CEO Hong Kong Blog
Firsts and Lasts
by:
Laura Ly
August 15, 2010
When I first arrived in Hong Kong over eight weeks ago, I was nervous and unsure of what my summer would bring. It was the first time I had traveled completely on my own and by the time I had gathered my luggage and bought a ticket on the Airport Express, it was already late at night. I was exhausted from the flight, but once I took my seat on the Airport Express, the song “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys started playing on the sound system. All of the television screens showed black and white images of New York while the song played. Suddenly, I felt my nerves calming and my excitement rising. Although I was in a new city on the other side of the world, it was so comforting to hear such a familiar song that reminded me of home. While the rest of my first night in Hong Kong was uneventful (I just went to sleep shortly after I got to my room), I became more excited than ever.
Trip to Guilin, China
These past couple months have been incredible, to say the least. I’ve had the opportunity to learn a lot and explore one of the most amazing cities I’ve ever visited. I met some interesting people and made a lot of wonderful friends. I also got to know several alumni (including my fantastic alumni mentor), eat delicious food, and gained valuable experience and knowledge in my area of interest and work for an international news corporation.
Street Food in Guilin
During my stay at Hong Kong, I was even able to squeeze in a weekend trip to Guilin and Yangshuo in China with two other friends. I’m glad I got to visit Mainland China during my stay in Hong Kong. Guilin was beautiful! It is also home to some of the best street food I’ve ever had. Even now, weeks after the trip, I’m still thinking about how delicious it was!
My
last day in Hong Kong was accompanied by a sense of melancholy that lasted the
entire day. I always knew I would have
to return home at the end of the summer, but I was sad to leave a city that I
had come to enjoy and admire. That
l
My desk at workast day, I finished up all of my projects and presented my results to the
department at my last weekly meeting. At
the end of the day, I cleared out my desk area and bid farewell to all of my
co-workers in the office.
I also took some time to take pictures with some of the other interns with Turner Broadcasting. There were about 20 interns at Turner this summer in total!
After work and before meeting up with the CEO interns for a final farewell dinner, I decided to stop by the ‘Avenue of Stars’ in Tsim Sha Tsui to walk along the water and enjoy the great cityscape views across the harbor one last time. It was pretty crowded and everywhere I looked, there were people taking pictures and enjoying the atmosphere on that crisp, cool night. As I stared across the harbor towards the bright lights of Hong Kong Island, I couldn’t help but reflect upon the past eight weeks.
Although it was challenging at first, I think I’ve fallen just a little bit in love with Hong Kong. I definitely miss it and I’m so thankful that I got the opportunity to participate in the CEO Hong Kong program! While I’m enjoying being home and looking forward to returning to Columbia in a couple weeks, one thing is for sure – it’s been an amazing summer, and I’ll definitely be back in Hong Kong sometime in the future!
Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui
The Beginning of the End?
by:
Laura Ly
July 25, 2010
I’ve always known that this internship would last eight weeks, but it’s hard to believe that three-quarters of our time in Hong Kong has already passed. Now, we’re just about to start Week # 7 and the idea that my internship is ending soon is becoming more and more real. While I know I’ll have to leave Hong Kong in a couple weeks, I’m having a great time.
Ever
since I arrived in Hong Kong over six we
Happy Valley Horse Raceeks ago, I’ve noticed several buildings
all over the city with the words “Hong Kong Jockey Club” emblazoned in blue
letters on the walls. It didn’t take
long for me to realize that horse racing has a considerable presence in Hong Kong. I had
never seen a horse race before, so about a week and a half ago, I headed to the
stadium in Happy Valley after work to see the last horse
race of the season. The
stadium was a lot larger than I had expected and for the last race of the
season – it was packed. While I didn’t
place any bets, it was cool to see the race and experience the excitement!
My
marketing projects are progressing smoothly.
I’ve been continuing my research on email marketing campaigns, as well
as on – ground partnerships. I’ve
enjoyed looking into research about CNN’s consumer database and target audience
and using this information to make recommendations about where potential
partnerships can be made. Lately, I’ve
also been helping out with the Turner Invitational Matches, a large marketing
event to be held in China in September.
