July 29, 2010
July 27, 2010
Becoming a Kid Again
A preview of what I got up to on Saturday - we couldn't resist playing on this water slide at one of the rock pools we passed along Ping Nam Stream. I have to add that I was the brave one to test it out first - the others were too scared that the pool at the bottom wasn't deep enough. Of course before I tried it I had a look at the how deep the pool was and decided it was safe enough before testing out the natural water slide. After seeing what fun I had on it, the others followed suit. What great fun we had! :)
July 25, 2010
Taiwan Here I Come...Finally!
I think I must be one of the last Singaporeans who hasn't been to Taiwan. It seems that everyone I know has made a trip there before. So anyway, I'm finally making my way there this Thursday. I thought I'd make a trip there from Hong Kong since it's closer to do so than from Singapore. It also helps that I have just enough Asia Miles and credit card points to redeem for a ticket to Taipei from Hong Kong.
Thursday will also be my last day on the job - I'll be going to work for the first half of the day and then my flight to Taipei will be at 1555 hours. I know, I don't waste any time, do I? :p
I'll be travelling alone and any travelling tips or recommendations are welcomed! Or even better if you can hook me up with some friends who can take me hiking or be mine eating companion!
July 23, 2010
I'm No Trust Fund Baby
I fear I may be giving readers the wrong impression that I don't work due to my exploits in Hong Kong. A recent blog comment asked if I worked, because he / she finds it rather incredible that I have the time to trek, eat and travel etc.
Yes, I do work - very much so. It's precisely for work that I'm in HK. Without work, I wouldn't be here. Without work, I wouldn't have the money to eat and travel. I, unfortunately, am no trust fund baby nor am I a rich tai-tai.
I work Mondays to Fridays and on weekends I make sure I get out and do something. I can't stay at home and do nothing. It drives me mad not doing anything at the weekend. When I move to a new place, I believe I should make the effort to know it as much as possible. This is precisely what drives me to go out and discover new places and do new things in Hong Kong every weekend. Imagine how many more things I'd get up to if I didn't work???
Perhaps I really do have more energy than the average person, which is why I always seem to be up and about. Maybe I have slight ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder). Haha. There's nothing to envy about my lifestyle - it's actually really accessible to most people. It's just a matter of making the effort to get out there to do things. It might also involve making little sacrifices like getting up a little earlier to make more use of the day instead of sleeping in. Or bigger sacrifices like deciding to relocate to a new city and starting life anew, quitting a job, giving up some creature comforts, making do with (a lot) less money especially after a holiday. I don't make a lot of money so I travel on a small budget, I don't buy designer goods nor expensive facial products, I don't spend money going to pubs to drink or clubs to party. I guess it's usually only the surface that people see, but there is a lot beneath that they don't.
Age also isn't a barrier to many of the things I get up to. Trust me, many people whom I hike or paddle with are in their late 40s, early 50s and some are even in their 60s! There's a spritely 62-year-old man in my hiking group who can outrun people more than half his age. These people are such inspirations and I hope I'm just as active as them when I reach their age.
I believe life is about the accumulation of experiences and that's what drives me to go to new places, eat new foods and try new things. So really, don't let inertia set into your life. Life wouldn't be very fun that way!
July 18, 2010
Wang Chau 橫洲
In summer, some local tour groups organise hikes in some offshore islands and I joined one several Sundays ago for a trip to Wang Chau 橫洲, an island in the Sai Kung geopark.
The meeting point was at the Tsim Sha Tsui ferry pier and the ferry left from there. From there, the boat made its way up north.
The little rock on the left is one of the most famous rocks in Hong Kong and its Chinese name is literally translated 'Chopping board rock' because of its flat top.
The rock face on the left side of this photo is said to resemble an elephant drinking with its trunk in the water.
The Nine Pins
Basalt Island's sea arch
The back of Wang Chau has lovely volcanic rock columns that resemble the pipe organ in a cathedral.
