The Sun Yat-Sen museum is in the Central district at mid-level up the peak. According to the sites we consulted it would take only five minutes' walk from the MRT station. We covered the first two block in five minutes. Stopped to admire Insomnia bar whose back ceiling looked like an arched tunnel. I took several photos. Sten we got to steps. We asked the way at three or four corners, each time accosting three or four people. The roads led left and right diagonally. Then some flights of steps. A few more photos. At last, an escalator. Then another. We were on the right level. Along the last road. We reached the museum after forty five minutes. Admittedly you could have got there in five minutes in an airplane.
We thoroughly enjoyed the walk through the bar and restaurant area, passing Hard Rock Cafe. The museum was worth the uphill walk.
The museum
When we arrived, we were handed leaflets on the museum and the cartoon exhibition. I asked, 'How long does it take to see the museum?"
The assistant replied: "Ten years."
Of course, she thought I had asked how long it had taken to build.
Maybe the shop is being redeveloped. Most of the rest of it seemed open, despite the warning on the website.
Our visit covered three subjects. First, Sun Yat-Sen, starting with the statue of Sun Yat-Sen in the courtyard outside the entrance.
He was born way back in the 1800s. According to the exhibition, China was under corrupt government, with the other super powers of the day such as Russia, England, France and Japan, in control of various areas, and the Emperor was only six years old when forced to abdicate.
Sun Yat-Sen was educated in Hong Kong, baptised in the Christian faith in Hong Kong, under exile for several years, living around the world.
The building housing the museum was chosen as being an example of a fine building from his era. It was built by a successful magnate's family (his grandson who lived in the house is on one of the videos about the house. The house was later occupied by the Church. Finally, it was bought by the government.
Building Restoration
A fascinating video shows how the building was restored to the glory of its early heyday. the conservationists also had to adapt the design to comply with modern safety requirement
such as the fire escape at the back.
A lift has been installed for the benefit of easy access for the disabled. The lift also helped those of us who started the day able bodied and energetic but were already exhausted from climbing up the peak and didn't feel inclined to climb to the fourth level of the building.
The renovations were more than just a bit of a touch up of paint and a wash over of the floors. The metal sub-structure of the building had to be exposed under the outside layer of brickwork which was removed. The metalwork was preserved. Then the brickwork was restored.
Our last theme to explore was political humour. Cartoon drawings and animated films were used to make political points. This was very thought-provoking in the light of modern day events.
It's a pity the museum has no water fountain (except one I glimpsed in an office. We went into McDonalds which is next door and bought an orange juice and succumbed to the temptation of chicken nuggets. The nuggets came with a square baby tub of wheat and sour sauce.
My companion very sensibly asked for a glass of water and opted for real chicken (four pieces). The real chicken was coated in spice but although the first piece tasted spicy by the time I got to the second I had become immune to it.
I asked for a meal deal and was offered chicken nuggets with Coca Cola and fries. I had hoped for something healthy which I get in burger bars in London, along with paper tray liners which outline the meal deals so you can see clearly the different combinations. My Chinese is not up to translating.
Escalators And Mini-Buses
We were hoping to take the escalators back down. However, they only go in one direction in peak hours, upwards only on a Sunday evening.
Fortunately we found a shared mini bus playing the route back to Times Square,
Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum
7 Castle Road, Mid-levels, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: 2367 6373
http://hk.drsunyatsen.museum
Photos will be added later in another post.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer
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