Monday 1st November, 2009 - Lamma Island

Lamma Island - On Monday, you may be surprised to hear I got up and went on yet another walk although this one wa much more flat and less of a hike, more like a lovely wander to a beach! Lamma Island is accessible by fery about 20 minutes from central pier. rosie and I had planned a trip before the weekend, and so, extremely sleepy, I made it up and to the ferry port the next morning. however, as always, I am so gald I did, as Lamma Island is just lovely. There are no cars there and thus subsequently it has a lovely holiday esque relaxed feel with shops, cafes, and seaside bars and restaurants and market stalls to wander round. The beach was also beautiful however, the one thing spoiloing it is the view of the huige power station, from behind since the power station that powers Hong Kong is situated on this Island. Also, unfortunately, being a public holiday and the temperature being that much more bearable to be outside, the island was super busy, and its paths were crowded with bikes, and people. But, it had a really nice holiday feel.

The island is renowned for its seafood restuarants, (understandably, being right on the seafront) and the restaurant we found ourselves in for lunch had a vast array of live fish in tanks waiting to be chosen and cooked! It was quite fascinating entirely wasted on me, who ended up with rice and vegetables! I was hoping to go to a place called Bookworm Cafe - the only way I can describe it is me in a food establishment! The restaurant is veggie, organic, fairtrade, ethical, you name it, and its walls are covered in books which you can peruse at your leisure!) It was amzing to see, however what was less amazing was the man taking phone numbers to call people when there was a free table! Obviously lots of people had had the same idea! I am thus resolutely determined to return at the next available opportunity and stay there ALL day! I will apologise in advance to the person who ends up coming with me if they want to do anything else!

If you came early in the day or later on the afternoon, evening time and avoided the peak of the day, I imagine you could spend a great day wandering around the shops and beaches of the island.

Saturday 31st October 2009 - A Hot Hong Kong Hallowen!

This year, Halloween was celebrated in a decidedly untraditional but equally lovely fashion. The weather was 30 degrees, cloudless, and sunny and Katy, Alicia and I decided to set off on the ferry to go to Cheung Chau, one of the outlying islands around Hong Kong. The boat ride took us an hour (we decided to take the normal ferry instead of the fast one as it was leaving 40 minutes sooner than the other one - however, watching the fast ferry speed past us while we were still chugging along on our journey, made us ever so slightly regret our decision!) However, the wait was worth it and the island itself was beautiful! Compared with Lamma, the previous weekend, this island was sleepy and had a really relaxed, weekend feel. There were stalls and restaurants along the front of the Island as we stepped off the ferry however, if you walked about 10 minutes in, it was wodnerfully quiet and peaceful, with just a handful of tourists here and there, and most of the people going about their weekend business.The relative calm was a welcome break from the chaos and the daily hoards of people you have to push past to get anywhere or see anything, and it made for a really relaxing day.

We saw a beautiful temple, lovely old fishing boats, and some beautiful beaches. We stopped for lunch at a beach front cafe and watersports centre at Tung Wan beach, where Hong Kong's first Olympic gold medallist, Lin Lai- Shan, used to practice her windsurfing as she lived and grew up on the island - Katy even had the rice meal for lunch that they claim she used to eat! The beaches were peaceful and calm, being away from the roads. (Like many of the islands, there are no cars on Cheung Chau, it is only about half a kilometre in size across the island so perfectly manageable by bike or walking).

After lunch, we headed up and over the island on a path that wound around the hill around the coast. As you can imagine, the views were beautiful and there was some incredible rock formations, some of which have special names because of their shape like Reclining Rock and Vase Rock - I did not really see too many of these resemblances but they were really striking in their size and shape.

