HOLLYWOOD ROAD

Hollywood Road (荷李活道) in Hong Kong is one of those places where all the visitors end up at some point. From the intersection of Aberdeen Street (鴨巴甸街) to Shing Wong Street (城皇街) it is rather shady - there's a steep embankment on your left for a large part of the way, and the street itself is rather narrow. A row of trees grows above the stone supporting wall facing the steps of Shin Hing Street (善慶街), which also has trees (down the centre), as well as shrubs and potted plants below at Gough (歌賦街).

[If you're peckish, you could go down to Kau Kee for some noodle stew - they're right on the corner of Gough Street and An Wo Lane (安和里), which descends steeply into the artiest part of HK. Kau Kee Ngau Naam (九記牛腩) is famous for beef brisket in broth (清湯牛腩) - but really, you could save them for later and stay on Hollywood Road.]

It's remarkable how leafy this part of HK is, given that this has long been one of the most densely populated parts of the island. This was where the 1894 plague epidemic started - over the next three decades more than twenty thousand people died. Crowded conditions were a major factor in the spread of the disease.


TEMPLE AND ANTIQUE DISTRICT

Once you get past the embankment there will be some shops on the left hand side, such as Chak's Co. Ltd. (永寶齋有限公司) and Jade House (中易公司), next to where Shing Wong Street changes from a vehicle-passable road downhill on the right to a very narrow walkway going up between the buildings on the left. Hollywood Street itself widens out slightly, and beyond some modern apartment buildings and offices, you will come to a old-era temple complex on the route of every tour-bus: The Man Mo Temple (文武廟) is at 124-126 Hollywood Road, right at the corner of Ladder Street (樓梯街). Immediately adjacent (and attached) is the Lit Shing Temple (列聖宫).

The Man Mo and Lit Shing complex is probably one of the more photographed sites on the tourist itinerary.
It dates from 1847, and is on the list of Hong Kong landmarks. The buildings have handsome blue-green tile roofs in the southern style.

[One of the ceremonial halls contains a statue of my ex-girlfriend's famous ancestor (and if you're Chinese, you can probably figure out her surname now, but let's continue to keep it secret), so really, you should go in just to be properly respectful.]

The multi-storeyed grammar school next door is considerably more modern, and like a number of other buildings nearby, not nearly so picturesque.

It is easy for the strolling visitor to get lost in this part of the city. If you turn left onto Ladder Street, halfway up the block at the junction of Square Street (四方街), it changes from car-accessible roadway to stairs. If you continue around the bend onto Square Street, you should know that it will make a left turn and go up hill to Bridges Street (必列者士街), Kui In Fong (居賢坊), Tai Ping Shan (太平山街). Blake Garden (卜公花園) is a little further up, past the stairs.
If you want to return to Hollywood Road, go right on Tai Ping Shan Street and make another right at East Street (Tung Street: 東街) or West Street (Sai Street: 西街), which are narrow lanes that go downhill back to Hollywood Road.
Both of these streets, like so many streets and alleys that go up the slope, become steeply stepped at some point. It's one of the signal characteristics of Hong Kong.

The area on Hollywood Road from Ladder Street down to West Street is largely antique stores, furniture, and curio shops.

Past Lok Ku Road (樂古道) the local shops become a bit more working class.

If you REALLY wanted to browse antiques and expensive crap until you dropped, it would be best to turn right and head down hill on Lok Ku. On the ground floor of Tung Sing House (東昇樓 at 18 Lok Ku Road (on your right hand side) there are art/antique galleries, and across East Street, more galleries. And further on, yet more. Down the hill, even more again.

But on the other hand, past Shell GAS, where Hollywood Road bends left, there's a restaurant.....
荔城茶餐廳. It's right near the Blake Garden Athletic Association.
You've ALWAYS wanted to follow a sweaty workout with a selection of dim sum, didn't you?

* * * * *

It's late afternoon in San Francisco now, early evening. I've been at the office for several hours. Perhaps I should stop at Stockton Street on my way home and pick up some food for my apartment-mate (the afore-mentioned ex-girlfriend; we broke up, but we stayed in the same building, there is no enmity). As always, she's scheduled far too much for a Sunday, and I doubt that she's had a chance to eat yet.
I am hungry too.
Roast Duck, I think.
I'm glad it has stopped raining.


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