HONG KONG DREAMLAND
from September 8 to September 17 2004 in the homeland of Leslie Cheung
Dear Leslie GorGor, finally I came to see your hometown. Now you're not there anymore, but your spirit accompanied us in this wonderful trip, in every moment we spent in Hong Kong.
It's been so exciting to arrive at the airport where we saw you so many times in pictures, proudly walking with Mr. Tong! Then we chose a very special hotel for both of you, the Intercontinental Hong Kong in TST, formerly the Regent.
Our room just faced the Peninsula Hotel. I wondered about the exact place where you met each other more than 20 years ago... such a blessed place!!! Probably the ballroom, since you both attended a birthday party, or probably here?
I don't know... but I think that if there is a Paradise somewhere, it should look like the Regent! We really spent unforgettable moments there!
During our trip we came to see you so many times on the Avenue of Stars! We weren't alone, many times we met other fans who came to visit you. One night we were the only ones under a heavy rain, but some other night fans brought you blinking lights to lit up your star! In front of us, the most beautiful skyline of the world: Hong Kong Island!
The second day we went looking for you at the legendary Sino Centre in Mongkok. In good happy times, when you were still here, so many memories of Susanna's messages about this place! She always asked me "How many pictures do you want?" and I always replied to her: "All!!! All pictures!" Sino Centre is an unique shopping mall in the world. Crowded, weird, funny, chaotic... but once again we spent exciting moments there, buying your pictures and memorabilia without offering resistance! Mr. Cheung Kwok Wing, do you want my credit card? Well, I definitely give it to you!!! Do you know that you're the most expensive guy of the world????
At night we visited the market of Temple Street in Mongkok. Hong Kong is a very safe town, people are polite and educated and, if it was allowed, you could have a pic-nic on the floor of the MTR, sitting without worring about your white trousers!!! Amazing!!! Who complains about this and that in Hong Kong has never been in Europe! And now I fully understand why you never wanted to leave this town which never sleep and stop eating!
On the third day we took the Star Ferry and we decided to face the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Such a tragic place! We know well that you loved it very much, but there are too many terrible memories for us in this place! We didn't dare to enter for a long time, we only gave a fast glance to the Lobby, we didn't dare to stay there too much. This is definitely the only place in Hong Kong where we really felt unconfortable. I had a sudden giddiness, something like fainting and I deeply shivered. We decided to go away in a hurry.
Central is a wonderful place and we had great time wandering up and down in big luxurious building like Alexandra House, Chater House, Central Building...
and your beloved Landmark and Prince's Building, where you usually went for shopping. One day you led us to Ken Qi. And I felt you were there! Did you need a hairdo?
We had our lunch at Cafè Landmark twice. The second time, during our last day in Hong Kong, we lovely chatted with Grace about you. The first time we drunk champagne in your honour.
In the evening of the third day, after meeting Julie, Simie and Kathreen at the Sino Centre, we joined the party organised for you by Sarah at the United Recreation Services Club in Jordan. One of the waiters told us he met you sometimes in another place where he used to work in Central and you usually were alone, drinking your favourite drink "orange juice mixed with carrot juice". There were many fans and we wrote one card for you and one for Mr. Tong to accompany an orchid pot for your birthday. There was a beautiful cake and many beautiful videos of you! At the end of the party unexpectedly Angelina accompanied us to your house. But I haven't enjoyed this night-visit, because even if we were very silent and quite, I felt like spying and my main feeling was embarassment. Many lights were switched on in your house and there was a car in front of it. It was about midnight.
Finally on the 4th day - September 11 - the first date with Leslie Legacy! With Ashley we went to the Hong Kong Film Archive in Sai Wan Ho, we visited the wonderful exhibition by Jupiter Wong, where, among hundreds of pictures of celebrities you were the most brilliant star, then we finally met Susanna, Grace, Emma, Kuniko, Ah Lap!!! What a moment!!! And then we met Miho and Katsuko, and again Simie and Kathreen and Angelina... So many many fans were there!!! It was just like returning home, dear Leslie!! So many friends, from so many different countries! And all because of you, of course!!! Such a blessing! Media wanted us for interviews, so exciting! We told them that we came here only for you and you are our beloved Leslie forever! We enjoyed your movies on the silver screen! You were so young and so beautiful, already so talented, like a precious gem waiting to be discovered!
