Sunday, September 30, 2007

Tai Lam Country Park hike (Photo-essay)


Two Sundays ago, I went on my first hike with
Roz's Hiking Group (a friendly group of hikers that still bears its founder Roz's name despite her now living in Australia rather than Hong Kong). The actual walking part of this New Territories hike lasted a little more than 4 hours and took us from Tsuen Kam Au to Sham Tseng (where we loaded up on roast goose and other delicious food!) through a chunk of Tai Lam Country Park. Suffice to say that I enjoyed myself -- despite the dreadful Hong Kong haze obscuring what otherwise would have been grand views *sob!* -- and enough to definitely plan to go hiking with this group again before too long.

Before that though, more specifically tomorrow (The National Day of the People's Republic of China -- and therefore a public holiday over here in the HKSAR!), am hoping to go on another hiking excursion. Almost needless to say, also am keeping my fingers crossed that the current unhazy situation holds out so that tomorrow's hike will afford good views along with exercise. At the same time, am contenting myself with the following photographic evidence that even on hazy days, there still are cool things to observe and discover in the (relative) wilds of Hong Kong! ;b

With haze like this...,

...one feels compelled to focus more on
nearby and smaller aspects of nature --
including wildlife like this actually quite large
spider hanging on its web...

...and this dragonfly which
obligingly posed for a time on a twig for me! ;)

As for flora:
howzabout
some green bamboo
along with a bamboo thicket?


Also, here's a close-up of
some beautiful lotus flowers
in one of two lotus ponds
passed along the hike

A wider view of the other lotus pond --
both located in the vicinity of what looks to be
the largely abandoned (bar for one house)
village of Tsing Fai Tong

Natural running water ;)

Lastly, here's the piece de resistance:
a natural pond with water so clear
it allows for beautiful reflections
when viewed from certain angles :)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

ytsl,

Your close up photos are so wonderful and inspiring. What a great hike!

Anonymous said...

Enjoyable ride, to say the least, and photographing running water at intentionally slower than necessary shutter speeds can yield a beautiful flowing effect, as you'd no doubt know better than I...

Ah, dragonflies, that end of summer feeling, it really hits home... Wallowing in nostalgia time ;).

- NK

YTSL said...

Hi sbk --

It was a very nice hike but -- and here's hopefully whetting your appetite -- today's hike was even better!!!

Hi NK --

Actually, I'm a point and shoot kind of photographer. Or, rather, I compose my shots visually but don't do much technically to enhance them! ;S

Willow said...

To be able to enjoy some picture-perfect sightings on a long hike - what a great way to exercise.

YTSL said...

Willow --

Agree that hiking can be a great way to exercise! :)

A. said...

Those are BEAUTIFUL pictures, and now I have to find out if lotus flowers are related to water lilies in amy way. They look very similar.

YTSL said...

Hi a. --

Good question! If there are any botanists out there who can answer it, please feel free to do so!