The Old Quarry of Lei Yue Mun
The day was bright with a perfect azure sky. I wanted to do an interesting but easy walk so I visited the Old Quarry of Lei Yue Mun. The History of Lei Yue Mun as a Strategic Location Photo: A Panorama of the Lei Yue …
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Magnificent Guilin — Views of Hezhou
I love visiting ancient towns in China. In this blog I have covered the Gankeng Ancient Hakka Townlet and the Dapeng Fortress in Shenzhen. Apparently, many tourists find ancient towns to be very attractive tourist sites, and China’s local governments and cultural heritage developers have …
Magnificent Guilin – Preliminaries
Guilin was my first trip in 2024. The trip lasted four days and three nights, and I visited the ancient towns of Huangyao, Yangshuo and Xingping.
Perhaps at a long-forgotten time I have visited Guilin proper with my parents. When I was growing up, Guilin was featured in one of the articles in my Chinese textbook as a place of iconic scenic beauty. As such, in those days of humble means, most Hong Kong people thought of Guilin as a wonderful travel destination. Most of the children in my generation would have visited Guilin before we turned teenage.
I retained no memory of that first trip in Guilin, however, and so I decided to see the magnificent landscapes of the surrounding areas of Guilin this time. There is an adventure element in this trip, as Huangyao was not a kind of place that common tourists go. I would certainly be seeing a face of Guilin that was not featured on my primary school textbook.
My itinerary was first day in Huangyao, then second day in Yangshuo, then finally the last day in Xingping. I returned to Hong Kong on the fourth day.
Some Preliminaries
Taking the High Speed Rail (HSR)
I would be taking the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Shenzhen North. I live in the North District in Hong Kong and so Shenzhen North is a much more convenient location for me. The ticket is also cheaper with a departure from Shenzhen (versus that of the West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong).
If you are travelling by HSR, be sure to book tickets at least a month in advance. While the tickets are open for booking only two weeks prior to the travel date, Trip.com allows you to book a little earlier (it puts you in a queue, so to speak). And even though I booked the tickets in December for the January trip, I had not managed to book the return trip from Guilin direct to Shenzhen North. Instead I had to stop by Guangzhou South before heading back to Shenzhen North.
I do believe that ticketing for the HSR is a hassle at any time of the year, therefore plan early.
In terms of how HSR works, there is no issued ticket now. What you do is to arrive at the station early for electronic check-in (please do remember that the auto check-in queue in the West Kowloon Station will not admit you if you try to get through less than 20 minutes before your departure time). At the machine, simply place your ID (either your Return Home Permit or your passport, whatever document you used to book your ticket), and the scanner should recognize you and admit you.
However, it has been very annoying that the ticket scanners at many of the mainland HSR stations did not recognize my Home Return Permit as Hong Kong resident. Please be prepared that this will happen when scanner fails, and what you do is simply approach the staff, who usually stand on the sides of the ticket scanners, for manual check-in.
E-Payment Apps
As I have discussed before, China is rapidly proceeding to a cashless society. E-payment has become a near-irreplaceable means in any kind of transaction. Some tourist venues no longer accept cash payments.
This trip was my first trip outside of the Greater Bay Area. Although my Alipay and WeChat Pay worked without issues in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, I did have to go through more confirmation procedures when I tried to use my payment apps in Guilin. The hiccups usually happen when I tried to pay individuals, and you most likely would run into that situation when you take a taxi or when you eat at very small restaurants or purchase at small vendors.
I guess my only advice for tourists looking to visit China is to do all confirmation and linking of these apps with your bank account and credit card before you go on the trip. You may still run into hiccups, and in that case you would just have to follow the instructions on the payment apps as they come. There was one occasion in this trip where I really had to use my cash. Be sure to prepare cash with you, and smaller bills would be more handy because usually it is with small vendors that glitches happen.
I also think that one must have both WeChat Pay and Alipay set up when they travel in China. WeChat Pay is generally more popular. Also, there are times when one does not work, but the other does. Therefore both e-payment apps are necessary.
China Mobile Phone Number
I do not have a China mobile phone number and at many points in my travel it was quite an inconvenience. For example, for all kinds of private car calling apps, you would not be able to even sign in without a China phone number. Also in many museums and ticketing sites, for pre-booking they only allow a China phone number for registration.
In my travels to Shenzhen, Guangzhou and this trip to Guilin, I did manage to survive without having a China phone number, but if I were to go farther still for longer trips (which I am planning), then acquiring a China phone number is necessary, both for the sake of convenience and safety.
For Hong Kong residents, the easiest way to go about getting a China phone number is by topping up your current mobile phone plan with your carrier.
