To the Top of the Peak... Take Two

The only major disappointment about my 2008 trip to Hong Kong was that the day we spent in Central was rainy and miserable.  When we got to the top of Victoria’s Peak, it was so foggy that we couldn’t see a thing.  One of my goals for this trip was to make it to the top of the Peak on a nice day, so Wednesday morning I caught the bus to Central.  Public transportation in Hong Kong is very user-friendly.  Robin helped me out in selecting the best bus routes to take and the stops at which to get off, but for the most part, I was on my own.  Most of the MTR stations are massive.  Many are larger than Penn Station in New York.  When you get off the train, there is a map showing you each major tourist attraction near that stop as well as the exit number to use get above ground closest to it.  Once you are at street level, there are signs directing you to your destination.

The easiest way to get to the Peak Tram from Stanley is to walk through Hong Kong Park.  On my walk through the park, I stopped at some of the sights I had missed on my first trip, namely the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware and the Hong Kong Visual Arts Center.

The tea ware museum is located in the Flagstaff House, which was constructed between 1844 and 1846 and served as the office and residence of the Commander of the British Forces in Hong Kong until 1978.  The museum is dedicated to the collection, study, and display of tea ware and contains vessels dating back to the 11th century BC.

The museum had a special exhibition, 2010 Tea Ware by Hong Kong Potters.  I would venture to guess that there were over 100 tea sets selected for inclusion in the exhibit.  I found the artists solutions for dealing with the tea pot form to be very inspirational.  Some artists took a very traditional approach while others were rather abstract and innovative.  However, from what I read in the exhibit notes, it appears that function is more important in eastern tea pot design than creativity.  I picked up one brochure that talked in great detail about the proper relationship of the different parts of the tea pot (spout, handle, lid…) to one another.  The judge’s comments were quite harsh - “Very few pieces succeeded in making a balance between beauty with the judging principle of ‘functionality and ergonomics’.  I hope future participants of this competition would pay more attention to the correlation between tea ware and the user and spare some thoughts to coordinate creativity, design and functional requirements.”

I couldn’t have picked a more perfect day for going to the top of the Peak. Victoria’s Peak is 1811 feet above sea level.  Peak tram service to the summit commenced on May 30, 1888.  Prior to that, affluent individuals were carried to the top in sedan chairs.  This time, when I went up to the sky terrace, I could actually see Victoria Harbor and the sky scrapers of Central rather than just looking at the signs indicating what I should be seeing.

Hong Kong Trail circles around the top of the Peak.  I took a leisurely stroll taking time to admire the views of Pok Fu Lam Reservoir and the outlying islands.  There are interpretive signs along the trail, providing information about the various flora and fauna to passersby.  I found the Indian Rubber Tree fascinating.  Its roots actually grow out of its limbs all the way to the ground.

I still had plenty of time before I needed to head to the ferry terminal to meet Robin, so I decided to start on one of the self-guided walking tours of Central put together by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. But before I started the tour, I stopped at one of the infinite number of bakeries to pick up pineapple buns to hold us over until dinner.  The bakeries in Hong Kong are out of this world, filled with all sorts of sweet and savory treats.  Many of the selections are like a filled roll.  Everything is always fresh.  Not quite sure how they manage to pull that one off.  The bakeries became a staple for my lunch for the remained of the trip.

The walk started at the Western Market, an Edwardian-style building constructed in 1906 which originally housed the waterfront Harbour Office.  From there I walked down Wing Lok Street lined with specialty shops selling ginseng and birds’ nests - both of which are believed to be essential for longevity, energy, and fair complexion - to Des Voeux Road West, which was lined with store after store selling various varieties of exotic dried seafood.  I didn’t know that many of the species even existed in the ocean, and for those that I did recognize, I had no clue that you could dry them and eat them later.

The tour continued on to Ko Shing Street, the wholesale center of Hong Kong’s thriving herbal medicine trade.  The stores on Ko Shing Street were similar to those on Des Voeux Road - endless baskets overflowing with dried goods.  This time, I saw baskets of dried bats, turtle shells, mushrooms, and countless things I couldn’t identify.  I think I’ll stick to Western medicine.

