Taking part in a beach clean-up while pleasure seekers seem oblivious to the pollution around them!

Some people enjoy a day out at the beach while others

go about taking part in an emergency beach clean-up

 

I find it hard to understand how some people can seem

so very oblivious to the presence of gunk like this!

 

So definitely more on the side of the dedicated 

volunteers rather than the heedless hedonists!

 

Two days ago, the Hong Kong government re-opened five of the thirteen beaches it had closed to the public earlier in the week.  And what with this weekend seeing what some people look upon as perfect beach weather, it probably shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise to see the likes of Hung Shing Yeh and Tai Wan To beaches filled with sun-worshippers, families with kids eager to play in the sand and frolick in the water, and other folks out to have a good time on a hot afternoon with beautiful bright blue skies.   

 

But, if truth be told, I was rather shocked to see so many people determined to have fun out there when I visited Lamma Island for the second time this week; this since my reason for going to Hong Kong's third largest island this afternoon around was, as was the case this past Tuesday, to take part in an emergency beach clean-up organized in the wake of thousands of tons of palm oil having been spilled into the sea and so much of it having washed onto Hong Kong's shores.

 

It's entirely possible that over-optimistic government reports and announcements about the potential dangers of the spilt palm oil and the clean-ups effected (including by hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers) had given many of those leisure seekers who had ventured onto the beaches a false sense of security.  It's also highly probable that a number of individuals (notably tourists who don't check the news when they're on vacation) had not heard about the environmental disaster.   

 

At the same time though, you've got to think that such folks would feel some concern when they see hundreds of volunteers descending onto the beaches to clean up the gunk and other rubbish visibly lying on the sand, floating about in the water and coating the surface of the rocks nearby.  Sadly, however, like was previously the case when I took part in beach clean-ups over on Cheung Chau, it really can seem like there are a large number of people absolutely determined to have their fun come what may and content to subscribe to the philosophy that ignorance is bliss! 

 

Still, if the numbers of volunteers out there today (as well as on previous days) are any gauge, there's actually plenty of folks out there who care about the environment and willing to devote some time and effort to trying to make a difference.  And even while I definitely do worry about the dangers that the spilled palm oil has had -- and will continue to have for some time -- on the marine life, especially after bacteria collects and grows on it, I also take some comfort in there being considerably less of the palm oil on the beach relative to earlier this week -- so that today's beach clean-up felt like a more "normal" one in terms of my actually picking up lots of "regular" trash (including bits of plastics and styrofoam) rather than "just" the gooey semi-solid palm oil itself.  

Food safety fears and related concerns in the wake of the palm oil spill disaster

Fishermen inspecting their nets off Lamma Island on the day 

that I went there to take part in an emergency beach clean-up

In view of recent events, would you eat this in Hong Kong?

And this especially if it's served in places like this (which 

happens to be among my favorite seaside restaurants)?

The evening after I had taken part in one of those emergency beach clean-ups that have taken place in the wake of the massive palm oil spill in Mainland Chinese waters that has reached and messed up Hong Kong's waters and shores, I got to talking with a couple of friends about fears of what this disaster means for the local fishing industry.  Especially if fears that the decaying oil will trigger the growth of algae and consequently bring about the occurrence of red tides are realized, this will deal a big blow to what already is considered a traditional industry that's in major decline.    

While one friend was sympathetic and took the discussion seriously, another flippantly joked about how he'd just make sure to eat seafood that originated from far away waters.  Especially if you're the kind of person who prefers sushi to local seafood dishes, this actually can be surprisingly easy to do in Hong Kong, where some 90 percent of the food consumed in the territory actually is produced outside of it. 

Still, when one realizes that a substantial proportion of the food (especially those of the fresh variety) imported into Hong Kong come from Mainland China and Japan, some people may have even greater qualms and even feeling even more queasy about the whole affair.  After all, there are major concerns about the safety of food produced in Mainland China, and for good reason.  And I actually do know people (including Hong Kongers) who are still afraid to visit any part of Japan, never mind consume food from there in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster that may well have been the most major component of the triple whammy that beset the Tohoku area on March 11, 2011.   

