From Sam A Tsuen to Lai Chi Wo (Photo-essay)

As I noted a couple of weeks back, the first Chinese New Year that I spent in Hong Kong, two friends and I went on a northeastern New Territories hike (see here, here and here) whose first half I covered again some three years later with two other friends. But the second time around that I was in that part of Hong Kong where not that many people venture into these days, my party didn't turn back to Wu Kau Tang after we got to Sam A Tsuen. 

Instead, after a short stop for a nice meal -- and a look at the accommodations on offer -- at Fook Lee Teahouse, we pressed ahead to the once prosperous, nearly four century old Hakka walled village of Lai Chi Wo -- a place I've wanted to visit for some time now...

As the sign shows, Lai Chi Wo is just 2 kilometers -- and 

Wu Kau Tang only 5 1/4 kilometers -- away from Sam A Tsuen

Judging from the graves located nearby, Sam A Tsuen

used to be a more populated -- and prosperous --

village than it is these days too

Deep in the heart of the Hong Kong countryside,

people do things like keep bees

Along the way to Lai Chi Wo, near Siu Tan,

lies this abandoned but still physically impressive house   

From this part of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (and 

thus Mainland China) is visible across the water

Instead of proceeding directly to Lai Chi Wo, we detoured

up a hill from where we got good views of such as 
Yan Chau Tong Marine Park and some nearby islands

Also viewable from the hill was the village 

of Lai Chi Wo and its green surroundings

A closer view of Lai Chi Wo, with its famous 

fung shui woods in the background

To be continued... for yes, there still is at least one more photo-essay still to be assembled from photos taken on this hike! :b