MIDDLEBURGH

Flat with a View

On New Years Day, I realised that I haven't posted here since the Rugby 7's. Well, it was a busy year... although, in retospect, only a few things stand out.

• Jamie starting at the International Montessori in January
• The Policemen's Wedding in February
• Eyjafjallajökull in April/May
• Weekend mornings spent on various HK beaches during the summer
• Sarah starting college in October (and committed to visit HK)
• Moving home mid October
• Patrick and the SHITOBED

They may even be the subject of future posts but for now I feel the need for some moving words ..

When I was younger most people only moved within a 10 mile radius. Here in Hong Kong that would be considered positively adventurous. Moving floors within an apartment block or changing block within an estate is far more likely. In fact I have now lived in 5 flats in 4 blocks on same estate.

At weekends an entire subcuture manifests itself on an estate like ours; Swathy gentlemen of various ethnicities, armed with door wedges, many sporting (triad) tattoos hijack lifts like pirates swooping on passing ships; These they fill with chattels, carrying them off to their trucks in the cavernous carparks beneath the estate. Their booty is then sprited through this underworld from one block to another.

Existing residents are confronted when lift door open with sofa's; fridge freezer, boxes and movers in transit. Few accept the challenge of trying to board the lifts and those that do invariably trigger the overload alarm. If however they succeed in getting passage, when they disembark they are likely to step out into a godown unloading bay where the crew unpack and cache their prizes in the new home

Meanwhile at ground level families trudge back and forth between the blocks like like displaced persons moving between refugee camps, carrying cherished goods either too precious to entrust to the movers or simply not packed in time.

It's impossible not to look at the contents of passing boxes and wonder at their owners' lifestyles and choices nor is it possible when you realise that you keep passing the same people moving into your old block from your new block, to ask yourself why they are moving and do the know something you don't ?? Perhaps the absence of lizards?(and the answer was Larry Lizard and family - you are sorely missed!!)

Any way now that I got that out of my system back to the view: In truth although we could see the sea from our previous flat it was only a slice between appartment blocks opposite, Now not only are we 11 floors higher but we have an uninterrupted south/south easterly view from 4 rooms (110 degrees) of the East Lamma Channel

My first reaction was to set up a webcam. I was verydissapointed to discover, after testing 4 webcams, 3 normal cameras and various software that because of the prevailing light conditions in particuar the glare off of the sea at this time of year and the ubiquitous Hong Kong haze it was a challenge . So you will have to make do with some stills and a link to a washed out video.

Posted at 1/06/2011 10:38:00 am by David Middleburgh   Permalink

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