(Tip: Click on photos to see a larger version, or go to: www.ronalddunlapphotography.com.)
Up at 7:30 and out of the hotel at 8:10. It was another dreary, lacking-in-light day. I guess I'd brought the shitty weather with me. I slipped the camera into its rain coat and made a small wish for some better shots than yesterday.
I needed a cheap breakfast, so I walked north on Nathan Road looking for the golden arches. It seemed like there must be at least a couple of thousand Mickey D's in the city, but in reality they opened only their 218th restaurant last year (but breaking their previous record for outlets in any one city).
After a block or so, a yellow neon sign pointed me down a side street. Four hundred yards to the east I found stairs that led down to a below-ground outlet. At the top of the stairs, two ladies were waiting. They looked great in front of the intensely red and yellow sign, and I couldn't resist asking if I could take their picture. They shyly agreed. I fired off several shots, then turned the camera around so they could see the display screen and their pictures. They were giggling as I walked away.
The exterior of this franchise looked very Las Vegas-y. Stairs descended from street level into a shining example of consumerism. I got in line, but from watching the customers in front of me, I soon realized that they weren't selling Coke this early. Since I couldn't start my day without one, I got out of line and headed back up to street level.
Up top, I found that a third lady had joined the other two, and they asked if I could take a new picture of them. I happily agreed and took another five or six shots. They were pleased with the images but disappointed that I couldn't give them prints. I hope that through some twist of fate they would run across this image on the internet.
Still hungry, I spied a Burger King on the second floor of a building across the street. I took care negotiating the crossing and climbed the stairs of this very well-branded BK store.
I ordered a Number 1 (scrambled eggs, sausage, croissant, and Diet Coke). I handed the BK associate HKD 100, and he handed me back HKD 77. (While McDonald's accepts the Octopus Card, Burger King does not.) You have to move to the side and wait at the counter while they prepare your order, but it only takes a few minutes. Soon I was searching for the right table to enjoy my meal.
After eating, I continued walking north on Nathan Road. I was enjoying the juxtaposition of things that seemed both familiar and strange at the same time. By 10 a.m. the weather was still overcast and cold, so I decided to head down to the promenade ("Walk of Fame") to catch the "Big Bus" Kowloon tour. The low level of lighting made shooting precarious, so I decided that I might as well get to know the lay of the land.
Heading south I encountered several streets that don't allow you to cross at street level. You have to find a subway passage that will take you below the streets that local authorities consider too dangerous for pedestrians. These "safety" passages inevitably lead you to underground shopping areas that you must transit through to get to your destination.
By the time I got to the "promenade" I was tired. I'd been walking all morning, so I found a bench where I could take a breather. As I watched Hong Kong's water traffic plow by in front of the city’s skyline, I was approached by several other visitors to the city asking if they could have their picture taken with me. "Sure," I said, "as long as I can take your picture in return." An agreement was reached, and then we proceeded to snap away.
For some reason, Korean women seemed to be fascinated with my appearance. I must look like some ancient figure of good luck in Korean mythology, because I was constantly (maybe 10 times) asked if they could take a "good luck" picture with me.
Rested, I got up and strolled to the eastern end of the promenade, where I found the Big Bus shills pushing tickets for the Kowloon tour. The next bus didn't leave for another 20 minutes, so I walked over to Starbucks and got a hot chocolate and a cinnamon danish for HKD 46/$5.92 U.S. I was cold and this helped warm me a little. Just before 1 p.m. I paid the HKD 180 and boarded the bus. It felt a little like the Arctic as the bus pulled away from the curb and into traffic.
The tour takes about an hour and a half, but there's nothing really spectacular to see. I did find that the Temple Street Night Market was within walking distance of my hotel, so that was one good piece of information I gained from the tour. Other than that, not much — so I don't recommend this branch of the tour.
By the time we got back, I was frozen and in need of something hot in my stomach. I found that spaghetti is a popular meal in Hong Kong, and that there is a chain of spaghetti restaurants scattered throughout the city. I located one on the way back to the hotel and experienced their fare. I was back in the hotel at 4:30 and took a nap for an hour.
Hong Kong is famous for its custom-made suits, and even though it's not as cheap as it used to be, I was going to take a chance and have one made. I had the address of two "Bespoken" (made from scratch) tailors. I hadn't owned a suit for over 30 years, so I thought it was time to take the plunge.
I had done some research online, and I selected both Sam's Tailor and Raja Fashions to evaluate this evening.
Sam's Tailor is located on the ground floor at 90-94C Nathan Road. It took me a little while to find the place because it’s not right on the street. You have to enter the Burlington Arcade and go down a hallway till you are able to spot the place. It has a couple of windows filled with mannequin torsos wearing plaid jackets and a bunch of framed photos of celebrities (Presidents Bush, both George and George W, Bill Clinton, travel personality Samantha Brown, thespian Kevin Spacey, etc.) all being fitted by Sam. I'd read a couple of reviews, and the feeling was if you weren't famous you didn't get first-class treatment. I spoke with a representative and said I was out interviewing a few tailors this evening and that I would make my choice later.
Raja Fashions, at 34-C Cameron Road, was a little more flashy, with a neon sign out front that was almost as big as the whole place. I spoke with a salesperson named Andy Zaiq, and he assured me that they could fit a man with my odd proportions. We chatted about fabrics and styles for a while, then I left trying to decide which tailor to go with.
I walked around for another half-hour looking for something to shoot and got back to the hotel at 7:45. I'd stopped at the 7-11 across from the hotel and picked up some Diet Cokes, yogurt drinks, small breakfast cakes, and a few bags of BBQ chips.
I put my purchases into the room's mini, then started charging the camera batteries and transferring the pictures to my laptop. I finished at 10:15, locked up, and jumped into bed to make a few notes on the day's activities, then switched off the lights and tried to sleep.
