The visible thing called a ‘Street’ is made up of invisible memories that people put to the place. My ability to retrieve memories begins to falter, except the uptick of remembering those beautiful spots.
Waterloo Road (窩打老道) is an old principal north-south thoroughfare of Kowloon in Hong Kong. It stretches from Yau Ma Tei (油麻地) waterfront to Kowloon Tong (九龍塘), an expensive area at the foot of Lion Rock (獅子山), and then by means of a tunnel, get you to the new town behind the Lion Rock mountain which is named Shatin (沙田).
Nobody can explain why the street is called ‘Waterloo’. Some ridiculously said that the name was created in memory of Napoleon being defeated in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Hong Kong, a former British colony, should have nothing to do with France. Some attributed it to the name of an official in the past but historical records do not show any official by that name.
It is rare to see a street, at its core, represent the 3 levels of people of Hong Kong. The area of Waterloo Road in Yau Ma Tei is a grassroots community. People still live in poor conditions and partitioned cubicles. The central part near Argyle Street (亞皆老街) is inhabited by the middle class. This is why it has many pet shops. The sector close to the end of Waterloo Road is occupied probably by the jet-setters who live in elegantly furnished houses with nice gardens. When someone tells you that he has his residence on Waterloo Road, you may be curious and ask, “Which part of Waterloo Road?”
The word ‘stroll’ came from the German word ‘strollen’, which means to wander aimlessly. ‘City walking’ is now a very popular physical and cultural exercise. Please do go for a stroll along Waterloo Road and it will take roughly one hour.
You should start off with Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market (油麻地果欄) at the junction of Waterloo Road and Reclamation Street (新填地街). This old market was built in 1913. The fruit shops are called ‘Laan’ (欄). They are all low-rise buildings carrying various signboards with beautiful traditional Chinese calligraphic characters. The great architectures have historical value. There, you see, especially at night after 9 p.m., half-naked muscular men with tattoos on their arms working very hard to transport boxes of fruits. Fruits come from different parts of the world and are extremely colourful. The amazing images evoke good photographic ideas.
Cinema has the magic to make you feel not lonely. Near the Fruit Market there is an old theatre called Yau Ma Tei Theatre (油麻地戲院). It is a pre-war opera house, established by a Portuguese in 1930. It was later turned into a movie cinema. Classic and charming, the Theatre was classified as a grade 2 historic building and conversion works started in 2008. It is now back as a Cantonese opera theatre. Cantonese opera is a performing art with a history of more than 1,000 years and you should not miss the opportunity of watching a good show in the nostalgic Yau Ma Tei Theatre.
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” I guess the middle-class persons in the central part of Waterloo Road love dogs and cats very much and it is why there are many pet shops, clinics, hotels and grooming salons in the vicinity. The locality has become as though the famous ‘pet centre’ in Hong Kong. I often go there to say hello to the popular dog breeds for their cute looks and joyful personalities. I love Shiba Inu.
Finally, you can find, at the junction of Waterloo Road and Arygle Street (亞皆老街), a popular known as CLP Pulse. The old clock tower was built in 1940. Formerly CLP (China Light and Power Company)’s head office, the brown building has been converted into a museum that shows you the intertwined histories of Hong Kong electricity development and the owner of CLP, Kadoorie Family. It also encourages the public to support decarbonisation and sustainable development through experiential activities of fun. Many photographs there are precious.
The ‘Kadoorie’s are a wealthy Hong Kong-based Jewish family. They have been doing business in Bombay, Shanghai and Hong Kong since the 18th century. The family is low-key. They have never become poorer from donating generously to the community.
Still not enough? Please visit Tung Wah Museum (東華三院文物館) inside Kwong Wah Hospital on Waterloo Road. The Museum, previously a hospital, was built in 1911. It is, in my humble opinion, the most elegant and well-maintained Chinese architecture in Hong Kong.
Life is better in motion. We stroll through the beautiful Hong Kong with the joy of a curious heart. In every walk on Waterloo Road, poor or rich section, I learn far more than I intend to seek.
This article can also be found at the following sites:
