It turns out that not all of Hong Kong is covered in Sky scrapers. A 45minute roller-coaster coach ride away from Tung Chung MTR station, on the dark side of the mostly green Lantau is Tai O, a fishing (related) village that time forgot, where the locals would probably be surprised to hear what hashappened to the mainland in the last 50 years.
I say 'related' because although the seafood here is exquisite, the main local produce consists mostly of dried fish, dried squid, dried shark and dried unrecongisables... and gallons of shrimp paste - all proudly on display throughout the streets - filling the air with an aroma that would make Jonah feel seasick.
In the last few years it looks like the stilted shacks have received half an upgrade. Left clad in panels of insulation-aluminium with the part numbers still scrawled on in marker pen they turn what would have been neglect into half-arsed. Otherwise the village has an authentic, laid-back charm - clearly kept content by the the bus-loads of visitors treating it as a tranquil daytime excursion from the big shiny lights.