The mid portion of the walk took me down Hollywood Road and Lascar Road (Cat Street), which make up the heart of Hong Kong’s antiques district.  Robin had taken us down these streets on my last visit, and it was getting close to the time I was supposed to meet her, so I made my way over to the ferry terminal.

Robin and I caught the ferry to Lamma Island, the third largest island in Hong Kong.  Lamma is quite a contrast to the hectic city pace of Central.  There are no vehicles allowed on the island and none of the buildings are taller than three stories.  We hiked from the northern village of Yung Shue Wan (Banyan Tree Bay) to the eastern village of Sok Kwu Wan.  The villages are small with local shops and restaurants.  There are dozens of fishing boats anchored in the waters near each. 

The hike between the two villages took us over some low-lying mountains.  The ascent was very gradual and made for a nice walk.  The views of the shipping lanes of the South China Sea and the neighboring islands of Cheung Chau and Lantau - as well as Lamma’s own beaches - were spectacular.  In Sok Kwu Wan, we caught another ferry to Aberdeen back on Hong Kong Island.

Robin suggested that while we were in Aberdeen we should have dinner at Jumbo Floating Restaurant, which is moored in Aberdeen Harbor.  Jumbo has a small boat at the ferry pier to shuttle guests to the restaurant, which, of course, specializes in seafood dishes.  We were seated at a window from which we could see the many boats docked in the harbor as well as the bright lights of Aberdeen.

Stanely Revisited

Tuesday was actually a relaxing day, although I suspect that my definition of relaxing doesn’t quite coincide with everyone else’s definition.  When I traveled to Hong Kong in 2008, it rained for the better part of the trip.  This time I couldn’t have possibly asked for nicer weather.  The weather in Stanley was absolutely gorgeous - mid 70s, low humidity, abundant sunshine, and a nice sea breeze.  I spent most of the day walking around the Stanley waterfront seeing some of the sights I missed on my first trip.

I spent some time in the Hong Kong Maritime Museum located in the Murray House, which served as officers’ quarters for the British military.  The building was originally located in Central, but in 1992 it was dismantled to make way for the Bank of China Tower and moved to Stanley, a rather impressive feat when you consider how far apart the two locations are. 

The museum traces the history of Chinese maritime activities from ancient times to present.  It also answered some questions I had regarding interaction between the east and west.  When we were touring the temples of Angkor, the construction reminded me very much of the type of construction the Greeks and Romans used in building things such as the Parthenon and the Roman Forum and libraries.  I was wondering if the architects of the Angkor temples would have seen these monuments first hand or have talked to others who may have.  According to the exhibit in the Maritime Museum, sea trade between the Romans and the Chinese began during the rule of Cesar Augustus. 

The museum also had an interesting exhibit on the history of scuba diving which I didn’t realize could be traced all the way back to 500 BCE when there was record of the first snorkel dive.  Then in 400 BCE, Aristotle records Alexander the Great in a prototype diving bell.

After that, I took a walk through the Stanley Ma Hang Park which just officially opened in January of this year.  The cliff-side park overlooks Stanley Bay and includes a Butterfly Garden, a Heritage Corner, a Sea View Terrace, a Sea Breeze Patio, a Fitness Deck, a Bird Watching Corner, an Educational Trail, a Hill Top Plaza, and wind turbines.  I spent quite a bit of time exploring all of the trails and admiring the breathtaking views.  I even stumbled across the Pak Tai Temple. 

One of the trails led down to the beach. I walked to the water’s edge and put my toes in.  The water temperature wasn’t too bad, probably what you’d expect to find by the end of June in New Jersey.

Another trail brought me to the Kwun Yam Temple, which contains a large statue of the Chinese goddess of mercy facing the sea.  People pray to the goddess for safe journeys. 

