Hong Kong isn't all banks and skyscrapers?

Ravirataa, rantaa ja ruisleipää

Viime viikko koostunut opiskelusta normitahtiin sekä Hong Kongin tuntemattomampaan puoleen tutustumisesta.

Chill bus ride to Shek O

Aikataulut ja poudan pete soivat mahdollisuuden käväistä siellä, minkä moni turisti jättää kokematta tästä kaupungista eli rannalla. Yllättäen vain 25 prosenttia honkkareista on kehittynyttä kaupunkialuetta ja tuosta jäljelle jääneestä osuudesta jopa 40 prosenttia pinta-alasta on luonnonpuistoja ja suojeltuja alueita. Ei ehkä se ensimmäinen juttu mikä tästä paikasta tulee mieleen! Toisaalta ei monella täällä ole aikaa lokoilla rannalla joka viikko…sen verran kovaa työtahtia harrastellaan yleisesti näillä kulmilla. Keskiviikkona päätettiin myös käydä visiitillä poikkeuksellisesti Sha Tinin ravidalla (Kisat järjestetään yleensä Happy Valleyssa keskiviikkona ja lauantaina kyseisessä paikassa). Tällä viikolla käydyt toisenlaiset kisat eli Hong Kong rugby sevens vei ihmismassan tällä kertaa muualle viikonloppuna. Huippua oli myös se, että vanhemmat pääsevät vihdoin tutustumaan tähän mestaan ja sain syödä koululla lounaaksi ruisleipää ja voita.

Lounasta!

When you get a postcard from this city the first image in it might not be a white sand beach surrounded by some great peaks without any buildings. That is what Hong Kong actually looks like for the most part. The parts that are developed into urban city (25%) are usually where people go here. The remaining 75 percent is quite green and actually 40 percent of this is reserved as country parks and nature reserves!

Last week I had the opportunity to explore the Shek O beach in Hong Kong and I must say the bus ride to this place was sweet! A double decker is fun to ride on the 2^nd floor and in the front. If you add a twisted road on top of a mountain it’s quite awesome! This is public transportation here and a lot more fun than a fully packed MTR.

Shek O beach

The beach was something I didn’t quite expect. It could have been a beach from any tropical island with clear water, white sand and chill seafood restaurants underneath the trees. This is the best way to relax during the weekend! I will definitely explore some of the other beaches as well.

What a great contrast between central and this in 40 minutes

The beaches in Hong Kong are accessible but it takes some time to get there from downtown. This is not a bad thing though since the amount of people is reasonably low probably due to the distance and some other things such as the fact that there is not so many people here who would like to sunbath and get bronze…they actually have a lot of creams to make your face whiter and an umbrella is a very good way to protect yourself from the sun. Another story is pollution…the sunny sky has probably looked a little different 25 years ago in Shek O. It is not as bad as Mainland China and not very smoggy every day. Some days are worse than others though.

Mist, Fog, Smog or haze in the horizon?

Another thing I got to visit in HK this week was Sha Tin recourse. Because of the Hong Kong rugby sevens they had the races in Sha Tin instead of Happy Valley. This racecourse is more new.

Caesar trying to get a cab after HK rugby sevens

Sha Tin racecourse

The weekend had also another special event as my parents arrived in HK. We found an amazing place to have a drink up on a rooftop while they shut down the lights for Earth Hour. Thai food in SOHO was great to have after some very plain rice/noodle dishes in the school canteen during the week. They brought me some bread from Finland and that made my lunch very special…haven’t found any rye bread here yet.

Up

I’m sure that there will be some hiking and more outdoor activities in the near future as I’m amazed by the difference between the urban and green Hong Kong. I visited Lamma Island in the first weeks but since the weather is getting more and more warm there will be more opportunities to go to a beach as well. 

Bus number 9 to Shek O...Yes!

This town had a very different lifestyle than the other parts of HK





- Niklas -