St John's Cathedral 聖約翰座堂

It was the second time I sketched this handsome building.  Hidden behind Cheung Kong Park in Central, St John's Cathedral was the first Anglican church built in Hong Kong. The site of St. John's Cathedral is the only freehold land in Hong Kong which was given to the Anglican church permanently.

座落於長江公園後，聖約翰座堂於1847年奠基，1849年落成及祝聖，為香港最古老的西式教會建築物，亦係本港唯一一片以永久業權形式持有的土地（Freehold）。

Jamia Mosque 些利街清真寺

The mosque was built in 1890 and was further expanded in 1915. It is the oldest mosque built in Hong Kong.  

些利街清真寺建於1890年，1915年再度擴建，此寺係香港現全最歷史悠久嘅清真寺。

Songbirds at Mong Kok Bird Market 園圃街雀鳥公園的畫眉

Common songbirds at the Mong Kok Bird Market.

園圃街雀鳥公園的畫眉。

Blue Macaw at the Mong Kok Bird Market 園圃街雀鳥公園的金鋼纓鵡

A star in the Mong Kok Bird Market!  This blue macaw is one and a half years old.  It was very friendly and loved to play.

金鋼纓鵡名星！一歲半大，好鍾意同人玩。

Hong Kong Cemetery, a Place Frozen in Time 香港墳場凝固時空

A quiet time at the Hong Kong Cemetery!   The cemetery is one of the earliest Protestant cemetery in colonial Hong Kong.  As most of urban Hong Kong is under constant redevelopment, the cemetery is like a piece of land frozen in time in the heart of the city.  Old, some tilted to one side, some covered with moss, some well concealed by huge trees, the graves tell many stories of Hong Kong, civilians of different ethnicity,  soldiers who died in the two World Wars, notable missionaries, famous merchants, Freemasons and a nameless grave to a revolutionary assassinated by a spy from Qing Dynasty, so much history lies quietly in such a small piece of land.  

鬧市一角，香港墳場凝固時空。長眠於此，中外人士，有平民、有商家、越洋而來嘅傳教士、一戰二戰陣亡嘅軍人、共濟會成員、重有死於清特務手下嘅楊衢雲。

Save Our Country Parks 保衛郊野公園

I went hiking and sketching today in Sai Kung Country Park to support "Save Our Country Park" Alliance.  The aim of the alliance is to protect every inch of our precious nature reserve within the many country parks in Hong Kong.

The pro-China Hong Kong government (a government which is not elected by the people of Hong Kong but appointed by Beijing, China) is proposing to develop our parks into new towns as it is estimated the population will continue to rise in our 7 million people city-state despite the fact that birth rate has always been low.  Since the handover from Britain to China in 1997, Hong Kong has gained almost 1 million of population due to the unregulated inflow of immigrants from China.  The pro-China Hong Kong government simply does not exercise its right to screen people from China, a right that is enshrined in Hong Kong's constitution, the Basic Law.  

Immigrants from China must be screened and our precious country parks must not be touched!  

今日嚮應「保衛郊野公園」行動，前往西貢郊野公園速寫。

非民選，親共的香港政府以人口增加及土地不足為由，欲發展香港珍貴的郊野公園，破壞香港郊野生態，企圖奪去香港人淨化心靈之所並以大量外來人口糢糊香港人身份。 香港本土出生率一向穩定，不足令人口大幅增加。香港政府從來無行駛香港憲法「基本法」內有關新移民審批權。結果九七至今，香港人口增加近一百萬。

郊野公園必須保護，同時香港必須取回新移民審批權，嚴格審批由中國入境的新移民。

Dundas Street Tenement Building 登打士街舊唐樓

This old four-storey tenement building has always caught my eyes!  Since the weather is cooler now in the later afternoon, I sat down in a small pocket park opposite this building and sketched till 

evening.

