Look up and there is the Peak’s Bel-Air skyscraper, turn around left and there is an old Beach Defence Unit (Pillbox 006 and Lyon Light), turn around right and there is a small shrine of gods, look backwards and there is a container ship passing a small motor-less fishing boat. Hong Kong in one breath; Snippets of nature neighbouring with sky-high development, modern life peppered with wartime history and intertwined with old traditions, grand ambitions sailing alongside reminders of its humble fishing village origins.
The locals have created their own open air swimming pool on the coast. Minimalist design and minimal maintenance costs. Steps and handrail enables easy access in and out of the South China Sea, a covered 3-walled enclosure with a freshwater hole provides a scenic one person changing and shower area.
And as for the swimming clubhouse, it has a coastline garden filled with never-ending statues watching over those taking a dip.
As the number of tourists increase to China, both of local Chinese and international visitors, more and more Chinese ancient villages are turning into theme-park-like attractions. As hard as you might try, it is impossible to ignore the streams of large coaches delivering the snap-happy masses. Chattering incessantly over their guide’s handheld booming loudspeaker, they follow their chaperone’s tour flag through reconstructed streets designed to sell them as much as possible, regardless of whether it was produced locally or not. Wandering far and deep, you may be able to find snippets of authentic visual delights, the camera editing out the noise and cropping out the construction.
True, tourism is bringing economic gains to these areas, but perhaps development should be planned with more sensitivity to the soul of the villages and the villagers. The sad thing is, for most of these places, it is too late. The remaining gems of what gives these places character already caught in the tide of change.
Karma is the great-great-great-grandma of toddler granddaughter of Zigdo.
Mrs. Zigdo (left) looks after 5 generations under her roof. Non-stop from the early hours till late at night, it becomes obvious how important it was for AmdoCraft to understand their lifestyle and provide a work structure that she is able to do amongst all her household chores. Perhaps here is a lesson that Hong Kong work places can learn from, where the creation of more flexible work systems for mothers (or fathers) mean that their children can be brought up by their families rather than their maids.
