About this blog

Hello, my name is Sam Lever and I am 19 and currently on a placement working as a model for Mission Model Management in Hong Kong. The placement is for 2/3 months and during this time I thought it would be a good idea to capture my experiences and stories in this blog, and to also comment on my perspective of the place. I have always been fascinated by the similarities and differences of different cultures and I think the region of Hong Kong is especially interesting because of the mix of traditional chinese heritage and European colonial history that has shaped such an intriguing region. I am also interested in the issue of how Hong Kong copes with a population density of over 18000 people per square mile and the strains that this puts on services such as transport. Finally I want to see how this region has adapted from under capitalist colonial rule to communist rule and whether the change has made any noticeable difference. I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it.

Thursday, 15 August 2013

Tsim Sha Tsui

Tsim Sha Tsui in South-west Kowloon, better known as TST, is referred to as the centre of Hong Kong by locals. Partly for its geographical positioning as a peninsula jutting out into Victoria harbour but also because it has become a very popular tourist location for shopping, celebrity-spotting, sightseeing and gazing at the  incredible view of Hong Kong Island.
A beautiful gleaming city upon clear blue sea
I've been a few times just to witness the view in different weather, its fascinating how different a city can look. From a sparkling paradise to a gloomy depressing grey mess, Hong Kong can change in a matter of a few hours.

Same view but much more intimidating and threatening
TST is a hive of designer shops and fine dining restaurants designed to attract the many millionaires and celebrities in Hong Kong. On the right is the 1881 shopping area, a centre of opulence and extravagance .



 In an attempt to make Tsim Sha Tsui the 'Hollywood' of Asia they have created the 'Avenue of Stars': a long walkway of all Hong Kong's movie stars. Obviously Hong Kong is copying Hollywood almost exactly here but the Avenue did suprise me by boasting some well known names such as Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li. But I think this Avenue is a prime example of how desperate Hong Kong is to be as non-Chinese as possible by creating something as Western and Americanized as  this Avenue of Stars.

 The penisula hotel, the most expensive hotel in Hong Kong and a prime location for celebrity spotting. Yet another symbol of opulence in Tsim Sha Tsui.





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