Wang Chau's sea arch on its north face
There were about 60 people on the tour and we had to take turns to transfer to a small boat in order to sail under the sea arch.
Going towards the arch
Directly under the arch
Volcanic rock window frame
After everyone had a chance to sail under the sea arch, most of the people were dropped off in Wang Chau island to go on a three-hour hike on the island. However, I chose to go swimming instead at Pak Lap Wan beach which is a beach just across Wang Chau on the mainland. It was so hot that I wanted to swim instead of hike. Pak Lap Wan beach was filled with people who got there on their junks. The bay was filled with junks! Near the shore as I stepped into the water, I saw two fishes about 20cm in length! The water that day was simply amazing.
After three hours, the hikers in Wang Chau are picked up by the boat for the journey back to Tsim Sha Tsui.
I'm a sea farer! :)
The tour group I went with is called Yau Shing Travel. The tour costs HKD160 per person and it's a small amount to pay for a fun day outdoors. These tours are conducted in summer only as the winds blowing from the northeast in winter make the waters too rough to head out.
July 13, 2010
Exploring Sai Kung Peninsula
The Sai Kung Peninsula has many islands within it and these islands are part of Hong Kong's geoparks. The landscape in Sai Kung has been formed from millions of years of volcanic action and the islands that you see now are a result of the rise in water levels from the end of the last Ice age about 6,000 years ago. The Sai Kung geopark features many beautiful rock formations that have come about as a result all these volcanic activity. It is worth going on a boat ride to admire these amazing works of nature. All you have to do is turn up at Sai Kung ferry pier and hire a boat. There are usually many available for rent.
I had been wanting to go to the geoparks so I organised an outing with some friends and colleagues two weekends ago. Some of them couldn't make it at the last minute, so it ended up being only six of us. We hired a boat for four hours for HKD1700 - very affordable. Here are the pics!
C and I decided to go for a swim at a cove in Sharp Island, while the other four remained on the boat as they didn't want to go swimming for one reason or another. But me? I'm a total water baby and I couldn't resist the call of the water. The water was also too inviting to resist.
Nothing like a lazy boat ride admiring such lovely scenery on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Spot beaches, waterfalls and sea caves as you sail along.
You'll be able to see many sea caves formed by thousands of years of erosion as you sail around the islands.
The Nine Pins group of islands (果洲) on the left. It was named the Nine Pins by the British because the islands looked like bowling pins to them. The Chinese, on the other hand, name them 果洲 (literally translated 'Fruits Islands') because the islands looked like they were a platter of fruits that had scattered down from heaven.
Town Island has a white cross at the top of one of its hills and the island houses a drug rehabilitation centre.
At Leung Shuen Wan (糧船灣), we stopped to buy a drink. Those who are hungry can also grab a bite at the small seafood restaurant there. During winter, it's the place to go to have raw sea urchin. The place is actually a sea urchin farm!
Having a quiet, pensive moment to myself at the bow. My colleague took this shot of me without me knowing. I like it - good for Facebook profile pic. Haha.
When we got back to Sai Kung ferry pier, the pier was buzzing with fishermen selling live seafood from their boats and customers looking to buy at the jetty. We had a wonderful and relaxing day out and this is only something you can do in summer as in winter the wind direction changes and the waters become too rough to go out to sea during that time. So grab the chance to get out in the sun while summer's here!
July 7, 2010
Coastal Trek: Po Pin Chau (破邊洲) to Pak Lap Wan (白腊灣)
Reunification Day on 1 July was a perfect summer's day in Hong Kong and it being a public holiday, I spent the day outdoors in my favourite place in Hong Kong - Sai Kung. I joined a local group of outdoor enthusiasts in their coastal trek adventure that started from the eastern end of High Island Reservoir (萬宜水庫) over to a small island called Po Pin Chau (破邊洲) and then back to the main land to Pak Lap Wan (白腊灣). Here are the pics!
Our starting point. See that small island in the picture? That's Po Pin Chau - in Chinese its name translates literally to 'broken sided island' - it's broken away from the main land due to thousands of years of erosion of the volcanic rock. We were going to head towards it to scale it.
