Vignettes of the World
On this sunny and hot day I headed out to the Kam Shan Country Park area. The plan was to visit Wilson Trail Section 6 off of the Kam Shan Family Walk. The trail exits at Tai Po Road. This area is known to hikers …
I do try, to the extent I can, to learn some Vietnamese. And I can only learn it by associating it with English, Cantonese and Mandarin. As the Vietnamese pronounce it, “Hue” is the English pronunciation of “hwei” the tone is a combination of the …
The Hok Tau Country Trail is delightful. There are two distinct sections of the trail, the latter part of which takes hikers through the villages and farms of Hok Tau. It is an easy trail of about 1.5 hours with some climbing, at a level just right for recreational hikers like me.
I went on a sunny day and the trail starts with generous shades. It begins with some steps up, for about ten minutes or so. Then it becomes an easy stroll, and one arrives at the viewing point soon. It shows a panoramic view of northern Hong Kong, with Tsung Shan, Ta Kwu Ling, Wo Keng Shan, Wu Tung Shan, Robin’s Nest, and Tan Chuk Hang on the horizon.
From afar one is able to view the skyline of Shenzhen, that is behind the beauty of Hong Kong’s rugged rural landscape. The skyline of Shenzhen has significant semblance with that of Hong Kong at the Victoria Harbor.
From the viewing point one would begin a descent into the valley. On the way are pleasing aerial views of the villages of Hok Tau. Despite the Hok Tau Reservoir being in the vicinity, there is no view of water except for a very small stream that runs through the village at the latter part of the trail.
Once having descended, one arrives at the country park sign, where you will see two ways. One seemingly leads to a motor way and the other is a walk into the village. From this point on, the Hok Tau Country Trail will take one through the many farms and village homes in this area. Therefore go onto the way on your immediate left (as you face the sign) and walk on the pedestrian way.
The farms in this area show significant human effort and maintenance. I could identify jackfruit, corn, pumpkin, papaya and bananas on the way. I also ran into some serious insect watchers. They were observing dragonfly mating on the streams. I came across at least two groups. Learned guides gave explanations to members that brought very serious photography gear.
The walk through the village was taking a while and I asked the wildlife tour guide whether I was on the right way. They confirmed that I was still on the Hok Tau Country Trail, and so I marched on. Soon I arrived at the exit point on Hok Tau Road. About 100 yards later I found my car at the parking lot.
How to get there:
I went by private car and parked at the Hok Tau Parking Lot on Hok Tau Road. For public transport, take green top minibus 52B at Fanling Station and get off at Hok Tau Wai, which is the final stop.
Reminders:
Bring a hat with you because the walk through the village has no shade at all. The walk through the village takes 20 to 30 minutes.
The North District Park is a horticultural innovation waiting to be discovered. Located between Sheung Shui and Fanling, the park has its northern end at the So Kwun Po village and stretches southward to the Fanling Wai Village. Carefully manicured gardens, beautiful pavilions, covered walkways …
I must see Mr. T. He has the stories of the DMZ as a veteran. So I chose Hue as my fourth trip to Vietnam. On this first morning in Danang I had coffee, worked a bit more, and had lunch at the Happy Bread …
What’s with me and unmetered taxi’s? The guy came up to me at the airport and quoted đ200,000. I thought that included the airport tax but it was an extra đ70,000. I simply did not have the guts to bargain. On arrival at the hostel I learned that taxi rides from the airport should be đ150,000 before 10pm, and after 10pm it would be đ200,000. I knew I paid more than I should, but that extra đ50,000 would have made someone extra happy.
The hostel gave me a coupon for a welcome drink. I debated whether to have that drink. I was very hungry when I checked in, and dinner would have been most appreciated. However, I did decide to have the welcome drink. It was free, so why not? And the aloe vera with kum quat juice was awesome. It was incredibly refreshing and distinctively Southeast Asian. The best of it all, it was non-alcoholic. The café up on 4th floor had an amazing ambiance too.
