Perspectives
Beyond Bruce Lee: discovering Hong Kong through cinema
It is easy to reduce cinematic Hong Kong to a single image: Bruce Lee, a familiar stance and the harbour skyline. That is a useful entrance,
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RecommendationsFlorence in the rain: a relaxed plan built around one good visit
On a rainy day in Florence, choose one main indoor visit in a convenient area, give it enough attention and keep the connecting walk modest. Around
PerspectivesAncient Hong Kong: a Han tomb, MTR finds and coastal markings
Ancient Hong Kong does not always announce itself with a vast museum or a dramatic ruin. Sometimes it appears as a brick chamber behind glass, a
PerspectivesHong Kong before skyscrapers: village halls, gates and schools
There is a Hong Kong history that is difficult to imagine from the harbour skyline. Its traces appear among low village houses, ancestral halls, study rooms
RecommendationsPitti Palace museums: how to choose what to see on a first visit
At Pitti Palace, choose the Palatine Gallery if you want paintings within grand historic rooms; the Gallery of Modern Art if you are curious about later
RecommendationsBoboli or Bardini: which Florence garden should you choose?
Choose Boboli if you want a substantial encounter with the landscape of a court: broad axes, sculpture, grottos and the relationship between a palace and its
PerspectivesNew lives for old buildings: Tai Kwun, PMQ and The Mills
Hong Kong’s history is not found only in temples and museum galleries. Sometimes it becomes more visible where an old building remains part of everyday
RecommendationsFlorence viewpoints: choose a panorama that fits your day
For a first broad view of Florence, start by considering Piazzale Michelangelo. If you want the city to appear through greenery, look instead at the Rose
PerspectivesBuildings that moved: Murray House and Blake Pier in Stanley
In Stanley, it is easy to look only at the sea. Low waterfront buildings, a relaxed walking atmosphere and green hills encourage you to slow down.
RecommendationsBrunelleschi’s Dome or Giotto’s Bell Tower: which Florence climb should you choose?
Choose Brunelleschi’s Dome if the main attraction is entering the structure that defines Florence’s skyline. Choose Giotto’s Bell Tower if you especially want
RecommendationsUffizi or Accademia: which museum should you choose on a first visit to Florence?
Choose the Uffizi if your first question about Florence concerns painting and the way images changed across generations. Choose the Accademia if you especially want to
PerspectivesWhy some Hong Kong sea temples now stand far from the water
A sea temple in a dense urban neighbourhood raises an obvious question: why honour a protector of seafarers somewhere the sea is no longer visible? In