Wifi and Mobile Data
Whenever I travel in China I simply purchase roaming plans with my existing carrier in Hong Kong. The data from my roaming plan works well but it is limited.
The problem with China networks is that VPN is necessary, especially with your phone. Without VPN, you would not be able to access the internet with the hotel wifi with your phone. For my laptop, however, there is no connectivity issue with hotel wifi.
Shenzhen Shorts — Shui Wei 1368 and the Shenzhen Museum
My bestie and I had a full day of fun with yummy food and interesting sightseeing in Shenzhen. We started the day at Fascino Bakery in CoCo Park in Futian, then visited Shui Wei 1368, then the Ancient Art Museum of the Shenzhen Museum. We …
Wong Uk of Yuen Chau Kok in Shatin
Yuen Chau Kok’s Old House of Wong Uk stands in an area of Shatin that has but long-retired from significance. I lived in Shatin some thirty-five years ago and even then, Yuen Chau Kok was not anything that was talked about even amongst the residents …
The Béthanie
The Béthanie is an antique building in Pok Fu Lam with beautiful 19th century neo-Gothic architecture. Built in 1875 by the Paris Foreign Missions Society (Missions Estrangères de Paris), its long history came with surprising turns that enabled the ultimate preservation and recognition of it as a heritage site. Right next door to the Béthanie is another heritage site, the Pokfulam Farm.
The Guided Tour of the Béthanie
On most days, it requires one joining a guided tour in order to visit the heritage buildings in the Béthanie. As the heritage campus for the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (HKAPA) now, the Béthanie offers guided tours led by HKAPA staff, lasting 45 minutes to one hour. Tickets can be purchased at the HK Ticketing website for a total of $40, processing fee included. It is recommended that you book your ticket and tour session in advance.
Photo: The Dorm Rooms are Closed from Public View, But They Come with Fireplaces Inside
The Béthanie is also open to the public on HKAPA open days, during which entrance is free. You must however check the HKAPA website for the announcement of this event. For 2024, the HKAPA Open Day took place on 3 March, 2024.
Both the Béthanie and the cowsheds of the Pokfulam Farm are now within the heritage campus of the HKAPA’s School of Film and Television. They are Declared Monuments.
The Béthanie is consisted of a few key sections. There is the dormitory for the missionaries, a chapel and a kitchen / wine cellar area in the basement, which now houses the museum. In the guided tour, we walked through the former Cowsheds, the chapel and the basement. The dormitories now serve as the storage and rooms for the HKAPA students’ props and equipment. Even on a tour, the dorm rooms remain closed, but they are open for public viewing during the HKAPA Open Day.
Do note that, on HKAPA’s Open Day, you may tour the site freely on your own but no guided tour will be provided.
As we began the tour at the now-HKAPA theatre, the guide told us first about the former Cowsheds of the Pokfulam Farm.
The Cowsheds of the Pokfulam Farm
The former Cowsheds of the Pokfulam Farm now serve as the theatre for the HKAPA. The structure has stood the test of time since 1886. Originally, there were four octagonal cowsheds, two of which were demolished during 1940s.
Built in grey and blue bricks, the octagonal cowsheds had stucco exteriors and plastered interiors. The roof was built with reinforced concrete, with air turrets at the top.
Photo: The Former Air Turret of the Cowshed is Now Fitted with Modern Features as the Theater for the HKAPA
The most unique feature of the former Cowsheds is their octagonal shape. As opposed to rectangular shaped cowsheds, the octagonal layout introduces greater air flow within the enclosure. At the time, milk cows from Europe needed the wind to survive the humidity and heat of Hong Kong. All the windows were bare and without glass fitting at first.
A metal rack, which is the original, has been preserved to show visitors what it was like to milk those European milk cows. The metal bar was a place to hold the one-legged stool, with which the workers milked the cow. The stool was tied to the bottom of the worker.
The History of Béthanie
The Béthanie was built by the Missions Estrangères de Paris (ME) as a sanatorium for the missionaries in the French mission society’s Southeast Asian outposts. Between 1875 and 1974, missionaries of the ME came to Béthanie from all over Asia to recover from tropical diseases.
The priests put significant effort into creating an environment of healing. It was the fathers of the ME at the Béthanie that discovered the bauhinia in 1880 and transplanted them to the garden here. They also gave away some of the saplings to the Hong Kong Botanical Gardens. In 1908, the bauhinia was officially identified as a new species.
For almost a century, the Béthanie had nursed many missionaries and priests back to health, and there were times when the dormitories became overcrowded. As such, the fathers had expanded the sanatorium to accommodate the missionaries in need.
The early missionaries also used this site to develop a successful printing press as part of their work. The Nazareth was established at another ME building across Pok Fu Lam Road in 1894. This building would eventually become the University House of the University of Hong Kong, also a Declared Monument now.
