Red is the warmest colour, especially in Lunar New Year when festive decorations appear all over the city. As the 15th day of the first month has passed, celebrations of this year’s Lunar New Year has come to a closure. From facade lights on commercial towers, art installations, shop windows, fai chun calligraphy to red lanterns, all kinds of New Year decorations are about to come down. The warm and festive atmosphere will soon recede and everything will return to normal. Speaking of festive spectacles, we have made an effort this year to watch the Lunar New Year’s fireworks at the waterfront, something that we haven’t done for ages. After a 4-year dormancy, the decades-long tradition of Lunar New Year Fireworks Display over the Victoria Harbour has resumed this year. As usual, the annual extravaganza started at 8pm on the second day of the Lunar New Year. At a little over an hour before the show, we arrived at Wan Chai waterfront and picked a spot among the crowds. Standing by the balustrade reminded me of my childhood, when watching the Lunar New Year fireworks was a highly anticipated event. At a time when traditions and collective memories are fading fast in Hong Kong, anything that dates back to four decades ago is hard to come by. I can hardly remember the fireworks we saw that day, or the ones in the past. Perhaps we were not too interested in the actual patterns and colours of the fireworks. What we valued the most was at that particular moment, we chose to stand by the waterfront with the rest the crowd to enjoy a urban spectacle that happened once a year.
Every Lunar New Year, red lanterns and other light decorations lit up the front facade of Peninsula Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. [2021.02]Public art related to the zodiac sign of a particular year, which could be one of the twelve animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig, would spring up across the city, such as this tiger display in Lee Gardens luxury shopping district. [2022.01]The atrium of Central’s PMQ is also a popular spot for New Year art installation, such as these inflated rabbits. [2023.01]This year, PMQ was home to an elegant dragon art installation made of ropes. [2024.02]Plaza of the former police headquarters Tai Kwun is also a popular spot for festive displays, especially the light show during Lunar New Year. [2024.02]Shop windows with New Year display would add another level of festive atmosphere to the neighborhood. [2022.01]Even old shops selling red New Year products would add a festive touch to the concrete streetscape. [2022.01]Just before Lunar New Year, a few elderly calligraphers would gather at Ladder Street to sell fai chun calligraphy decorations. [2021.01]The fai chun on display along Ladder Street would dramatically enhance the immediate urban landscape. [2021.01]To watch this year’s New Year fireworks, we picked a relatively less crowded section of Wan Chai waterfront. [2024.02]Weather was fine and the air was clear for fireworks display. [2024.02]It was a pleasure to watch fireworks in person. [2024.02]It has been four years since the last Lunar New Year fireworks lit up the Victoria Harbour. [2024.02]Festive colours like red, gold, green and purple are common for New Year fireworks. [2024.02]Fired from boats, the firework Lulit up the water of Victoria Harbour. [2024.02]Lunar New Year fireworks over Victoria Harbour. [2024.02]
It is common to host gatherings at home during Lunar New Year. To welcome families and friends, a Goodie Box, or Chuen Hup (全盒) is essential. Usually filled with candies and festive goodies, the tradition of Goodie Box could be traced to the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). Different generations and regions have their own custom on what goes into the box. When we were young, Goodie Boxes in Hong Kong were usually circular lacquerwares, mainly red and black in colour. They were often filled with sugar coated dried fruits, melon seeds, Sugus candies, chocolate coins, fried dumplings, sesame cookies, etc. As lacquerware became more expensive, plastic boxes have become a popular alternative in recent years. To revive the Goodie Box tradition at home, we took on the quest to find a Goodie Box that could better represent the heritage of Hong Kong than the contemporary plastic boxes.
In a fine afternoon of 2021, after picking several calligraphy fai chun (揮春) from “Uncle Tim”, we crossed the Harbour to Kowloon Bay and ventured into an industrial building to look for Yuet Tung China Works (粵東磁廠), Hong Kong’s last stronghold of hand-painted Cantonese porcelain (廣彩). Established in 1928, Yuet Tung was once the largest porcelain maker in the city. In its heyday, the company was home to 300 craftsmen, exporting porcelain tablewares and vases all over the world, including Japan, Europe, and North America. Since 1970’s, sales of Cantonese porcelain significantly declined due to rising concerns on lead and other heavy metals in painted ceramics. Today, only a handful of craftsmen left in the industry, though there seems to be a small revival in recent years as Cantonese porcelain has been successfully promoted as a unique cultural heritage, and some fine pieces have made their way into museums and design shops. Finding porcelain items at Yuet Tung was like treasure hunting in a cramped antique shop. Tableware of different sizes and styles were piled up on shelving from floor to ceiling. We had to be patient, attentive and somewhat lucky in order to encounter the items we desired. At the same time, we needed to stay vigilant to watch where we stepped our foot and rested our elbow in the cramped aisles. At the end, the owner came to assist us on finding a ceramic Goodie Box that suited our purpose.
