Hong Kong Clock Tower

Garden of Stars or Avenue of Stars?….Just the same, as Long as There’s Bruce Lee.

26 November 2019travelingpersecond

Early morning around 8 o’clock, I began to descend Chungking Mansions Building where I stayed for 3 days in Hong Kong. Hong Kong was crazy, I couldn’t see the morning sun because it was so tightly with skyscrapers. Streets were also full of people who passing by with their respective activities…..Very tight.

Nathan Road became a road name which I was most familiar with because I always passed it every morning, afternoon and night while in Hong Kong. That morning….Yes, Nathan Road again…. I turned left toward Salisbury Road. While looking at roadside shops, I hope to find a minimart soon to buy a cheap breakfast. Crazy indeed….Hong Kong transportation can be cheap, but food and hotel are expensive.

T-junction of Nathan Road and Salisbury Road.

Then arrived at T-junction of Middle Road and Salisbury Road, I found 7-Eleven minimart. Yes, that morning I ate a slice of Ham & Egg Sandwiches at a price of USD 1,40. Simply heated in a microwave, I could quickly enjoy it. It was just strange, cashier didn’t want to accept my HKD 100 paper money, she said it was old money….What?

Standing at the end of road while enjoying my smoky sandwiches, my chewing was interrupted by presence of a Japanese wanderer who was a little difficult to speak English and with his gadget showing a picture of an orange building with a wall clock on it. Oh that’s Hong Kong Clock Tower, I immediately understood…..I was clever right, Hahaha.

Me: “Do you want go there?”.

He: “Yes….Yes…”, Nodding and smiling.

Me: “Do you have a map?”.

He: “What…What…”, He didn’t understand.

Me: “Wait….Just wait”….I put my food on a sidewalk bench, I lowered my bag from my back, then I took a map which is a loyal tool for my trip. I knew that clock tower is located near Star Ferry Pier, maybe he wanted to cross towards Hong Kong Island. Yes, I found its location in map and then I put my compass on it….Okay, I knew

Me: “Hi Buddy, you just go through that road…You must across that road towards left side….Just walking straight for about 1 km. You will find it in the left side….Okay”…..I explained while pointing my fingers here and there because he didn’t understand English.

He: “Okay…okay, thank you very much”.

Me: “Arigatou Gozaimasu…..”. while bowing

He: “Oh…Oh, yea “, He smiled broadly and leaned forward. It seems like he is honored.

Finished in eating sandwiches, I immediately continued my journey along Salisbury Road….Opposite direction to a Japanese who ask to me earlier. Within 5 minutes, I arrived at a tunnel court with would direct me to Garden of Stars. Free…. no needed to spend money to entering this destination. Entering Garden of Stars Time Tunnel, I was treated to Hong Kong city stories from ancient era until now. Wow, the picture stories displayed along tunnel wall leave me stunned by the rapid development of Hong Kong….Cool.

Out of tunnel then I arrived in the vast Garden of Stars. Wahhhh…. those famous statues. The statue was being moved from its original place namely Avenue of Stars on a side of Victoria Harbor due to a renovation project.

Actually amused too, photos with that statues…. Hahaha. My far away journey just to took a photo with statues in Hong Kong….Wow.

Here were some Garden of Stars captures:

Mc Dull sculpture….the pig cartoon figure.

Besides statues, I also found Star Handprint Plaques. Trying to touch Michelle Yeoh’s handprint …. Oh God, how cute is her hand ….I really like it.

At the end of park, I could find statues which depicting film activities in Hong Kong.

Garden of Stars itself offers a breathtaking view of Victoria Harbor. Didn’t want to leave its charm, I decided to enjoy a cup of coffee and sit facing Victoria Harbor to enjoy the beauty of Hong Kong on that morning.

How cool was my trip.…

Star Ferry towards The Hong Kong Observation Wheel

14 November 201915 November 2019travelingpersecond

Dark clouds and fog which never thinned in that morning made the air wasn’t quickly warm. Be fidgety of coming rain which could flush Hong Kong any time and of course could cancel my crazy plans on second day.

The last shot at Garden of Stars before leaving it.

Walk through along Salisbury Road which is full of skyscraper building projects.

Continuing to saw compass needle direction in right hand and a map in left hand, I continued to find Star Ferry Pier which I knew iw was in left side of my steps.

There are so many double deckers in Hong Kong. In Jakarta at that time there were only 10 units.

Yess, I saw a orange clock tower. That is Hong Kong Clock Tower which is a marker for existence of Star Ferry Pier. I immediately turned left away from busy Salisbury Road.

It was cool…. look like some clock towers in Europe.