The final stop on my tour of Stanley was Blake Pier, another Stanley transplant.  The original pier, located in Central, was the designated landing point for royalty, governors, and other VIPs.  The original pier was demolished in 1965, but the pavilion was preserved and moved to Stanley in 2006.

When Robin came home from school, we went out for dinner at Toby’s, a Chinese restaurant just around the corner from her apartment in Stanley Market.

A Farewell to Cambodia

Our trip back to Hong Kong was a two-part flight - Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City, a four hour layover, and then Ho Chi Minh to Hong Kong.  We didn’t leave Siem Reap until the afternoon and since the airport was only fifteen minutes from our hotel, we had time to do some more sightseeing around town. But first, breakfast.  The breakfast buffet at our hotel in Siem Reap wasn’t nearly as good as the one in Hanoi.  However, Siem Reap served some of the best coffee I have ever had.  The standard blend had a hint of chocolate favor.

We decided to walk into town to Les Chantiers Ecoles, a trade school started by the French.  The Ecoles teaches young adults ages 18-25, many of whom are deaf and/or mute, a trade.  Students learn traditional Khmer folk art such as lacquer-ware, silk weaving, silversmithing, gold embossing, and wood and stone carving.  Some of the works are special commission pieces for high-end hotels.  Others, particularly the stone carvings, are used in the restoration work being completed on the Angkor temples.  Much of the work is sold in fair trade stores around the world.  All of the proceeds from sales go back into the school.  When the students graduate, they either set up their own workshops or become teachers in small villages throughout Cambodia.

We made it to the airport and through customs with plenty of time to spare.  Everyone boarded the plane and we were just getting ready to push back from the gate when they discovered problems with our plane, so we all had to disembark.  No worries, we had a four hour layover in Ho Chi Minh City before our connecting flight left.  But when the airline announced that they were handing out meal vouchers (to the only restaurant in the airport) we knew we were in trouble.  We ended up missing our connecting flight.  The airline put us up in a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City for the night and gave us breakfast the next morning.  Rather than returning to Hong Kong on Sunday night, we didn’t get back to Robin’s apartment until 6 pm Monday night, so Robin and Karen ended up with an added day to their spring breaks.

When Robin and I were planning this trip back in December, we were originally going to spend the last few days in HCMC.  When we added the overnight to Halong Bay, we decided to strike HCMC from the itinerary.  After driving around getting between the airport and the hotel, I’m glad we did.  HCMC looked a lot like Hanoi, a maze of roads and tons of traffic and pollution.

Temples, Temples, and More Temples

Saturday morning we asked Mau to take us to Banteay Srei, the “Citadel of Women,” which is approximately 24 miles from Siem Reap, 30-40 minutes by tuk-tuk.  The ride gave us the opportunity to see some of the Cambodian country side.  Most of the houses are built in the traditional style, on raised stilts.  Some were rather sophisticated but most were modest thatched houses with corrugated steel roofs.  Many of the small “villages” through which we passed were built as part of a clean water project.  There were signs in front of the houses indicating the name and nationality of the individuals who donated funds to support the construction of the house.

We passed through several rice paddies.  These differed significantly from the ones we saw in Vietnam.  They were much more sparse and not as neat and organized.  These plants were also turning brown rather than the lush green fields we saw in Vietnam.  I thought perhaps these fields were in a different stage in the planting/harvesting process.  At the temple, they had an exhibit on rice production.  I read that the type of rice they grow in Cambodia only takes 130 days from planting to harvest.

We saw several cows, water buffalo, and chickens, all of which were very thin.  Some were so thin that you could see their rib cages - quite a contrast from American livestock which is injected with hormones to fatten them up.

As we drove through the different areas of the country side, the sounds of the bugs changed.  I guess different species prefer different habitats.  We passed a cell tower and a health center.  One house in particular stood out.  They had huge towers of speakers set up outside, like you would see at a rock concert, with music blaring.  It was a Saturday so I guess that was the Cambodian equivalent of a block party.

