25 December 2017. Artless in Kowloon

So, I had arrived at my last day. Having checked in my bag at Central, I took the Star Ferry to Kowloon, planning to spend a couple of hours in the art gallery. It is part of a 'South Bank' type complex and first of all I visited the concert hall. This had an exhibition of art by students that was a mix of calligraphy and figurative work.

That proved to be almost it on the art front. The gallery had closed not long after my last visit - in August 2015 and was due to open early in 2019. It struck me as a bit like closing both the National Gallery and Tate for four years. But there we are!

Outside there were a couple of interesting sculptures and so they had to suffice for my artistic input.

So instead I set off for a wander around Kowloon taking in the Park that was full of groups of ladies having a Christmas Day get together.

After that, I went to the Jade Market and the large Tin Hau temple with its amazing figures.

In one of the rooms, a group of monks was chanting. It was a lovely contrast to the bustle outside.
I made my way back through the park with its lake crowded with flamingoes

and more solitary birds

It was also providing a good backdrop for wedding pictures

As it was getting towards late afternoon, I got the ferry back to Central.

The walkway from the pier to the station gave a great view of a strange game the Filipino ladies were enjoying.

As darkness fell, the skyline became increasingly hard to leave.

But leave it I had to and so suddenly I switched to departure mode.
The airport is huge and Cathay have four lounges. I switched between the Pier and the Wing, the latter being right by Departure Gate 1.

The Pier, however, seemed a much nicer lounge - to me at least. By the time I got on the plane, I was quite well fed - only to receive more Cathay hospitality on board.

With quite reasonable sleep, before I knew it I was back in London being waved farewell by the crew who were fully in Christmas mode

Then came the contrast of tackling the realities of the first boxing day Piccadilly line tube! The time away concertinaed into a memory all to easily. Oh well; to be repeated in eleven month's time.