Vignettes of the World
Book Review: Not Giving Up (Trans. Original in Korean, Translated into Chinese), 2017 By Bok Yi Choi The word Bon, in Hanja[1], is first, the character for “man” over a “cross,” then furthermore a “cross” below. Overall, it is an imagery of a man bearing …
“I have traversed all Rousseau’s ground…and am struck to a degree with the force & accuracy of his descriptions — & the beauty of their reality: Meillerie –Clarens — & Vevey — & the Château de Chillon are place of which I shall say little …
Perhaps with the exception of, broadly, British colonial rule and its return to China in 1997, Hong Kong is not well known for its history. Yet Hong Kong does celebrate its past, short though it might be.
This day I visited the Pinewood Battery to revisit WWII history. During WWII, the British defended Hong Kong against Japanese invasion. In 1941, it lost Hong Kong to Japanese rule for three years and eight months.
The Pinewood Battery is next to the Lung Fu Shan country park. We began our walk at Hatton Road, along the Lung Fu Shan Morning Trail. We walked for about 40 minutes on a gradual incline and saw the sign to Pinewood Battery.
The Pinewood Battery was built in the very early years of the 20th century. It had once served as the training camp grounds for Boy Scouts before serving military purpose during WWII.
Japan launched its offensive on Hong Kong on December 8, 1941. In just a couple days, Japanese forces had taken down the Shing Mun Redoubt on the Gin Drinkers’ Line, which was the defensive line for Kowloon, and effectively took control of Kowloon and the New Territories. Pinewood Battery was at the forefront of this episode, serving as the anti-aircraft defense of Hong Kong Island and the Victoria Harbor at the time.
Back in those days, the area surrounding the Pinewood Battery did not have the lush foliage like it is today. Actually, the area was rather barren. The military map of the Imperial Japanese Army indicates the location of Pinewood Battery. The enemy had always known its existence.
That became the main reason why the British forces quickly abandoned Pinewood Battery, perhaps just a few days to a week into its service. According to descriptions on site, “the Sperry Predictor was not fast enough in tracking enemy aircraft.” When the Japanese took over Kowloon, they could observe the Battery directly from the Kowloon side. On December 15, the Battery was “heavily shelled by the Japanese 14th Independent Heavy Field Artillery Regiment stationed in Ho Man Tin, forcing the gunners to abandon the position.”
There was an eerie feeling to the Battery. The signage demanded respect as some soldiers have died on this very site defending Hong Kong. Indeed, since its abandonment in 1941, the Pinewood Battery has remained in ruins to this day. At the site, one can still notice the original yellow and green camouflage paint on the structures.
A tour of the Pinewood Battery would take some 45 minutes if you are quite serious about reading the exhibits. The following is a quick virtual tour:
Where the gunners gathered when they were in “stand to” status, meaning ready for action, or otherwise when they were under heavy bombardment. The roofs are splinter-proof, which could shield the soldiers from shrapnel, but it would not withstand a direct shell bombardment.
Anti-aircraft guns with long firing range stationed at the Gun Platforms.
The Command Post centrally directed the guns at the Gun Platforms. The Anti-Aircraft Command gave the fire orders over the telephones, the lines of which were all underground. In those times, this was a modern feature in Asia.
At the Observation Post, the Sperry Predictor would calculate the bearing and elevation of the guns and the fuse timing of the shells. “The point was not to hit the plane with the shell, but to have the shells exploded sufficiently close to the plane to cause damage.”
This was the mess of the gunners that stationed at Pinewood Battery. The building was of a colonial style. It was demolished in 1948.
Finally, on our way back I noticed the City Boundary Stone of Victoria, with the wording “City Boundary 1903.” Under Hong Kong laws, the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap 1) Schedule 1 sets out the boundary of the City of Victoria. The Hong Kong Government then erected these boundary stones in 1903. There are, currently in existence, five other such boundary stones in Hong Kong, all intact and remain as historical relics.[1]
For the history of Victoria as the heart of governance in Hong Kong, see Wikipedia entry on Victoria here.
For the hikers out there, the Lung Fu Shan Morning trail takes you to the Peak, again on gradual incline. You will soon see the Lugard Loop. My friend and I sipped coffee up the newly renovated building at the Peak. The hike was easy, and an interesting history lesson made it a perfect day.
The historical descriptions of Pinewood Battery in this entry came from the exhibits on site at Pinewood Battery.
[1] Antiquities and Monuments Office, Boundary Stone of City of Victoria.
Gruyeres (pronounced gree-EYRE) is a town about an hour northeast of Lausanne. It is famous for its cheese, made at La Maison Du Gruyeres. Milk, the Essence of Great Cheese Every cheese starts with the cows that make the milk. The milk farmers of …
In German, “Jungfrau” means “virgin,” and “joch” means “pass.” The Jungfraujoch is a must-see in Switzerland. Named the “top of Europe,” it is at an altitude of 3,466 metres.[1] In order to maximize my time at the mountain, I woke at 5:15 and boarded the …
The street scenes of Bern left an everlasting impression on my mind. At first sight of Bern, I was surprised by its colors. The main color is a burnt green, consistently present in most of the sandstone buildings in the Altstadt. This burnt green is a shade lighter, and creamier, than the camouflage green used in the U.S. army. The buildings look very elegant. It is a kind of color that gives an aged vibe, perfectly befitting to Bern being a city that has stood the test of time.