Star Ferry Pier gate was visible in front.

Let’s go to that building! Wow, beautiful scenery awaits behind him.

That green-white ship is Star Ferry which is referred to in this article.

You just needed to tap your Octopus Card for entering waiting room in Star Ferry Pier. Ferry fare is USD 0,4 and it would take me to Central Ferry Pier on other side with a distance about 1 km and within 12 minutes.

No need to long waiting, a ferry came and entered me into it.

“Star Cruises” cruise ship….When do you board into a cruise ship?

12 minutes later, I arrived at Central Ferry Pier on Hong Kong Island.

The Hong Kong Observation Wheel is a destination outside of my itinerary. The shape is interesting, like Singapore Flyer or London Eye (Ups….hahaha) which makes me reluctant to miss it.

Meanwhile, AIA Vitality Park below it was very crowded by Hong Kong residents on that Friday. Maybe, because they were getting ready to welcome a coming weekend. Young families with their “young children were very happy in playing in a park which was turned into a game and some drinks and food stalls around it.

Oh, beauty of Hong Kong.

Garden of Stars atau Avenue of Stars?….Ah Sama Aja, Asal Ada Bruce Lee.

20 October 2019travelingpersecond

Pagi-pagi sekitar jam 8, aku mulai menuruni lantai Chungking Mansions Building yang menjadi tempat menginapku selama 3 hari di Hong Kong. Hong Kong memang gila, aku tak bisa melihat matahari pagi karena begitu rapatnya jajaran para pencakar langit itu. Jalanan juga penuh dengan warga yang lalu lalang dengan aktivitasnya masing-masing…..Puadettt bangeeettttt. Ingat dulu Hong Kong kena virus SARS?….Pantes lah, padat dan ga kena matahari. (Yeeee sok tahu lo Don, emang itu penyebabnya….Ngawur ih).

Nathan Road menjadi nama jalan yang paling kukenal karena selalu kulalui setiap pagi, siang dan malam selama di Hong Kong. Pagi itu….ya, Nathan Road lagi….Aku berbelok kekiri menuju Salisbury Road. Sambil melihat di pertokoan pinggir jalan, Aku berharap segera menemukan minimart untuk mencari sarapan murah. Gile emang….Transportasi Hong Kong boleh murah, tapi makan dan hotelnya gelo ratenya.

Pertigaan Nathan Road dan Salisbury Road.

Kemudian tiba tepat dipertigaan Middle Road dan Salisbury Road, aku menemukan 7-Eleven minimart. Yes, pagi itu aku memakan sekerat Ham & Egg Sandwiches dengan harga Rp. 19.000. Cukup dipanaskan di microwave, aku bisa dengan cepat menikmatinya. Hanya saja aneh, si kasir tak mau menerima lembaran 100 dolarku, Katanya itu uang lama….Waduh, ya mana guwe tahu kan nukernya di bilangan Blok M Jakarta. Lega, beberapa lembar 100 Dolar lamaku itu masih laku untuk top up Octopus Card di stasiun MTR.

Berdiri di ujung jalan sambil menikmati sandwichesku yang masih berasap, Kunyahanku diinterupsi dengan kehadiran seorang pengembara Jepang yang sedikit susah berbahasa Inggris dan dengan gadgetnya menunjukkan gambar bangunan berwarna orange dengan jam dinding di atasnya. Oh itu kan Hong Kong Clock Tower, Aku langsung faham….Cerdas kan guwe, siapa dulu donk….Donny!.

Aku: “Do you want go there?”.

Dia: “Yes….Yes…”, Ngangguk-ngangguk dan senyum.

Aku: “Do you have a map?”.

Dia: “What…What…”, Kayaknya ga faham.

Aku: “Wait….Just wait”….Kutaruh santapanku di bangku trotoar, kuturunkan tas dari punggungku, lalu kurogoh selembar peta yang merupakan teman setia perjalananku. Aku tahu itu adalah jam yang terletak di Star Ferry Pier, Mungkin dia mau menyeberang ke Hong Kong Island. Yes, kutemukan titiknya dan kutaruh kompas di atas mapku…..Okay, I know

Aku: “Hi Buddy, you just go through that road…You must across that road towards left side….Just walking straight for about 1 km. You will find it in the left side….Okay”…..Guwe jelasin sambil menunjukkan jari kesana kemari karena dia tak faham English kayaknya

Dia: “Okay…okay, thank you very much”.

Aku: “Arigatou Gozaimasu…..”. sambil membungkukkan badan

Dia: “Oh…Oh, yea “, Dia tersenyum lebar dan ikut membungkukkan badan. Sepertinya dia merasa tersanjung.

Selesai meyantap sandwiches, Aku segera melanjutkan perjalanan ku menyusuri Salisbury Road.….arah yang berlawanan dengan si Jepang tadi. Dalam 5 menit, Aku tiba di pelataran sebuah tunnel yang akan mengarahkanku ke Garden of Stars. Free….tak perlu mengeluarkan uang memasuki destinasi ini. Memasuki Garden of Stars Time Tunnel, Aku disuguhi cerita-cerita perjalanan kota Hong Kong dari zaman dahulu hingga sekarang. Wah, cerita bergambar yang dipajang di sepanjang dinding terowongan itu membuatku terpana akan pesatnya perkembangan Hong Kong….Keren.

Keluar dari terowongan maka tibalah Aku di luasnya Garden of Stars. Wahhhh….itu patung-patung terkenal itu. Patung itu sedang dipindahkan dari tempat asalnya yaitu Avenue of Stars di pinggiran Victoria Harbour karena proyek renovasi.

Sebetulnya geli juga sih, foto-foto bersama patung-patung itu….Hahaha. Jauh-jauh cuma foto sama patung….Wkwkwk.

Nih dia beberapa jepretan di Garden of Stars:

Sculpture Mc Dull….si tokoh babi kartun.

Selain patung, Aku juga menemukan Star Handprint Plaques. Mencoba menyentuh handprint milik Michelle Yeoh….Ya Allah, imut banget sih tangannya….Keciiiilll mungilll bangett.

Di ujung taman baru terlihat patung-patung yang menggambarkan kegiatan perfilman di Hong Kong.

Garden of Stars sendiri menyuguhkan pemandangan Victoria Harbour yang sangat mempesona. Tak mau meninggalkan pesona itu, kuputuskan untuk menikmati secangkir kopi dan duduk menghadap Victoria Harbour untuk menikmati indahnya Hong Kong di pagi itu.

Keren kan perjalananku……..

Star Ferry menuju The Hong Kong Observation Wheel

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Awan gelap dan kabut yang tak kunjung menipis di pagi itu membuat udara juga tak lekas pula menghangat. Was-was terhadap datangnya hujan yang bisa kapan saja mengguyur Hong Kong dan tentu bisa mengancam rencana gilaku di hari kedua.

Jepretan terakhir di Garden of Stars sebelum meninggalkannya.

Menyusuri Salisbury Road yang penuh dengan proyek pembangunan gedung bertingkat.

Terus melihat arah jarum kompas di tangan kanan dan map di tangan kiri, Aku terus melangkah untuk menemukan Star Ferry Pier yang Kutahu letaknya berada di sisi kiri arah jalanku.

Di Hong Kong banyak banget *double decker* kek gitu. Di Jakarta kala itu baru ada 10 biji.

Yess, Aku melihat menara jam warna orange. Itu adalah Hong Kong Clock Tower yang merupakan penanda bagi keberadaan Star Ferry Pier. Aku segera berbelok kekiri menjauhi sibuknya Salisbury Road.

Keren yo, Hong Kong Clock Tower itu….macam di Eropa.

Gerbang Star Ferry Pier sudah terlihat di depan.

Masuk yuk ke bangunan itu !. Wah pemandangan indah menanti di belakangnya.

Kapal hijau-putih itulah Star Ferry yang dimaksud dalam tulisan ini.

Hanya perlu men-tap Octopus Card yang kumiliki untuk memasuki raung tunggu Star Ferry Pier. Tarif ferry seharga Rp. 4.500 akan mengantarkanku menuju Central Ferry Pier di sisi seberang dengan jarak 1 km dan dalam waktu tempuh 12 menit.

Tak perlu menunggu lama, ferry pun datang dan masuklah Aku ke dalamnya.

Kapal pesiar Star Cruises….Kapan ya naik kapal pesiar?

12 menit kemudian, sampailah Aku di Central Ferry Pier di Hong Kong Island.

The Hong Kong Observation Wheel adalah destinasi di luar itineraryku. Bentuknya yang menarik mirip Singapore Flyer atau London Eye (Halah…maksain) membuatku enggan melewatkan wahanan ini.

Sementara AIA Vitality Park di bawahnya sangat ramai dikunjungi warga Hong Kong pada Jum’at itu. Mungkin karena mereka bersiap menyambut datangnya weekend. Keluarga muda bersama anak-anaknya yang masih kecil terlihat asyik bermain di taman yang di sulap menjadi wahana permainan dan beberapa beverages and food stall di sekitarnya.

Oh indahnya Hong Kong.