To Hongkongers, shopping at wet markets, crossing the Victoria Harbor by ferry, or gobbling up at a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style café) are just day-to-day activities that hardly deserve any attention. But to Nicolas Petit, who runs a street photography project called The Hongkongers (IG: @thehongkongers), these mundanities are exactly what make up a unique Hong Kong.

Petit moved to Hong Kong five years ago. The Brussels-born struggled to adapt to the hot and humid subtropical climate, until he found his remedy to cool down – iced Hong Kong-style milk tea. “I fell in love with the tea when I first arrived. I love the iced milk tea here. The weather is way too hot, so I always need it.”

港蘋國際-

His family also love going to cha chaan teng. Married to an Italian-Hongkonger, Petit always has Italian and Chinese food at home, but his two children are big fans of the comforting fast food served at the bustling cafés. The family of four always enjoy a Hong Kong-style breakfast near their home in Lamma Island. “My kids' favorites are cha chaan teng egg sandwiches and macaroni soup.”

Petit is a freelance photographer working for international magazines. Having lived in Hong Kong for several years, he is most impressed by the resilience of the city and its people. “I remember how the city returned to normal just one day after many windows were broken by a signal No.10 typhoon. The same scenario would probably take Belgium five years to recover.”

Enchanted by Hong Kong’s urban landscape, Petit is dedicated to exploring and taking pictures of different neighborhoods in his leisure time. “I have been to North Point 20 times already and I still think it’s an interesting place.” He always enjoys a ferry ride from North Point to Hung Hom and loves watching the trams passing through the Chun Yeung Street market.

“People in these outdoor markets act like they are all neighbors to each other. The way they bargain makes you feel the energy of the place.” He is therefore sad to see that this culture is vanishing as outdoor markets have been moving indoors.

Hong Kong is a place full of contrasts, the photographer notes. The small city with sparkling skyscrapers and rural villages is home to people of different generations, origins, and values. It only takes him 25 minutes to travel to the city from the outlying island where he lives.

His candid photographs strive to capture the contrasts lurking on every corner of the city. In one of his works, next to an illuminated building full of residents is a man on his own. “His loneliness speaks volume, sometimes we do feel lonely living in such a big city.”

Another photo was snapped on a street in Central. The girl in the advertisement is pointing to one direction, while the man is walking towards the opposite. The wall map between them seems to further highlight a mix of confusing directions. “When I took this photo, I thought the future of Hong Kong was very uncertain. You don’t know where it is going as we have different directions ahead of us.”

A shot taken in Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park documents a very beautiful scene constituted of the sunlight and rainbow after heavy rain. “The vitality of the youth reminds me of the future of Hong Kong.”

These are some of the photos from his “Goldfish Dream” project. Petit likens Hong Kong to a goldfish tank because of its geographical location. People may find it difficult to move away, but they can dream of a better future in the tank. He wants to capture the dreams of Hong Kong people through his lens.

“Goldfish Dream is a bit of a metaphor for the city. We all dream of a better future. I think Hong Kong people are much more eager than anyone else in this sense, because we are facing so many challenges at the moment.”

Oftentimes, challenges may lead to feelings of powerlessness. Despite last year’s struggles as well as long-standing issues such as social injustices and high living expenses, Petit still believes that Hongkongers will write their own future. It is why the Belgian photographer has decided to stay.

“Home is where the heart is, and my heart is in Hong Kong, because I have learnt so much from the city and from its people.”

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