The sun is finally shining! Every day so far has been very hazy and overcast, which can be frustrating for pictures because the sky just looks bland and white. You can work around it with some tricks, but I'm hoping that my last night tonight gives me a gorgeous sunset over the skyline of Hong Kong. My adventures took me north today, deeper into mainland China and away from Hong Kong island. Because I have been ticking off the boxes of my original itinerary faster than I anticipated, I was able to add an entire days worth of activities; first stop, the Nan Lian Gardens and Chi Lin Nunnery. The nunnery was a beautiful traditional set of Chinese buildings and grounds with lotus ponds and dragons spilling water out of their mouths. The whole courtyard was lined by at least 100 really old bonsai trees, each one had its own unique design with the branches twisting and turning and perfectly manicured. At the end of the first courtyard, you step into the "inner" court where there is no photography allowed. So far all the temples I've been to didn't have this rule, but they were strict here; I even got in trouble for having my hat on in the golden Buddha statue room. It was a very tranquil setting, yet amazingly it sits in the middle of apartment high rises and the concrete jungle, even a freeway overpass. Across from the nunnery buildings was the Nan Lian Garden with a gold tower in the middle called "The Pavilion of Absolute Perfection." They weren't wrong. It was maybe 2 acres of immaculate zen gardens with winding paths, babbling brooks that flow into several ponds, a zen rock garden, koi ponds, and more bonsai trees. It felt very relaxing and peaceful. I got in trouble here as well when I almost dropped my camera lens cap into the koi pond from the railing I was standing at. An attendant rushed over and nicely but firmly ushered me away from the edge. It was time to head back to the subway station and get some lunch to fuel up for my afternoon hike I had planned. I grabbed a Subway sandwich, but it was a grab and go with no seats, so I found a McDonald's with tables. Right as I was getting up to throw away my garbage and grab my bags, an old man came up to me and said in broken English "Excuse me, but you should check you have all your bags." Confused (because I was holding both of them already), I asked why. "Well because lots of things have been going missing." You have to imagine this guy though, he was kind of creepy looking, and they way he talked was like something from a horror movie, like "Don't go to the attic… nooobody comes back down from the attic…..". I thanked him and left, but ever since I was pick-pocketed in Paris I've been extra paranoid. I quickly stepped aside and did a quick inventory… all good. What the hell old man! You're freaking me out! In hindsight, I'm not sure if he was a McDonalds employee and was annoyed I was using their table. My next subway ride took me even further north, where I then changed to a commuter bus and went even deeper into the countryside. No more apartment sky rises, no more freeways. My bus stop left me on the side of the jungle road with no building in sight, but a short walk up a one-way lane past some houses got me to the trailhead for the Ng Tung Chai waterfalls. It was so refreshing to hear only birds chirping, giant bamboo trunks knocking on each other, and a stream flowing alongside. I remembered my first day, when I walked down from Victoria Peak and thought the people walking uphill were fools. Well, maybe I should have made a donation at the monastery today, because Karma got me. This trail was brutal: 2400 feet of elevation gain in 5km, the entire thing was never ending stone steps straight up. I was huffing and puffing and made sure to take a rest at each of the 4 waterfalls along the trail. Each one had its own look, but my favorite was the "Lower Falls" with several tiers and pools as it cascaded down through the lush tropical plants and ferns. I was exhausted but happy that I did it rather than staying in the city today. My brain needed a break from the relentless noise and color and movement of Hong Kong. I can't imagine living here, it would be stimulation overload, my brain would fry. Upon returning to the hotel, I took a quick shower to freshen up, and walked out to the waterfront to catch sunset. I actually tried to just put the camera down (I've got a bazillion photos of the skyline already) and soak up a last nice sunset in HK. Then it was off to go full circle and visit the Temple Street Night Market, the same one I went to the first night I arrived. I needed some last minute souvenirs, and I had mentally prepared myself to try the street food vendors. I started slow with the potstickers, and then leveled up to a skewer of octopus. The octopus vendor also sold Iron Squid, which looks unappealingly like a "face hugger" from the movie Aliens. Tempted, but no. The subway, yet again, got me back to the hotel. I feel like a boss now navigating the subterranean world of Hong Kong. I roll through, knowing exactly which track I'm headed to, and which exit stairs to take, without second guessing myself. I've got subway swag now. My return was perfectly timed with the 8pm Symphony of Lights skyline show, so I grabbed a seat at the lobby bar restaurant and enjoyed a cocktail and dinner with a final panoramic view of the city lights. I feel blessed to have come a long way from 18 years ago when I backpacked across Europe staying in group hostel rooms and living off of bread and salami.
Comments
Post a Comment