Saturday, May 2, 2009

Walking (This week's Photo Hunt theme)





Remember to bring your walking shoes should you come over to Hong Kong. Or, at least, shoes that are good for walking a lot in -- even if you don't plan to go hiking out in its 24 country parks or many largely rural outer islands (e.g., Tung Lung Chau, Tap Mun, Cheung Chau and Lamma) where cars are not allowed and there aren't too many roads on which they could be driven anyways.

For as you can see from this week's Photo Hunt photo selection above, there are streets -- notably Ladder Street (top-most photo) and Pottinger Street (bottom photo) -- right in the heart of urban Hong Kong that also are far better suited for walking rather than driving on. (And should any Hong Kong movie buff living overseas wonder, yes, Pottinger Street is indeed a street that features in quite a few movies from this part of the world (e.g., Johnnie To's Sparrow)!)

38 comments:

RJ Flamingo said...

I love these perspectives - I feel almost like I'm walking in those places with you!

Have a great weekend -
Hope you’ll stop by mine!

Photo Cache said...

Oh my what lovely places (and exhausting) to walk you featured today. I love stairs/staircases. These are really lovely.

MaR said...

Wonderful choices for the theme and lovely pictures. I love walking and I always have my walking shoes with me whenever I am visiting a new place!

Carver said...

These are great shots for the theme. I love stair shots and you did a great job with them. I used to try to walk up stairs even in buildings with elevators because it's such great exercise although I'll admit to not doing that anymore. I love the beauty of outdoor stairs the best so I enjoyed your take on this theme so much.

ancient one said...

You have wonderful photos that just beg us to walk along with you... Great for the theme!

To answer your question... miles away... the first shot is my daughters lane down from her house when she lived in the mountains.. The other photo I used just because it said Walking Trails on the sign... it is just a few miles from here and the creek is just down from the sign...

Leslie said...

Hong Kong is on my list - hope I get there one day. :)

Anonymous said...

Your first and last shots really make me yearn to visit Hong Kong again. I love just walking around the city. It's one of my favorite things to do there.

And your second and third shot make me realize that there is so much more I still need to see and do in Hong Kong.

BTW, I love the rays of light at the top of the stairs in the first photo!

Mirage said...

Great shots of walking paths! The staircase especially...Happy weekend!

Aileni said...

That first picture is luminous - I love it. For the rest - my feet hurt...:)

candi said...

Great shots! I would like to visit HK one day, and walk in these places.

Happy weekend.

Tara R. said...

I really like the combination/contrast of urban/rural. Wonderful shots of beautiful locations.

Sandra said...

I really loved all of your photos, but the first one is really stunning. The whole composition, with the light shinning in the trees,is really beautiful.

Gattina said...

OK if I could walk in Hongkong I would even put on my best walking shoes ! Usually I only walk with a dog that's why I have cats !

YTSL said...

Hi RJ Flamingo --

Glad I could give you a sense of what it is like to walk in those places. :)

Hi Photo Cache --

The two outdoor places and an ascent up the whole of Ladder Street are exhausting to walk but Pottinger Street's not too bad, actually! :b

Hi Mar --

If you've always got walking shoes, you'd be fine in Hong Kong then! ;)

Hi Carver --

Re buildings and stairs: my apartment building has no elevators, so it's a good thing that it's got just 4 floors! As for my office: no way would I walk up or even down from there as it's on the 16th floor (when counted the British way, and the 17th when counted in the American way)!

Hi ancient one --

Thanks for answering my query! Especially since without your explanation, I did think that the first photo was taken at park in the second photo!

Hi Leslie --

Hope you'll enjoy your visit when you get over here. :)

Hi duriandave --

I like walking around the city but must admit that I often love walking in its country parks even more! :)

Hi Mirage --

Comments like yours are making me think that the Ladder Street photo seems to have the most fans thus far... ;b

Hi Aileni --

Your poor feet -- aching even at the *sight* of certain streets and trails! ;D

Hi Candi --

Thanks, and hope you make the most of your visit when you come to Hong Kong (i.e., DON'T just stay in the shopping malls!!!) ;)

Hi Tara R. --

Thanks, comments like yours make me glad I did go for the urban/rural mix that I did. :)

Hi Sandra --

Thank you. Something you might like to know: that smoke? It's from a nearby temple! ;)

Hi Gattina --

I'm more of a cat than dog person too! :)

CJ said...

