Etherelda
Member
On Tuesday, I got a phonecall at 3pm saying my dad had a stroke, and that he was taken off his flight into Hong Kong, and was in a hospital. His work arranged for me to fly out that night on the 9.15 flight, so I had 15 mins to pack by the time I got home from Crowland Maidenhead aquatics. I was absolutely petrified, thinking the worst, that I'd be getting off the flight and going to a morgue, but don't worry, happy ending.
Luckily, he has had brain scans, ultrasounds, in a fantastic hospital, and there is no evidence of blood clots, despite previously getting DVT, due to his 2 flights to inland China, 1 to Dubai, and several European flights per month. I spent Wednesday night to yesterday at the hospital during visiting hours. He has cellulosis, massive swollen leg and infection, but no risk of septicemia now. We fly home on wed.
Dad's work put me up in a hotel (5*, lush) 3 blocks from 'Goldfish street/market'. Utter heaven. At least 6 shops in one street devoted to aquascaping, and the rest marine, general or mainly livestock.
Here are my pics of this unexpected experience. Before Tuesday i'd only ever been as far as Venice, and the Pyrenees.
I couldn't take many photos, as most shops disallowed it (probably due to the daffy tourists and kids using flash and banging the tanks).
Sorry for the blurred cameraphone pics but I didn't have time to grab my SLR, in fact I forgot to bring summer clothes. I turned up in a wool coat, fleece and no trousers. Thank goodness the markets are cheap. £3 per garment.
Poor fishies in bags all day long. The 'rougher' shops tended to have these hanging out. Many had fin rot/whitespot/swimbladder:upsidedown/gasping for air.
I noticed when fish were sold from tanks, they fill the bag from a compressor. Poor fish. Dunno if it was just compressed air or oxygen?
these were no where near the most overstocked fish I saw.
fantastic 'coral cave' of plasticness
Lots of overbred fish. What surprised me that fish like pearl gourami, and rams were diamond shaped, compared with here where we go for the oval shape.
The first planted aquaria shop I went in, tiny, and mostly stocked ADA.
This and the following pics were in the shop that I spent serious ££$$ in. So they let me take pics. The chap was very keen to show me his tanks once I explained about the UKAPS and lack of aquascaping shops in the uk. Had a nice long broken english chit chat. This tank, he turned on the lights especially for me, and was very proud. Some of the other shops had international awards up in cabinets next to various tanks. Amazing.
the exposure on these pics is really bad.
about 20% of the plants on sale
A whole tank of HC
I've never seen so many pearls
accidentally flared the flash, oops
ten to the pound at the mo I think.
main entrance tank. There were about 5 exhibition tanks inside.
The tank above has 4 filters, and 13 11w t5s, all ADA. Had a funny convo about HK needing filters with inbuilt coolers, and us not really needing that function, due to our lovely inclement climate.
My purchases:
£40 'up' reg and sole
so glad HK plugs are the same as ours
reading for the journey home
solenoid for current system: £40
nearly 2 ft long, £12 pair
plug for reg and solenoid £5, 10 sheets of wire mesh and co2 tube free.
mini system for nano tank (work desk project) £30
tweezers, backing until tank grows, and algae scraper total £6
2 drop checkers, 1 bubble counter, 1 co2 piping to diffuser (can't remember techincal term as had 3 glasses of wine), and large pollen diffuser, £20 glassware total
I know some have been to HK, and some not, so just some photos of my experience,
i'll see if I can sneek some more photos of Tung Choi Street tomorrow, but can't post as i'll be on plane. I've stayed up especially to post these. I am bonkers. I'll upload to flickr in hi-res once home. I wish I had an empty credit card!
Luckily, he has had brain scans, ultrasounds, in a fantastic hospital, and there is no evidence of blood clots, despite previously getting DVT, due to his 2 flights to inland China, 1 to Dubai, and several European flights per month. I spent Wednesday night to yesterday at the hospital during visiting hours. He has cellulosis, massive swollen leg and infection, but no risk of septicemia now. We fly home on wed.
Dad's work put me up in a hotel (5*, lush) 3 blocks from 'Goldfish street/market'. Utter heaven. At least 6 shops in one street devoted to aquascaping, and the rest marine, general or mainly livestock.
Here are my pics of this unexpected experience. Before Tuesday i'd only ever been as far as Venice, and the Pyrenees.
I couldn't take many photos, as most shops disallowed it (probably due to the daffy tourists and kids using flash and banging the tanks).
Sorry for the blurred cameraphone pics but I didn't have time to grab my SLR, in fact I forgot to bring summer clothes. I turned up in a wool coat, fleece and no trousers. Thank goodness the markets are cheap. £3 per garment.
Poor fishies in bags all day long. The 'rougher' shops tended to have these hanging out. Many had fin rot/whitespot/swimbladder:upsidedown/gasping for air.
I noticed when fish were sold from tanks, they fill the bag from a compressor. Poor fish. Dunno if it was just compressed air or oxygen?
these were no where near the most overstocked fish I saw.
fantastic 'coral cave' of plasticness
Lots of overbred fish. What surprised me that fish like pearl gourami, and rams were diamond shaped, compared with here where we go for the oval shape.
The first planted aquaria shop I went in, tiny, and mostly stocked ADA.
This and the following pics were in the shop that I spent serious ££$$ in. So they let me take pics. The chap was very keen to show me his tanks once I explained about the UKAPS and lack of aquascaping shops in the uk. Had a nice long broken english chit chat. This tank, he turned on the lights especially for me, and was very proud. Some of the other shops had international awards up in cabinets next to various tanks. Amazing.
the exposure on these pics is really bad.
about 20% of the plants on sale
A whole tank of HC
I've never seen so many pearls
accidentally flared the flash, oops
ten to the pound at the mo I think.
main entrance tank. There were about 5 exhibition tanks inside.
The tank above has 4 filters, and 13 11w t5s, all ADA. Had a funny convo about HK needing filters with inbuilt coolers, and us not really needing that function, due to our lovely inclement climate.
My purchases:
£40 'up' reg and sole
so glad HK plugs are the same as ours
reading for the journey home
solenoid for current system: £40
nearly 2 ft long, £12 pair
plug for reg and solenoid £5, 10 sheets of wire mesh and co2 tube free.
mini system for nano tank (work desk project) £30
tweezers, backing until tank grows, and algae scraper total £6
2 drop checkers, 1 bubble counter, 1 co2 piping to diffuser (can't remember techincal term as had 3 glasses of wine), and large pollen diffuser, £20 glassware total
I know some have been to HK, and some not, so just some photos of my experience,
i'll see if I can sneek some more photos of Tung Choi Street tomorrow, but can't post as i'll be on plane. I've stayed up especially to post these. I am bonkers. I'll upload to flickr in hi-res once home. I wish I had an empty credit card!
Glad to hear about your Dad, maybe next time you go will be under better circumstances. 
