It's Oscar Night, people!

Will Daniel Day-Lewis continue his sweep of acting accolades or will Johnny Depp finally gets his redemption?

Can Marion Cotillard continue her winning streak into Oscar Night?

Will Cate Blanchett be stuck again with a Supporting Role Oscar as with the Leading Role Oscar from the same role as ER (that's gotta be a first) eluding her once again? (oh was she robbed in 1999)

Can the Little Film that Could ("Juno") beat out bloody sagas ("No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood") and bring home the Oscar statuette?

Oh and all the marvellous writing nominees... "Juno", "Michael Clayton", "The Savages", etc.

AND

Best Original Song nominees from "Enchanted":

"That's How You Know", "So Close" and "Happy Working Song"!!!

So much to look forward to :)

The 32nd Hong Kong International Film Festival

It's that time of the year again to plan for back-to-back movies over the long weekends!

The 32nd HKIFF Catalogs are now available at Urbtix outlets and performance venues!

Advanced booking will begin on 23 Feb 2008 at 10am!

See you at the movies:)

You Are Not Alone...

"Thing to remember is if we're all alone, then we're all together in that too."

Saw this movie today ("P.S. I Love You") and the line that stood out was this one... not a bad line, actually, considering that we don't have many good lines from movies these days.

This Rom Com is really not that good of a Rom Com. Just the other day, I also heard on NPR that we just don't have those classics like "Sleepless is Seattle" or "When Harry Met Sally" or even "Notting Hill" made these days. Instead, we have these mediocre movies like "Fool's Gold" being the only major release for the Valentine's Day week last week in the US (followed by "Definitely, Maybe" this weekend).

McConaughey and Hudson? *yawn*

Is it because we're missing star power in this genre? It's true we don't have stars like Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan nowadays (Witherspoon in her post-Oscar slump, Heigl still being prepped up....) and we are missing leading men as well? Is Rom Com just going away as we speak? What was the last good Rom Com that I saw? hmmm... I think it was 2006's "The Holiday". Winslet is always a pleasure to watch, and Jack Black was a good and fresh match. Diaz is getting a bit... tiring; and I never saw the chemistry between her and Law. But still, the Winslet-Black part was so enjoyable, and the whole plot works quite well, so this was the last good Rom Com that I saw. Another good contender is "Music and Lyrics." Ok movie, but there was just ZERO chemistry between Grant and Barrymore. That was just a complete mismatch. But the campy music made it fun to watch. Maybe it's not that we lack the stars, we just need good writers.

Speaking of movies... remember the 2008 HKIFF is coming! Early booking starts next Saturday (Feb 23).

Here are some of my fave Rom Coms... hope to add more to the list soon...

Doctor Marcia Fieldstone: Tell me what was so special about your wife?

Sam Baldwin: Well, how long is your program? Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were suppose to be together... and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home... only to no home I'd ever known... I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like... magic.

Edward Lewis: So what happens after he climbs up and rescues her?

Vivian: She rescues him right back.

William: I live in Notting Hill. You live in Beverly Hills. Everyone in the world knows who you are, my mother has trouble remembering my name.

Anna Scott: I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.

Robbie: [singing] I wanna make you smile whenever you're sad / Carry you around when your arthritis is bad / All I wanna do is grow old with you. / I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches / build you a fire if the furnace breaks / Oh it could be so nice, growin old with you. / I'll miss you, kiss you, give you my coat when you are cold. / Need you, feed you, I'll even let you hold the remote control. / So let me do the dishes in the kitchen sink / Put you to bed when you've had too much to drink. / Oh I could be the man to grow old with you. / I wanna grow old with you.

Iris: I understand feeling as small and as insignificant as humanly possible. And how it can actually ache in places you didn't know you had inside you. And it doesn't matter how many new haircuts you get, or gyms you join, or how many glasses of chardonnay you drink with your girlfriends... you still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what you did wrong or how you could have misunderstood. And how in the hell for that brief moment you could think that you were that happy. And sometimes you can even convince yourself that he'll see the light and show up at your door. And after all that, however long all that may be, you'll go somewhere new. And you'll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again. And little pieces of your soul will finally come back. And all that fuzzy stuff, those years of your life that you wasted, that will eventually begin to fade.

Lucy: Can I have one last first kiss?