Choosing snacks to fill up the box is much simpler, but still requires effort and time to pick them up from different shops. Despite all the troubles, getting the Goodie Box ready and filling our counter and fridge with festive food are definitely something that we always look forward to every year.
Traditional porcelain tablewares from Yuet Tung fit perfectly with the old-school radish and water chestnut cakes. [2021.02]Wandering in Yuet Tung China Works requires patience and caution. [2021.02]An old craftsman painting traditional illustrations on a cup in Yuet Tung, Kowloon Bay. [2021.02]Apart from tablewares, vases and table decorations are also available at Yuet Tung. [2021.02]Many vases at Yuet Tung proved to be too vivid in colours for our taste, but we still greatly appreciate their effort to pass down the skills to younger generation. [2021.02]We usually get our goodies at some of the traditional shops in Sheung Wan (上環). [2022.01]On one occasion, we made it all the way to “Luk Kam Kee King of Melon Seeds” (陸金記瓜子大王) in Tsuen Wan (荃灣), who has been around since 1951. [2023.01]Today, Luk Kam Kee is said to be the city’s only shop that offer locally roasted melon seeds. [2023.01]For fried snacks like Kok Chai (角仔, Mini Peanut Puffs), Sesame Cookie Balls (笑口棗), Taro Balls (芋蝦), Tea Snacks (茶泡), etc., we often go to Chan Yee Jai (陳意齋) near our home. [2024.02]For traditional cakes like Radish Cake (蘿蔔糕), Taro Cake (芋頭糕), and Sticky Rice Cake (年糕), we usually purchase from a different source every year, such as farmer’s market and old dessert shop. [2024.02]This year, we bought from Lan Yuen Chee Koon (蘭苑饎館), a traditional dessert and herbal tea shop in Prince Edward (太子), and Yau Ley (有利), a seafood restaurant operated by former boat people in High Island (糧船灣) of Sai Kung. [2024.02]Two years ago, we got our radish cake from Ma Po Po (馬寶寶), a farmer’s market and community that ceased to exist due to urban redevelopment of Ma Shi Po Village (馬屎埔). [2021.02]For New Year’s dinner, traditional roast pork and steam chicken are also quite popular. [2024.02]Among all roast meat, Roast Whole Suckling Pig (原隻乳豬) is the most popular during Lunar New Year. [2024.02]Around the time of Lunar New Year, we would also get Cured Sausage or Lap Cheong (臘腸), and Jinhua ham (金華火腿). [2021.02] With a workshop hidden in an industrial building in Sai Ying Pun (西營盤), the 76-year Kam Cheung Hoo (錦祥號) is one of the last cured sausage manufacturers in Hong Kong. [2021.02]In the same area as Kam Cheung Ho, the 71-year Wo Hing (和興臘味家) was another popular place near our home to get locally made cured sausages. [2020.12]Unfortunately, Wo Hing closed down last autumn. [2020.12]Every time we passed by Dried Seafood Street, we would often stunned by the dramatic wall of cured sausages in Yue Wo Hop Kee (裕和合記). [2022.01]Apart from sausages, cured ducks and Jinhua ham are popular in Lunar New Year holiday. [2022.01]
Lunar New Year is celebrated by many cultures worldwide. In Hong Kong, Lunar New Year is based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar (陰陽曆), a traditional system that incorporates lunar and solar calendars. In the past decade, we have always celebrated the festival according to traditions that we were brought up with. Apart from tasting different kinds of New Year cakes and goodies, and visiting New Year Fairs around the city, we would always decorate our little home with auspicious flowers such as Gladiolus (劍蘭), Narcissus (水仙), Lily (百合) and Peach blossoms (桃花). While we select flowers based on appearance and fragrance, many others pick flowers according to their symbolic meanings for prosperity and good fortune. Not only do the flowers enliven the ambience of our apartment, they also reconnect us with our distant childhood memories, in which colourful flowers were essential to the festive setting and atmosphere of people’s homes. Going to a New Year Fair (年宵) before New Year’s Day is a popular activity for many, including us. Every year, we would go to the New Year’s Fair in Victoria Park (維多利亞公園), and Fa Hui Flower Market (花墟) to pick up our New Year flowers. This year, on top of the usual places, we have also made a special trip to Shun Sum Yuen (信芯園農莊), a flower farm in rural Yuen Long (元朗). Seeing the actual flowers in lush green fields made us appreciate the farmers’ hard work, and admire the natural vitality and beauty of the local species, which might appear ordinary when placed alongside other exotic plants in a florist. Picking flowers to brighten our home works perfectly well to prepare our mood for Lunar New Year, and has become an essential ritual that we always look forward to.
