A Hong Kong Island hike that served up lots of examples of Hong Kong's biodiversity (Photo-essay)

The first few years that I hiked up Mount Parker Road (which takes one from Quarry Bay up to Quarry Gap), the cool red-bricked building known as Woodside was not open to the public and I could only admire it from the outside.  But after it came to house the AFCD Woodside Biodiversity Education Centre, I got to finally see the historical building's interior as well as to check out the biodiversity education centre's exhibits.

And although I didn't spot any snakes outside of Woodside that day, I thought it appropriate that I did spot quite a number of interesting critters as well as natural sights after my visit that attest to Hong Kong really being a place where biodiversity really can be found and quite easily observed! ;b

 Not too far up the hill from this handsome building

is one of the main entryways into Tai Tam Country Park

The Woodside Biodiversity Education Centre has some live animals

on exhibit, including this green snake which had recently shade its skin!

 Within the grounds of the centre was this sign whose

garbled English I found rather amusing ;)

Minutes after I left the biodiversity education centre, 

I came across this long-legged example of biodiversity ;b

Believe it or not, I found the mist up near the top of Mount Parker

to be creepier than that long-legged arachnid!

I wish I got a sharper photo of this beautiful butterfly

but it just wouldn't stop flapping its wings!

 Upon venturing down a path I previously had never been on,

I came across buildings that I got to thinking may date back 

to the second world war -- or have been in use then

My hike took me all the way to the Tai Tam Tuk Reservoirs

and Tai Tam Road -- and I have to say that I find it impossible

to resist the urge to take photos of the former :)