I have dail
CNN Control Roomy meetings with a supervisor to discuss my tasks for the day
and weekly meetings with another supervisor to discuss my overall progress on
my two independent projects as well as ask any questions I may have.
Although I work in the marketing department, I’ve been able to branch out and speak to people from different departments in CNN to learn about what they do. A few days ago, a few of my fellow interns and I enjoyed a tour of the studio and control room from CNN’s Operations Supervisor. My alumni mentor also works at CNN, so I get to talk to her often about CNN, Columbia, or anything else that comes up.
While
Hong Kong definitely has its share of rain during the summer, there are still
plenty of sunny days to enjoy. Today, a
couple of other interns and I made our way to Macau. It 
Ruins of the Church of St. Paulwas only about an hour by ferry from Hong
Kong and we spent the day there walking around, admiring the Portuguese
architecture and trying the local foods.
One of my favorite sites was St. Paul’s Cathedral. Only one wall of the cathedral has survived
to this day, but it’s beautifully built and there’s even a platform you can
climb to look through the three large windows you see in the picture.
The
Columbia community in Hong Kong is very active and being a part of the CEO Hong
Kong program has given us so many great opportunities to meet alumni. One alumna I met told me I had to try to the
Portuguese egg tarts when I w
Eating a Portuguese Egg Tartent to Macau.
After a long search, I finally found some in many bakeries around St.
Paul’s. It was delicious!
All of the CU alumni that I have met so far in Hong Kong have been great. While we all were able to meet many at the alumni gatherings in mid-June, our alumni mentors have been extremely welcoming, generous, informative, and kind. Our CEO group has been invited to brunch, dinners, book clubs, documentary screenings, jazz clubs, a wine and cheese tasting, and more. Another alumni mentor has organized a trip to the US consulate in central Hong Kong for all of us this coming Tuesday.
6 weeks down, only 2 weeks to go?! While it was challenging at first to get to know a new city and work environment, it’s been a wonderful experience. I’ve found that while I might get a little homesick from time to time, I’m in no hurry to leave Hong Kong just yet and I’m excited to make the most of my last two weeks.
Hong Kong Moments
by:
Laura Ly
July 9, 2010
Back towards the end of June, I was chatting with a friend on Skype when she asked me to describe a “Hong Kong moment” that I had had, referring to any experience that I felt was distinctly “Hong Kong.”
Walking into the office building
I
thought about it for a while, but I wasn’t able to answer her just yet. I felt as if I had only just arrived. Now, about halfway through my internship,
I’ve come to find that I’m now starting to establish a routine of getting up in
the morning, taking the green 25M bus to the Kowloon Tong station, taking the
metro to work, grabbing lunch/dinner with other interns, etc. I’ve also identified some of my favorite
places to stop for bubble tea and egg tarts!
I remember during the first week, it took me a few days to get used to
the walk from the Quarry
Bay metro station to my
office in Oxford House. Now, the commute
has become almost second nature. I
can also finally navigate through the MTR system without reaching for my map
every few minutes. Speaking of which, the
MTR system in Hong Kong is fantastic. It’s so clean and effic
The cable car to the Big Buddhaient; a new train
comes pretty much every two minutes.
It’s so easy to get around and explore the city.
On the weekends and after work, I’ve been able to travel around and get to know Hong Kong a little better. Last week, I went with a couple of other CEO interns to Lantau Island to see the Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, and Tai O Fishing Village. We rode the cable car from Tung Chung into Ngong Ping, where the Big Buddha is.
The
cable car ride was about 25 minutes long and we could see spectacular views of
the city. O
10,000 Buddhas Monasterynce we got there, we had a
great vegetarian meal at the monastery and even saw a pink dolphin in Tai O!
I was also able to visit the 10,000 Buddhas in Sha Tin, which was not too far from where we are staying. There is a long hike up a mountain to where a temple is and the entire walk is lined with thousands of golden Buddhas, all of which were unique.