After the drink it was time for dinner. Hue Ngon was the destination. It was just about 10 minutes away from the hostel. Even from afar I sensed the party atmosphere at the restaurant. Its bright lights and the sizzling aroma of char-grilled food were wonderful indication to me. People hovered around small tables on very short stools, drinking beer and having a good time.
The waitress there knew a little bit of Cantonese. She was patient in showing me how to pronounce the food in Vietnamese. Needless to say, the food on other diners’ tables was the best proof of this restaurant’s repute. Yet the warmth of its staff was a pleasant surprise. I went all out as a result: beef, pork, squid, okra, wok-fried veggies, you name it, I had it. They came in small portions with sauces, condiments, salad, and generous servings of leaf wraps.
Which people in the world know grilled meat better than the Koreans? At Hue Ngon, a funny video played on its wide-screen TV, showing two plump Korean women having a mouthwatering barbeque at the restaurant. I had no idea what they were actually saying, but point taken as I savored my own share of barbeque. Their animated expressions were hilarious.
Back at the hostel, I could not resist and went back up to the café to have a second drink. The pear, ginger and lemon grass juice was yet another unlikely mix of characters that kept me refreshed. The girl there asked me why I had a British accent. I told her that I came from the colonial era in Hong Kong, which, to her, probably was not a familiar history.
All in all, this one-night transit in Danang was the perfect beginning of my trip. I would be heading out to the imperial city of Hue on the train the next day.
Hue Ngon Restaurant’s address is 65 Tran Quoc Toan St., Danang City, Vietnam. Telephone: 0905-309-799.
The Tai Mei Tuk Family Walk is a treasure trove. The 40-minute loop takes one through four vista points with exceptional views of the Pat Sin Leng (the Ridge of the Eight Immortals) and the seas of Eastern New Territories. The Trail The trail begins …
Tai Mo Shan (Tai Mo Mountain) is the highest mountain in Hong Kong at an altitude of 957 meters. The Rotary Club Park Nature Trail cuts through the Tai Mo Shan Country Park. It is a short walk up on an intermediate incline. Yes, there …
The Cheung Shan Monastery, formerly the Cheung Sang Nunnery, was believed to have been constructed in 1789. Seven villages in the neighborhood pulled the funds to build this temple in order to improve Feng Shui for the villages. Located on Wo Keng Shan Road, it is about half-way on the route to China during the old times. It used to serve as a rest stop for travelers.
The wooden plaque of the temple dates back to 1868, when the temple was reconstructed for the first time. The motifs on the sides of the gate describe the roughness of a long journey, then ended with the temple’s tranquility as a place of respite to the travelers. As a stop for travelers, the temple offered room and board. As many as 30 travelers could stay in the side chambers.
There were antique structures and instruments of worship inside the Temple. The old bell shows the wording “peace be with the nation and its people.” It also alludes to the villages. The bell dates from the earliest time of the temple’s existence circa 1789, the 54th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty, when it began as the Cheung Sang Nunnery.
In 1998, the government named the structure an antique monument. The temple went through restoration and reopened in 1999. As it stands now, the Cheung Shan Monastery is a very good example of Qing dynasty architecture. It has one main hall with side chambers, and two entrances. The inner chamber elevates by one meter.
Due to the availability of new routes connecting Hong Kong and China, the ancient journey to China via this part of the New Territories has long been in disuse. It is fair to say that the temple is now all but forgotten. Perhaps except for the once-a-year ghost festival in July of the lunar calendar. That is when villagers will gather for worship and scripture chanting.
I went by private car. For public transport, take Minibus 55k and get off at Wo Keng Shan Road, then walk on Wo Keng Shan Road for about 10 to 15 minutes. The temple is on your right.
Sources:
Somanhing.com, on Cheung Shan Monastery (in Chinese).
Fushantang.com, on Cheung Shan Monastery (in Chinese).
Some of the places in Hong Kong are never heard of, and out of this world. The Hindu Temple of Queen’s Hill is such a place. According to the introduction on site, the “Hindu Temple at Burma Lines (formerly known as Queen’s Hill Camp) in …