Pick up sticks

The bamboo scaffoldings in Hong Kong are amazing. I've always been in awe each time I see a multitude of people balancing on a couple of bamboo poles while they're renovating or repainting a building. Imagine, while people in first world countries would use metal and bolts, they use bamboo and plastic string. Imagine, something so basic can perform a task that's so Herculean! And they never break, they never collapse, they never give in.

Because of these traits, I've always been a big fan of these scaffoldings.

Until I saw this:



Just across the building where I live, a scaffolding was erected to fix a broken, plastic signage. The winds were pretty violent, and we just had a bad case of rain a few hours ago. While I was walking near this area, I could already see the scaffolding as it teetered dangerously. Then suddenly, it all just fell down.



Good thing I brought my trusty digital camera, so like a UP trained Journalist, I took photos of the "event." A few minutes after it collapsed, the HK Police were already on the scene, cordoning the area. (Actually, it happened just in front of the TST Police station, thus the prompt response.) They cleaned up the mess in no time, so people who didn't see the accident won't even know it happened, and they'll still have that great amount of faith on bamboo scaffoldings.

But of course, I saw it and I know. And yes, my faith in them has diminished greatly.



Oh how the mighty have fallen.