Before anything else, thanks to the -- count them! -- two blog readers who spoke up about being happy to see more photos of Ho Pui reservoir and its surroundings. And at the risk of being overly presumptious, I'm going to assume that there are others out there besides sbk and duriandave who will appreciate checking out the following photo-essay of yet another easy but scenic hike that my mother and I went on earlier this year... ;S
Starting near where I left off in the last photo-essay:atop the reservoir's dam wall
A refreshing breeze blew as I gaze upon this sight --adding quite a bit to the already satisfying experience! :)
Maybe it was one of those days and places wheremagic seems to be in the air -- but I found even
the silt run off from the reservoir to be photogenic!
Also, instead of thinking it a bad thing, I reckon that it is a great testimony to the area's feng shui properties
that graves are to be found there (and a great
show of respect that the deceaseds' descendants
buried them where they did)
The unusual looking Birdwood's Mucuna --
described in one of my Hong Kong wild flower
books as "a rarity in the world of plants"
books as "a rarity in the world of plants"
Flowers I can't identify even after perusing my books
-- so can someone out there tell me what they are?
For those thinking it's all getting too weird, how's this for a pretty sight plain and simple?
To conclude: here's a shot of a quiet, shadyand idyllic section of the small but beautiful
irrigation reservoir -- one that deserves to be
better known than it currently seems to be
8 comments:
Thanks YTSL! This looks a very peaceful refuge from the city crowds.
The Birdswood's Mucuna is awesome. Do you bring your Hong Kong wild flower
book with you on your hikes? I've already seen quite a few in your photo-essays. :)
Hi Yvonne,
What a great place to hike. The photo with the green island with red/brown base reminds me of a "chia pet" which I loved when they were all the rage.
Wonderful colors and interesting pattern made by the silt run off.
Please keep the photo hike essays coming...
You can definitely add my name to that list! With each posting, Ho Pui gets higher on my list of places to visit the next time I'm in HK!
Hi duriandave --
It was indeed a very peaceful refuge. (And yes, there really are uncrowded places to be found in Hong Kong -- and I do seek them out fairly regularly ;b)
As to your question re the book: I have two wild flower books now -- both of which are on the heavy side. So don't bring them on hikes, just consult them using the photos of the flowers that I take! :D
Hi sbk --
Teehee re your chia pet comments re the island. And am glad that you like that silt run off picture -- and my hiking photo-essays in general. :)
Hi Kathie --
Good to know for sure that duriandave and sbk are not the only people who are checking out my hiking photo-essays. Re Ho Pui reservoir: the most difficult -- and lengthiest -- part may actually be getting there from the center of Hong Kong. But yes, would say it's worth visiting. :)
Lovely images, as usual--the wildflowers are simply amazing looking, particularly the Birdswood's Mucuna. It is hard (for me at least) to find ugly flowers but those are just gorgeous.
Would you happen to know anything about burials there? Would the family have to get special permission? And this may not be an issue for Chinese people but in the USA it would almost be assumed that the graves would be desecrated or vandalized, which I know sounds terrible but would be the case.
Love the pictures of the dam. Dams are really amazing structures/machines that have a lot of more or less hidden, or at least not often viewed, aspects.
Hi again ewaffle --
And thanks for your "vote" along with the others. :)
Get the feeling re the burials that those families buried their dead there before the area was made a country park. Also, wouldn't be surprised if the dead were, say, the head of Ho Pui village. Seriously, those are prime burial locations.
And yeah, in Hong Kong, one doesn't dare to tend to worry about such as the graves being desecrated or vandalised.
More than incidentally, was shocked to read the linked New York Times article:-
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/fashion/13kids.html?_r=1&scp=10&sq=walking&st=cse
Based on such fearfulness, no wonder that "Ponyo" is so foreign and hard to deal with for many American parents!!!
Your writings are very informative and inspiring. Thank you for sharing
Hi "Unknown" --
Thanks for appreciating my writings and leaving a comment, even while choosing to remain "unknown". :)
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