And off we go!
You can see I'm absolutely happy being in the outdoors!!!
We trekked along the coast and where we couldn't walk across, we swam!
And in I go! Woohoo!
Upon reaching Po Pin Chau, we climbed up to the top ...
... and were rewarded with some gorgeous views
Our party of 15 going over the top of Po Pin Chau to head down to the shore for us to swim back to the main land and continue trekking along the coast.
We then swam across to this rock where there were many small oysters stuck to it.
Some of the guys decided to have some seafood :)
We then swam towards this rock with two sea caves next to it. We had wanted to go into the sea caves but the waves were too strong so decided that it'd be too dangerous to do so.
We trekked past these amazing hexagonal basalt columns which the Chinese call 六角竹, literally translated to 'six-sided bamboo'. These big columns are about 70m and really impressive looking.
A massive bamboo screen
I look incredibly tiny at the bottom!
At this little pool of water, we rested and the guys went fishing for sea urchins in the pool. They found quite a few and put them in the blue basket we had found along the way.
Of course we opened some to eat it fresh!!! Is this cool or what??? I've never had so much fun I tell you!
The sea urchin loot. It's not the season for sea urchin though - there are more of them in winter. It's just that where we were, the waters are a bit cooler so the sea urchins can survive.
Us adventure seekers loving the trekking, rock climbing and swimming! There's me in front with that funny green float that was found along the way.
Came across a stream along the way and we sat there for awhile to sit in some fresh water and freshen up with the cool stream water. Heavenly.
We passed another pool of water and the guys went in search for sea urchins again.
Final destination - we ended at this beach and then walked a short way, through some bushes, to Pak Lap Wan where we took taxis back to Sai Kung town centre.
Part of the coastline we trekked along. This was such an awesome day out that it'll rank as one of my best memories and adventures in Hong Kong! Sai Kung is absolutely beautiful and is my favourite spot in Hong Kong. I'm going to miss all of these ssssooooooo much!!! I haven't even left Hong Kong and I'm missing it already. Why must good things always come to an end?
July 1, 2010
Lok Hau Fook Restaurant 樂口福酒家
A recent trip to Kowloon City (九龍城), where the old Kai Tak airport was located, brought me to Lok Hau Fook Restaurant. This is a traditional Teochew (潮州) restaurant and I was delighted to try some dishes that I had never come across before.
It's a very old-styled restaurant, so don't expect anything fancy.
First you'll get some tiny cups of Gongfu tea (功夫茶). I'm guessing it helps with digestion. If you can read Chinese, that page link brings you to an explanation of Gongfu tea - I'll translate it when I have the time!
Pickled cabbage to 'awaken' those tastebuds. These tasted good - not too sour with a tinge of sweetness.
Spinach and radish in soup - this was like comfort food. The soup was tasty and the radish was also very sweet and fresh.
The fish was actually served like that, with the skin on this side of the fish peeled away to show the flesh. The name of the dish in Chinese is 馬友魚 (Ma Yau Fish) and it is served cold. My dining companions and I liked this dish a lot as the fish was fresh and tasted 'sweet'.
Pig's big intestines with slices of goose 大腸拼鵝片
Oyster porridge 蠔仔粥
Fried noodles with vinegar and sugar 炸糖醋麵 - this was an interesting dish that's to be eaten by adding vinegar and sugar to it.
Deep-fried pig intestines - these were deliciously sinful! Crisp to the bite and encrusted with some salt, these were great to munch on!
Sugar-crusted yam 反沙芋 - I had never eaten this dessert before and even though I love yam, I felt this was a bit too sweet.
Lok Hau Fook is a good restaurant to go to for traditional Teochew food. Kowloon City is also an interesting area to walk around with its numerous restaurants and food stalls. Definitely worth a walkabout for all foodies!
