Waiting for shops to open

Rousing from my sleep misty-eyed, I gauged the blinds to ascertain the brightness that was cutting through them and subsequently gathered confirmation that the radiance was not from effulgence of neon lamps Nathan Road is known for. It was daylight indeed, but subdued and dull. Half past eight morning of Tuesday was yet another dreary day to rise out of bed. For being an extremely indigenous tropical mammal, temperatures hovering below 20°C already send me shivers. It was cold inside the room and surely colder on the streets outside, with air now weighing heavily from showers of an overcast.

The return appointment with the Philippine Consulate in Admiralty had been previously arranged at four in the afternoon, the day I first set foot on that very crowded United Centre building office. Rising and struggling from slumber, I pondered from one of the lucid chambers of my half-awake brain about this seven-hour stretch, all at my disposal to squander in that all-too-familiar electronic district called Sham Shui Po.  For an obsessive-compulsive gear geek, the thought of nirvana was excellent motivation to inch my way towards the shower as the cold of the winter solstice seeped through my arching spine.

I was out of the room half an hour later, heading for the lift that surprisingly sounded a ding just in time, not bothering to make me wait a minute longer. Getting whisked downstairs without stopping on floors, I took off to the street for breakfast at the nearest branch of Cafe de Coral.  The surge of cold air blowing from the harbour amid very fine drops of precipitation all the more made me step in haste for that very much sought-after hot meal. Despite the very short walk, the elements made me chilling soaked-wet. Stepping in eagerness, I cheerfully welcomed the warmth offered by halogens that strongly enlivened and illuminated the building entrance lobby.

The undisputed market leader, Cafe de Coral serves over 300,000 meals a day in Hong Kong and boasts of being the world's largest Chinese restaurant chain. Together with Fairwood, its closest rival, and a third competitor Maxim's, it was convenience and speed of service of these contending food-chains that make them popular among locals always on the go. Unlike the usual "fast-food" chains, these three rivals serve REAL MEALS, with the exception of Maxim's that also specialize in counter cakes usually found at the concourse of MTR stations.  Add to that, the franchise-holder of Starbucks in the region.

When in Hong Kong, noodles become daily fare for breakfast by choice. The wheat-based, steaming bowl of noodles I had was an excellent complement for the weather condition at hand.

Finding my way out towards Exit D2 of Sham Shui Po MTR station was a drag because the trip from Tsim Sha Tsui, passing 4 stations northbound and getting off on the fifth, was not too crowded and took less than 10 minutes.   Having acquired a great deal of affinity for the place since the early 90s, it did not come as a surprise at all that this section of the city looked deserted today, devoid of any discernible economic activity.  Nearly 10 AM, Golden Shopping Arcade, the bastion of electronics merchandise in the district, appeared eerie and desolate without a moving soul and the street view was reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic scene from Will Smith's movie, I Am Legend. The usual chaos here commence close to lunch on weekdays and a bit earlier on weekends. Perhaps, the slight drizzle made inactivity even worse as I peered through Fuk Wa street and saw that only McDonalds at the far end corner was open. 

Net-browsing on a 9.7-inch portable monitor to catch the latest news and sipping a cup of coffee or two to while away time in the comfort of McCafé seemed the only option left for being off the streets, keeping my photographic gears dry for the next hour or so.

Battling off lethargic inclinations under this weather was no longer a matter of contention, having started the day off earlier and fed on a hot provision.  But outdoor conditions were dishearteningly unconducive for street photography because of fear getting gears wet through walking for blocks under intermittent shower.  My heavy-set Nikon D2x can take the sprinkle, hands down, but not as much punishment I am willing to engage for the D200 or D7000.

Other than the planned visit to Golden Computer Plaza, I had intended to shoot old buildings that sparsely populated the community, like the 1932 Apartment on Yen Chow Street or the Tin Hau Temple on Yee Kuk Street.  But that option will have to see another day on another trip. Perhaps, summer of next year.  In a frenzy regime of demolish-construct that Hong Kong is known for, the diminishing number of old, decrepit structures become gems to behold. Snapping them frozen in photographs before they end in debris and dust eventually become priceless memoirs.

Seated at a corner nook on the second floor, my treasured spot offered a commanding view of the street below, feeding my sight with the transformation of a typical midday life in this part of the city. Storekeepers arrive gradually to unlock front doors and delivery vans appear on schedule to unload replenishment stocks. The usual hawkers briskly pitch their canvas, sort and arrange merchandise amidst the initial buzz of people who, just like me, come for a look-see saunter or negotiate for early bargains in the process. 

Popularly practiced in the peddling world, sidewalk vendors avoid haggling with their first customer of the day because of the belief that expected earnings for that day largely depend on the success of the first transaction. Hence, they oblige or easily succumb to the initial bid price of the prospective client.  But no, the practice is not strictly observed in Sham Shui Po, specially if a large price tag is indicated or placed on the merchandise. In that case, haggling takes form only when you purchase in bulk whereby the cliché "cheaper by the dozen" rules.  On another hand, it is unwise haggling too low a price - lest you be shooed away rudely by the peddler for ruining his day. He won't hold his disgust, I tell you.

Shopping in stores takes a different twist because prices are standard and deliberately fixed.  But again, quite differently altogether if goods are pre-owned (second-hand), like the Nikkor 200mm f2 lens I had been prospecting for months.  In this case, hard haggling rules!

I was out of McCafé by eleven as the streets slowly morphed into the kind of life it was meant to be: evolving from empty space into a huge outdoor marketplace and getting more crowded with each minute passing by.  Steamed and fried dim-sum at the other corner of Fuk Wa street was a sight and so are the brightly-lit stores to the left and right.  Pedestrians jostle among themselves with crates and merchandise on closed-to-traffic streets.  Once again, this place is alive without a trace of its precursor, post-apocalyptic I Am Legend scene that characterized it just over an hour ago.   

Goooood morning! Sham Shui Po! 

My other blogs:

Traditional Hong Kong Herbal Tea House
Caramoan: Island-Gems of Camarines Sur, Philippines
Where Is Josephine Bracken?