Hong Kong

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While travelling in China, I decided to stop over Hong Kong for a couple of

weeks.

I am not a fun of very modern and big cities but Hong Kong has got a

mixture of sights that make of it an appealing city to visit: beautiful

islands, a lot of walking trails hidden in the lush vegetation, heritage

villages, wonderful bays and friendly local people.

I was recommended by some local people to stay in a place called

Lantau island which is nearby the airport.

I first took a bus to Tung Chun, which is within the metro station and

there is also a big shopping center, and then I got on another bus

heading to a little village called Pui O where I found a nice campsite close

by the beach.

I was surprised to find so much nature in a big city like Hong Kong and,

in the camping ground, I stopped to talk to a man with its family and he

was saying that Hong Kong is covered by 65% of vegetation which was a

surprise for me.

Spread around the land live the peaceful buffaloes and cows surrounded

by this gorgeous scenary.

On the island are lovely heritage villages, I visited one in the western

area of Lantau Island called Tai O.

People, there, still live in houses on the stilts and there is a cool market

where people sell the fresh produce of the day.

There are lines of these houses with a ladder hung on the handrail and a

little motorboat for the inhabitants to move in and out.

It was slightly rainy but I kept on going along the way to visit also the

outer parts of this lovely village and I could see, in some houses, old

people talking with their relatives or friends in those tiny homes and all

this created a very cosy ambiance and are just one of those few

moments that I enjoy most when travelling.

Further up I saw an old lady collecting dried shrimps and selling them

outside home with her nice smile that only Asian people have.

I then saw bamboo canes stacked on a dark green carpet with a boat in

the foreground sinking in the mud due to the low morning tide.

I spent some hours in this place and I was happy to see that a bit of

tradition and culture has been conserved, here, even in such a big city

like Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, I can be from countryside to the hustle and bustle of the

city center in no time.

I then found myself strolling along the Nathan Road with luxury shops, big

shopping malls, crowds of people, lights in every corner, parlour

massage shops and skyscapers allover the place.

Hong Kong is all this, you can have everything you want but also you can

be lost in its marvellous countryside with anyone bothering you.

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