As
far as Hong Kong moments? I’ve had a few, but a couple stand out in my
mind right now. One night, a few other
interns and I decided to grab dinner in Kowloon
city. We stopped by a popular Thai
restaurant, but it was pretty packed, so the waitress simply pulled out a table
and set it up in the middle of the sidewalk outside the restaurant. For the rest of the night, we enjoyed a
delicious Thai meal while people walking on the sidewalk weaved around our
little impromptu table. Just being
outside and enjoying the atmosphere of Hong Kong
around us was a lot of fun!
Thai food in Kowloon City
At work, I’m learning more and more each day, and I’m especially getting to know what a true work week feels like, especially since at Columbia, most of us only have classes four days a week. I’m continuing on my work projects and getting to know Turner Broadcasting and CNN more each day. This past week, I was able to meet with vendors regarding a new email marketing system for CNN, so hopefully, I’ll be able to see if any of them would work well. I’ve also been able to help out with event planning and preparation for CNN events, sit in on various meetings between different departments at work, assist with programming alerts and promos, and more.
I also finally made it to the peak! The view from the top is pretty breathtaking. I can’t believe it’s already the middle of July, but hopefully, I can look forward to many more ‘Hong Kong moments’ in the coming weeks.
The view from the peak
Enjoying the View
by:
Laura Ly
June 25, 2010
If there's anything in Hong Kong that continues to amaze me every single day, it's the views. Almost everywhere you go in Hong Kong, there are sights and sounds that are honestly breathtaking. All of the city architecture amidst the lush green mountains and bustling harbor is definitely a landscape unlike any other. 
Hong Kong Island and Star Ferry
The view from the office where I work is especially beautiful. I work in a building in Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island on the 39th floor. From there, you can see the Kowloon skyline across the bay. It's always nice to admire the scenery between tasks at work. As a marketing intern for CNN International, I spend my days working on two independent projects. The first one involves researching and exploring ways in which CNN’s current email marketing campaign can be improved and the second is investigating organizations that CNN can foster on-ground partnerships with in order to promote its brand. Additionally, I also work on day-to-day tasks, such as compiling clippings for the year-end report, completing mailings, and helping out with marketing events.
It’s hard to believe we’re already heading into our third week of work here in Hong Kong, but I’ve already been able to get to know the city a bit. The MTR subway system here is extremely efficient and easy to navigate, which makes exploring the area all the more easy and exciting. The first weekend after I arrived in Hong Kong, I decided to visit the Chi Lin Nunnery, only two subway stops away from where we are staying.
Gardens of Chi Lin Nunnery
The entire nunnery was built without using any nails and is really spectacular. There are gardens surrounding the nunnery as well. The funny thing was that surrounding the nunnery and gardens (though you can't see them in the picture) were modern high-rises and a busy highway. There is also a giant shopping mall just steps away from the nunnery. 
Chi Lin Nunnery
The Wednesday of my first work week was actually a Hong Kong holiday, so I got the day off and decided to head down to Stanley to watch the Dragon Boat races with a couple of other CEO interns. There were dozens of Dragon boat teams from all over the world and the entire beach was packed with people. Luckily, it was a nice day out, so we were able to walk around the market and shoreline.
I’ve also come to
Mango and sticky rice dessert love the food in Hong Kong! So far, I’ve had excellent dim sum and attained an unnatural obsession with milk tea! It’s so good! The desserts here are also really interesting and appetizing. One dessert I tried was black glutinous rice with mango and vanilla ice.
I still haven’t made it to Victoria peak, which I’ve heard has some of the best views of the city, but I definitely will in the coming days. For now, I’m just enjoying the view in a vibrant city, gaining work experience and learning about a career field of interest, and getting to experience life in a different part of the world. Although I’ve been here for three weeks, sometimes I still can’t believe how lucky I am to get to work and learn abroad. Until next time!
Beach Day, and Some Goodbyes
by:
Amy Huang
August 13th, 2010
It is difficult to part with children who remember your name and face,
who run up to you and give the biggest hugs known to mankind, who laugh with
genuine laughter at your lame jokes. I left behind a team and a small family as
I left the airport. I remember the last two weeks at Enlighten were eye-opening
experiences.