After four years of pandemic, the New Year Fair at Victoria Park has finally regain its former extent. [2024.02]Many visitors go to the New Year Fair to check out auspicious flowers. [2024.02]Apart from Victoria Park, we would sometimes venture out to Kowloon (九龍) and New Territories (新界) to check out fairs in other neighborhoods. [2019.02]The New Year Fair in Yuen Long (元朗) is the biggest in the New Territories (新界). [2019.02]Fa Hui Flower Market (花墟) in Prince Edward (太子) is a pilgrimage site for all anthophiles in Hong Kong. Several city blocks in the area are lined with florists and plant shops, making it the largest flower market in Hong Kong. Every year when Lunar New Year approaches, streets at Fa Hui would be pedestrianized to welcome the shopping crowds. [2021.01]Amazing Orchids (蘭花) have become one of the most popular New Year flower in recent years. [2024.02]Orchid of different sizes and colours can be found in Fa Hui. [2024.02]Many people would spend big money for their favored Orchid arrangement to celebrate Lunar New Year. [2024.02]Apart from the Orchid, the exotic Nipple Fruit (五代同堂) has become another popular New Year decoration due to its metaphor on multi-generations living under one roof. [2024.02]This year, we opted for picking our flowers at Shun Sum Yuen, a local farm in rural Yuen Long. [2024.02]Coming all the way from city centre, the flower farm impressed us right away as if reaching a country retreat. [2024.02]In midst of the country serenity, just a few lily buds seem to be the perfect ornament to greet us at the farm entrance. [2024.02]Symbolizing good fortune and prosperity, Chinese knots were used as decorations in the farm. [2024.02]To cater for visitors who love taking selfies, special decorations were set up in the farm just before Lunar New Year. [2024.02]One of our main targets was Gladioli, especially for the ones with special or dual colours. [2024.02]Native to Africa and the Mediterranean, the elegant Gladioli are also popular in this part of the world. In Hong Kong, they symbolize the energy of “raising to a new level”. [2024.02]From the farm, we got two varieties of Lily (百合), pink and light yellow. [2024.02]Also from the farm includes four different types of Gladioli (劍蘭). [2024.02]From the Victoria Park, we got a pot of Narcissus (水仙), which is also a popular choice during Lunar New Year. [2024.02]Every year, we would also get a few branches of either Japanese or Italian Peach blossoms (桃花). Unlike the Chinese counterparts, the imported varieties are usually lesser in red and straighter in gesture. [2021.02]
Legend has it that a Hakka (客家) man named Tai Shi Fan (戴士蕃) from Po Kong (蒲崗) Village in Kowloon often crossed the harbour to harvest grass in the area of today’s Causeway Bay. One day, in a patch of coastal grass Tai picked up a floating red incense burner and believed it to be a visitation from the Chinese sea goddess Tin Hau (天后), also known as Mazu (媽祖). He worshiped the incense burner at the site, which eventually led to founding of the temple in today’s Tin Hau (天后). The hill where the temple stood was named Red Incense Burner Summit (紅香爐峰); the island where Tai found the incense burner Red Incense Burner Harbour (紅香爐港), which in short was Incense Harbour or Hong Kong (香港). No one knows whether the legend is true or not, but names like “Red Incense Burner Summit” and “Hong Kong” did survive till the present day.
