I have loved Hong Kong since the first time I set foot here during the Chinese lunar new year in the winter of 1988. I’m here for five days this time and still loving it. Kowloon is the very tip of the Chinese mainland, as seen in this view from Hong Kong island. Kowloon or 九龍 (Jiulong in Mandarin) means nine dragons.
Mỹ Khê beach in the late afternoon — soft light, hot air, warm water, time to get wet.
Da Nang has a morning seafood market by the sea a couple of km north of the tourist section of the beach. I decided to ride up and take a look one morning recently. Unfortunately, by the time I got there around 6:30, the market was pretty much over. Most of the vendors were already finished packing up and were eating their breakfasts or leaving. Seems I need to be on my way earlier if I want to catch this place in action.
Da Nang was hit on Monday with a tropical storm that dumped a huge amount of rain on the city. The rain began around 7:30 in the morning and continued all day, torrential much of the time. Apparently, there was flooding in parts of the city, though not around where I live. Tuesday morning, it was overcast but not raining so I ventured out in search of food. The Han River, usually a flat gray with hints of blue or green depending on the light, was swollen with runoff and silt from the storm and had turned a muddy reddish brown. The water’s color makes an interesting contrast to the overcast gray sky. There was no rain Tuesday until evening, at which point the sky opened and water poured down in sheets. Water accumulated quickly on the deck upstairs from me, and eventually started dripping down the wall of my living room. Repairs were undertaken Wednesday and the drainage system on the deck was improved. The verdict on the improvements awaits the next time it rains.