Our final project was to take the clients and their children to Stanley Beach for an outing. Managing five kids
at the beach proved to be a difficult task, but nothing that CJ and
Playing in the water at the Stanley Beach outing I couldn’t
handle. They had such a great time swimming around and playing with sand that
they did not want to leave. A lunch at McDonald’s and shopping at Stanley
Market topped off the afternoon. CJ left during the bus ride. I miss working
with her and hope that she can visit NYC someday when she comes back to the United States
to study.
My last assignment, more so done voluntarily, was to tutor a client’s daughter in her summer English homework. The daughter has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, has difficulty speaking, and is on a wheelchair for most of the time. The mother does not speak English and goes to others for help with her daughter’s homework. My supervisor describes her as an "inspiration woman", one who motivates and gives hope to the other mothers. I got to meet her firsthand when I visited her home on the day before the end of my internship.
She was a short, thin woman. Though
in her early middle age, she appears tired and worn like the other client I met
a few weeks before. Her daughter reclined on the couch and beckoned for her
assignment. Though she had a slight fever and was exhausted from visiting a
friend the day before, she persevered and still begged me to teach her despite
my urging for her to rest for a while. I opened the packet and recited the
English sentences, translating for her mother as she scribbled notes in
Chinese. Her daughter repeated the phrases. Though she cannot speak and write
Stanley beach outing with kids
properly due to her illness, she is hardworking and gets her work done. After the
lesson, I asked if she wanted to take a walk outside. "Let’s review. Teach me
again!" she says as she tugs my sleeve.
Later I learned that her mother was from Guangzhou, my parent’s birthplace. "We are like one family" says the mother. "We take care of each other. Please visit us someday."
My internship experience cannot be described so simply by mere words. The joy of meeting the clients and their children and my desire to continue working with them rounded off the experience. Though seeing someone in a wheelchair may seem mundane, watching her walk step by step with help is truly marvelous and heartwarming
One community
by:
Amy Huang
July 23, 2010
My weeks at Enlighten showed me
how important community is in helping to create a support network for people
affected by or related to those who have epilepsy. Each person who works in the
office, each intern, donor, and volunteer plays a part in improving the lives
of our clients. Work has picked up pace, and though I have been performing
administrative duties for half the time, the other half, I have been meeting
clients at their homes, helping translate for my fellow intern’s face-to-face
interviews, p
Sorting out toys after a generous donationlanning and leading summer workshops for the children, researching
about international driving regulations for people with epilepsy, and setting
up information booths.
I learned much about the lives of the mothers and their children struggling with epilepsy when we visited the home of one of the clients. The mother, barely in her forties and with a single son with a severe case of epilepsy and learning disabilities, appears haggard and tired of living without the support of her husband. Her son underwent surgery abroad to alleviate his violent, recurring seizures, and though his condition has markedly improved, he remains dependent on his mother, who rarely comes out of her apartment in fear that he would hurt himself if he had a seizure. Tears streamed down her eyes as she explained her loss of government subsidies for her son’s treatment, and her husband’s apathy to their situation. Later did I find out that she was preparing for divorce.
Interviews with the other
clients revealed much more about the painful lives of those living with
epilepsy. One young woman had been sexually harassed by a neighbor because of
her slight mental impairment, and a young man had been accused of sexual
assault at his school, due t
Korean Culture Workshop with the kidso his partial seizures, which may include touching
and grabbing. Learning about their stories only provides part of the picture.
Working with these people allowed me to understand how it felt like to be
living with epilepsy in Hong Kong, and how I
decided to continue in this line of work.
At our Korean Culture Presentation, the kids made kimbap and played a traditional Korean board game called Yeut-nol-i. Intern CJ headed the presentation and I helped translate for the children and their parents. One of the girls had so much fun with the board game that she exclaimed, "This is so much fun! I love it!" passionately dropping the Yeut-nol-I sticks at her turn; she was normally a quiet, shy girl. Behind the pain of living with epilepsy is also the hope and joy of making new friends and finding other children who understand what they are going through. I wanted to keep reliving this moment of their joy.