In 1974, the ME sold the land to Hongkong Land, but in 1975, the property developer sought a land exchange agreement with the Hong Kong Government because this land would have been too difficult to redevelop. The Hong Kong Government took over the land and the heritage building, which was subject to a demolition order. The Béthanie was saved when in 1981 it was declared a Grade 2 Historic Building.
Between 1978 and 1997, the University of Hong Kong used the Béthanie for various purposes, including storage and temporary housing for students, but due to neglect, the building became dilapidated. Eventually, the Hong Kong Government commissioned an architectural study in restoring the Béthanie. It was only in 2003 that the Legislative Council approved funds for the HKAPA to restore the Béthanie, which would become a heritage campus of the HKAPA.
The Architecture of Béthanie
Even with just a cursory look at the Béthanie on Pok Fu Lam Road, one will be in awe of the unique architecture and the history that breathes through it. It was built in the neo-Gothic architectural style. The most expressive features of neo-Gothic architecture at the Béthanie are the many vaulted arches throughout the building’s veranda and interiors. The lancet windows of the chapel are also typical of neo-Gothic architecture.
I daresay most visitors would find the chapel to be the most breathtaking part of the Béthanie. The proper name for the chapel of the Béthanie is George C. Tso Memorial Chapel.
When EM sold the land to Hongkong Land, the fathers decided to give away anything removable and valuable at the building. The Catholics came and took away with them many significant artworks, including the stained glass windows, the altar, large wooden panel doors, the pews and the statues of the 12 Apostles behind the altar.
In restoring the chapel, the HKAPA had to extend significant effort to find the pieces. It engaged a history professor to locate all the sources that contained descriptions of the Béthanie’s original appearance and blueprints.
A few of the recipients of the original Béthanie’s artworks were known, including the original altar that was found in the Annunciation Church in Tsuen Wan and the wooden panel doors that were moved to the French Mission House on Mount Kellet Road. The rest was not so easy to find.
The stained glass windows are themselves works of art. The original windows were specially made in France with exceptional craftsmanship. It is indeed God’s blessing that, by tapping its extensive network, the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese was able to locate nine out of the nineteen the original stained glass windows. As such, enormous replacements costs were saved. In the current chapel, all of the windows that show figures of Jesus Christ and the saints were originals.
The ones that show only patterns were mostly replicas. The HKAPA contacted craftsmen in the Philippines to replicate the stained glass windows, and each cost $100,000 to $200,000 to make (in 2005 terms).
It is through the dedicated efforts of many people that the heritage could regain its original glory.
The Béthanie Today
The Béthanie’s beautiful chapel and surrounding makes it a perfect venue for weddings. From its architecture to its historical stature, every aspect of the Béthanie meets a young woman’s dream of a classic storybook wedding.
It should be noted that, beyond the initial approval of funding, the Hong Kong Government does not provide the HKAPA with any regular funding for the continuous maintenance of the heritage site. Besides the enormous costs involved with the initial restoration, the ongoing maintenance of a heritage site is also very costly. The HKAPA supports this expense by renting out the venue to the public, mostly as a venue for weddings.
Because the HKAPA has an agreement with the Hong Kong Government that it must maintain a principle of non-discrimination when it rents out the venue to the public, there is no requirement that those who decide to wed in the George C. Tso Memorial Chapel to be Christians. Very few churches in Hong Kong open their doors for weddings between non-Christians.
The chapel does also host Sunday services currently by the Emmanuel Church – Pok Fu Lam. It is a daughter church of the St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, of the Anglican denomination as a Protestant church.
For more, the Emannuel Church – Pok Fu Lam contains detailed descriptions on the restoration of the Béthanie. Please visit its website for more.
How to Get There
A number of buses and minibuses run on this section of Pok Fu Lam Road, including Bus Routes 7, 71, 90B, 91, 973, 4, 4X, 33X, 37A, 40, 970, 970X. The bus stop to get off at is Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Road. The gateway that is right by Pok Fu Lam Road is closed to visitors, therefore you have to follow instructions on site to find the visitor entrance to the west. It is right next to the International Culinary Institute.
Sources
The Guided Tour of HKAPA on the Béthanie.
Descriptions on site at the HKAPA Béthanie campus.
Hong Kong Tourism Board on the Béthanie.
Emannuel Church – Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong on the Béthanie Restoration.
The Wikipedia on Gothic Revival architecture.
