Nature is never all that far away in "Asia's World City"

Lantana spotted on the side of Stubbs Road

Scenic view of city and greenery from the Bowen Road Path

Looking from Hong Kong Island (Quarry Bay, to be more precise)

at Victoria Harbour and beyond to Lion Rock

For a number of reasons, I wasn't able to venture out into Hong Kong's country parks (or even its countryside) this weekend.  But in lieu of that, I did some urban trekking that allowed me to clock up over 15,000 steps on my pedometer today, and over 18,000 steps yesterday!  

Add in my having managed to take some photos I like (such as the ones above) and my being able to break in my fourth pair of hiking boots since moving to Hong Kong by doing such as going down the ultra steep Wan Chai Gap Road though, and I'd say that I actually managed to have an enjoyable excursion and fairly good workout this weekend!

To be sure, I never went on a non-paved path at any point this weekend.  Also, much of the landscape I passed through yesterday and today was distinctly urban in nature. So I wouldn't go so far as to say that I truly went hiking either yesterday or today.

At the same time though, I did see my share of natural sights over the course of my weekend excursions.  Be they greenery or water, hills or otherwise, however, they helped to remind me that, despite it being officially touted as "Asia's World City", much of Hong Kong really isn't the concrete jungle that so many people who have never been here tend to think that it is. 

Furthemore, it's thanks to its hills and surrounding water that the city comes across as much more beautiful and visually interesting than those cities situated on plains or less geographically diverse areas such as Tokyo or Beijing! :b