Saturday, September 5, 2009

Orange (This week's Photo Hunt theme)



"Hong Kong is geographically compact and boasts one of the world's most efficient, safe, affordable and frequent public transport systems." The site where that statement originally was to be found is the province of the Hong Kong Tourism Board but I actually would agree 100% with it. What's more, despite what the second photo in this entry may get you thinking, public transport is the choice of the majority of the territory's population; with over 90% of daily journeys being made on various modes of public transport that, as I trust the photos do show, are pretty clean and colorful as well as efficient, safe, etc, etc.

The stations of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR)'s largely underground trains tend to have single designated colors (though the Choi Hung MTR station as well as the nearby Choi Hung Estate lives up to its name (choi hung means "rainbow" in Cantonese)). In the case of the Tin Hau MTR station that derives its name from a nearby temple to the goddess of the sea, that color is -- you guessed it! -- orange. And when that designated color is the color of that station's walls but also its ceilings, pipes and other accoutrements, I think you'd agree that it consequently makes for a good subject for this week's Photo Hunt! :)

35 comments:

Bengbeng said...

a very nice colour

CRIZ LAI said...

If only we can have the station so colorful... minus graffiti here.. haha :P

http://crizcats.blogspot.com/

A. said...

Very orange, but also very empty! Was it the middle of the night?

Gattina said...

Very interesting !

jams o donnell said...

Such a bright and clean station. I wish London's stations were as clean. Happy weekend

CherryPie said...

That is a very interesting one for the theme :-)

Liz Hinds said...

It certainly does make a good subject! How neat and clean that station looks.

eastcoastlife said...

I took the subway and was constantly squashed at all times of the day. :(

YTSL said...

Hi Bengbeng --

Guess you're a fan of orange, huh? ;)

Hi Criz --

If only Penang had trains and better public transportation - period!!

Hi A. --

No, it was evening but everyone hurried out of the station while I tarried to take photos! :D

Hi Gattina --

Glad you think so. :)

Hi Jams --

Yes, I think Hong Kong's MTR has got the London underground -- not least because the former has air-conditioning while the latter doesn't!

Hi Liz --

I remember stations in Philadelphia where one could see giant rats scurrying about... I'm so glad I'm now in Hong Kong!!! :D

Hi Cherry Pie --

Am happy you think so. :)

Hi Eastcoastlife --

Sounds like you only took the MTR during rush hour! :D

EG CameraGirl said...

Affordable but people-free? Where are all the passengers? Very clean! I'm impressed.

Unknown said...

I was wondering about the people too, nice capture of the moment of emptiness.

Thxs for popping over to my post.

rdl said...

yes good take on the theme!

Ladykli said...

It does look very clean and bright!

Thanks for visiting my orange!

Annie said...

How cool to name a station after a goddess to the sea! Very nice, very clean and very orange!

Have a great weekend.

magiceye said...

very interesting
orange seems to be the sacred color for all eastern religions

If I Could Escape . . . said...

Wow, that's a bright station -- great choice for the theme. Happy weekend!

Unknown said...

That's interesting. Glad to get the info. How do they keep it so clean????

http://blondesherry.blogspot.com/2009/09/ph-orange-in-sports-recreation-nature.html

CY said...

Great shot! I miss Hong Kong and would really love to go there again soon. Have a nice weekend. CY

www.tangcyee.com

SnoopyTheGoon said...

Quite an unusual color for a station, but lovely nevertheless.

Have a great weekend.

Carver said...

Your posts are always so informative, well written and interesting. This was a great idea for the orange theme. Happy weekend.

Rebecca Mecomber said...

Very good choices! I can't wait to tell my kids what new thing I learned about Hong Kong today!

Thanks for visiting my orange Photo Hunt at New York Traveler.net. :)

Have a great weekend!

annalarssonphotography said...

I wish Stockholm's stations were as clean.

Interesting post!
Happy weekend

Anna

sammawow said...

That certainly is a very orange station! Great take on the theme!

bonggamom said...

I love your entry! Not only for the gorgeous orange colors but for the fun facts :)

PS: I'm back on the hunt!
http://bonggamom.blogspot.com/2009/09/photohunt-orange.html

marta said...

Good choice. You don't see too many orange stations any more.

YTSL said...

Hi Your EG Tour Guide and travellingsuep --

The other people all hurried out as far as they could -- as Hong Kongers are wont to do! Trust me -- one less or more minute and that station would have been more filled with people... ;b

Hi RDL --

Thanks! :)

Hi Ladykli --

It doesn't only just look -- it is! :D

Hi Annie --

How cool is it to just plain have a goddess of the sea, don't you think? ;b

Hi Magic Eye --

Hmmm... am not sure that orange is *the* sacred color of Taoists, actually...

Hi CY --

Try to visit again soon then! You're not that far away, after all! :b

Hi Sherry --

I think it helps a lot that drinking and eating aren't allowed in the paid areas of the MTR...

Hi SnoopyTheGoon --

Actually (and funnily enough), three stops away from Tin Hau, there's another orange colored station in North Point! ;b

Hi Karen --

Bright certainly is a word to describe the color choice of Tin Hau! ;b

Hi Carver --

Thanks for visiting and looking to enjoy doing so! :)

Hi Mrs Mecomber --

So nice to know that there's stuff on my blog that you not only enjoy reading but telling your kids about! :)

Hi Sammawow --

Thanks! :)

Hi Bonggamom --

Aaw, thanks. Really appreciate your complimentary comments! :)

Hi Marta --

Well, there are at least two that I know of in Hong Kong! :D

Alice Audrey said...

It looks much better than the stations in Washington DC, which tend to be dark and concrete.

VioletSky said...

Great choice - none of our stations look so colourful, or big, ... or empty. Stroke of luck, eh?!

YTSL said...

Hi Alice Audrey --

Thought that the DC stations were the best of all those I saw in the US (New York was kind of scary, Philadelphia was pretty run down, etc.) bar for the special train line between the Orlando airport and Walt Disney World! But, yeah, I think that Hong Kong has the US beat in terms of public transportation.

Hi Anna (Vita Stunder) --

Sorry for not responding earlier to your comments -- for some reason, the e-mail notification for your comments came late! But now that I've seen it: wow, I had visions of Scandinavian stations being at least as clean! :O

Hi VioletSky --

"Our" = ?? (American???) ;b

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

how did you tell people to move aside for you to take your photo? I have not been to HK but in Singapore, there are always people.

YTSL said...

Hi Ann --

I didn't tell anyone to move aside to take my photo. I just waited for them to leave the scene! :D

Anonymous said...

The colorful MTR stations are one of the things I love about Hong Kong. Now you've got me curious about all the stations I haven't been to yet!

YTSL said...

Hi duriandave --

Heheh... I can just see it now: your making a vow to visit every MTR station on your next trip! ;D

sarah bailey knight said...

Tin Hau is my favorite of the MTR Stations I've used. I love how orange it is and it makes me smile no matter how tired I am after a day in Hong Kong.

YTSL said...

Hi sbk --

FYI, there's plenty of orange to be seen at North Point MTR station too... ;b