Harry Burns: I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

李宗盛 @林一峰

本來沒有plan去看Chet 的Concert。但怫然空降一個很吸引的offer，又怎可能放過呢。。。

全晚Chet Lam所唱自己的歌，我真的一首都不識。熟悉的反而是他跟梁祖堯合唱的“微涼”以及他跟李宗盛合唱的“愛的代價”。

有李宗盛的原因，原來是因爲“大哥”送了一個結他給Chet。我自己記得大哥是很多年前看“明天會更好”的MV時見過他；之後就是因爲他寫歌及監製憶蓮國語唱片的關係。往後憶蓮奉子承婚，我都曾經覺得他們是門當戶對，而且是工作上的好拍檔。但當然大家都知道，愛都是會變成往事的。

李宗盛的歌曲及歌詞很細膩，可以帶出人（不只是女人）對情的盼望、期待；他為我們帶來的幸福、溫暖；分手的煎熬、寂寞帶來的不安、痛苦的領悟、把心放開的決心。。。愛情、親情、友情，每一個感受、每一種思念，橫過20多年的作品，一定有觸動我們心靈的。

年多前在紅舘終於看過他的Live演出（就是那場有成蟲搗亂的一晚），一個男人，拿著結他，在unplugged的setting中，好有heart的音樂就是我們8,000+個觀衆的共同語言。

以下是大哥的其中一首經典

如果可以在Facebook上面。。。

有個“藐人”既Function甘都幾好喔。。。

Kung Hei Fat Choi

As we enter the Year of the Rat, I wish you and your family a properous New Year, with great health and togetherness.

沒有電視的晚上 Nights without a TV

一個plan左很久的動作，終於在友人搬家的推動下成爲事實。
我就是這樣的了，要有些推動力，要人逼逼，才會動。
事緣上年我自己搬家之後，因爲地方勁細，而我還是用著以前在“大屋”搬過3次的2001年新力牌34"平面方角Trinitron大電視，所以一直都想換一部Flat Panel。。。省些地方嘛。。。

10個月以來，又想過很快又搬（幻想居多。。。），所以以爲之後才再買；有時就因爲未能決定budget，產品琳琅滿目，很難下決心；而且又要一顆兒把電視cabinet換，不想花太多多餘錢（吃喝玩樂重要嘛。。。）所以最後都有很多因素都令我決定把它留下來（講來講去都是excuses一大堆）。

不過一路都有留意LCD電視的價錢的，所以都已經心中有數。

之後。。。大約兩個禮拜前，阿AC話因爲搬屋，舊傢私不要，剛巧他的custom-made電視cabinet及Shoe cabinet就是我所需要的size。。。

不久之後。。。決定把他們買下來，從來沒想過會買朋友的二手家具。但沒所謂啦，一家便宜兩家著，大家開心。

但是呢。。。我好像什麽準備都沒有；要等到上星期六，早上八度、下著雨的時候，才：
1。打電話叫收買佬上門收電視（價錢都不錯）
2。好在有AC幫手安排搬運師傅把傢私送到府上（AC只是一條街之隔）
3。把舊電視cabinet裏面的CD、DVD、VCD搬出來（其實很多應該要丟咯）
4。把舊cabinet搬走
5。接收貨物
6。同老豆吃午飯（幫左我成朝）
7。去買電視（仲途徑Lane Crawford買左對鞋，呵呵呵）

兩日後，即現在，很滿意新家具的安置，整個房間都鬆動了，剛剛電視已經送到，但還未安裝，所以已經是第二個晚上沒有觀賞電視。還好，終於在年28完成了大掃除，感覺真好！明天師傅把LCD安裝好便可以真真正正迎接新年嚕！

幸好有個Friend話幫我錄下今晚的“翡翠戀曲”，gum之後可以睇番。。。:)

有時d野，都係無端端發生，而結果是出乎意料的好。假期將至，心情不錯！！！

A yearly tradition

How do you want to do it... with all of your close friends? a selected group of friends? spread it out into multiple gatherings? an intimate candle-lit dinner for two? or just plain-old family gathering?

I've tried it all.

