Tuesday, 30 September 2014

The tall white building on the left hand side is the PLA building in Hongkong.  PLA = People's Liberation Army.  The mainland Chinese government is very careful to hide any military staff in Hongkong.  I say this with respect, not to hint about a conspiracy.  You never, never see military here, even deep in the countryside near old British army bases.  The troops that do exist, if any, are hidden away.  If there was a large contingent, I am sure the local (free) media would have exposed them by now.

This building was built by the British long ago, but was recently restored to add the nice lights at night.  I can peer down into the complex from my office -- 51st floor.  There is nothing that appears military about it, and there is a beautiful swimming pool.

The PLA building is just to the left of this photograph.  You can see a supply station under the tent, offering water and snacks.  The glassy building in the center is a new city government building, next to the parliment building.

I got very lucky with nightime exposure on this photograph.  The overpass is brand new in Hongkong and links the parliment building with the metro station on the other side of the expressway.  The cranes in the background are building a new metro station to connect Kowloon and Hongkong Island (across Victoria Harbour).

Another good one, panned slight to the right.

Nice landscape shot.

"Mian bao" -- buns (or snacks).

In the belly of the protest, students appear relaxed and calm.  There is no disorder, no arguing, or yelling.  Periodically, someone will grab a megaphone and shout some slogans.  The crowd cheers back.

香港加油 -- Gas up Hongkong, or Hongkong refuelling.  The first two characters are "hongkong" and the last two are normally sign on the side of a petrol station.  If you look carefully at the earlier photos, you will see a giant version of these characters on a hanging banner from the main expressway overpass.  It is my favourite slogan thus far.

At the end of the protest is Causeway Bay, a famous shopping district.  On the weekends, there are usually so many tourists from mainland China that you hear much more spoken Mandarin than Cantonese.  The center of it all is a giant mall in the brand new Hysan Place building and Sogo, a former Japanese department store.

Again and again, notice how orderly are the protesters.  This may be the most quiet and orderly I have ever seen Hongkong in my four years here.

These are the demands of the protesters.  I can only read bits and pieces.  This paper was taped to the side of an advert billboard at a rain shelter / bus stop.