Lasting Memories

Having fun kayaking in Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung

Friends asked me if I had a bucket list to complete before leaving Hong Kong, but I didn't and instead they took me to their favourite places.

One took me on my first kayaking adventure in Hoi Ha Wan, a marine reserve at the north of Sai Kung Peninsula. We went on an overcast weekday to avoid the crowds, but ironically I still got sunburnt on my arms.

The amazing sunset we saw at Devil's Peak

It was practically just us there for most of the day. My friend gave me a quick lesson in how to kayak and we set off to explore the area. It was amazing to see sea creatures underneath us, from small fish and crab to sea urchin and sea cucumber. I did touch a sea cucumber which felt soft and springy. 

But overall it was so nice to be out in nature, with no one else around except us, the water and nature. After we came home I could still hear the whoosh of the water from paddling in my ears hours later.

On another day she took me up to Devil's Peak where we watched a stunning sunset over Hong Kong. Where we stood we could see both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon close together and the sun setting in between. 

Even though we went on a weekday it was popular that day with locals all wanting that perfect Instagram shot. So when we decided to leave, we were pleasantly surprised to find other fantastic views of the sunse with hardly anyone around. 

Looking down on Repulse Bay

Another friend took me to one of her favourite restaurants, Uehara for an omakase lunch. There were only eight diners and the chef gave us interesting dishes, like chopped up firefly squid that had a very intense flavour, scallop topped with ponzu jelly, and various sushi, like ebi, striped jack, sea bream, and otoro.

She also took me hiking from Tai Tam to Stanley. It was a nice easy walk, not too hot as it was mostly shaded by trees. By the end we worked up an appetite and had a quasi Reuben sandwich (no sauerkraut but caramelised onions) each with fries and a Caesar salad. Afterwards we took in the sunset which we couldn't see directly, but a soft pink glow in the sky.

When an acquaintance heard I was leaving he insisted on taking me to Japanese yakitori place Toritama. The last time I was there was when it opened, so it seemed like coming full circle. There were so many different skewers to try, including cock's comb -- literally the comb, five or six of them grilled together. Literally nothing was wasted! 

Chopped firefly squid with a mayonnaise sauce

Eating at this pace as items were being cooked was a great way to have a conversation that was not rushed and enjoyable. We also ate sancho peppers, grilled brussels sprouts, cheese melted on a stick, and soy sauce ice cream for dessert.

Yet another Japanese meal with another acquaintance was had at Nagamoto restaurant, where chef Nagamoto heard I was leaving and one of the courses was presented a boat (as a metaphor for my departure) and wrote in Japanese calligraphy that he wished me well on my journey! 

If that wasn't enough, at the end of our meal my chopsticks were presented back to me in a special wooden case to take back home as a souvenir! 

I also went to Mui Wo twice to catch up with two different friends. One took me on a walk around Pui O which was also a nice change from the urban landscape, where we visited a deserted rundown temple by the water. My other friend finally introduced me to his one and a half year old dog Cookie, a mutt he had fostered as a puppy and later decided to adopt. 

A non government beach at Pui O

Cookie needs a bit more obedience training, but after her initial excitement of seeing her owner, she calmed down and at one point put her front paws on my lap. My friend and his wife were so surprised to see this as Cookie has not done this with any of their other friends. They had to take a photo as evidence.

A colleague also wanted to cook for me before I left, and brought over some homestyle dishes from Wuhan, but luckily the spice level was turned way down for me. One was a chopped chicken stir-fried with peppers and lotus root, the other sliced beef with celtuce. 

More food was supplied by another ex-colleague who brought fried rice, vegetables and a very spicy chicken dish I didn't dare touch! We had a good time reminiscing and talking about our experiences and how this shaped our work.

I also managed to squeeze in time to find the block of flats where my dad grew up in Kowloon. Many decades later it is still there, in very good condition.

But perhaps the most important thing for me was visiting my grandparents' graves.

Cookie was excited to see us!

Last year I had already visited my paternal grandfather's grave and his younger sister, but needed to go see my maternal grandparents in Chai Wan.

The over two years of the pandemic has made my relatives terrified of the virus and even though they are triple jabbed and had promised to take me to the cemetery, they were very scared of venturing out. So I asked them for the addresses of the graves and luckily a friend offered to take me there.

It was a very hot day and it was a sweaty ordeal walking around in the heat trying to find my maternal grandmother's grave. We were in the right section, but I could not find her and despaired, but not before we walked further up the terraced hill and finally found her. 

As for my grandfather's grave I completely forgot how far apart they were -- we had to take a taxi to get there, and soon after we arrived we were able to locate him. 

The block of flats where my dad grew up

I placed flowers on the grave, bowed to him and felt relieved that this mission completed, and that I could now go home.