Yet on top of the Műnster St Vinzenz, I looked onto a completely different impression of Bern. The tops of the buildings are all in red. The warm hue seemed to express welcome, quite unlike the slightly colder tone of burnt green as I observed on the ground.
As compared to the Vieille Ville of Lausanne, Bern showed a clear sense of order and planning. Not to say that Lausanne was disorderly, it was just not the same precision with which the German-speaking Bern built its old town.
Perhaps Lausanne was not a good comparison to the capital of Switzerland. The founder of Bern was Berthold V, Duke of Zahringen. Legend had it that he decided to name the settlement after the first animal that he hunted. It turned out to be a bear (Bär) and thus Bärn was the name of this settlement. In 1353, Bern joined the Swiss Confederation.
A fire destroyed Bern’s then timber-made buildings in 1405. Thereafter its people rebuilt the town in stone, and thus, the beautiful sandstone buildings we see today in this archaic city. According to my guide book, the town has retained its character since. In 1528, the Bernese declared itself Protestant. It has since brought Protestantism to other regions in Switzerland, including Lausanne.
The cobbled streets of Bern were once treaded upon by the troops of Napoleon, who made, in the history of Switzerland, the only invasion ever into this country in 1798. In 1848, Bern was chosen as the federal capital of Switzerland.
Many beautiful statues and fountains dot along Bern’s main streets. They are the landmarks with which tourists can distinguish between the many seemingly identical rows of green sandstone buildings. By the time I was back in town from Zentrum Paul Klee, I thought I had seen Bern. My final walk was to the oldest church in Bern and the Kornhaus, which used to serve as a granary but now a cultural center. The train for Lausanne departed at 5:40pm and I duly came back to the home base at 6:18. What a fulfilling day in the capital of Switzerland.
I did not do very much research on the history of Bern before or after my trip. I do think though that what I have written here suffice in terms of learning about the capital of Switzerland (and it’s not Geneva or Zurich!) The Altstadt is an incredibly pleasant walk. My only regret was that the Zytglogge closed for renovation. If given a chance, I would visit Bern again just to see it.
The historical descriptions of this entry came from DK Eyewitness Travel Switzerland.
There is this idea of a “Hong Kong Style Western Cuisine.” Its roots go back to the late 19th century, when many foreigners did business in Hong Kong. Thus the demand for western cuisine. In the beginning, only foreigners dined at these western restaurants, but …
By 3pm, the winter day at Bern was waning. I debated where to go as I wandered randomly in town. Bus 12 just passed by me, going to Zentrum Paul Klee and so I hopped on. Having crossed through the town and onward to its …
I went almost out of town, and finally turned to Postgasse to see the Rathaus and the church. I then turned to Műnstergasse. Finally, clearly in view was the Műnster St Vinzenz, the crown jewel of Bern.
As with usual, I paid a spiritual tribute and enjoyed the organ music. As I was preparing to leave, I spotted a narrow door that opened up to a never-ending flight of stairs up. It would lead to the very apex of the cathedral tower. There was not a split second of doubt – I paid 5 CHF to climb it.
The climb, to say the least, was rigorous. Yet unlike the popular Pisa in Italy, there were very few tourists trailing behind. As a result, I could take my time. About three quarters of the way, however, I started to regret my decision. My knees clattered, not so much due to the strenuousness as a fear that began to take over me. I have never known myself to fear height. However, at that altitude, even the very slim stone openings on the outer wall gave enough sense of the height that I started to feel a panic. The thought of an even more breathtaking view strengthened my resolve. I clutched onto the inner rail and marched on.
Overall I took four breaks sitting down, at the same time trying to re-orient myself against the fear. The climb was a battle of the will.
Once up at the top, however, I gathered myself in the open and crisp air. I was standing at the tallest church tower of Switzerland. With secure railing all around me, the fear dissipated. Then I strike up a conversation with a mid-aged lady and learned that there was more. The additional flight of steps would take me up the apex of the steeple. I guesstimated that there were about 50 to 70 more step s to climb. I might as well do it!
On my way I saw another guy. He told me, “it was good up there, though the view is not much different!” Well, as far as I could see, the view was better there. I savored the aerial view of Bern, far away onto the Swiss Alps. All of Aare River was below me. I felt as if I was on the tiptoe of a fall – into love with this beautiful city.
There were 250 steps, not including the final flight to the steeple. As I came down, I had the feeling that I have conquered fear.
Back, firmly grounded, I went on to Marktgasse looking for food. There were many options on this street. It hummed with economic activities with many shops, restaurants and pedestrians. I did notice the multitudes of apothecaries in the Altstadt, but never found the answer.
I had hoped for a cheap sandwich, which was available at the COOP and its restaurants. Yet there was nowhere on this street I could sit peacefully for takeouts. Finally, on a side street with a strip of restaurants, I found an immigrant-run creperie. I picked the only thing I could read – a mozzarella tomato with salad sandwich, and a cup of coffee. All for 10 CHF.
On Kramgasse I passed by the Confiserie Tschirren before reaching the Albert Einstein Haus. The window display left such an indelible impression that I decided to go back for a visit. Just anything that I could afford from the bakery. Well, a cursory glance at …