Comment Card

This morning I decided to take the Tram to the library. As you can see below the Tran (or Ding-Ding, from the sound of the bell), is like the Trolleys in San Francisco, but the Tram is a double-decker. The Tram is nice because it is above ground and you can see the city and it is only 2 HKD (about $0.30) no matter where you go. The disadvantages of the Tram is that it is slower for long distances and isn't air-conditioned.

I wasn't in a rush and the Tram stops right in front of the Hong Kong Central Library. However, I had to wait a long time for a Tram so the crowd of people waiting for the next car was getting big. The crowd was made up mostly of old people, because the Tram only cost them 1 HKD. I had picked the perfect spot to stand as the doors to the Tram opened right in front of me. However, I was mobbed by a pack of rapid senior citizens. If you want to see an old person move quickly, have them fight for a spot on the tram. They will go through you like Brian Urlacher through a 180 lbs. running back caught in a busted screen pass. Of course, if you are walking behind them on the sidewalk in Mong Kok, they move like molasses.

I passed on the first Tram anticipating a second Tram very soon because of the long wait. Sure enough, I was right. I got a spot standing on the top level because this Tram was also crowded. Shortly after that, I got a seat in the back which I later surrendered to... an old lady (that probably ran over someone to get on the Tram). What would have taken about 20-30 minutes on the MTR, took about 45 minutes on the Tram. You live... you learn.

And as much as I think Hong Kong has done a great job of designing an efficient city, I really think they dropped the ball on the Central Library. There are three elevators (that I know of) for a ten story building. There is also an escalator system to go up and down, but they lay out is poor and requires a lot of walking around to get to the next elevator. For a building that easily houses, 1000+ people at any given time of the day, the way of moving them up and down is pretty lousy.

But on a positive note, the weather was pretty fantastic yesterday and we enjoyed blue skies. It is a little cloudier today, but you can still see some blue in between.

This afternoon, I am going to see "The Dark Knight" with Rufina.