As regular readers of this blog will know, I never thought to stop eating sushi after the events of 3/11/2011.  In fact, I probably ate even more sushi in the first few months after the disaster because I felt a need to support my favorite Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong (for fear that they'd close down as a result of experiencing a marked drop in business) and also have come to visit Japan more frequently since March 2011 then previously (not least because Japan has considerably relaxed its visa restrictions in succeeding years).

However, especially after seeing dead fish filled as well as coated with palm oil on Tuesday, I must admit to thinking it might be best to not eat seafood that (most likely) came from local Hong Kong waters for at least a few weeks.  Put another way: considering that I've continued to eat seafood even after seeing dead fish that had been washed ashore as well as floating in the nearby waters over the course of previous beach clean-ups, that surely is a good gauge of how terribly I think last week's palm oil spill has affected Hong Kong's environment (including its aquatic life). 

In addition, as I pointed out to that person who has remained my friend despite his never having hid his lack of concern for the environment (and whose disengaged ways can sometimes irritate and frustrate): he may not be the kind of person who spends much time in the countryside appreciating the creations of Mother Nature but, since he does love seafood, he needs to care more about the quality of our waters and realize that pollution is something that he may try to not think about but, actually, does affect us all.  And while I don't expect him to take part in a beach clean-up any time soon, I do hope that he will at least get to realizing that all this really is no joke; and, in fact, the disregard and maltreatment of the environment by our fellow humans can be so very sad indeed.   

Emergency beach clean-up on Lamma Island

Not a pretty picture but one that needs to be documented

Volunteers cleaning up palm oil spilt onto 

Hong Kong beaches and waters

Quite a lot collected and bagged but still so much to do

Pretty much whenever I've been over to Lamma Island, it's been to get in some hiking.  Occasionally, I've also gone all the way there to have dinner at the Rainbow Seafood Restaurant.  But while I've not spent all that much time on its beaches, it's not like I haven't been tempted; including on a visit there last summer when the sands of Hung Shing Yeh Beach and the waters off it looked beautifully clean and extremely inviting. 

As it so happens, I spent a few hours at a beach in Lamma yesterday afternoon.  But rather than relaxing out on the sands of -- and/or waters off -- Ngau Kau Wan, I took part in an emergency beach cleanup organized in the wake of hundreds, if not thousands, of tons of palm oil having washed ashore onto it and many other Hong Kong beaches; an environmental disaster that came about after a collision in Mainland Chinese waters caused a ship to leak some 9,000 metric tons of the semi-solid liquid and the Mainland Chinese authorities delayed informing their Hong Kong counterparts of what had transpired for a couple of days.

Yesterday was not the first day that I had taken part in a beach clean-up and also by no means the first time that I saw garbage which had come from Mainland China over in Hong Kong.  But this was the first time that I had come across palm oil on a beach, and dismayingly large quantities of the  substance at that.    

At first glance, the semi-solid oil can resemble snow or my (previous) beach clean-up pet hate, styrofoam.  However, it definitely doesn't feel like either of those materials and, instead, is much closer in touch and general appearance to lard.  Greasy in feel, it easily seeps into the smallest openings and turns everything it coats -- including, sadly, fish which then die and wash ashore -- into a pretty unholy, sticky and slimy mess.  Furthermore, it's really hard to get off your clothing and shoes as well as invariably gets onto them when you're going about trying to do such as clean up a beach.

Truly, trying to get rid of the palm oil that had spilled onto the beach can seem like an impossible task as well as seriously dirty work.  And this all the more so in high heat and humidity, as is the case on a hot summer day in Hong Kong like yesterday very much was.   

In all honesty though, if you care about Hong Kong and/or the environment (or even just enjoy eating seafood), you'd feel obliged to pitch in and help clean things up.  And even though the work is demanding and tiring as well as leaves one feeling absolutely filthy for at least a few hours, I'm definitely up to take part in more beach clean-ups in the days to come (even while hoping very much so that the day will come when people truly get that prevention is better than cure, including with regards to the environment).    

