Adding some colour

The general lack of colour in Hong Kong is in some measure compensated by the brightly painted feeder ships, ferries and sampans cruising along the harbour. The bright orange, yellow, green and red reminds you instantly of Indian kitsch. Once I have more time, I am going to add here some more and better pictures to illustrate my point.





While there could be no hidden meaning behind the bright colours, apart from the instant attention they draw, I would like to believe they are somewhat symbolic of the hope and optimism that drove the fishing community, one of the earliest dwellers of Hong Kong. If you walk along the seafront in Shau Kei Wan, Aberdeen and I am sure many other areas, you can still see people living on boats. It must be a hard life for sure and would need lots of brightness and cheerfulness to survive (although I would not describe their dwellings, especially the ones I see in Shau Kei Wan, as colourful by any means). That spirit, I suppose, has somehow (maybe or maybe not) spread over to the maritime business as a whole.

My work desk next to a window gives me ample time to look at the sea all day. Since the office building is close to ship-repair yards and the typhoon shelter, I see all kinds of boats all day long. I especially look forward to catching the sight of Dung Ling or the dragon boat with red masts (I think that’s what they are called).