After the screening we visited Causeway Bay. If TST is perfect for Wong Kar Wai's movies...
Causeway Bay looks like "Blade Runner" in my eyes! Such an exciting crowded place! We ate excellent noodles there!
We looked for your CDs, VCDs, DVDs! We went to Pacific Place afterwards, one of your favourite places, and we ate a tasty pizza at Cova Restaurant, where you loved to go, a very beautiful Italian corner in the most luxurious Hong Kong!
Your Birthday came on September 12 and it was on Sunday. We reached Wan Chai and we found that Leslie Legacy Association prepared the most perfect Birthday event for you. Everything was so wonderful!!! Except that we couldn't buy any flower for you, dear GorGor... sigh... it was so disappointing and frustrating!!! But we were so happy to be there for you, with so many friends! The event was excellent, our feelings were mixed, we were happy and sad, we were touched, we were with you once again!
After the event we had a dinner with Leslie Legacy members in one of your favourite Chinese restaurant in Wan Chai, the Victoria City restaurant, then we went to salute you on the Avenue of Stars. Before the dinner Leslie Legacy went to bring flowers to your house.
On September 13 we enjoyed the Intercontinental Hotel very much, pampering ourselves like celebrities!! For friends we knew that you loved to go to the Regent to eat noodles downstairs and for afternoon tea. At the Intecontinental everything is perfect and those swimming pools are a blessing!
We continued to taste the life of rich and famous at the Lobby of the Peninsula, where we went for an afternoon tea. Such a memorable moment! Everything was so beautiful and pastries... were excellent!!!
We reached Julie and Angelina for a mass dedicated to you on the Rosary Church in TST in the late afternoon. We discovered that also the priest saw us on TV!!!! With them, after meeting a group of Taiwanese fans, we went to the Avenue of Stars. This was the day of "newspapers"!!! And day and night we looked for them, until a last 'late at night' fast walk in TST for the very last copies of newspapers. We finished the day with an impressive dinner at midnight at the Harbourside restaurant of the Intercontinental, eating "penne all'arrabbiata" and drinking French red wine.
The day after we went to Wan Chai and Central for shopping. Did we have to buy a couple of unicorns like yours??? This would has been the main funny question for the days - and the nights - to come!! We saw the area where "The kid" was shot...
and the big escalator to Mid-Levels, then after a long walk we reached the Peak Train Station. Landscape from the Peak was amazing...
but we were there for you most of all and we went to see you at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.
Everything is settle in the best way for you, Leslie! And you are definetly the most beautiful one. So many fans came to see you there, in the Hall of Most Important Personalities. You're with Queen Elisabeth, President Zhang , President George Clinton, not with Andy Lau or Jackie Chan!
In the very first moment we were a bit afraid, worried and sad, but after few minutes, listening to your "The wind continues to blow", we started to think that... we would like to take you away and bring you at home!!! We had memorable moments there!!! I was so interested in your real clothes and shoes, chosen personally by Mr. Tong... so wonderful!!!
We were instead very disappointed by the paper cutting. Of course the intention of the artist is good and it should be appreciated, but that figure is completely different from you, so ugly, with such a big nose. And I wondered why your statue raised so many criticism by fans and nobody complained about the paper cutting... I suppose this is life...
We joined our dearest friends at the Movenpick restaurant on the Peak Tower and we spent a very pleasant and happy dinner with them! We really want to thank them so much for taking care of us in such a special way!!!! Funny moments continued on the MTR too!!!
The day after we joined Iris for a dim sum in another excellent restaurant, the Wan Loong Court, in the basement of Kowloon Hotel in TST. Very very good!!! I also tried the famous Shark Fins soup!!!
Iris talked about you so much and she accompanied us to the place where you set up the office of the Dream League, to produce your debut as director. We miss you so much, GorGor!