Cheung Chau is most definitely worth a visit for anyone in Hong Kong wanting some peace and quiet! I must just mention that it is renowned for the annual 'bun' festival, in May, where, I imagine it is anythin but tranquil, but would be quite amazing to see. The story goes that the Island was overcome by a plague in the 18th century, until local fisherman brought over an image of the god, Pak Tai to the island, which was paraded round the street and drove away all the evil and the plague. Thus, in thanks, the islanders organise a weeklong thanksgiving service every year, in honour of this god. Although, this is common practice in Hong Kong and many of the temples are dedicated to all kinds of gods (Tin Hau is a very popular one for this, being the god of the sea I think) the centrepeice of these festivals are the metres high bamboo towers which are constructed and covered with edible buns all over and apparantly at midnight every evening, young men climb up and steal and distribute the buns among the crowds of people.Apparantly, the participants in the bun snatching are so quick that thousands of buns disappear in minutes! So dangerous was this event that it was banned in 1978 but deemed safe enough to resume (not sure how that figures but anyway) in 2005. So the good news is you can see it as well as numerous other festival events including children dressed in costumes on stilts (I have seen the photos around the island - quite a sight!) and the more traditional lion dances etc. The buns are the traditional dim sum type buns for those of you who have had steamed dim sum buns. If you dont know,they are really white, very round like a bread roll and usually sweet. You can get them filled with savory and sweet things (I like the custard ones!) but I think the steamed pork ones are a popular choice! Anyway, for free buns, you know when and where to go!

Sunday 11th October 2009 - 10,000 Buddhas

About noon on Sunday, a friend called and invited me to go and see the 10,000 Buddhas monastary with him in Sha Tin. Since I had very little other plans, other than to sort my life out, and since it is one of the must - see's in Hong Kong, I happily took the opportunity of procrastinating to see more of the city.

It was a rainy sunday afternoon by the time we arrived at Sha tin and embarked on the steep and kind of scary path leading all the way up to the monastary! Scary because lining the path on both sides are many golden buddhas all different shapes, sizes , and facial expressions. Some had children crawling all over them, some were holding different implements, some were leaning rather precariously in to the path, some were sitting etc. It was quite fun to see them lining this windy path all the way up.

Once you reached the top, the temple itself was incredible. Inside the walls were covered from floor to ceiling in identical golden buddhas which each had a small light below it. It was quite a sight. The good thing about the temple and the surroundings being so high up is that it was very serene and peacdeful, being out of earshot and away from the bustle of sunday shoppers! and the noise of cars. Testamemnt to the peaceful way of life up here, we spotted some monkeys in the trees nearby who were so close to us! One hopped off the trees and on to the path right behind me to go and join another couple of monkeys, actually they looked more like gibbons or baboons to me (although I really am not sure!) across the path ! I could not believe that they were so close by and totally unfenced in and free to wander round as they pleased. They were unaffected by having people close by and shows the serenity of the place and the peaceful nature of the visitors and the monks who frequent the site. It was so nice to see!

As we wandered round seeing more painted and elaborate buddhas, the weather actually reminded me on an autumnal day in Britain, with the clouds, and the rain and the cars with thier lights on as we looked down over Sha Tin! Apart from the heat, and the scenery (being surrounded by woods and a buddhist monastary!) it could have been home! (I know its a stretch but rain adds a bit of diversity to the weather here, and I get a bit too excited!)

It was amazing to see this monastary and was a lovely way to spend a rainy sunday afternoon! Definitely worth a trip for anyone visiting Hong Kong! And, in true Buddhist style, there is a veggie restuaurant up there too ... although I have to say we decided on the decidely un-spiritual trip to McDonalds and Starbucks when we got back to Sha Tin, where Lucy, Hayley and I ended up being approached by some Chinese girls to have our photo taken with them ... I always appear to be looking particularly wet and bedraggled when these photos with randomers occur, although maybe its for the comedy value of how bad I look ...?! horrible thought!

Saturday 5th September - Day Trip To Macau!