Nature's resilience but also humans' irresponsibility on display in Hong Kong

Hurt but still alive and able to fly

How I'd like the beach at Cheung Sha to look

when I next visit that part of Lantau...

While walking in Victoria Park a couple of months back, I came across a pigeon sporting what initially looked to be red plumage but which, after I looked more closely, turned out to have something akin to plastic bullets lodged into its body.  Upon realizing this, waves of anger coursed through my veins as it quickly and easily occured to me that some callous, cruel individual had most probably targeted and shot this helpless creature for fun.  

 

Mixed with this rage was a sense of despair at humanity because it seems like people really seem so very prone to treat nature so terribly.  In addition, I was so very sure -- and thus felt pretty saddened at the thought -- that death would come very shortly befall to that particular wounded bird. 

 

So count me pleasantly surprised as well as actually shocked to come across that pigeon again on another stroll through Victoria Park a few days ago.  And this particularly since it not only is still alive but seemingly pretty well and mobile, and even able to fly about despite having those foreign objects still pretty firmly embedded in its body!

 

I try to take comfort from this pigeon and other examples of nature's resilience when reading the news today that several beaches in Hong Kong have been polluted by palm oil spilt into the water after an accident in Mainland Chinese waters caused one cargo vessel to sink and leak thousands of tons of that semi-solid liquid.  Put another way: I try to trust in nature being able to combat -- or at least survive -- the destructive ways and acts of human beings.  

 

At the same time, I also appreciate that there are some humans who actually care about our planet, not least because they realize that it's the only home we've got.  And yes, among other things, efforts have already begun to clean those polluted beaches.  

 

I just wish having to deal with pollution, including that which originates from our powerful -- and, to judge from their actions, uncaring in so many ways -- Mainland Chinese neighbor wasn't such a regular occurrence here in the Big Lychee.  (Remember the tide of marine refuse that washed ashore from across the border last summer?  And throw in the reports last week of rubbish, complete with items whose labels had simplified Chinese writing on them, having washed up on two Tuen Mun beaches.)  

 

A thought: the Mainland Chinese authorities surely would be less reviled over on this side of the Mainland China-Hong Kong border if they would more promptly alert their neighbors to impending disasters rather than delay sending out notification of last week's collision in their waters for a couple of days or -- and no, we have not forgotten -- delay announcing (and even, for a time, try to cover up) the outbreak of SARS at what turned out to be the expense of hundreds of lost lives.     

Golden hour shots while crossing Victoria Harbour on the Sam Ka Tsuen-Sai Wan Ho ferry

Moon over Lei Yue Mun

Golden hour shot from the ferry going between

Sam Ka Tsuen and Sai Wan Ho

Every time I take a ride on the Star Ferry (be it going between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central or Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai), I see passengers taking photos along the way.  I find this impulse understandable -- and definitely have acted on it myself -- since the views on those short rides across Victoria Harbour can be pretty gorgeous, if not downright spectacular.  

Less unexpected for me is how few people are inclined to snap shots -- or sometimes even glance away from their smartphone screens -- when riding other ferries plying their trade between other piers located on either side of Victoria Harbour; and this especially when bearing in mind how beautiful the views from them can be.

The easy explanation that many people would furnish with regards to this state of affairs is that, unlike with the Star Ferry these days, the great majority of those taking such as the North Point-Kwun Tong, Kwun Tong-Sai Wan Ho and Sai Wan Ho-Sam Ka Tsuen ferries are locals rather than tourists.  But surely one shouldn't have to be a stranger in town to appreciate and want to capture for posterity moments that show how beautiful Hong Kong can be?   

Furthermore, when you see the shots I took while riding on the ferry from Sam Ka Tsuen to Sai Wan Ho during golden hour earlier today, you'd think that at least some of the many (other) photographers I've come across at such as the Sai Wan Swimming Shed or Kennedy Town wharfs, or in front of the Tin Hau Temple at Lei Yue Mun around sunset would also be up for taking some photos from ferries sailing along Victoria Harbour at this time of the day too, right?! ;b

Malaysian and Japanese shaved ice desserts that are perfect to have on steaming hot days!