Very interesting photos. I especially like the first one.

Lynn said...

I love your pictures especially that steep stairs built on a mountain.

jams o donnell said...

MArbvellous. I love the variety of scenery you have in Hong Kong. Happy weekend

Momgen said...

Nice entries looks interesting...Mine is up also.

momgen said...

oh my entries is here....

Sue said...

Beautiful shots! Happy photo hunt day!

JC said...

Excellent shots... I'm favoring the top two. They seem to be the best of both worlds!

eastcoastlife said...

Oh my! Climbing stairs are a feat to me now due to my hurting ankle. :(
Happy weekend!

Rebecca Mecomber said...

Wow, what terrific photos!!! This was a great Photo Hunt! And I learned something new about Hong Kong!

Mine is up. I hope you have time to check it out.
http://newyorktraveler.net/
Happy weekend!

Unknown said...

Fabulous photos! You're right. One would definitely need comfortable and supportive walking shoes for all of those places.

NitWit1 said...

I love to view places I've never been or have any hope of being!!! And love the identification and explanations.

http://cowardscorner-nitwit1.blogspot.com

Anneke said...

Wow! Those are some steep climbs. My sister was in Hong Kong two years ago and mentioned the steep inclines and the incredibly long escalators!

jmb said...

You always show us such wonderful different places in HK. I don't know which one I like best.

Anonymous said...

Great photos,... love that I get to see some places there.

Carmen said...

I'd love to live in a place with so many wonderful walks! Great photo pics!

srp said...

I love all the paths to walk on, although those stairs make my knees ache just looking at them. I wouldn't want to have to climb them every day. Thanks for stopping by.

annalarssonphotography said...

Great perspectives in your shots!!
It feels like I'm almost walking there with you (of course in comfort shoes ;) )

Have a great weekend!
Anna

YTSL said...

Hi CJ --

Yeah, that first photo has quite a few fans, it seems... ;)

Hi Lynn --

Steep stairs built on a mountain... hmmm, you mean the first photo??

Hi Jams --

Yeah, I like that variety too. And happy weekend to you as well. :)

Hi Momgen --

Thanks! (And I appreciate the direction from you people with several blogs! ;b)

Hi Sue --

Don't know about with you but Photo Hunt seems to take place over the weekend rather than just a day these days! ;)

Hi JC --

I like them all myself... though had worried that photo number two had been too "simple", so am glad you like it. :)

Hi Eastcoastlife --

Rest up and hope you'll have no pain when walking again soon!

Hi Mrs Mecomber --

Thanks! Am glad like you enjoyed checking out my entry! :)

Hi Sherry --

Glad you definitely see the point of my advice! :b

Hi Nitwit1 --

Thanks for reading the commentary as well as looking at the photos. I realize it's a Photo Hunt but even while a picture says a thousand words, it can't say everything I want sometimes! ;b

Hi Anneke --

Ah, yes, the long escalator - have pics of it on this blog that you can see if you were to do a search. :b

Hi jmb --

I find it hard to choose which of the four pictures I like best too! :)

Hi Kissedalotatoads --

Maybe one day, you'll come over? ;)

Hi Carmen --

Yes, Hong Kong is indeed great for country hikes and urban exploration by foot! :)

Hi srp --

Absolutely agree re not wanting to climb those particular stairs everyday!

Hi Anna --

For the record: I *never* wear shoes that aren't comfortable to walk in anymore -- I live in Hong Kong after all! ;)

Patricia said...

Wow...very interesting photos here. I love them all. I must say that I'm not sure my knees could handle the streets of Hong Kong.

YTSL said...

Hi Patricia --

In mitigation: not all Hong Kong streets look like the ones photographed. Also, FYI, Hong Kong has great public transportation in the form of buses, underground train and overground trains, mini-buses, trams and taxis! :)

Dragonstar said...

I would love to visit Hong Kong some day, you make it look so inviting. Walking there would be a delight!

Thanks for visiting, though I've been absent for so long.

YTSL said...

Hi Dragonstar --

Hope you (and Aileni) do make it out to Hong Kong some day! :)

Horsoon said...

I like the flight if stairs... think I've seen that in lot of HK movies and TV soaps too :)

YTSL said...

Hi Horsoon --

Wouldn't be too surprised if you've seen Ladder Street in many movies. BTW, that part of it is right next to another frequently filmed location -- Man Mo Temple. :)