So this year, it's back to the basics. I remember one year, maybe 4 or 5 years ago, it was Chinese New Year time and both of my parents were back in HK. It was one of those strange events (maybe due to the alignment of some cosmic forces) that we were all reunited under one roof. While it's not like it never happens anymore, it was still special considering the circumstances and the timing.

I heard before somewhere, that birthdays are not really a celebration for yourself as a being, but more an occasion to thank your parents for bringing you into this world and trying their best to raise you into a decent human being.

So while last year's big feast is still a vivid memory... I mean, I don't think I ever had that big a group sitting together in my honour, plus the fact that it was also the debute of a new beau, whom, sorry to say, has taken an eternal leave of absence... it would remain as it is, good memory, from the past.

Thinking back and reading some of the old posts, I dubbed last year the start of a great decade... things were finally working out in all sorts of ways, I was comfortable. But like everything else, good things also come to end. That does not mean my run is over though. Entering the 2nd year of the decade, I look at myself, and I see a slightly more seasoned person, with a few more scars here and there, but making good progress. That's what living is about, right?

So, back to square one... or, maybe more appropriate: just another beginning, among the many and many more we all will face, and should be glad that we can do it again and again :)

... On the road again... where to? by what?

Borrowed the title from a dear friend's heartfelt email today. Thanks. ;)

Have been thinking about a new Entry for the last week... but didn't know what to write after pouring my heart out. Well.... just whatever, I guess...

- I am enjoying my on-the-go music quite much, and have gotten back in touch with music that used to fill my life. This one in particular stood out tonight when I was at the gym...



So, back to the title. Sometimes we choose to get off the ride, and sometimes we're kicked off... does it matter if we are off at the right stop or not? Probably not. On the road again... to seek another ride, or to tackle the challenge on your own? Maybe that's the journey we all have to take.

(will keep it short this time... ran out of BS to say)

P.S. Wordy: Took your advice and now we are finalizing our plans for March. Looks like it's a go! Also re-thought about my August travel plans. :)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

It's one of my favourite movies. I love it's wackiness, I love Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey, I love the suggestion of loving the same person the 2nd time around, and I love the open-ended ending. So when you are really given a second chance, would you take a go at it again?

______________________________

Recently, on 3 separate occasions, this film was presented to me once again. A dear friend wrote me a note referring to this film, which led me to watch the film again last week, and a couple of days ago another dear friend emailed me and told me that she'd just watched the movie again and that prompted her to write me.

Erasing a memory that hurts so badly... for the time-being... is a quick fix. Oh how we want to get pass the sadness, how we want to emerge from rock bottom, how we always reminisce happy times, and how we cannot make a connection to reality...

The film suggests that despite having your memory erased, you still end up falling in love with the same person over and over again. Do we really learn from our so-called "mistakes"? And even knowing that it hadn't worked before, Joel and Clementine still decide to try again. Is that just being a hopeless romantic, or is that a belief that love is always there but it's timing and events that alter the outcome? So, love alone, really is not enough to sustain a relationship? But that's not even the point of the movie... because it's the process that we see Joel and Clem enjoy, when they really "live" the relationship, that they both want to go back and experience it, remember it. Another movie (which I also like) shares a similar theme, Adam Sandler's 2006 flick "Click".

_____________________________________________

Just did a simple search online, and this movie has some pretty good taglines:

I already forget how I used to feel about you.
Our memories makes us who we are. You can't change the past.
Would you erase me?
This Spring, clear your mind
I'm fine without you.
Do I know you?
You can erase someone from your mind. Getting them out of your heart is another story.
Replace My Memory
A comedy for anyone with a past they'd rather forget.

_____________________________________________________

I especially like the 3rd to last one...

"You can erase someone from your mind. Getting them out of your heart is another story."

Some people erase someone by running away, others do so by having a rebound, some resort to different substances, etc. I wonder, can you remember and forget at the same time? The reason I said this is because some say,

"oh you just need to forget about it and move on"

But then some say,

"Remember the good times, learn from it, treasure the memories"

You have to know one thing, that moving on is not that easy.
It's not like you're leaving everything behind and moving somewhere else; you're still in the same space breathing the same air going to the same places. Everything stays the same and the difference is tiny, miniscule. It doesn't even make a difference to ANYBODY else in this World but you, and you alone. That's why you feel so alone. You feel like you're in this perpetual Black Hole.

