Saturday, March 2, 2013

Steel and An Action Shot (This week's Photo Hunt themes)


There's no two ways about it: Hong Kong is home to lots of tall buildings, including skyscrapers of steel and glass.  And many visitors to the Big Lychee leave with lots of photographs of them, including ones taken from the northern side of Victoria Peak like the top-most image in this entry for Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts.

I wonder though how many people think to look up once in a while when they're out and about in the highrise sections of Hong Kong to spot and even snap shots of such as window cleaners in action on the sides of those tall buildings? (And yes, I am in awe of those workers, and reckon they need nerves of steel to do the job that they do!)

On the subject of nerves: I have to say that Hong Kong (working) life can sometimes get on one's nerves -- and so people here need to find ways to destress.  As regular visitors to this blog know, one of my favored ways to do so is to go out hiking.  As they also will know, I tend to favor what a hiking buddy described as a "non-competitive style of hiking" in that I hike to see sights as well as for exercise and never to "better times", etc.

Every once in a while, my hiking companion(s) and I find ourselves along trails that others prefer to run.  When we do, we will move to the side and let those budding ironmen and -women pass by first.  Often times, we've noticed, they don't look like they're having much fun -- at least not as much as the slower likes of us!   And they definitely won't have action shots of us the way that the likes of camera-totting moi have of them! ;b        

16 comments:

Susan Demeter said...

Toronto is stressful too and we are going to actually go out for hike tomorrow on the nature trails :) Great pics and perfect for both themes :)

Trekcapri said...

Hi YTSL, wow that first shot is pretty cool. And yikes on the window cleaners, I didn't even notice them (they were so high up) until I read it on your blog. We have runners on our trails too and I happily move to the side when I see or hear them coming.

Great photos and take on combining the two themes. Happy trails or should I say happy hiking feet. :)

Anonymous said...

I can imagine the stressful commute in HK much like NYC. But still would love to go there for vacation.

Vicki said...

Without steel the buildings couldn't go higher. I often am looking up. I kept apologising to my friends in Berlin when I visited because I was forever looking up and looking at the architecture.

LifeRamblings said...

lovely entry. We should salute those brave window cleaners who risk their lives for our windows.

YTSL said...

Hi Sue --

Am hoping the weather cooperates and I too can go on a hike tomorrow. :)

Hi Trekcapri --

Sounds like we're both non-competitive hikers -- and that makes our hiking feet happy! ;b

Hi ewok1993 --

The commute can be a drag but the stress comes from other sources! ;S

Hi Vicki --

I didn't remember Berlin as having that many highrises... but, then, I visited in the summer of 1989! Lots of really nice architecture and otherwise good things to see there though. :)

Hi LifeRamblings --

Am glad you like the entry -- and ya, there are lots of unsung heroes in our world. :)

Gattina said...

I admire these window cleaners ! I am getting dizzy already on the 3rd floor !

magiceye said...

Cool takes on the themes!

Carver said...

Great post for the themes. I don't see how window cleaners do it. I'd definitely have to hike to decompress if I lived amongst high rise buildings all the time.

YTSL said...

Hi Gattina --

A few weeks ago, I went to visit a friend who whose apartment is on the 50-something floor. Standing on the balcony and looking down put butterflies in my tummy. So, ya, I really take my hat off to those highrise window cleaners!

Hi magiceye --

Thanks!

Hi Carver --

Sounds like you pretty low-rise dwellings surrounded by lots of greenery... :b

Jackie McGuinness said...

I loved Hong Kong when we visited. In Toronto the highrise buildings sometimes have glass breaking and falling onto the street. I wonder if this happens in Hong Kong?

YTSL said...

Hi Jackie/Jake --

Glass has been know to break and fall -- I guess with all that highrise glass around, it's inevitable -- but such events are generally considered freak incidents! :D

Anonymous said...

Yup, there is a lot of steel in those shots! Great pics for this week's theme.

Have a super weekend.

YTSL said...

Hi JDeQ --

Thanks for visiting and looking. I had a pretty good weekend, thanks. Hope you're having that too. :)

Vane M. said...

Nossa, o segundo prédio é mesmo imponente! Belo clique, um abraço!

YTSL said...

Hi Vane --

That building in the second photo is the Bank of China building. It's also visible near the right side of the top most photo. :)