CNY Hike to Cape d'Aguilar

The dramatic landscapes are quite the sight at Cape d'Aguilar

With Chinese New Year basically cancelled because of Covid-19 social-distancing restrictions, it was time to hit the hiking trails. My friend and I went to Cape d'Aguilar, a place we had never been to, which is near Shek O.

After arriving at Shau Kei Wan MTR station, we took the number 9 bus to Cape d'Aguilar which entailed a long and winding road that passes Cape Collinson where the military cemetery is, and also the start of Dragon's Back hiking trail where many people got off.

Different rock formations are in this area

Cape d'Aguilar is "hok tsui" in Cantonese and named after Major-General George Charles d'Aguilar, a British army officer who served as Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong from 1843-1848.

During that time he lived in Headquarter House, which was built for him in 1846 and is now Flagstaff House in Hong Kong Park. D'Aguilar was also an accomplished watercolour artist.

Meanwhile, the 14th bus stop is Cape d'Aguilar and we headed off down the road with the same name. It's a gentle road with many shacks and low-rise houses. After a while we came to a dramatic view looking over towards Stanley.

Further down we started seeing a secluded beach (though today was too chilly to hang out there) and then we spotted our end goal -- the marine reserve. There are different rock formations, some are smooth, others are jagged, with different colours. 

There's also The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, a building very close to the water, with a slope built to have boats go into the water. The building looks relatively new and we wondered what they were studying there.

The waves constantly crash into the rocks

As we made our way towards the water, it crashed violently against the rocks. Swimming is prohibited here and it's easy to see why. Then we found it -- Crab Cave -- though many people were taking photos there so it was hard to take a nice photo.

It's a natural rock formation that looks like a cave, but again the waves crash in from behind and one could easily get wet if standing too far in.

Then we went to explore other areas that also had good views to avoid getting wet. However, one domestic helper got parts of her legs and feet wet and complained about being cold. The perils of trying to get the perfect picture...

In fact most of the people there were domestic helpers, enjoying their holiday. My friend YTSL who regularly hikes has observed that many domestic helpers like to go hiking in the Shek O area. 

Many people taking pictures at Crab Cave

After we wandered around, we turned back and went back the way we came and had a few minutes to spare before the bus arrived to take us back to Shau Kei Wan -- and it was the same bus driver too!

Stay Home, Stay Safe

The Hong Kong government strongly advises people to stay home

Some people in Hong Kong still don't get social distancing.

On Sunday afternoon, six men, aged 52 to 68 were playing chess or watching in Kwai Shing East Estate in Kwai Chung when the authorities came by and told them they were breaking the new social-distancing laws.

Restaurants quickly complied to 50 percent capacity rules

But they refused to disperse, so they were each fined HK$2,000 (US$256).

Does that make the game of chess worth it now?

They are the first group of people to be issued the fixed penalty offenses since the gathering ban took effect on March 29.

As of midnight on Monday, officers from various departments have conducted 11,745 inspections that resulted in 1,787 verbal warnings, and six fines that were issued to the chess group.

Yesterday as I was walking along a walkway in Sheung Wan, there were signs in Tagalog telling Filipina domestic helpers not to gather in more than groups of four. The ones I saw complied with the rule, some wearing masks, others not.

Bernard Chan warns of a possible lockdown in Hong Kong

Meanwhile a friend who was in Stanley to deliver food to her mother's friends, saw many people out, both local and gweilo, out shopping. What are they doing? I understand they want to help the local economy, but we're in the midst of a pandemic.

Which is perhaps why senior government advisor Bernard Chan is hinting Hong Kong should do more to prevent a third wave of infections.
 "We could limit restaurants to selling takeaway only. Or we could simply impose a much bigger lockdown across the city, and tell all non-essential businesses to close, so nearly everyone stays at home most of the time for a few weeks," he said on RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong.

"[Expanding precautions] would obviously add to the economic costs. It could also risk spreading panic. But we have to accept that it may be necessary, if the alternative is the risk of something worse."

As of today, the city has a total of 914 cases, 24 new ones, again most of them coming back from overseas, including five from Peru.

Most positive cases are residents returning from overseas

Epidemiologist Yuen Kwok-yung from the University of Hong Kong warns of a potential third wave of cases from mainlanders going back to work, and some may come here.

"This cycle could go on until we have an effective vaccine, or collective immunity in the community reaches about 60 to 80 percent."

So if there are anymore chess players out there who still refuse to comply with the social-distancing laws, then we know who to blame for the lockdown...

Uber Rich Still Bullish on Hong Kong

The property at 2 Headland Road in Stanley sold for over HK$1 billion

The uber rich don't seem to be affected at all by the bearish economic climate in Hong Kong. That's because one of the biggest property deals wrapped up recently, with the sale of a detached home at Headland Road in Stanley for a whopping HK$1.02 billion.

It doesn't eclipse the transaction six months ago when Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma Yun bought a 9,890 sq ft three-storey house on Barker Road, The Peak for HK$1.5 billion.

