess the cat can protect the fruit from mice, and also people believe that cat as "Lucky Cat" will bring good wealth for them.
Gwo Laan has a narrow pavement and crowd in my observation, but the environment is bustling with noises and lively. This is what I hope to capture and presented to audiences. I plan to take shots in the head and middle of the road. In my ideal scene, the camera will be surrounded by shops and noises. Audiences seem to stand here to enjoy the flow of peoples.
Hotspot 3: Jade Hawker Bazaar
Due to the Central Kowloon Route construction, the Jade Hawker Bazaar has been removed to another place. I consider that no many classmates or young generations will be interested in this place. Also, Jade Hawker Bazaar is a special landmark in Yau Ma Tei. Thus, I choose here as one of the hotspots.
When I entered the Bazaar, I was surprised that there were many people. Most people were hawkers; there was also a foreign girl choosing the jade. Hawkers are really welcome me passionately. Some hawkers are concentrated on making jade goods, some of them are eating lunch, and some are chatting. I have asked can I take photos with a tripod indoors, the security guard said he is not sure. As long as I don't capture their face, the hawkers said I could take photos! Therefore, I choose three corridor areas to take shots.
Opening hours: 09:00 - 18:00
Address: 251 Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Hotspot 4: Temple Street
Temple Street is a popular tourist location, and there have many hawkers selling clothes, toys, drawing, and fruits, etc. They are active at night, sitting near the stall. It is common to see low-priced merchandise, but I think the products are low-quality. During the pandemic, I seldom see foreigners walking through Temple Street. The hawkers are passive to promote their goods. Even I pass the stall, and they are indifferent.
On the other hand, here is famous for eating rice hotpots. I have been eaten it before, but it does not taste good. After observing a few minutes, I found that there is not much bustling as I imagined. Perhaps today is not the weekend, and there have some elderly and residents only. Finally, I will shoot photos at the intersection and gate. I want to record the broadcast from the radio, which hawker love to listen to, and the singing from amateur singers.