Malaysian ice kacang

 

Japanese kakigori

 

What's a dessert whose ingredients include shaved ice, flavored syrup and beans?  If your answer is Malaysian ice kacang (whose name translates into English as "bean ice"), you would be right.  But yours would be a correct answer too if you had said Japanese matcha flavored kakikori since that particular seems to invariably be topped with adzuki beans!  

 

In addition, you'd be absolutely spot on if you were to conclude that both of them are ideal dishes to have on steaming hot days like those which Japanese and Hong Kong summers are full of, and which occur pretty much all year round in Malaysia!  Which is why I often myself craving to have those desserts when the temperature gets on the high side.

So it should be no surprise that pretty much whenever I am back for in Penang for any length, I'll have ais kacang at least once while there.  But whereas I usually patronize the long-established stall in Swatow Lane currently operated by the great grandchildren of a man who served up ais kacang to my mother when she was a schoolgirl, my mother introduced me to the delights of a much newer ais kacang stall on my most recent Penang visit that served up its own variant of the dessert that was arguably as delicious as those from the stall that I have sampled over the years (and decades!).

While most ais kacang vendors bathe the shaved ice in rose syrup as a matter of course, the folks at Swatow Lane also offer a sarsaparilla syrup option that I like quite a bit and often go for.  And at this "new" stall located in the car park where the old Balik Pulau wet market used to be that my mother introduced me to, I was introduced to another topping that I reckon worked really well: liquid gula melaka -- which the Myanmar-born ais kacang seller poured onto half of the shaved ice while flavoring the other half of the dish with the classic rose syrup.

 

Considering that "Blue Hawaii" is an actual, popular kakigori flavor, perhaps one day makers of the Japanese dessert will also think to offer gula melaka or rose syrup toppings (though given the Japanese aversion to the similarly-tasting root beer, I can't see sarsaparilla flavored kakigori ever becoming a thing).  For now though, the closest thing to ais kacang that I can get in the Land of the Rising Sun -- and also Hong Kong, with its wide range of Japanese food offerings! -- is matcha flavored kakigori since it also often comes topped with red beans and even tends to be accompanied by a condensed milk, like with Malaysia's ais kacang! ;b

A hike in a part of Hong Kong that's far from how most people imagine it is (Photo-essay)

Some years ago, when my German friend was still living in Hong Kong, she was appalled to learn that two of her colleagues from her home country had never ventured into the sections of the Big Lychee served by green taxis despite having already spent more than a year here.  So one fine day, she took them -- with me in tow for support! -- way up north for a stroll along the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail over in Fanling.  

I will never forget the amazement of that German couple at how different that part of Hong Kong was from the ones they had hitherto only had spent any significant amount of time in (i.e., Central, where they worked, and Discovery Bay, where they had chosen to stay).  And I'm sure they would have been even more astounded if they had ventured a few kilometers further north to the borderland area around Starling Inlet (Sha Tau Kok Hoi) that I took another friend who was then living in DB and still another friend's brother who was visiting from South Africa one gray but still actually quite nice afternoon!

In all honesty, I too would never have known places like Kuk Po and Nam Chung still existed in Hong Kong if not for certain hiking trails passing through or by them.  Being there can make one feel like one has gone back in time as well as to a very different part of the world, never mind a very different part of the Big Lychee.  And while I've heard that these days, they attract many visitors on weekends, on weekdays, it's quite the different -- and, in all probability, far more pleasant and picturesque -- picture...  

Nam Chung can appear like a rural idyll even on

a day when the sun's not shining brightly

 

 A number of streams flow through this area

 

 The trail we went on took us quite a bit uphill

in seemingly next to no time!

It also took us by a few abandoned villages, 

some of which are in greater states of ruin than others

 

Here's a part of Hong Kong where dogs (and feral cattle)

are free to wander at will and unleashed...

At largely abandoned Kuk Po, I was surprised to see that 

the old school building there had been newly repainted!

 

 Actually, more than one building in the area 

had been given a new coat of white paint... 

 

 ...but those that were really were the exception rather than 

the rule in a part of Hong Kong whose residents opted

to decamp elsewhere decades ago