The buyer of the home at 2 Headland Road is a company called Golden Sea, with Nicholas Chu Yuk-yui listed as director, and chairman of Hong Kong-listed Kingston Financial.

While Chu was not available to comment, his wife Pollyanna Chu Li Yuet-wah, Kingston Financial's chief executive and executive director, confirmed the transaction.

Apparently this is Jack Ma's home on Barker Road, The Peak

Speaking on behalf of her husband, she said, "the purchase is for investment purposes. The luxury housing market's outlook is not bad".

Easy for her to say...

The Headland Road home is a three-storey detached house with about 11,937 sq ft of saleable area on a 22,438 sq ft site. The price represents HK$85,448 per sq ft of saleable area.

Compare this to the 2015 average monthly salary at HK$14,877.

Analysts say the owner could easily redevelop the land to expand the maximum gross floor area at about 16,289 sq ft.

And with detached homes a highly sought-after commodity, the real estate prices in this niche market will only go higher.

Surely this massive wealth gap isn't healthy...

Hong Kong's Tree Conundrum

Stumps of the banyan trees are left behind on Bonham Road

On Saturday morning people living around Bonham Road in Sai Ying Pun woke up shocked to find four Chinese banyan trees growing along a stone wall were suddenly chopped down in the middle of the night.

A tree expert on a government advisory panel said the decision was "scientific", as another Chinese banyan tree collapsed on July 22 during a serious rainstorm, injuring two people.

Some residents left balloons and notes on the roots

There was no prior announcement the trees would be cut down, and so "mourners" came to the site hanging colourful balloons or leaving notes that read: "The trees are crying".

For many, the trees were a nostalgic memory of their childhood and questioned why they had to be chopped down -- could there not have been severe pruning done instead?

However it seems the Hong Kong government did not want to take any chances, and erred on the side of safety and face the wrath of residents than risk another possible accident.

It turns out the authorities may have been right.

Last night, after days of blistering heat, there was an amber rainstorm warning with lots of thunder, lightning and heavy rain.

The banyan trees before they were cut down Friday night

In the morning, four trees had collapsed, one in Repulse Bay and another in Stanley, and then one near St John's Church in Central, and the last tree in Sheung Shui.

It seems the city's aborists don't have enough experience in assessing Hong Kong's tree situation, because in many cases a year or two after they have been assessed, some trees collapse and it turns out they were completed rotted and should have been removed much earlier.

And now with residents gradually becoming more environmentally conscious, they want to save the existing trees without understanding some cannot be saved and need to be chopped down for public safety reasons.

The government really needs to do a thorough evaluation of trees in the city and monitor them more closely. They provide a natural shade and add character to our concrete jungle.

Not only do we need to protect what we have, but also plant more trees to create a greener future for our city.

Pictures of the Day: Lego City

A tram stops in front of the Woo Cheong Pawn shop in Wan Chai

Lego frenzy has not abated in Hong Kong. Even before the hit film The Lego Movie arrived in cinemas here, there's a strong member base of the Hong Kong Lego Users Group (HKLUG).

The Lui Seng Chun building in Lai Chi Kok

I read one story about a father here who loved Lego as a kid, but stopped playing with it as he got older. However once he had a child, he started buying Lego again and is even more crazy about it than his boy!

Last night when I was trying to kill some time before dinner, I wandered into the Regal Kowloon Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui East and in the lobby were several Lego creatives by HKLUG members.

While there was one giant display that encouraged guests to guess how many Lego pieces were used to build the Easter-themed fantasy scene, the others were smaller, but nice interpretations of famous Hong Kong areas.

One was a Lego recreation of the Woo Cheong Pawn shop on Johnston Road in Wan Chai that is now known as The Pawn. The three-storey colonial-style building was fun to look at with the green tram in front.

Bruce Lee if he was made of Lego...

Another is a toy replica of the Lui Seng Chun building at the junction of Lai Chi Kok Road and Tong Mi Road. First owned by Lui Leung, he had a bone-setting business on the ground floor and then his family lived in the floors on top. The name Lui Seng Chun implied Lui's medicine could bring patients back to life.

The building was finally rescued in 2009 and was finally renovated and restored in 2012 to house a Chinese medicine practice run by Hong Kong Baptist University. It is a great example of restoring a building to its former glory.

Meanwhile the statue of Bruce Lee made of Lego doesn't really do the action hero much justice, but while we don't like the real Murray House in Stanley, the Lego version is cute, with a lot of action happening there, including a wedding party being filmed in the foreground.

Looking at the pieces used to make these amazing creations also made me realize how much Lego has evolved since I was a kid. The trees look pretty cool, and the figures have neat outfits and even bicycles!

A lot of action happening at Murray House in Stanley

Nowadays Lego creations are sophisticated, they are moving away from the simple bricks we used combined with our imaginations to make whatever we wanted...