Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Lai Chi Wo -- reached at long last! (Photo-essay)


A couple of years after I first learnt about the existence of Lai Chi Wo -- and three photo-essays (see here, here and here) chronicling the hike I went on to get to that which once was the most prosperous as well as Hakka walled village in northeastern Hong Kong on -- I finally made it to this scenic locale.  Although my hiking party knew that we still would have some way to go to finish that day's hike, we couldn't help but linger in the area and do such as check out parts of the Lai Chi Wo Nature Trail as well as the village itself...

For one thing, we figured that it'd be some time before we'd be in this isolated part of the Big Lychee again.  For another, Lai Chi Wo really is a place that feels pretty special -- not least because there really aren't many places like it (left) in Hong Kong...

 The kind of sign that warns -- but also gets one laughing! ;D

 No sign of tree failure here! ;b

Lai Chi Wo's Hip Tin Temple (on the left) and primary school 
(on the right) both lie outside the walled village proper

The (still) well maintained Hip Tin Temple
looks immaculate inside as well as on the outside

Inside the walled village, there are buildings that look fit to 
still be lived in along with others that look ruined beyond repair

In addition, there are those that look to have been
largely abandoned -- but are still maintained for 
ancestral spirits to visit should they so wish

The way out out of Lai Chi Wo over on its western side
is not as flat as the way in from the south

And yes, it's more than six kilometers this way to the nearest
still substantially populated hamlet -- and minibus stop!

To be continued... in one last photo-essay documenting this very fulfilling around 15 kilometer hike! ;b

7 comments:

alejna said...

Fascinating! I'm so glad you made it there. It looks like it was an amazing experience.

The photos are so interesting. It seems like there must be so many stories in those abandoned buildings.

I also really loved the photo of the stone stairway. Beautiful light!

And ha! Tree failure! Glad to see that the nearby trees were still looking rebelliously successful.

baroness radon said...

The "tree failure" sign is so interesting. Thinking of Zhuangzi's "Useless Tree." What would (wood?)a successful tree be? Would (wood?) you grant me permission to share this, with credit given to you of course, on a Taoist forum I participate in?

And I also think the stone path/stairs are fascinating.

YTSL said...

Hi Alejna --

It was a great hike -- long but oh so worth it. Thanks for liking the photos and figured that you'd like the tree failure sign! ;b

Hi baroness radon --

By all means share the tree failure sign/pic with your Taoist forum pals. (And a link would be terrific if you think some of your friends might like visiting this blog.) :)

baroness radon said...

Thanks YTSL, I will share...it is SO relevant, in-joke kind of thing...and will point back to your blog; there are more than a few movie buffs (especially of the wuxia/MA variety) there! Thanks so much.

Actually, I have recently become FB-friend with a guy in HK who teaches various martial arts, very interesting warm energetic person. Between blogging and FB, I have made so many friends all over the world. Social networking can be a grand thing!

YTSL said...

Hi again baroness radon --

I guess it'd stand to reason that quite a few members of your Taoist forum would like wuxia movies... Is their favorite film "A Chinese Ghost Story" or "Mr Vampire", I wonder? ;b

The internet can be a grand thing indeed -- and yes, I too have made friends in different parts of the world courtesy of blogs and such (though not FB as I'm a Facebook holdout, still!)! ;b

baroness radon said...

Thanks for allowing me to share the Zhuangzi trail photo; have you noticed a spike in traffic to your blog? I hope so.

YTSL said...

Hi once more baroness radon --

I wish I could say otherwise but I haven't noticed a spike in traffic in my blog. In fact, the past few days' traffic have been lower than average! ;(