Morning in Hung Hom

Early morning is a good time to walk or run around the neighbourhood.  Some people are going to church.

Others are going to the temple. 

Fruit stores are setting up the colourful produce.  

Stores are throwing out yesterday’s cardboard boxes, while today’s goods are being delivered. Which will, in turn, become tomorrow’s discarded cardboard boxes.  

Noodles are being delivered to restaurants. 

Housewives are at the wet market, buying groceries for today’s meals.  

Many people are having their breakfast, typically eggs, toasts, and noodles, washed down with Hong Kong-style milk tea, or coffee with evaporated milk.  

Or congee with all kinds of fried dough. 

Nearby, a work gang is distributing tasks among members.  You, do this.  You, go there. 

Street sweepers are on the streets and sidewalks.  We should thanks them for keeping the streets clean. But we don’t.  

Some people are distributing free rice and other foods for the needy, mostly elderly people. 

IN the mean time, expensive-looking fish maw being dried on the side walk, right next to passing cars. 

Old ladies pushing heavy carts, laden with flattened cardboard boxes, to be taken to recycling shops, for a few dollars.  Perhaps more than a few.  

On the same streets, buses loudly display advertisement for jewellery, being worn by beautiful young brides.  What a contrast of fortunes.  What have they done to deserve their fate?

At least, at the beginning of the day, things look hopeful. Relatively speaking.