樂口福酒家
九龍城侯王道1-3號
English address:
Lok Hau Fook Restaurant
1-3 Hau Wong Road, Kowloon City
Tel : (852) 2382 7408
June 26, 2010
Wishing Tree 許願樹
Many of us who have been watching TVB dramas for years would have heard of the Wishing Tree (許願樹) as it was an oft-used location for shoots before the authorities banned people from throwing oranges on its branches. It's a short mini-bus ride away from Tai Wo so I decided to head there to have a look at this tree that's famous among locals.
Take mini bus No. 25K from Tai Wo. The bus stop to get on is not too far from Fu Shin Street. The trip costs HKD5.10. Tell the bus driver that you want to go to Wishing Tree so he'll know when to let you alight. The tree is in Lam Tsuem (林村) and you'll see it on your right side of the road as the mini bus passes it.
The Wishing Tree is now supported by many wooden beams because it's now very weak due to years of people burning incense below it. Its leaves' pores are probably choked from smoke! Its branches are also weak from the weight of oranges that people hurled onto it over the years. So now the tree is only a display piece.
To make a wish, buy one of these papers for HKD10, write your wish on it and hang it on this board. You have to hang it below the column which corresponds to your Chinese zodiac sign.
There's also the Tin Hau temple nearby where you can offer some prayers.
About 15 metres away from the real wishing tree is this fake one. You can buy fake oranges to tie to your wish that you've written on paper and throw it up onto the tree. I thought throwing would be easy, but it didn't seem so when this girl on the right (in black) tried it about 7-8 times. She did get it up eventually.
After having a look at the tree, go to one of the stalls nearby to have some dessert soup (糖水). I had this very refreshing lily bulb with snow fungus and egg soup.
The Wishing Tree is nothing exciting but I thought it'd be nice to have a look since I saw it so often in the TVB dramas I watched when growing up. Am glad I've seen it, so now it's one more item checked off my to-do list in Hong Kong before I leave in August.
June 24, 2010
Exploring Tai Wo (太和)
As part of my playing-tourist-in-Hong Kong plan, I've been visiting some old neighbourhoods in order to know another side of Hong Kong. On 29 May, I made my way to Tai Wo, an old neighbourhood in the New Territories. Tai Wo used to be one of the old market towns in Tai Po Town.
Another dimsumdolly and her ramen-loving friend - I found them in the shopping centre next to Tai Wo train station.
Tai Po Railway Museum - just about seven minutes' walk from Tai Wo MTR station
Love these old light switches in the museum
Old signalling devices for the trains
Tunnelling back in time by sitting in an old train carriage. I should be wearing a cheongsam and I'd fit right into the setting!
The neighbourhood barber - many things still seem to have remained the same as they were decades ago.
The Fu Shin street market along Fu Shin street (富善街) - a street full of stalls selling food and other household items.
Old-style pyjamas and grannies panties. Heehee.
Coils of incense hang in the Man Mo Temple along Fu Shin street. From Wikipedia:
'A Man Mo Temple or Man Mo Miu (文武廟) is a temple for the worship of the civil or literature god Man Tai (文帝) / Man Cheong （文昌） and the martial god Mo Tai (武帝) / Kwan Tai (關帝). The two gods were popularly patronised by scholars and students seeking progress in their study or ranking in the civil examinations in the Ming and Qing dynasties.'
A shop specialising in clothing and accessories used in belly dancing (肚皮舞) - what are the odds of finding such a shop in such an obscure place???
Getting to Tai Wo: Take the East Rail Line (東鐵綫) - the line is coloured light blue on the Hong Kong MTR map.
June 19, 2010
Ng Tung Chai (梧桐寨 ) Waterfall & Kadoorie Farm
Hike on 6th June, trail head - Ng Tung Chai village, which is a 10-min taxi ride from Tai Po MTR station.
Subsistence farming in Hong Kong, certainly an alternative lifestyle. A stream runs beside the farm and it's so lovely to have the hills behind and to hear the constant sound of flowing water. There's something so soothing about that sound.