這四層高舊唐樓位於登打士街。想畫多時，趁天氣涼，便係唐樓對面公園仔坐底速寫。

Hong Kong Classic Car Show 2015 香港老爺車展 2015: Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

The last sketch from the Hong Kong Classic Car Show 2015!  A classy 1974 Rolls Royce!  The historic building, the Court of Final Appeal, made good background to go with this classic car!

係老爺車展畫嘅最後一張速寫! 1974年出廠嘅勞斯萊斯同背後嘅終審法院好襯！

1974
Rolls Royce
Silver Shadow
Engine Capacity: 6750 cc
Top Speed: 115 mph

Hong Kong Classic Car Show 2015 香港老爺車展 2015: Ford 48 730 De Luxe Fordor Sedan

Here comes the second sketch from the Hong Kong Classic Show 2015!  A very handsome car!  

老爺車展朝早畫嘅第二張速寫！1935年出廠嘅福特房車！

1935
Ford 48 730 De Luxe
Fordor Sedan
Engine Capacity: 3500cc
Top Speed: 70 mph

Hong Kong Classic Car Show 2015 香港老爺車展 2015: Mitsuoka Le-Seyde

It was super fun to sketch at the annual Hong Kong Classic Car Show!  We spent a whole day sketching the different cars on show.  This is the first classic car I sketched in the morning!

非常好玩嘅一日！我哋成班速寫人係中環畫老爺車畫足一日。朝早畫嘅第一張！

Mitsuoka Le -Seyde
Engine Capacity: 1998 cc
Top Speed: 130 mph

Sai Kung Town Historic Postbox 西貢市歷史郵筒

I just sketched a postbox which still bears the royal cypher. I decided to revert the colour to red which should be the original colour! Standing here for an hour, I saw quite a number of people stopping by, either taking photos of the postbox or just looking at it. The Hong Kong government's decision to cover all the cyphers up has caused outrage among many in Hong Kong.

下午畫歷史郵筒。此為香港餘下59個其中之一個港英時期沿用至今的歷史郵筒。畫時塗上郵筒原本的紅色。畫畫時，留意到有不少人在郵筒前懷緬同影相留念。香港政府一意孤行欲遮蓋歷史郵筒上英皇徽號，刻意破壞香港本土歷史，實在令不少香港人憤怒。

The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal 香港終審法院

It was quite challenging to get the geometry of this building right on site!  If it was possible, I would love to do a close-up sketch of the pediment and the Statue of Justice up there.  

Info about the building from Wikipedia:

The pediment sits on the top  the central section of the building facing Statue Square. Above it stands the Statue of Justice and under it is the inscription "Erected AD MDCCCCX" (Erected AD 1910). The pediment incorporates a semi-circular window and the carving of the British Royal Coat of Arms. The shield shows the various royal emblems of the various parts of the United Kingdom: the three lions of England in the first and fourth quarters, the lion of Scotland in the second and the harp of Ireland in the third. The shield is supported by the English lion and Scottish unicorn and is surmounted by the Royal crown. The motto of the Sovereign, Dieu et mon droit (God and my right), is displayed underneath it. The figures of Mercy and Truth are located on both sides of the British Royal Coat of Arms. 

今日下午去畫香港終審法院大樓，一座好想仔細畫，又能代表香港的建築。畫起來才發覺要準確畫低佢都唔太易。

A sketch of See Cheung Street 泰式午餐後市場街速寫

A sketch of a group of chatting workers along See Cheung Street! I was sitting right behind them having Thai lunch while sketching.  

八月畫的速寫。食完泰式午餐後畫眼前街景，順便畫埋坐係道幾位阿哥。

上窰民俗文物館 Sheung Yiu Folk Museum

It was a fine afternoon at Sheung Yiu Folk Museum with a band of merry urban sketchers! 

From left to right, the sketch illustrates the entrance guard tower to the fortified Hakka village, a typical hat to be worn to fend off the sun while working in the paddy field, eating utensils such as bowls, cups and a teapot, a wooden machine for working on the harvested rice, a wooden bucket, a rattan basket and a large pot and finally on the right the inner courtyard as viewed from the entrance guard tower. 