Exhausted from our first week at school, I was slightly regretting putting my name down for the Chatteris organised Macau trip on Saturday even if we weren't meeting until 2pm. However, it was definitely worth the effort on my part! and I am very keen to go back and visit again!
For those of you unfamiliar with the situation with Macau, it is an SAR (special administrative region) like Hong Kong which basically means it is its own country in all but name although that may be pushing it with Macau since if I remember correctly, it is only about 10 miles squared! You reach it by ferry from the Hong Kong Island in about 55 minutes. Every boat trip I have been on here has been extremely bumpy and this one was no exception! When you arrive and pass through immigration you soon notice the differences in the place. Macau is renowned as a gambling centre, and even before you have walked out of the ferry terminal, you are receiving texts from different casinos inviting you to come and spend money! The casinos are bright and Vegas style. they come in different shapes and sizes - one was black and looked just like a volcano, there is also a Venetian one. All of them has bright, flashing lights advertising as you walk around. However, interestingly, there is also a large colonial influence and there is beautiful European style architecture with tiled pavements, big colonial buildings with colonnades and shutters, and ornate decorations, all of which is totally different from Hong Kong and much more reminiscent of Spain or Italy. There are many motorbikes hurtling round the streets too, again not a common sight in Hong Kong. We went to visit the Ruins of St Pauls which in the front of a church sitting magnificently at the top of wide steps.It was dusk and all around you can see the lights of the casinos from the top. It is a strange eclectic mix of modern and traditional and different cultures and influences have all come together to produce this city but in many ways it seems to work and gives it quite a unique feel and something quite apart from Hong Kong. It was such a rare treat to be able to wander round and admire the buildings.

There is an international fireworks competition happening at the moment, which are supposed to be some of the most spectator in the world. Although we had to be back before the show, I hope to come back and see them before they finish.

Monday 31st August, 2009 - The Peak!

On the day before we started at our new schools, I went to the peak. It is a 552 metre summit rising above the island which offers the most incredible views of the skyline of Hong Kong island and across the harbour to Kowloon. You take the tram from central and it is a pretty unforgettable experience in itself. It feels like you are at the start of a roller coaster ride where, it tips you back and chugs its way up a slope at quite an angle (27 degrees!) before it drops you! Although it did not plunge us down the other side, it did stop half way so we could admire the views! At the top there is the peak tower, which offers shops and restaurants with incredible views. But, more notably, there are some lovely walks you can do including the 2 mile morning trail which we did which circles the peak and from which you can view the spectacular sights of Hong Kong from every angle. What was amazing was that we began to wander round about 5pm so we say end of the day and dusk time with beautiful albeit a little hazy sunset and the brightening lights of the city. The path wraps around the summit and is surrounded by trees and so is a really peaceful and incredible walk away from the busy ness of the city. There were some magnificent houses off the road, and many dog walkers out with the resident’s dogs. Coming back down (backwards!) on the tram in the evening you could see the incredible lights of Hong Kong skyline as we descended yet again in to central. You could easily spend a day up there, exploring the many paths and admiring the views at different times of day and year. It was such a lovely way to spend an afternoon, thank you to Amy, Gavin and Katy, for being such lovely company and for Katy and Amy for the plethora of photos taken which documented our every move! (Julia Murray, you may have a challenger!) since my camera is broken…!

Eating In Hong Kong

For those of you who know me, you will know that much of my life is about food! Whether it’s the baking of it, or shopping for it, or reading BBC good food magazine, watching it being cooked (Saturday kitchen, em, I miss you) or indeed eating it! I am a devoted foodie. Having been lucky enough to have been always treated to amazing home cooking while I was growing up, I have wanted to continue the process when I moved away from home in St Andrews, being subjected to hall food, and so have subsequently taken a big interest in it and have loved being able to do lots of cooking with friends where we have undertaken many a supper party and baked some amazing cakes! (crème egg brownies, faye…?!!)

However, I am fast realising the days of humous, beetroot, couscous, wholewheat bread are gone! Even the days of knowing what goes in to your food…gone! I am strangely disconcerted by the blank looks when I point at some Chinese thing and ask what’s in it, or ingredients, recipe…even though they can usually converse in English, they mainly come up blank on the ingredients front which worries me slightly! As does, when was this baked, at the bakery on my road, - the lady looked at me as though I had asked her something really bizarre..i just gave up and paid for it. However, having moved in to my flat, I am able to cook for myself! For the very first time in almost three weeks, I am able to know every ingredient and what was in everything. I made (for those who are interested!) tofu which I steamed (Julia murray!) and had it with onions, chopped tomatoes, (which they don’t use here so I just chopped my own, - Waitrose seems the only brand!) peppers and brocolli and kidney beans! and had it with buckwheat noodles – sounds strange to most, but it was just the best supper ever. I have also found porridge so I am on my way back to normality! Especially when I arrived home from the supermarket last night having gone to get tupperwares with a $31 kettle! (about £2.50 maybe?!) let’s see how long that one lasts!