But we all crawl back from this Black Hole... dunno how (oh would somebody please tell me), but we all eventually make it, because the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is our will to love, our will to fall in love.

Unpublished posts

A few posts remain in Draft status, most of the time it's because I started writing it, but didn't finish it at that moment, so it'd remain in the "black hole" forever.

Not that I don't want to finish it, but this blog is about my feelings, and sometimes just some BS comment I'd like to make at that moment. When the moment passes, you just lose interest or you don't know how to continue writing. The concepts are gone, or "outdated", or maybe, forgotten.

Feelings come and go. And yes, you can't predict, guarantee, or hold on to a feeling. (But that doesn't mean that we can't try, right?)

... I've just lost my train of thought...

Sometimes, you get exhausted from feeling so much, and it becomes... a blob... a thing that you can't quite define. Maybe it's a good thing to be numb.... blah blah blah, blah blah blah...

What can you do

What can you do.
What can you do?

I wish something could be done... :(

十八年前的事

今晚我放棄一位摯友的音樂會，去了一個跟舊中學同學的聚會。
當年只完成中二課程的我，十多年來都沒有跟中學同學有什麽來往。但其中都有一兩個最終成爲很要好得朋友。

十幾個同學中，有好幾位，真是差不多十八年都沒有見過。好奇的是，十四位中，至少有三四個什麽都沒有改變。可能有些是肥了、頭髮少了，但與我所記得的真的沒有太大出入。不過，可能走的時候年紀還小，所以，幾個個別同學個子高了、大舊了。

母校裏，中一到中三是同班的，然後中四開始分理科及文科班。小弟沒有經過中學選科或會考的洗禮。。。中二已經遠走亞美利堅，所以跟這些由少玩到大的老朋友真的沒有太大的集體回憶。十多個年頭大家做了什麽？往英國讀書的有、澳洲的都有、當然香港的就更加多。現在，有些當上什麽投資銀行的顧問、分析員，作核數的也幾個，醫生、電訊設備系統、心理醫生、建築師、律師、工程師、外展訓練導師。。。大家都有了自己的calling。十四個人，七個已經結婚。我想，都差不多了。。。人生行到第三個十年，都應該有確定及清晰的方向，找到分享生命的另一半。是他們的生活“正統”？或是我的生活沒有方向？大有可能兩者皆是。

他們是否開心，我不清楚；亦未有太大興趣探討。始終，大家的世界不同，成長得過程不一樣，沒有什麽同樣的經歷。有時覺得自己的經歷大不同，但是亦只是自己太自我中心。每個人都有自己的故事，奈何要評論其他人的生活呢？自己有時做太多武斷的評論，爲什麽？是要自己提高對自己的評價？自我欣賞度過低？自尊或自我價值較低？未知。。。

很多時候，自己是内向的；沒趣亦沒時間去應酬。與自己一班圍内好友一起，感覺是舒服的，亦頗有安全感。雖然重遇十多嵗時的一圍同學是一個。。。“很不同”的聚會，但始終有點兒格格不入。起初我們還要作自我十年回顧的介紹。。。有點兒生硬、而且有點悶罷。沒有關係的關係，是根本大家的世界從一個共用的班房變成十四個小宇宙而所以演變成完全的斷線，還是十多年都沒見就是大家彼此關係的見證？這些可能就是答案。

與之前“Regret”一篇相呼應，其實有些記憶是埋在腦後。同學提起班房中的瑣事。。。“王伯”、“Mr. Siu”、“Miss Mok”是十多年來遺忘了的片斷。想起某些同學的趣事、老師的花名，都令自己會心微笑。

聚會結束後，飛過中環第二場，與一班摯友吃甜點。很多事，盡在不言中。講的笑話、小小的點頭，已經可以令我說：心領了。

苦中作樂, Reprise

When the going gets tough the tough keeps going.

Seems like an inspirational quote that we should pledge alligence to during times like these. If anything, I realize one thing... that there is really nothing you can do to make you feel better. There's no quick remedy, nothing you could do to make it hurt any less. You can try to fill you schedule with dinners, movies, gym, exercise, etc. but really, none of these would help. It's like going to jail, it's a fixed sentence, and you're gonna do time no matter what. But if somehow you have good behaviour, they might let you out early and finally you get back to your old self. Previously, I had taken the route of being on exile, and that turns out to be a bad idea... because you simply prolong the healing process and you never really get over it. So... Jail vs. Exile, for the long-term well-being, jail time seems to be the "better" way. (c'mon, is there really a BETTER way for this?)

