Run to Tsuen Wan 荃灣 via Castle Peak Rd 青山道

There are two ways to run from Kowloon to Tsuen Wan.  One is via Lai King Hill Road 荔景山道, passing by Princess Margaret Hospital 瑪嘉烈醫院.  Another is via Castle Peak Road.  Both require you to run uphill from Lai Chi Kok 荔枝角 and then down to Kwai Fong 葵芳 or Kwai Chung 葵涌.  I have tried to run closer to the water, through the narrow strip between the harbour and the mountain.  But that area is occupied by the Kwai Chung container terminal and the Tsing Kwai Highway.  Both are forbidden to pedestrians on foot.  And the area is really filthy and truly hazardous to your health.  

Yesterday I started from home in Hung Hum and went through Castle Peak Road.  The climb was hard and it was hot.  I was completely soaked in my own sweat.  But I was fairly fresh and did not had too much difficulties.  Coming downhill wasn’t too hard either.  But by the time I reached Kwai Chung I was exhausted, and staggered towards Tsuen Wan West MTR station on the West Rail, from where I took the MTR home.  Both legs were threatening to cramp.  At one point, when I was almost home, the woman walking in front of me stopped suddenly, and I had to stop to avoid bumping into her.  The sudden exertion on my lower legs started severe cramping.  I couldn't move for a couple of minutes.  

Along the way, there were quite a number of interesting sights. In Shum Shui Po 深水埗  on Tai Nam Street 大南街, I passed by a colourful building.  It is rather striking and pleasant to have something beautiful to look at.  Why aren’t there more of these?  It does not seem to be too expensive to paint a building.  And there must be a lot of talented artists who are happy to have such a large canvas to showoff their talents.  

While I was standing at the street corner taking pictures, a piece of clothing dropped from above on to the street.  A woman shouted “Young man!” in Cantonese.  I looked up and couldn’t see who it was.  I don’t think I was being addressed anyway.  But one  South Asian-looking young man in a group chatting at the corner responded, in Cantonese.  It turned out the woman was the owner of said clothing.  She asked the young man to help, to pick up the clothing from the street, and she was coming down.  The young man did accordingly.  

I learned several things from the little episode.  This seems like a friendly neighbourhood.  Some of these South Asians speak very good Cantonese and are as much part of Hong Kong as you and I.  Many Chinese and South Asians live side by side amiably enough.  

A short while later, I was glad to see the Cloths Bazaar (布棚, 棚仔) is still there, under the shadow of the Lai Chi Kok Police Station.  

On the way up Castle Peak Road, I passed by Kai Wah Kang 九華徑 Village below me, at the corner of Mei Foo.  It looks pretty and idyllic, half hidden behind a forest of dense greens.  Much better than when I went there and saw it up close. 

Later, I reached Tsuen Wan, towards the end of my run.  There were many overpasses and criss-crossing highways.   Under many of the overpasses, the government installed rocks, concrete blocks and other impediments to make it difficult for street sleepers.  But it is obvious that when there is a need, people will find a way.   An old mattress or two will overcome the discomfort of sleeping on a bed of rocks.   

It just shows how petty and small minded some government officials can be.   Housing is so expensive and unaffordable for so many.  People have to sleep somewhere.   It is a indictment of our government that given such strong financials, we cannot find a more dignified and healthy solution.