We chose Red Incense Burner Summit to end this series on “Urban Hills of Hong Kong”. Rising 220m above Tai Hang (大坑) on Braemar Hill (寶馬山), Red Incense Burner Summit is well known for its majestic panoramic views of the city. The short walk up Red Incense Burner Summit is quite unremarkable. There is hardly anything to see until reaching the lookout. It all comes down to the final moment when all of a sudden one of the most iconic panoramas of Hong Kong appears right in front of our eyes. It is the ephemeral beauty of urban sunset that lures people to walk up the summit whenever weather is fine and air is clean.
A dozen or so large boulders were all we could find on the summit, where people began to gather before 5pm. Soon all boulders were taken and newcomers started filling up the gaps in between. Everyone patiently awaited for the sun to set below the distant horizon, where the silhouette of Lantau Island was guarding the western gateway of Victoria Harbour. Everyone was longing for the moment when the sun entered between ICC and IFC2, the two tallest buildings in the city. What we were longing for though was the next act on offer, when the concrete jungle finally put on a shawl of sparkling lights, and myriad of lamps blanketed the urban streets with a tone of orange. By then, the sky would turn navy blue as deep as the sea. At this magic hour when everything came to a halt for a split second, all we could see was a sublime beauty and harmony between the man-made skyline and mother nature.
Several boulders on Red Incense Burner Summit have become the perfect seating to watch the sunset. [2020.08]Without shading trees, visitors on Red Incense Burner Summit are exposed to the elements. [2020.08]Devoted photographers awaited for the sunset with Jardine Lookout (渣甸山) at the back. [2020.08]Built in 1975, the circular towers of Lai Tak Estate (勵德邨) remain as an icon for public housing in Hong Kong. [2020.08]Designed by Frank Gehry, Opus, the twisting 12-storey residential tower at Mid Levels Central, is one of the most expensive apartments in the city. [2020.08]Looking north beyond Victoria Harbour, the skyline of Kowloon Peninsula is dominated by the 484m International Commerce Centre (ICC). [2020.08]Standing 957m beyond the skyline of Kowloon, Tai Mo Shan (大帽山) is the city’s tallest peak. [2020.08]After generations of land reclamation, parts of the Victoria Harbour is just a little over 1km wide. [2020.08]As the sun get low, the surrounding green hills gradually turned into silhouettes. [2020.08]Visitors were getting excited as the sun descended towards the horizon. [2020.08]At one point, the skyline of Hong Kong Island was overwhelmed by the bright light of the descending sun. [2020.08]For a brief moment, the sun slipped below the portal between Kowloon’s ICC (right) and Hong Kong’s IFC (left). [2020.08]A brief moment after the sun was gone, artificial lights began to lit up the urban skyline. [2020.08]One of Hong Kong’s most iconic panoramas is at its best at dusk. [2020.08]Most people left the summit before the darkness of night fell upon. [2020.08]
The partly pedestrianized Bowen Road is about 100m above sea level in Mid-Levels Central (中半山). Also known as the “Third Road”, namely the city’s third east-west thoroughfare, Bowen Road was named after Sir George Bowen, the 9th Governor of Hong Kong (1883-1885). Evolving from the past thoroughfare to today’s leisure trail, Bowen Road has witnessed drastic evolution of Hong Kong since its completion in 1888. During the pandemic, trails within walking distance from home like Bowen Road have become our occasional refuge. Bowen Road was even the first destination for us to stretch our legs and feel the afternoon sun after a two-week home quarantine. Flanked one side by green slopes of Victoria Peak and the other by the distant skyline of Admiralty (金鐘) and Wan Chai (灣仔), the trail offers unique views to the”back” of Hong Kong’s skyline from the hill side. Unlike regular joggers and dog-walkers, we don’t visit regularly, perhaps only a few times a year. We usually enter Bowen Road from Magazine Gap Road and walk eastwards. Soon, we would arrive at charming lookouts above Wan Chai. Looking down to the city, we often notice subtle changes compared to our previous visits: old tenement buildings got torn down somewhere, or new scaffolding on apartment blocks got put up for facade renewal, or curtain wall installation for some new structures is about to be completed. The more we come, the more we could sense the city is a living being that constantly changes, no matter we like it or not.