My X'mas present turns out to be a blessing for times like these, and I am rediscovering some songs that I used to like alot, including this one:

某次　某晚　生命中某人
臨分手也狠　說世界誰比我親
我信那兩秒的我　曾經是最開心的人
幸福純屬偶然　誰介意沒永生

＊還記得幸福的感覺　苦中可作樂　已堪稱快樂
　誰為寂寞戀愛　將來也許更寂寞
　能記得受苦的知覺　苦中總有樂　還祈求甚麼
　若永久一起無方　我也懂得難過
　已證明　曾發生的不算幻覺＊

你說每次見到我　良心便再得到試煉
熱戀容或偶然　朋友永遠發展
Repeat＊

你能對我講　曾真心喜歡著我
亦已真心不喜歡我　還求甚麼
Repeat＊

無題

有時d歌詞真係寫得好到肉...



最好　有生一日都愛下去
但誰人　能將戀愛當做終生興趣
生活　其實旨在找到個伴侶
面對現實　熱戀很快變長流細水

可惜我　不智或僥倖
對火花天生敏感
不過　兩隻手拉的太緊
愛到過了界那對愛人
同時亦最易變成一對敵人

＊合︰也許相愛很難
就難在其實雙方各有各寄望　怎麼辦
要單戀都難　受太大的禮會
內疚卻也無力歸還
也許不愛不難　但如未成佛升仙
也會怕愛情前途黯淡
愛不愛都難
未快樂先有責任給予對方面露歡顏

＃得到浪漫　又要有空間
得到定局　卻怕去到終站
然後付出多得到少不介意豁達
又擔心有人看不過眼

合︰可惜我　不智或僥倖
對火花天生敏感
不過　兩隻手拉的太緊
愛到過了界那對愛人
同時亦最易變成一對敵人

重唱　＊,＃

合︰無論熱戀中失戀中都永遠記住第一戒
別要張開雙眼

I could only feel the excitement...

Happy New Year.... WHOA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Farewell 2007

Was starting a post about a Recap of 2007, but got too side-tracked and of course it'd be late now... so, that will be posted under a separate post later. :)

In the meantime, I wish you a safe and fun New Year celebration welcoming a fruitful 2008 for all. :)

Mx reporting from the USA

Regret

It has taken me a long time, but I have finally learned the word "regret" on this trip.

My friend YH said that maybe I just like having drama in my life and having self-pity from time to time. But, whether it's true or not true, I do sincerely feel, that there is much to regret about. I don't know whether making this small trip is the right thing to do, or just a way to feel more sorry about myself. Instead of celebrating a colourful past, I feel sorrow and sadness. Is it the rainy weather? the familiar streets? the people? the season? or everything combined which remind me so much of it.

Life is hard.

American style Christmas, American Life

Reporting on location from the US, so I use English ga la (actually, the problem is I can't find the Chinese input method here...)

Arrived yesterday after a 12-hour flight... after unloading my stuff at home, went nearby to an American diner, and had a true American-style waffle with 2 eggs and sausages... YUM! Sorry, didn't take a picture... but I guarantee you it was really good. Nothing beats warm butter and real maple syrup.

In order to get over jetlag, I tried my best not to sleep during the day... so I drove our family's old Camry that has over 110k miles on it. Still runs perfectly, and in good condition. Do you notice that we don't have any old cars in HK? Of course not counting those classic cars. But it's hard to find many "cheen chut" in HK. Mostly it's because of registration requirements and the inconvenience of having to go through the required smog checks every year after the car turns 7 years old.

Anyway, after breakfast I went to the local gym, the REAL 24-hour fitness. It's a Friday and it's still quite packed during lunch. Like the no-frills style gym, almost looks like it's housed in warehouse. My take is... a gym is a gym. As long as it has adequate equipment in good condition, that's all I need!

