When you see someone sitting on the street, you may associate them with uncivilized people. It’s time to get rid of those stereotypes and prejudice! Here, Pottinger Street is where many people sit on the stairs at ease, enjoying themselves thoroughly.To travellers, sitting on the granite stone slabs to write postcards gives unique relish to a simple trip.
In a sharp contrast to the lively Lan Kwai Fung that is just around the corner and also the hustle and bustle of most parts of Hong Kong, people in Pottinger Street reclaim tranquillity to slow down their pace of life. Some youngsters spend a big half day simply shooting the breeze, on the stairs or even on the handrails. Of course, the prerequisite is having a good sense of balance and it is patently obvious that those youngers have, as the slope is so steep one may fall from the handrail. Holding a distinctive living attitude, those youngsters refuse the urge to hurry.
‘We are in praise of slowness. It’s like when you’re drinking a glass of wine, don’t you think it’s silly to drink it quickly?’ One of the youngsters said.
They slow down and take time to appreciate the beauty inherent in Pottinger Street, the archaistic street charm. Meanwhile, they spare their time to connect with their special someone, which can be a luxury to many Hong Kong people with dense schedules nowadays.
Learning from the youngsters, we also slow our gait. To discover more about the people there, we stayed longer and chatted with a store owner who has sold accessories for more than thirty years. The owner is a grey-haired old lady whose wrinkles bear witness to her time in Pottinger Street. She was not busy serving the customers and thereby had time to chit chat with us as her business was not as flourished as it used to be.
The owner said the community has gone and what is left in Pottinger Street is all a façade. The government replaced the old buildings on both side of the street with a garden for tourists to take photos and the people inhibited there were forced to leave.
‘When the tourists take photos here, do they really know the stories behind? Unlike them, I have lots of memories and fond feelings for this street.’ The amiable owner raised the curtain on her true feelings.
It is the affection for the place stealing in upon her that makes her committed to running the store here though the business is sluggish. We appreciate her persistence. Perhaps that old lady is just the tip of the iceberg. There are more people awaiting your discovery in Pottinger Street!
In a sharp contrast to the lively Lan Kwai Fung that is just around the corner and also the hustle and bustle of most parts of Hong Kong, people in Pottinger Street reclaim tranquillity to slow down their pace of life. Some youngsters spend a big half day simply shooting the breeze, on the stairs or even on the handrails. Of course, the prerequisite is having a good sense of balance and it is patently obvious that those youngers have, as the slope is so steep one may fall from the handrail. Holding a distinctive living attitude, those youngsters refuse the urge to hurry.
‘We are in praise of slowness. It’s like when you’re drinking a glass of wine, don’t you think it’s silly to drink it quickly?’ One of the youngsters said.
They slow down and take time to appreciate the beauty inherent in Pottinger Street, the archaistic street charm. Meanwhile, they spare their time to connect with their special someone, which can be a luxury to many Hong Kong people with dense schedules nowadays.
Learning from the youngsters, we also slow our gait. To discover more about the people there, we stayed longer and chatted with a store owner who has sold accessories for more than thirty years. The owner is a grey-haired old lady whose wrinkles bear witness to her time in Pottinger Street. She was not busy serving the customers and thereby had time to chit chat with us as her business was not as flourished as it used to be.
The owner said the community has gone and what is left in Pottinger Street is all a façade. The government replaced the old buildings on both side of the street with a garden for tourists to take photos and the people inhibited there were forced to leave.
‘When the tourists take photos here, do they really know the stories behind? Unlike them, I have lots of memories and fond feelings for this street.’ The amiable owner raised the curtain on her true feelings.
It is the affection for the place stealing in upon her that makes her committed to running the store here though the business is sluggish. We appreciate her persistence. Perhaps that old lady is just the tip of the iceberg. There are more people awaiting your discovery in Pottinger Street!