香港速寫人共聚上窰民俗文物館，齊畫此得以保留嘅客家古村。

由左至右，古村更樓，門口左右寫上風調雨順，五榖豐登，古村內擺放各種舊時生活用品，客家帽、碗碟茶具、打榖機、木桶、籐籃同瓦缸，最右係入口更樓內望，兩層平房同前地。

The Royal Robe for a Local Deity "Yuen Tin Sheung Dai" 藍田玄天上帝的龍袍

I went sketching at the birthday celebration of the deity "Yuen Tin Sheung Dai" in Lam Tin this evening.  What I like most was the royal robe for the deity which had a flying dragon on it.  The sparking spots surrounding the dragon resembled stars in the sky.   

得知玄天上帝寶誕係附近，便前往速寫。玄天上帝件龍袍上有龍，龍身有雲同星包圍，像徵天上翔龍。玄天上帝全名真係長，全名係北極鎮天真武玄天上帝玉虛師相金闕化身蕩魔永鎮終劫濟苦天尊。來頭好勁，但對此神靈真不太了解，查查先知玄天上帝即係北帝。

維基百科係咁寫:

玄天上帝，本名玄武大帝，宋真宗大中祥符五年，為避諱聖祖趙玄朗之名而改稱為真武。全稱北極鎮天真武玄天上帝玉虛師相金闕化身蕩魔永鎮終劫濟苦天尊，通稱北極玄天上帝。常被簡稱為北帝、真武大帝或玄天上帝。其又有玄武神、真武神、元武神、玄武大帝、開天大帝、北極大帝、北極佑聖真君、北極蕩魔天尊等稱；俗稱上帝公、上帝爺公、上帝爺或帝爺公。

其象徵北極星與四象中的玄武，為統理北方之道教大神，北方在五行之中屬水，能統領所有水族與水上事物（故兼海神），因北方在五色中屬於黑色，又稱黑帝。

玄天上帝亦是明朝鎮邦護國之神、降妖伏魔之神、戰神，明朝公家建了許多玄天上帝廟，並由官方祭祀。北帝據說擁有消災解困，治水禦火，護持武運及延年益壽的神力，故頗受擁戴。

Sketching Causeway Bay 速寫銅鑼灣

Comfortable cafe and great panorama at La Cafe Habitat.

La cafe Habitat環境舒適，仲有無敵銅鑼灣維園景！

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節快樂！

Wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival 

祝大家中秋節快樂！

St Andrew's Church 聖安得烈堂

The oldest English speaking Protestant church in Kowloon, the St Andrew's Church.

聖安得烈堂係九龍最悠久嘅英語基督教堂。

A Small Reservoir in Lion's Nature Education Centre 獅子會自然教育中心內的小水塘

The second sketch I did in the afternoon.  The pump structure was interesting in its own way and the school of fish circling in the water added much interest to the scene.  

下午第二張速寫。泵水設施加塘中群魚，平凡但有趣！

Sketching At Lion's Nature Education Centre 獅子會瓜棚下速寫

It was a very quiet afternoon at the Lion's Nature Education Centre! 
獅子會瓜棚下寧靜的下午。

Quick Evening Sketch at Sai Kung Waterfront 西貢碼頭黃昏速寫

The magical moment of the evening!  By the time I finished the sketch, night was here.
黃昏速寫，畫完已入黑！

Ngau Chi Wan Village: Grocery Stall Under an Old Banyan Tree 牛池灣村:大榕樹下的士多

Charming little stall under a big banyan tree and a charismatic boss!  We sketched the stall and bought ice bars from the stall to quench our thirst and cool ourselves down in the scorching summer heat!   

大榕樹下的士多！畫到熱時我哋去買孖條解渴，同老闆有傾有講！香港重有幾多咁嘅士多?