The highlights to await us
But not without walking flights and flights of stairs first
Middle Falls (I missed out Bottom Falls as I was at the back of the pack and I thought everyone had gone past Bottom Falls so I didn't stop to look if they were there or not. In the end, I went ahead of everyone. How silly.)
Main Fall
Our last waterfall of the day - this one didn't have a name
After the hike, we made our way to Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden which was just a 15-min walk away from the trail end.
The farm practises organic farming and has a few pigs, some chickens, rescued wildlife like exotic parrots, eagles, monkeys etc. It also grows plants such as herbs, maize, vegetables among others. It's a huge place and it's a good place for the family to spend the weekend in such tranquil surroundings. And look at this sow - seriously, can she get any bigger???? How many piglets do you think are in there??
The vegetables being grown along the terraces of Kadoorie Farm.
There's also a small farmers' market where farmers from the nearby farms come and sell their produce. I bought some cherry tomatoes and lychees and they were delicious! Us hikers couldn't resist not getting these local produce. There is also a shop selling organic dried food stuff just next to this farmers' market.
The Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls are really easy to get to and it's another gem of a place I've discovered in Hong Kong. To get to the Main Falls, it's basically climbing a long flight of stairs for about 1.5 hours and it's definitely worth the climb! The little trip to Kadoorie Farm was a great way to end the day out. :)
June 17, 2010
Shui Lo Cho (水澇漕) & Man Cheung Po (萬丈布) Stream Trekking
As most of my friends know, I LOVE being in the water. As such, I couldn't miss out on the chance to go stream trekking when it was organised last Saturday by the hiking group I usually hike with. We went to Lantau and trekked along Shui Lo Cho (水澇漕) & Man Cheung Po (萬丈布). The aim was to get to this pool so that we could go swimming. To get to the trail head, we first had to take Bus 11 from Tung Chung to get to Tai O, the fishing village.
First we had to dodge many spiders .... eeeekkksss!!!
The first of many rock pools
We make our way across the first waterfall and dip our feet in for the first time. It had rained earlier in the week so there was more water in the stream that day. The cool, clear water was so refreshing!
Turn back and you get a lovely view of the mountains.
That's me being helped across the stream.
Let's pause for a picture before scaling the next waterfall!
We finally reach our rest stop where we were to have a 1.5 hour break to have lunch and swim!
Yes, the sign does say 'NO SWIMMING' and 'DANGER' ...
But we swam anyway! :) Who could resist not swimming in the world's best infinity pool (to me anyway)???? I'm somewhere swimming ... most likely at the edge admiring the gorgeous view of the mountains.
There's me bobbing in the middle of the photo. :p
We also went to the other rock pool where it proved a good spot for a natural jacuzzi.
On the way back to Tai O, we passed this abandoned villa that used to belong to a government official.
The lily pond that sits in front of the abandoned villa. All these hidden spots in Hong Kong! Who'd have known??
This stream trek and the swimming in the pool in that gorgeous infinity pool has to go down as my top ten moments in HK. I love being in the outdoors and I'm still constantly in awe by HK's natural terrain and all the outdoor activities it has to offer. I know I'm going to miss this so much when I leave!
June 9, 2010
MacLehose Trail Stages 1 & 2
The MacLehose Trail (麥理浩徑), named after Hong Kong's longest serving gonverner Crawford Murray MacLehose, is a 100km long trail that runs east to west across the New Territories, cutting across some of the finest natural scenery in Hong Kong. It was MacLehose who established the country parks - he was an enthusiastic hiker himself.
Every year in the third weekend of November, there is the Oxfam Trailwalker charity hike/run where 500 teams comprising of four members in each, hike/run the trail to raise funds for charity. For the event, the MacLehose Trail is divided into eight stages. All four members of the team are supposed to do the entire course together and support teams will be stationed at various points to give them food and water as refuel.
Initially I thought of doing it this year, but then decided that I couldn't risk destroying my already weak knees at this age. Moreover, my body type - fat - isn't really suitable for running. There'd be too much impact on my knees what with the undulating hills throughout the trail. So that thought was banished.
