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Yves - an ex-Lammaite who left Lamma, but not HK, 27 years ago - writes:
I never heard of DickStock when I left my house in Yung Shue Wan in November 1978. That just gives me an additional 27 years, and sure I was better looking at that time. So was Lamma, without those ugly three chimneys of the power plant. I remember I wrote some articles against this frightening project that year. Without any success, as you may see...
When I told my Chinese friends in Hong Kong that I was living on Lamma they were all shouting at me, "How can you stay in a place where there is no electricity nor water?" Well, they actually did not know anything about the place. Of course, we had the basic utilities back then, even a school and a dispensary! But it is this kind of prejudice that Hong Kong people always have when you talk of anything out of reach by MTR. I even saw HSBC establishing a branch near Lung Wah Seafood Restaurant.
What has changed since?
The harbour was full of small sampans with fishermen families living on them. I remember those old ladies, dressed in black trousers, while the sea was becoming rough, standing at the back of their sampan and moving in the most skillful way in-between all the high waves. The harbour looks empty nowadays.
In the middle of the village, there was this company exposing drying shrimps to the sun on wooden racks, with that particular "delicate" smell filling both sides of Main Street. You could not escape it. Now you have a Gwailo bar showing soccer matches on TV at the same place. And it doesn't smell of anything.
Every evening, you heard the bullfrogs singing like crazy near the houses, the barking of sick and dirty dogs, and the nightly noises of the Mahjong players, covering up the sounds of the ocean waves. It seems even the waves are more civilized today, trying not to cover the sounds of the TV sets and air conditioning units.
At the very place of the power plant, there was the wildest and most impressive diving place: I found a place where oysters were so good and gave me four tiny pearls. I almost even touched a small shark.
Lamma's inhabitants were specialised in growing green vegetables they sold at Kennedy Town. Now it seems they make their money elsewhere: they have been able to buy air conditioning units and closed their restaurants on the street.
So Lamma is much better off now: Sharks must be frightened by the noise of the power plant, air conditioning everywhere, Gwailo or exotic food at many places (our population of less than 10 foreigners did not justify it), no animal noises and almost no rats anymore, no smell of rotten fish on the beach nor of drying shrimps, many more ferries, even late at night (I was stuck after 9:30 PM back then).
But my favourite restaurant (Lung Wah Seafood Restaurant) is still there. The son, who refused a beautiful career as a kung fu film star to remain on Lamma, has now taken over from his father. Ah-Hay, as he's locally known, played in a few kung fu movies in the 70s, but preferred to return to his vegetable fields on Lamma forever.
The village still looks the same, with not so many houses built in the meantime, and Bob Davis is still there, as happy and smiling as before. Life is good on Lamma Island. And my son, whose mother I met on that wonderful island, is now learning kung fu every Friday night near the harbour. And you have Mr DickStock and his beautiful parties. Lucky you!
Long long life to Lamma Island!
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