The iconic nightscape of Victoria Harbor flashes across one’s mind when people mention Hong Kong. Its landmarks such as HSBC headquarter, Jardine House and Mandarin Oriental Hotel outline the skyline along Victoria Harbor nowadays. Ever think of what it was like before Victoria Harbor turned into one of tourists’ to-go list?

Through the eyes of a foreign photographer, Grylls assembled previously unpublished images of Hong Kong in old days. “Hong Kong Then and Now” is a collection of Hong Kong’s landscape photographs across decades. It preserves our memories so that readers can reminisce former landscapes while appreciating the evolvements in Hong Kong so far.

This book features side-to-side comparisons of historical images and contemporary views of eye-catching spots and architectures. The old and rarely seen photographs of Hong Kong in the past amazed readers of how the “fragrant harbour” was transformed into one of the world’s leading international financial centres. Turn to the page of “Kowloon-Canton Railway Terminus in 1954”, you will learn that clusters of small sized buildings once occupied the shore of Hong Kong Island. Then the contemporary view taken from the same location in 2016 reveals they were replaced by skyscrapers. Only the historical clock tower at Tsim Sha Tsui was saved and is the left alone structure standing there for decades.

Hong Kong, like many other cities in the world is now under a pandemic. We are strongly urged to avoid non-essential travel outside Hong Kong. Staycation becomes popular. Pick up the book and flip pages and look for places which resonance your heart and relax and enjoy the scenic Hong Kong.