'Embrace Hope'

Wol and I took a run along the waterfront, this morning, but it was already warm and humid, and we only managed three miles in the end. 

The three of us met up at The Coffee Academics later on to plan our last full day. There were only two items left that we absolutely wanted to do. One was to ride on a light bus (for old times' sake) and the other was to travel on the escalator between Central and the Mid-levels. 

The Minx had a bit of work to do, so Wol and I set off to do the escalator first. We'd walked down the stair side earlier in the week but now we were going up. I loved the way one simply steps onto it from the street, and also how no one else was as excited as us; it was just part of their day.

We completed all the sections and then found a place for coffee while we waited for the Minx, once she'd done her work and had her go on the escalator. 

One way or another, it was after four when we caught a light bus back to Wan Chai. This method of public transport played a big part in my life, as it was an alternative method of getting both to school and down to Central if I didn't want to walk across to the Peak Tram. 

I could get off the light bus almost immediately above Island School and then there was a steep path down through the jungle, perhaps a hundred yards long, and I would emerge at the top of a long flight of stairs that led down into school. 

To this day, I've no idea why the stairs were there: from the school it looked like a staircase up to the jungle. Which, actually, it was. 

The Minx found a cracking little bar for pre-dinner drinks called the Ruam Thai, where I think we could have happily spent all evening, but we wanted to take Wol to Yung's, where we went on Tuesday. I was worth the repeat visit. 

And we ended our evening with a walk down to the harbour, as you can see in my penultimate Extra. We know of a couple of people - friends of friends - who've left Hong Kong since it reverted to Chinese administration and it's clear from the news that the new regime is (unsurprisingly) more authoritarian, yet I have to say there's not been a hint of that this week. Still, I do see the irony in the "embrace hope" message. 

I'm not sure I've ever posted a photo taken by someone else on my Blip before - perhaps once - but the last Extra was taken by the Minx of me and Wol.