On one occasion, we ventured up the driveway behind the historic guardhouse of the former British Military Hospital (舊英軍醫院) just to look for a quiet spot to finish a banking phone call. At the top, we stumbled upon the former hospital complex on Borrett Road, a well preserved historical building completed in 1907. The Edwardian Neo-Classical brick facade is well defined with arches and colonnaded verandahs, and accentuated with black rainwater pipes. The royal cypher “ERI” (Edwardus Rex Imperator) of King Edward VII can still be seen on the cast iron hopper head for every rainwater pipe. These royal cyphers are quite rare in Hong Kong, given the relatively short reign of King Edward VII (1901-1910). Today, the heritage complex is occupied by a Jewish International School, a Christian kindergarten, an education centre for students with special needs, and Chung Ying Theatre Company (中英劇團), a respectable NGO theatre group originated from a subsidiary of the British Council.
Near the trail’s eastern end, rocks and concrete curbs painted with vivid red draw everyone’s attention to some small shrines of local deities. Many runners would stop for a brief prayer. Some would even make an uphill detour to the Lover’s Rock (姻緣石), a granite monolith perched on a cliff above the fitness trail. Since mid-20th century, pilgrims began visiting the Lover’s Rock to pray for fruitful romantic relationships or pregnancy. There isn’t much to see up there apart from the rock, but watching devoted worshipers to perform different rituals is still quite interesting. Back down on Bowen Road, another kilometre eastwards would come to the exit at Stubbs Road. Before leaving the trail, the century-old boundary stone reminds everyone the former extent of the 19th century Victoria City. After leaving the trail, we often walk down to Happy Valley (跑馬地) for afternoon tea, before taking the tram back to Central. Whenever we are short of time and energy, a brief walk on Bowen Road often comes up in our mind as if an effortless escape from our feverish haste in life.
With luxurious apartments clustered on the hillside, Mid-Levels Central is one of the most affluent residential neighborhoods in Hong Kong. [2023.07]Century-old roads climb up and ribbon along the hillside of Mid-Levels Central. [2023.07]From Magazine Gap Road, the entrance of Bowen Road is marked by apartments built in the mid 20th century. [2022.03]Situated above Admiralty, Bowen Road Tennis Court offers fine views over the city. [2020.08]Further east in Wan Chai, another recreational area is a popular node for the neighborhood. [2020.08]About two thirds of Bowen Road is designated as a pedestrian only fitness path. [2020.08]Standing at a height of 222m, the circular Hopewell Centre (合和中心) was once the city’s tallest building (1980-1989). In a distance near the waterfront, the 374m Central Plaza (中環廣場) was also once the tallest building in Hong Kong (1992-2003). [2020.08]During the pandemic, a new commercial tower quietly sprung up adjacent to Hopewell Centre. [2022.03]The historic guard house on Bowen Road stands as a silent reminder of the former British Military Hospital. [2022.03]Hidden above Bowen Road on Borret Road, the former British Military Hospital was in operations between 1907 to 1967. [2022.03]Today, the well preserved red masonry complex is home to educational institutions and a theatre company. [2022.03]The royal cypher of King Edward VII, ERI (Edwardus Rex Imperator), are clearly visible on the cast iron hopper heads of the rainwater pipes. [2022.03]Near the end of Bowen Road Fitness Path, a number of roadside shrines invite runners and tourists to slow down to have a peek. [2022.03]Many local runners would stop and pray at one of the roadside shrines. [2022.03]A short detour from Bowen Road leads to the famous Lovers’ Rock (姻緣石), a prominent boulder perched above the distance skyline of Wan Chai and Happy Valley. [2019.01]Twenty minutes east of Lover’s Rock brings us to the eastern exit of Bowen Road above Happy Valley, a popular residential area centred around the iconic Happy Valley Racecourse. [2020.08]
Located in the western foothills of Victoria Peak, Mid-Levels West has long been a quiet residential neighborhood rich in history and lush green scenery. The neighborhood extends from Garden Road of Admiralty in the east, all the way to Hong Kong University in the west, and between Central and the Peak. Despite being a residential neighborhood, Mid-Levels West is frequented by tourists who makes the uphill detour from Central via the Central–Mid-Levels Escalators. Visitors who travels uphill will experience the changing scenery from the vibrant scenes of SOHO to the laid back residential streets further up. When reaching the escalator’s upper end at Conduit Road, most visitors would immediately descend downhill. For the few who are willing to spend time exploring the neighborhood would be rewarded with a pleasant stroll in the shade of Victoria Peak, where colonial remnants and subtropical vegetation intertwine. Being one of the earliest neighborhood in Hong Kong, Mid-Levels West has much more to offer if one looks hard enough. Historic temples, mosques and churches, botanical garden, country park, and heritage school buildings could be just around the corner. Besides, it also offers multiple hiking routes reaching the iconic Victoria Peak.