Mak Kee Yummy Food in North Point
A First Visit at Mak Kee Yummy Food I was looking for simple food in North Point and saw a few favorable online reviews of Mak Kee. The fact that it has earned Michelin recommendation for a consecutive seven years was assuring. I love dumplings, …
The Chik Kwai Study Hall of Lai Uk Tsuen Village in Pat Heung
There are many private studies in the villages of the New Territories. In the past, I have visited quite a few and introduced them in this blog. In the Kam Tin villages, there is the Yi Tai Study of the Shui Tau Village. Photo: An …
The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
The plan for the day was to have a picnic at Hong Kong Park and then visit the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware for the first time.
The Hong Kong Park
A very popular public space, the Hong Kong Park was built in 1991 with support from the Jockey Club. The park cost HK $398 million to build and covers a total area of 80,000 square meters.
On this day the decorations for the Lunar New Year of 2024 were present and the atmosphere is very festive. The Hong Kong Park is well-maintained and themed decorations appear during the main festivals, including the Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. They make wonderful photographs both during the day and at night.
In the early spring the flowers are already blooming in the well-manicured garden space. I always stop and enjoy the ambience at the pond. It was therapeutic just to take a moment at the benches by the pond. On this day I had a picnic there.
The only drawback, however, were the mosquitoes.
The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
The History of the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is a Declared Monument inside the Hong Kong Park. Construction for the Flagstaff House completed in 1846, and it is the oldest surviving western styled building in Hong Kong.
When it began its first chapter, the Flagstaff House was named the Headquarters House. Its first occupant was Major-General Goerge Charles D’Aguilar, whose name is now borne by Cape D’Aguilar and the D’Aguilar Lighthouse. As the Commander of British Troops in China, D’Aguilar was a military officer when he arrived in Hong Kong in 1843. In 1844, he was appointed the Leutenant Governor of Hong Kong, and the Headquarter House was built specifically as his residence.
In 1932, the building was renamed the Flagstaff House, but it served as the residence of the Commander of British Forces until 1978. During the Japanese Occupation years, the Japanese imperial forces also used it as the residence for its military commander in Hong Kong.
The beautiful building became the Museum of Tea Ware in 1984. In 1991, when the Hong Kong Park opened, the Museum of Tea Ware became the classy resident in the well-landscaped public garden.
The Exhibition at the Museum of Tea Ware
Since 1984, the Flagstaff House has become the Museum of Tea Ware with donated exhibits from the collection of Dr. Kwee Seong Lo, the founder of Vitasoy. A tour of this museum will enable visitors a view of the interiors of the Flagstaff House, and it is very worthwhile.
In terms of exhibition, the collection there features tea ware, such as teapots and teacups, from the ancient times of China. The earliest such teapots came as far back as the Tang Dynasty, and for each of the following dynasties, there were exhibits showing the artistic and historic aspects of tea drinking.
The exhibit halls are accessible on both stories of the building. I tended to like the interior of the Flagstaff House more so than its exterior. The large rooms all come with colonial-era fireplaces, and lined with thick carpets in red. With very high ceilings, the building is representative of the best of colonial-style architecture.
I can imagine how this museum will be an incredibly soothing spot for a short rest during the hot summer months of Hong Kong. Stop by here for the air conditioning in a calm, learned environment that comes with the appreciation of a thousand-year meditative practice.
There is no entry fee required to enter the Museum of Tea Ware. A quick tour will take some 30 to 45 minutes there.
The Architecture of the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
The building is built in the Greek Revival style.
This colonial era building was built in the Greek style. As with other typical colonial-era buildings in Hong Kong, the classy deep verandas served the purpose of ventilation. The tall white pillars line the veranda, in uniformity with the pillars on the top floor lining the balcony. The windows have wooden frames and the main entrance door has an arched top.
I found the two staircases to be incredibly beautiful. As said above, there are colonial-era fireplaces in all of the rooms.
The structure has been carefully restored to preserve its original appearance in the 19th century. The ambience is serene, elegant and nostalgic.
The K.S. Lo Tea Gallery and Lokcha Teahouse
Next door to the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, there lies a building featuring the K.S. Lo Tea Gallery. This structure was built to the style of the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. On site is also the Lokcha Teahouse, which serves vegetarian dim sum and tea. An addition built in 1995, the K.S. Lo Tea Gallery was designed with colonial-style architecture on the exterior but intentional Chinese décor in its interior.
Sources
The Wikipedia on the Hong Kong Park.
Descriptions on site at the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware.
The Wikipedia on George Charles d’Aguilar.
The Wikipedia on the Flagstaff House, Hong Kong.
The Lin Fa Temple of Tai Hang
The Fire Dragon dance of Tai Hang resumed for the first time after the pandemic during the Mid-Autumn Festival of 2023. We arrived at Tai Hang too late that evening and as a result did not manage to secure a photo-taking spot for the Fire …