Instead I chose to do this trail in stages. On Saturday I hiked Stages 1 & 2 of the trail and with that I've done all eight stages of the trail on separate occasions. Hurray! Here are some snapshots from Saturday's hike.
The start of Stage 1 in Pak Tam Chung (北潭涌). You can get there by taking bus 94 from the Sai Kung bus terminus in the Sai Kung town centre. Or if you're in a group, just grab a taxi.
Stage 1 of the MacLehose Trail follows a road that runs along one side of the High Island Reservoir. You're walking on paved road all the time and the terrain of Stage 1 is very flat - not a very interesting part of the trail.
You might also come across free roaming cows. But don't worry, they're very tame and won't hurt you. Just be careful of the large mounds of turd they leave in their wake along roads and trails. Haha.
Basalt rock formations in their characteristic hexagonal columns.
Not far into the initial stages of Stage 2, you'll come across Long Ke Beach. It's a beautiful beach with soft clean sand and it's worth a trip if you'd like to go to an easily accessible beach. I loved the view of the water's azure and turquoise colours from the top! You just have to take a taxi and tell the driver to go to Long Ke Village (浪茄村). Bet you never thought such lovely beaches existed in Hong Kong, did you?
View from our lunch spot - the High Island Reservoir in view.
Sharp Peak in the distance
A cafe at Sai Wan (西灣), another beach along the trail. This is another popular beach in Sai Kung and also a nice one to head to for a day out. We stopped for a drink and I was so tempted to go swimming. But no, I had to focus on the mission at hand, i.e. to complete the first two stages of the MacLehose Trail - all 25km of it.
The trail runs along several types of terrain - beach, mud tracks, paved roads, dirt paths etc.
Ham Tin beach
Up for some surfing, anyone?
The end of Stage 2 at Pak Tam Au (北潭凹). No, I'm not heading back in that direction! Done for the day! I was completely exhausted by the time I reached Pak Tam Au. The last 5km seemed to go on forever! There is a bus stop just about 30 metres down the road and you can take bus 94 back to the Sai Kung bus terminus.
When we got back to the Sai Kung town centre where the Sai Kung Pier is, there was a floating fish market going on. The fishermen bring their catch to the pier and customers banter prices with them from the pier.
Live fish, crabs, lobsters, eels and a whole lot of other seafood for your picking. I love this floating fish market - really delightful!
The Sai Kung peninsula is one of the loveliest parts of Hong Kong and is definitely worth a trip out. You can hire a ferry from the pier and tour round some of the islands. Many of the islands are designated ecoparks with some spectacular rock formations. There are also many seafood restaurants at the pier, but these are generally expensive and tend to be tourist traps.
For information on getting to Sai Kung, click here.
June 6, 2010
Tiananmen Candlelight Vigil
Every 4th June, people gather in Hong Kong's Victoria Park for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacres in 1989. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the horrific incident in Beijing and I went with my colleague to have a look.
Some pro-democracy protesters making their point in Causeway Bay.
Causeway Bay was packed with people making their way to Victoria Park.
Posters of victims put up by the Tiananmen Mothers Campaign who had lost their children to the indiscriminate killing of the Chinese army. Many of the victims happened to be passerbys or just someone stopping to help the injured.
六四 (meaning 6/4) is the common reference to the incident amongst the Chinese people. The other two words mean 'mourning' in Chinese.
There were an estimated 150,000 people gathered in Victoria Park and everyone held a lit candle in their hands. Songs were sung to remember the victims and some of the older people were seen to be crying. Pro-democracy slogans were shouted in unison, led by pro-democracy leaders of pro-democracy political parties and student union leaders from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
A charity in support of Chinese dissidents unable to return to China. The Chinese words 我要回家 mean 'I want to go home.'
Books, T-shirts, DVDs and other pro-democracy material being sold to raise funds. I was touched to see so much fervour and passion especially in the people who were selling these items and urging people to donate to their cause or to donate to the mothers who had lost their children.