From my childhood homes, kindergarten and primary school, to our current apartment, Mid-Levels West has always been a neighborhood close to me. Due to the crazy real estate developments in past few decades, Mid Levels West has become much denser and busier, compared to what it used to be according to my childhood memories. Despite the changes, we still tremendously enjoy our early morning and evening walks in the area, submerging ourselves in the relatively tranquil ambience and rubbing shoulders with the pre-war buildings, stone wall trees, lush green gardens, moss covered retaining walls, and bits and pieces of colonial remnants whose stories have long been forgotten. Apart from taking the escalators down to work, we also do frequent walks on Robinson Road and Park Road to Sai Ying Pun for fresh grocery, and leisure strolls down Glenealy Ravine (己連拿利) to Admiralty, passing the dramatic Glenealy Flyover where it has recently become an Instagram hit, saying hello to the not so cheerful orangutans in Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens and counting clusters of abandoned turtles in Hong Kong Park along the way.
Standing high on Murray Building, one can have an overview of the former Governor’s House, lush green Zoological and Botanical Gardens, and the residential neighborhood of Mid-Levels West beyond. [2022.11]Constructed in 1910, sleepy Conduit Road (干德道) is one of the highest streets in Mid-Levels West. [2023.03]At No. 1 Conduit Road, all it is left from Sir Catchick Paul Chater’s Marble Hall (雲石堂), one of the Hong Kong’s finest architecture ever according to many historians, is a massive retaining structure and the Gatekeeper’s Lodge. [2023.04]The Gatekeeper’s Lodge of Marble Hall stands as an urban ruin nowadays. [2023.04]The nostalgic aura of century-old retaining walls and narrow sloping lanes has enticed director Wong Kar Wai to shoot parts of Days of Being Wild (阿飛正傳) in the Mid-Levels West. [2023.03]While green, grey and brown dominate the general tones of the neighborhood, murals like this one at Robinson Road (羅便臣道) mark a sudden twist of mood as if walking in a surreal dreamscape. [2023.04]Every left over remnant from a century of urban developments has become unique feature in the neighborhood’s story. [2023.04]Layers of retaining structures from different eras and stone wall trees have shaped the unique character of the streetscape of Mid-Levels West. [2023.04]Built in 1979, the footbridge under Glenealy Flyover has become a hit for selfies on the Instagram. For us, it’s a pleasant shortcut down to the Botanical Gardens and Admiralty. [2023.04]From the footbridge, the roundabout of Robinson Road is teemed with urban dynamics throughout the day. [2021.11]From the head of Robinson Road, the skyline of Central and Admiralty stretches beyond Raimondi College (高主教書院) and the Botanical Gardens. [2020.09]An off the beaten track down Glenealy Ravine has been part of our usual journey going to Central and Admiralty. [2023.04]Compared to the bustling scenes of SOHO, taking this route downhill is much more relaxing. [2020.07]Enormous flyover of Robinson Road and lush green subtropical vegetation somehow go well together in one harmonious picture. [2020.07]Further down Glenealy comes to the lower entrance of Raimondi College, Caritas Centre and Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (聖母無原罪主教座堂), the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church in Hong Kong. [2023.04]Adjacent to the cathedral, the sleepy Caritas Centre at Caine Road was once part of my daily journey going to school decades ago. [2022.09]Across from Caritas Centre marks the west entrance of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, the city’s oldest park. Next to the entrance stands a gigantic White Champaca (白蘭), one of the tallest trees in Hong Kong. People say the scent of White Champaca flowers is one of the world’s strongest. Not sure if that is true, but we would never forget the sweet fragrance of this majestic tree during the summer months. [2021.11]Sometimes shrouding themselves under a burlap cloth at the far corner of their cages, while some other times lingering in front to curiously watch each spectator come and go, the orangutans at Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens are too intelligent to be locked in cages. Maybe it was just our imagination, we could sometimes feel the boredom and misery of the great apes. [2024.01]Near Caine Road (堅道), two flights of granite steps at Prince’s Terrace (太子台) are the only remnants of the former Douglas Villa and the headquarters of the Society of the Missions Etrangères