However, Chinese apartments just don’t have ovens. It does not appear to be part of their culture which is very much based on cooking over a hob or a stove and either frying or steaming things so that means no baking! I think I may have to invest in a toaster oven…! Although interestingly, they do make a sort of sponge cake here which they steam which I had at dim sum lat week which was very good however, probably not something to be tried at home just yet!

However, I am extremely keen to try out some of the local food and experience the food available here. Although we are lucky enough to be able to but pretty much anything, the western food is all extremely expensive, and not what I came here to do. Much of the trouble I have had has been the lack of any sort of kitchen or indeed cooking facilities in the guest house where we stayed which necessitated eating out or buying take away food or having something cold. And because we are all on a budget, and have not started to work yet, it all gets quite expensive. But, that can all change while we are in our flat! I will write more, about the food, when I have managed to work it out further!

I was lucky enough to be taken for dim sum, when I went to visit my school in City One and over a dim sum lunch in the biggest restaurant I have been in. (we arrived and walked for about 5 minutes through the restaurant, it consisted of a labyrinth of corridors, and side rooms, and then different floors!) I took the opportunity to able to quiz Cecily, my lovely teacher in charge all about the food as it came out and was put in to the centre of the table. Although, when they see you are western, the teachers on my table ordered all the fried food – they seem to know we like spring rolls, but they call them Western spring rolls which is highly ironic since we eat them as they are supposed to be Chinese! Everything about this style of food is different, the textures, and shapes and sizes and way of eating is completely different from the usual one person one dish at home. Many of the dishes came covered in a kind of gelatinous rice paste, which is translucent and wrapped around things like vegetables or meat. Or sometimes it is fried. Also, a lot of the food, comes in tall bamboo steamers which they stack and deliver. It’s a great way to experience lots of different types of Chinese food. There are also egg custard tarts here as dessert (Michael, they are everywhere here!)

The style and customs of eating are wonderful here. The Chinese love their food. Instead of having three set meals, food seems to be a big part of their culture. There are so many street stalls cooking food early in the morning and late in to the night, and people queue up for it everywhere. Also, the manner of eating is all about sharing which I love as well. All the food comes and is placed in the centre and you take what you want. It is quite common to have people place stuff in your bowls off one of the dishes for you. The customs are also completely different, burping, slurping, etc, are all deemed acceptable and even good. In fact, anything that shows you are enjoying your food is good. Which actually makes a lot of sense really when you think about it and the slurping is also highly useful when a lot of their food comes in bowls of soup, with noodles in and all you have are chopsticks and a shallow spoon to eat it with!


There is an incredible food and street market called the Bowrington Street market about 2 minutes from my flat which is amazing and sells an array of fruit, vegetables beancurd, meat and fish that are still alive practically when you buy them, not for the faint hearted! They place them on a white tray on their side and they jump up and down sporadically while the stall owner washes them with sufficient water so they survive…just! Yesterday when I went down there, there was a fish lying in the road in front of one such stall which was the size of a not so small child, it was about 4 or 5 foot – I think from the interest their stall was getting, it was a successful marketing tool but to a vegetarian it was anything but!

Sunday 23rd August - The Beach!!

Big Wave Bay! This was an amazing afternoon spent at Big Wave Bay near Shek O on the south easterly point of Hong Kong Island. Since the MTR only runs along the north of the Island, you have to get buses down, but I it is amazing always to see how the scenery and the landscape changes almost as soon as you move away form the bustle of the city and how soon you can be in countryside and at the coast! Big wave bay is a beautifully sandy beach surrounded on all sides by cliffs and rocks. Apparently, it is renowned for being a surfing beach but being a month too early for the surfing season, today it was filled with families and dinghys! The sea was beautifully warm and the bay was surrounded by countryside. Katy and I went on a swim with the intention of doing some rock climbing however, having swam all the way there, within about 10 seconds, we both realised this was going to be a short lived adventure when I had trod on what I can only think were sea urchins and Katy had kneeled in one, so we quickly turned back and headed in! I spent the next 24 hours trying to pick the spikes out of my toes!