Ordinary Gweilo

The artist employed by Sino Land is obviously hard at work trying to come up with new and imaginative ways to depict The Palazzo.

Yesterday’s SCMP had this effort (see right), which is actually not too bad.  Yes, The Palazzo has grown in size, and yes it has been twisted round by about 90 degrees, but you can still see the industrial estate in the background, and the racecourse has its stands.

The rugby stadia have gone, and in their place we have a number of equestrian venues (which will all have gone by the time anyone moves in).  Mind you, the Jockey Club staff quarters have disappeared, presumably trampled underfoot by The Palazzo when it turned around to face the racecourse.

Some might quibble about the portrayal of the Shing Mun river and also the throngs of happy people strolling along the river bank (and where are they going, anyway?) but this certainly isn’t as far-fetched as their main picture.

Then came today’s picture, and we are firmly back in the world of fantasy – where everything is green and verdant.

Of course the Hong Kong Sports Institute has also disappeared, along with those rugby stadia, again to be replaced with more green stuff.  No more Jockey Club staff quarters either.

The clubhouse has also moved so that it is adjacent to the finishing straight of the racecourse.  Of course it isn’t there at all, and if it was then it would have its view of the horses blocked by the spectator stands. 

Oh, yes, the stands – where have they gone?  Where is the giant screen?  The dirt track has also turned an attractive beige colour.   

What about the public tranport interchange?  Oh, right, if we have demolished the spectator stands we don’t need that, do we?

Then there’s all the developments on the opposite bank of the Shing Mun river.  They have been shrunk down to a ribbon of low-rise buildings along the water’s edge.  How delightful that place must be.  Oh, it’s City One Sha Tin, you say?  Really?  I never knew…