High Life

HIGH LIFE #11 Aug 2017 57 K nown as the entertainment, shopping and commercial district of Hong Kong Island, Causeway Bay is indeed an exciting area to stay during a visit to the dynamic city. Situated on the waterfront ofVictoria Harbor and opposite the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, The Excelsior – a 34storeyhotel that officiallyopened for business on 20 February 1973 – is a historical site. It was built on the first plot of land in Hong Kong to be sold at public auction in 1841, when it officially became a British colony. Developed on the original “godown” of JardineMatheson directly behind the famous Noonday Gun, it is today still registered as Lot No 1. Each day at noon, a loud “bang” heard from the waterfront opposite the hotel signals the firing of the Noonday Gun, a custom that dates back to the 1840s. The daily ritual is undertaken by uniformed staff of Jardine, Matheson and Co, one of the biggest British conglomerates in Hong Kong. The gun was first fired as a salute to the leader of Jardine’s (commonly known as the Tai Pan) and is a tradition that remains to this day. Adjacent to the Noonday Gun is the Typhoon Shelter, which is a refuge area for all kinds of vessels during the typhoon season between May and September. Here, Hong Kong’s boat people in their traditional Chinese sampans can be seen ferrying passengers and goods. Meanwhile, the prestigious Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, which sits on the adjacent Kellet Island, is a venue for many social and nautical events. Facing east from the hotel is Victoria Park – a peaceful retreat that offers an escape fromthe bustle and noise of the city. The park houses 13 tennis courts including an exhibition court used for international tournaments. Other sporting facilities include a jogging track, swimming pools, basketball courts, volleyball grounds and lawn bowls – a legacy from the colonial days. In the earlymorning, local residents practice “Tai Chi” – an ancient Chinese exercise regimen for health andwellbeing.