Another of my favourite living in the US, is going to the bookstore. Barnes and Noble and Borders are two of my favourites. I like Borders better, because B&N is just getting too big. But anyway, after gym I headed to B&N and browsed through the periodicals sections. Always a good way to spend spare time, looking through gossips magazines, Travel and Leisure, Fitness, Real Estate and stuff. I also like looking through Robb Report Christmas edition, where they showcase the most outrageous Christmas gifts... this year, a Ferrari F1, a 300-carat diamond, million-dollar yachts, etc. Good to dream from time to time.

Went to a movie afterwards... "Enchanted".

Had been looking forward to seeing this movie since seeing its trailer in late Summer, and also reading it on Donald's blog. What a fresh approach to Disney classics. And the characters are so lovable! The little girl Morgan (played by Rachel Covey) is just so adorable. And though I've never been a "Grey's Anatomy" fan, Patrick Dempsey also did quite well, and is very charming,and what's there not to like about his character? Prince Edward (James Marsden)'s character is quite hollow, maybe written to reflect reality in fairy tales? That nothing is ever perfect. Marsden sings quite well though. Amy Adams is just a pleasure to watch, and of course how could you not love a fallen Princess in Sin City?

It's always a favourite thing of mine to catch movies in the US, because they don't get released in HK until months after. I'll probably also do:
The Savages

Charlie Wilson's War

I'm Not There

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

27 Dresses

No Country for An Old Man


Hope I've got enough time :)

2007 bye bye!!!

December is half way over, and as I mentioned back in October, the last 2 months of the year always fly by so quickly.

This is not a "Recap of 2007" post yet, but since I'm just COMPLETELY bored now, I might as well write some random thoughts down.

1. I love old pictures. Last week I bought an old vintage photo (real one, not a reproduction) for a friend's birthday. It's a photo taken in 1950 from Bowrington Road towards Leighton Hill, where he and his wife live now. It's not of anybody's interest unless you are into that sort of stuff, and since the location is so obscure (Leighton Hill was a former Government Staff Quarters site), it has never been published in any of those "Old Hong Kong" books. But I thought it was such a rare find, and my friend liked it much (or so he claimed, haha). The photo of course is quite expensive, but hey, to see that it's money well-spent, THAT's priceless. If you're ever into these old photos, reprints or otherwise, check out Picture This at Prince's Building in Central. This is where I bought that photo. I also found another similar store, but at a lesser known location, at the junction of Old Bailey Street and Hollywood Road. They seem to have a big collection, but not as "packaged" as Picture This. The name of this store just escaped me, but when you stand at that junction, you'll see its entrance at the foot of the steep decline that is Old Bailey.

2. Preservation of King Yin Lei seems to be a hot topic lately. I am for sure all for preservation of these built heritage, because most of our beautiful architecture are gone forever. That is why I like looking at old photos... you'll be amazed of what kind of buildings that once stood in HK. But then, we don't have a comprehensive policy to balance property rights and the need to preserve these places. If you think about it, these property owners, most likely investors, are "penalized" for owning a piece of beautiful architecture. There needs to be a way to create a win-win-win situation for all.

I've included a few of these buildings, still standing or gone forever, for you to check out. :)

3. The end of 2007 signals an end to many things. I really hope 2008 would be as eventful as it has been in 2007. :)

This mansion is now redeveloped into one of the most expensive piece of real estate in the world. You can own one of the 4 houses now stand here for a hefty HK$400m+.

This property, referred to as Kingslere Hotel, stood on Kennedy Road at the turn of the 20th century. I have yet to identify it exact location, but I suspect it to be somewhere near the present-day Monmouth Terrace.

Funny how we have to bring the train back to Tsim Sha Tsui after the demolition of this beautiful train terminus in 1978.

What is this today? Filippino Central: World-Wide House.

And this? You might be surprised. This is HSBC in the 1920s.

The old "Lo Chun Ting" is not the object of my fascination, it's that white humongous apartment building in the bottom right that is interesting. It looks exactly like an apartment block taken from London. This is present-day Peak Galleria.

Still one of the most classical building ever stood in Central. Don't know when exactly it was demolished, but back in my primary school days, it had already become an indistinguishable Government structure with a public car park and post office. Present-day location: part of Cheung Kong Centre where the retail space and the pubic toilet are.

Not far from the above photo, the building on the front left is now the benchmark of Central office rents and sales: No. 9 Queen's Road Central.

The future of this? Who knows?