I suppose a few things changed in 32 years

   This is the entrance to where I used to live, just underneath the Ace sign. Back then, this was a nice little neighbourhood of upper-middle-class families, and I do not recall a business set right in the façade of the building. While there were businesses along here, it was more residential. Let’s look across the road: In 1976, this was a building site. So, the building has been completed? You might ask. Yes, but since 1976 that new building has been torn down and other ones put up in its place. There were a bunch of same-again apartment blocks on this side of Victory Avenue, and it’s interesting to note that they are all gone.
   On my first visit back I noticed that despite this huge change, the character of the neighbourhood remained the same. In a way, it still is. Even communists dominating the Legislative Council have not changed the essential character of Kowloon and the Hong Kong people.

   This is inside the apartment block. It’s pretty much identical, though it was cleaner in 1976. There’s a locked gate  right after this flight of stairs. I told my father that I was surprised at this but he assures me that the gate was there back then. I guess when you are a kid and your responsibilities did not include locking and unlocking the gate, you don’t commit its existence into your long-term memory.

On the corner of the street (other side of the road again): I could have sworn this was where the Fiat dealership used to be. If not this block, then one block down. In any case, Fiat is not as strong in Hong Kong today as it was then, though I did see a black 500 cruising around.    Heading northeast down Waterloo Road, the main drag, which was the route I would have taken to get to kindergarten. The butcher is gone, as my grandmother used to shop there.

   I still remember some of these intersections. Just that my vantage point was several feet below this.

   The kindergarten is gone. Man Kee Mansion is still there, just as it was—but Man Kee Kindergarten is history. It used to be around here, but I could not even locate the old driveway. It must have been totally levelled to build some of the new buildings.    There are still plenty of model car shops, but once upon a time, I am pretty sure they sold cheaper fare. Those little Playart miniatures used to be available around this area. While this won’t be the exact location of that store, it is very close.
   One negative thing I will say is that the pollution was terrible. Far, far worse than my walks around New Delhi. That was one change that was not welcome over the last 32 years, and even the locals said it had got to a low point.
   To conclude, a shot of airport food. I ate at Food Junction, a take-out place, when heading to New Delhi; flying back it was Maxim’s, my customary yum char spot. You can’t beat Hong Kong yum char, and even so-called cheap airport stuff is better than what you can find at the best Chinese restaurants in New Zealand. It was great to relish food that didn’t taste like warmed-up leftovers, which is the best expats can rustle up while eating out in Enzed.
   Best moment: asking a lady where the old 大大 stores were. Her reply: ‘You must have been away for a long time. That place closed decades ago. You must have been away for a long time!’ All in Cantonese, of course. But at least she picked up that I was local, as many did. Some didn’t, speaking Mandarin to me (do I look like a northerner?).
   Overall, it was still very easy to fit back in, but one sad thing to note was that I would not choose to live back there now. Even two years ago, visiting when it was less polluted, I entertained the possibility. Not any more, not with the environment the way it is. I’ve gotten too used to the good life.