Letters (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

When people think of Hong Kong, a bustling, vibrant metropolis is usually what comes to mind. And as this short video shows, there are good reasons why people think it is. But as my numerous Hong Kong hiking blog entries show, The Big Lychee also does possess large swathes of protected countryside. Indeed, it has been estimated that about 38% of Hong Kong's land has been designated as a country park or special area.

At the same time, it often seems to go unnoticed or un-noted that altogether some 75% of Hong Kong is countryside (as opposed to dense concrete jungle -- and with little suburban space in the equation). And while the New Territories does have its share of sprawling "new" towns like Sha Tin and abandoned old villages, it also still does possess a number of inhabited villages that have yet to morph or been incorporated into big towns.

So what does all this have to do with this week's Photo Hunt theme? Well, while out hiking (or walking along such as the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail), one of the things about village life that have caught my eye and which I reckon is really charming are the designated village letter box areas and individual household letter boxes awaiting the delivery of letters to people who are able to enjoy remarkably low density living (by the usual Hong Kong standards), yet feel assured that their mail still will be delivered -- and undoubtedly in a timely fashion too!

And while on the subject of the delivery of letters and other mail to rural residents, here's highly recommending Postmen in the Mountains, an elegaic drama about an aging mailman and his son who is due to take over his difficult but scenic postal route. One of my favorite films from Mainland China, it is a quietly charming work which allows inner beauty to shine through as well as beautifully captures the distant Chinese locales that don't often make it onto celluloid but should. :)