Sketching Causeway Bay Hungry Ghost Festival 銅鑼灣盂蘭勝會

This was the second time I sketched the Hungry Ghost Festival Rituals this year.  I was particularly drawn to the "coolies' shoes" offerings which were the site-specific origin of the Causeway Bay Hungry Ghost Festival.  (Each district in Hong Kong has its own legend/reason for holding the Hungry Ghost Festival.)  As I was told, Causeway Bay was once a pier and thus attracted a population from China to seek a better life in Hong Kong, working as “coolies”.  Unfortunately, some of them died here alone in Hong Kong and were unable to return to China.  Their spirits were believed to wander in the area ever since.  The purpose of the festival is to bring these spirits together so that they can be provided for with offerings suitable for them and hopefully they can be brought back to the cycle of reincarnation.  

今年第二次畫鬼節，畫嘅係銅鑼灣盂蘭勝會。銅鑼灣以前係起落貨嘅碼頭，吸引好多由中國南下嘅人做苦力。不幸係部份人死係香港，變成遊魂野鬼， 同鄉同行都稱呼佢地為「好兄弟」。銅鑼灣盂蘭勝會用專車係銅鑼灣一帶接載孤魂，等生嘅人可以接濟佢地，超渡佢地。

Sketching Ghost Festival Chiu Chau Opera in Yau Tong 油塘盂蘭勝會

I watched quite a bit of the opera but I didn't understand a bit of it as it was sung in the Chiu Chau dialect. Obviously it was a tragedy as the music had a strong sadness and the last scene was set in the underworld. It's difficult to capture a particular scene there but since there were many interesting items around so I decided to put together a collage of the site. 

Ghost Festival in Orthodox Chinese Culture (A tradition well-preserved in Hong Kong)

It's believed that on the 1st of July of the Lunar Calendar, the gate of the underworld opens and for one whole month, ghosts wander on the face of the earth. During this month, people burn offerings and place food on streets so that hungry ghosts can be fed. Different village associations also construct temporary temples and street theatres which host special Chiu Chau Opera performances both for the public and and for the ghosts as well.

速寫帶我第一次睇潮州神功戲。聽唔明但演員同現場音樂充滿悲傷，最後以地府一幕完結。想畫嘅東西好多，但又難捕捉一景，於是就畫一張拼合速寫。

盂蘭勝會

盂蘭勝會中的“盂蘭”由梵文「Ullambana」譯來的，意為“救倒懸”，即救度亡魂倒懸之苦，是來自民間《目蓮救母》的故事；“勝會”是指一大群人舉行活動的意思，在香港亦稱為盂蘭節、中元節或鬼節。相傳陰司地府在七月初一大開鬼門關，直到七月三十日才再次關閉，七月十五日佛教定為「盂蘭盆會」，而道教則稱為「中元普渡」。

(華文資料來自維基百科）

Hong Kong Trams, a Part of the Hong Kong Identity 電車乃香港身份一環

Trams grew up with us, are an integral part of the identity of Hong Kong. Apart from being a very affordable and effective transport system, it also marks the original coastline of the Hong Kong Island. It's a heritage that belongs to every Hongkonger and it's a living monument that belongs to many of our generations to come. The ridiculous proposal to take the trams down just shocked everyone. It's senseless and unreasonable, obviously it is aiming to destroy the Hong Kong identity, bit by bit, to erase the soul of Hong Kong! 

電車見証香港成長，全線標誌香港島最初嘅海岸線，係構成香港城邦身份嘅一環。拆毀電車就係消滅香港嘅其中一個手段，目的係將本土歷史，本土身份斬草除根，令香港人喪失身份，令香港喪失性格，方便統治。

Yue Man Square under Redevelopment! 重建中的裕民坊

I was here two years ago sketching the vacant tenement buildings. Now the district which originally covers several streets has become a huge construction site for a mega residential and commercial development.

兩年前係裕民坊畫空置唐樓，今日再路經裕民坊時，唐樓群已變成大型建築地盤。

At Sai Kung Ali Oli Cafe 西貢Ali Oli茶座

A lazy afternoon at Ali Oli Cafe.
西貢Ali Oli茶座的悠閒下午。