I got a request from a President of a corporation asking for visiting old homes of Hong Kong, if possible, would like to visit those lively scene that there are still people living around.
The first two thing comes to my mind was those museums and walled villages. The former, of course, was something for display only, should not meet the expectation, while the latter, as to my best understandings, most of them would not welcome outsiders though they were widely promoted by the Tourism Board. I had visited some of them in the past and I could still remember they put up a big sign telling that we should not disturb local residents. O, that would be a big problem coming.
To my surprise, I was advised by my best friend who lived in Sha Tin for long and suggested to have a look on the old walled village there. It was quite a convenient location but hidden behind the cycling trail, playground and modern village houses. I was extremely amazed for those old bricks, the grass stuck on, the wells, the granite pillars and cat-back lookout mansion, the gun holes, the memorial hall and the most important, the “people” living around. It was not as old as those 500 years old wall, but the whole ambiance was amazing and impressive, and the people were very nice to our “outsiders”. It was something good to chip in my future tours especially if clients would like to compare those new and old buildings in this modern city. Lovely.