in the late 19th century. [2023.04]The tranquil Prince’s Terrace (太子台) is one of the last remaining pedestrianized terraces in the area, where sloped lands on the foothill of Victoria Peak were leveled for urban developments in the 19th century. [2023.04]Looking west from Caine Road, Bonham Road (般咸道) continues to wind westwards along the foothill of Victoria Peak. The once lush green hill has pretty much disappeared behind layers of apartment blocks. [2019.10]As one of the earliest developed residential neighborhoods in Hong Kong, Mid-Levels West is also home to some of the oldest schools in the city, such as St. Stephen’s Girls’ College (聖士提反女子中學). [2023.04]On St Stephen’s Lane (聖士提反里), a granite staircase with ornate balustrade leads to nowhere, and two stone pillars with faint red paint that says St. Stephen’s lane 6-12 Kung Ho Terrace are the last evidences of Kung Ho Terrace (共和台) and its five villas that once stood east of University of Hong Kong. [2023.04]Featured on some 19th century postcards, West End Park (城西公園) was once a much more prominent park at the west end of the Mid-Levels. Nested in the midst of apartment blocks, the park has long been significantly reduced in size and popularity. [2021.05]At the northwestern tip of West End Park, a Royal Poinciana or Phoenix Flower (鳳凰木) marks the old entrance of St. Stephen’s Girls’ College with its flamboyant late spring flowers. [2021.05]Across the road, the last standing pre-war mansion on Bonham Road is up for sale. [2021.09]
Every spring, there are days when the Victoria Peak is blanketed in dense fog. Visiting the Peak in a foggy day is quite a fun experience if you don’t mind getting wet. Much of the city below is covered in fog, forcing us to focus on what lies right in front of us on the trail of Lugard Road (盧吉道): the Victorian lampposts, balustrade details, banyan aerial roots, green moss, roadside statues, granite retaining walls, other hikers, etc. Sometimes, visibility is so low that we can’t even see beyond a few metres. In springtime, when cold air recedes to the north while warm and humid air from the South China Sea enters Victoria Harbour, fog would form when water vapour condenses into droplets in the air. On some rare occasions, fog would linger far below Victoria Peak and even lower than some skyscrapers, creating an otherworldly scene of glassy towers popping out a sea of mist. We have never seen such spectacle in our previous hikes. Hopefully one day we would have such encounter. In a city famous for its pace and efficiency, scenes of bustling life and vibrant commercial activities, finding a moment to get lost in the ambiguity without a clear sense of directions and time, could be a rare reward as if an urban meditation.
In a foggy day, we walked up from the trail of Lung Fu Shan Country Park as usual. [2023.03]Curvy lamppost and meandering branches go well together in the mist. [2023.02]Named after the former governor Frederick Lugard, Lugard Road is the most popular path on the Peak that offers fantastic views of the city and harbour below. [2023.03]In a foggy day, our attention would shift from the grand vistas of the city below to the closest scenery on Lugard Road. [2023.03]Such as a roadside statue that serves as a small shrine. [2023.03]Or the majestic banyan trees along Lugard Road. These huge trees serve well to protect the privacy for luxury homes further uphill from Lugard Road. [2023.03]The enormous Indian Rubber Tree (印度榕) has become a landmark on Lugard Road. [2023.03]Looking up to the layers of aerial roots of the Indian Rubber Tree. [2023.03]Approaching the famous lookouts on Lugard Road under heavy fog. [2023.03]Approaching the popular lookout on Lugard Road. Instead of the iconic view of Victoria Harbour, it was just a blanket of white fog. [2023.03]Judging from the moss on the metal railing, humidity on Lugard Road is always high. [2023.03]Misty scenery of Lugard Road. [2023.03]The street lamps provide a sense of warmth in the otherwise cool and blue world of the foggy Peak. [2023.03]Undulating retaining walls is partially covered in moss. [2023.03]Seeing the stone lion of Peak Tramways Office means that we have arrived at the Peak Tram Terminus, and the retail centres of Peak Galleria and Peak Tower. [2023.03]The historical Peak Lookout Cafe is usually quiet in a foggy day. [2023.03]Lacking the tourist groups who would not bother to come up the Peak in a foggy day, we can finally enjoy some = moments of peace even at the touristy Peak Tower and Peak Galleria. [2023.03]The Peak Tower (凌霄閣) appears like a floating sailboat in the mist. [2023.04]
Blue Lapis Road 