Prince Edward and Sham Shui Po Stroll

Look! A bear! Colourful graffiti in Prince Edward

After dim sum at Fung Shing Restaurant on Sunday, my friend took us around Prince Edward and Sham Shui Po to walk off our meal.

An old school dry goods store with lots of merchandise

We saw some old school shops selling herbal drinks, and dry goods stores that were stocked with all kinds of sauces, noodles, dried tofu skins, dried dates, plastic containers of maltose, and ginger. These kinds of stores with such comprehensive stock are hard to find these days, but good to know they're still around in the depths of Kowloon!

Another place we hit was Sam Tai Tsz Temple and Pak Tai Temple that are attached and are like a mini version of Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. Inside a few people were paying their respects and praying to the gods...

A traditional temple in Sham Shui Po

We also saw some graffiti -- nice ones -- that rejuvenated a few old buildings in the area. I'd seen many pictures of the one featuring a bear, but now I finally got to see it in person! It really does make the neighbourhood more interesting for residents and visitors.

It's located on a street that has many fabric and button wholesalers, but on Sundays they are closed, so the street is pretty much empty. My friend says this is where they filmed some scenes for the Transformer movie...

We also saw the School of Chinese Medicine run by Baptist University, an old shop building that has been re-purposed. Again I've seen it in pictures and not in person.

Some details of the building are still intact, like some old Chinese characters are faded on the ground floor walls, while glass windows have been installed as well as air conditioning.

A Chinese medicine clinic run by Baptist University

It was previously owned by the Liu family that owns Kowloon City Bus and there are some artifacts left behind from the 19th century. The place is usually closed on Sundays, but because there was an event going on, we were able to quickly look around the ground floor.

I asked my friend about seeing the shop where a man called Chan Cheuk-ming, better known as Ming Gor hands out rice boxes to the poor. He started doing this in 2013 out of his own pocket, and then when the media started reporting on him, he was flooded with donations, but at least it helped him keep his business afloat.

Ming Gor's relatively new shop

Last year he expanded to a nearby new space that features a slick-looking sign and space, and tries to keep prices low despite increased rents. That's because Chan has said he is in a working-class area and he can't just raise prices. He also knows if he does he'll soon have no customers.

It's tough having a business in Hong Kong, but if you have heart, people will help you out.

Government Pats its own Back

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam to receive Hong Kong's highest honour

On the eve of the 19th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to China, the government unveiled its list of awards, lauding those who have made significant contributions to the city.

It was quite surprising to see the list stacked with government officials, led by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor being awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal, the highest accolade possible.

Some of her colleagues receive the Gold Bauhinia Star, like Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok, Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment, and Paul Chan Mo-po, Secretary for Development.

What has Paul Chan done to merit a Gold Bauhinia Star?

One can see why Lam was given the award for her tireless efforts in trying to be the face of the Leung Chun-ying administration, particularly during the Occupy protests and last year when the government was pushing through electoral reform and failed. She had to put a brave face forward, which is professional of her, but at what cost morally?

What have Wong and Chan done lately that merit recognition for their work?

Pollution, waste and recycling issues have hardly been tackled, with the government timidly implementing waste disposal costs. Perhaps Wong will say these efforts need the cooperation of other departments, but his should be leading and pushing the cause with a goal of making Hong Kong a more efficient and cleaner city when it comes to dealing with waste and pollution.

Meanwhile Chan's record is hardly stellar, embroiled in several scandals mostly involving real estate. He and his wife were found to have property that had subdivided flats, and later it was reported his family had land in the New Territories where the government had planned to develop, thus possibly resulting in a windfall. He was accused of conflict of interest and did not fully disclose all his assets.

We vote for Chan Cheuk-ming to get formal recognition

What has he done to be awarded a Gold Bauhinia medal?

On the other hand, it goes without saying that the two firemen who lost their lives in the Ngau Tau Kok fire over a week ago, Thomas Cheung and Samuel Hui Chi-kit should be recognized posthumously with gold medals for bravery.

While this honour is a token that will not bring Hui and Cheung back to their families, it is a small gesture Hong Kong can do to show the community's gratitude towards them.

Other people recognized on the list seem to be pro-establishment figures, like Starry Lee Wai-king, chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, her colleague Tam Yiu-chung, and Liu Changle, chairman and CEO of Phoenix Television.

And for Father Franco Mella in helping the disadvantaged

How about highlighting people who are fostering community in the city, helping others in selfless ways, like restaurant owner Chan Cheuk-ming or Ming gor, who feeds the poor in Sham Shui Po, or Father Franco Mella, an Italian priest who came to Hong Kong in 1974 and learned Cantonese and has worked hard to help the disadvantaged.

To me, these people should be receiving the city's highest honours. But perhaps the government is perched too high on the pedestal to see the city's true gems.