Walking here and there in TST you suddenly appeared on the LCD screen on a VCD shop, singing "Silence is Golden" with Sam Hui. Such a blessing!! Many many people crowded on the street to see you!!! You are the most beloved, you know!
Then we visited the Man Mo Temple and Hollywood Road on Shen Wan. You took pictures for the Japanese photobook "All about Leslie" there. I finally understood why Florence Chan said you don't like to rest in a temple due to the incense smoke.
In the evening we had a very special and unforgettable dinner with Ashley, Susanna and Emma at Sun Dau Kee in Jordan, where you loved to go so much! The waiter served us with your favourite foods only (he had a list!!!) and nobody could forget your favourite "Yu Tong" (Fish Soup)!! Good taste, GorGor!!! We also tasted your loved duck feet and wings!
The waiter told us where you usually loved to sit down with your friends and Anita Mui. He wanted I tasted your favourite sweet and sour pork and he told us other fans came here to eat your favourite dishes.
This is the place where you loved to treat your friends and collegues and we all remembered about your dinner here after the Final Passion Tour in HK on April 2001, with Mr. Tong and the dinner with Anita, after the end of "Ashes to Ashes" shooting. Sun Dau Kee is an unforgettable amazing and simple place! You definitely loved a simple genuine life, Leslie! And while in the other room people played mahjong, we shared a lot of memories and thoughts about you. Late at night we continued at one popular Tea House always in Jordan.
On September 16 finally we decided to bring flowers to your beloved house, keeping a very low profile. So we went until Prince Edward station by MTR and we visited two amazing places: the Birds Market and the Flowers Market. A friend told us you liked to go there to buy flowers for your home and we like imaging about you wandering among roses, lilies and orchids.
We chose a beautiful and big bunch of flowers for you and quietly walking we reached your house in Kadoorie Hill.
We left you flowers in silence and we went away. Two windows of your house were open, many orchids (probably ours too) were on the balcony, still with ribbons and decorations. On the window - downstair - we saw the swans. Your house and street look small. It is definitely a private corner, a place to respect.
In the afternoon after saying good-bye to Ashley in the hall of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in TST, we tried for an afternoon tea at the Lobby of the Peninsula, but the service wasn't good so we had our afternoon tea at the Lobby of the Intercontinental,
then we went for shopping in Mongkok (Sino Centre again), Jordan and TST and we enjoyed a 'late at night' bathe in the wonderful Spa pool of the Regent, watching the Hong Kong Bay! This is life!!!
Our last day in HK came too fast!!! Now we know why people seem always so busy and hurry in your town. It's because time runs too fast!!! We went for shopping to Central and we met Grace at the Cafè Landmark. She pampered us sooo much!!! We went to Causeway Bay, looking for the last edition of 'Rouge' on DVD in vain. We paid our last visit to you on the Avenue of Stars. Red and coloured lanterns dancing in the wind decorate the Avenue now that the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming.
Time to leave Hong Kong was coming, but the wind is still blowing and it wrung a promise from us: we will come back!
I would like to thank all friends who made this trip possible and wonderful: Dorothe, Susanna, Grace, Emma, Ashley, Corinna, Celia, Mandy, Mandy, Iris, Ah Lap and all the members of Leslie Legacy Association, Kuniko, Katsuko, Miho, Kyong, Kelly, Yoo Kyung, Boby and Cecilia (I had the lucky chance to meet them after such a long silence!), Snowfield, Gray and Si Heng and all friends I hadn't the time to meet again, but it will happen in future! I want to thank Jo and Angie from Singapore, Simie and Kathreen, Sarah and Tina, Helena, Christina, Angelina and Julie, Miss Vera Lee, Mr Edward Lam, the blond lady from New York (sorry again, I don't remember your name!), all the fans-friends who sent their messages to Leslie Legacy Association for the exhibition and all those who contributed in some way. If I have forgot some name here, you know that you're in my heart anyway. Everything is memorable and I hope to meet you again next year!!!
This page could be updated in future, as well as the page dedicated to the event of 911 and 912. All pictures belongs to Nadia!
See you next year in Hong Kong!!!