Cambodia has a large population of monks who shave their heads and wear bright orange robes.  The monks ride around on the backs of motorbikes driven by non-monks.

Before we left town, Mau stopped at a “gas station” to fill up with petrol for the long ride.  A gas station in Cambodia consists of a woman on the side of the road who comes out with a glass bottled containing two liters of petrol which she pours into the tank using a funnel.

Mau dropped us off at the main entrance to Banteay Srei.  Construction began on the temple in 967 and it is one of the few temples that was not commissioned by a king.  It is built from a red stone that was different from what we had seen used at the other temples and is know for its intricate carvings.  The temple itself is rather small and much of it is roped off so you need to admire the carvings from a distance.  However, this temple is probably the most tourist friendly with interpretation centers, bathrooms, cafés, and a well organized market.

 

After we finished exploring the temple, we took a walk down the jungle path, through some small rice paddies to one of the interpretation centers, which taught us a little about the symbolism used in the carvings in Banteay Srei.

On the way back to the main temples from Banteay Srei, we passed the Cambodian Landmine Museum.  We asked Mau to stop so that we could have some time to look around.  The museum was established by Aki Ra.  Aki was orphaned by the age of ten and went to fight for the Khmer Rouge.  Later, he defected from the Khmer Rouge and joined Vietnamese forces who were liberating Cambodia.  He has spent much of his adult life disarming landmines and bombs throughout the Cambodian countryside.  Aki and his wife also established an orphanage and rehabilitation center for children who are victims of landmine attacks.  They obtain prosthetic limbs for the children, educate them, and provide full scholarships to university.

From there, Mau drove us to Pre Rup.  Pre Rup is very symmetrical, two concentric walls with a three-tiered pyramidal temple-mountain in the middle.  It was likely used as a crematory.  This was a temple where we could climb all the way to the top, so of course we did.  From there, we could see the surrounding rice paddies.  There were very few people at this temple, so we actually sat at the top and ate the peanut butter crackers we had brought with us for lunch.

Our next stop was Ta Prohm.  Exploring this temple is kind of like being in an Indiana Jones movie.  The jungle has literally grown into the temple with tree roots completely consuming whole walls.  There was a conscious decision to leave this temple largely un-cleared so visitors could experience it the way that French explorers found all of the temples.  Some scenes from the movie Tomb Raider were shot here. (Yet another movie I haven’t seen.  Now that I visited the temple, I’ll have to put it on my list of movies to watch.)

Because it’s in ruins, the temple is like a maze.  You’ll start down one corridor only to find that you must turn around because it’s blocked by a pile of stones or completely flooded with water.  The colors in this temple are amazing - lots of greens and pinks.  I’m not sure if this is a characteristic of the type of stone used to build Ta Prohm or residue from the trees that have grown within the temple.

Our final temple of the trip was Preah Khan, or “Sacred Sword,” which was consecrated in 1191.  This temple is another maze of vaulted corridors.  Preah Khan was originally a Buddhist temple.  When the king who commissioned the temple died, his successor was a Hindu king.  Therefore, all of the images of Buddha within the temple have been defaced and replaced by images of Shiva.  After finishing Preah Khan, we asked Mau to take us back to the hotel.  The quickest way to get there was through Angkor Thom, so I was able to see the elephant sculptures that I had missed the first time at the Terrace of the Elephants.

Just a block away from our hotel was a restaurant that put on a traditional Khmer dance performance during dinner, the Koulen II Restaurant.  Dinner was this amazing buffet with every type of cuisine you could possibly imagine, including pizza and spaghetti with marinara sauce.  I tried to stick to things that I couldn’t get at home and tried to choose Cambodian dishes whenever possible.

Traditional Khmer folk dance is called Apsara.  The movements of the dancers are often times very slow and graceful, almost like someone doing yoga.  Most of the dances seemed to communicate a narrative, either folklore or a glimpse of village life.

After dinner, it was back to the hotel to try to pack all of the souvenirs we accumulated along the trip into our luggage for Sunday’s trip back to Hong Kong.