Stepping into a city of light, and delight
by:
Amy Huang
June 25, 2010
I can speak the language, but language is just a small part of Hong Kong's
lifestyle. I have grown so accustomed to the East Coast, never setting foot on
even the Midwest and the South, that the thought of working in Hong Kong and
touring China is preposterous. Of course, having relatives and friends in
China, and knowing how to speak Cantonese helps, but being independent i
Trying silkworms at Donghuamen Night Market Beijingn an
unfamiliar land far from home forces me to change pre-existing notions to adopt
this new lifestyle. I booked a flight for May 21st to allow enough
time for visiting my relatives and touring Beijing. Perhaps by the time my
internship commences, I will have adjusted to my new home.
When my mom warned me about the humidity and heat of Hong Kong, I packed light clothes but mainly shrugged off her warnings. Hong Kong is not just hot – it is astoundingly hot, at least, for a New Yorker. I got off the plane, and the first thing that hit me was a blast of humidity and heat. After a round of hugs and tears from relatives I have not seen in seventeen years, I was off to Mei Foo, where my cousin lives in a large flat by the Lai Chi Kok fire station. The amount of light and pedestrian activity even at 10pm amazed me. Row after row of restaurants, from McDonald's to congee shops, lit up the streets. As customary in Hong Kong, hosts take their guests to eat immediately after they arrive. Jellyfish and duck tongue became my favorite dish. We went to the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island before our trip to the Mainland.
The Beijing tour was exciting, and
Visiting the Tian Tan Buddha in Ngong Ping I got pampered at the
Ritz-Carlton Beijing for a week. Shenzhen and Guangzhou were unique cities,
with cheap food and goods, but unfortunately, very dirty. Guangzhou is hosting
the 2010 Asian Games, so streets are overturned to create better paved roads.
Nonetheless, both cities have experienced tremendous growth and change. I
visited Macau for my work visa, but also to secretly hunt for the world’s
tastiest Portuguese-style egg tarts. Destination? Lord Stow’s Bakery on 1 Rua
da Tassara. It was indeed "love at first bite", with their creamy, caramelly
egg filling. I have tasted many kinds of egg tarts before, but this was
astoundingly delicious. I also got to see many historic sites, and bought some
almond cakes and curry beef jerky, which are still sitting on my desk.
Back in Hong Kong, I went to the Alumni reception and Ivy Ball, and met many alumni. My and my CEO friends’ alumni mentors were all very approachable and helpful. We even went to bars and the afterparty together! As for work, I am interning at Enlighten Action for Epilepsy, a non-profit organization that provides support services for people with epilepsy, as well as their families, and outreach for the Hong Kong community. I finally got to meet CJ, the other intern who will be working with me this summer, and my coworkers. They are such wonderful and friendly people doing amazing work at Enlighten, and I immediately felt at home in the workplace. I am glad to be able to speak Cantonese, since I can listen and join in on their occasionally hilarious conversations.
I am currently working on amending Hong Kong's driving laws to allow people with epilepsy, who are free from seizures for a certain period of time, to drive. My partner and I have been researching scientific papers and international policies on this issue, but it would probably be difficult to meet with legislative officials now, in light of pressing issues as the new reform bill. Today, a patron has donated four large bags of toys to Enlighten. We celebrated with chocolate cake, again for the second time.
Summer Embers
by:
David Xia
August 14, 2009
Some experiences are seemingly unremarkable when we live them and prove to be significant only afterwards, glittering like gems hidden under layers of cortical detritus and beckoning us to unearth them through reflection. Other experiences are not latent and are immediately meaningful.
Looking back on my time in Hong Kong, I realize it’s one of those wondrously unusual and amazingly free times, often becoming preciously rare as age increases, responsibilities accumulate, bills pile up, and life accelerates.
This summer was a space delineated and differentiated from the usual humdrum routine, a magical space of possibility, a blank canvas, a vast field of immaculate fresh-fallen snow just waiting to be sculpted into various forms.
I look back on my shared experiences with exceptionally generous Columbia alumni, affable co-interns, and hospitable Hong Kongers with fondness. Ivy Ball, squid fishing, hiking, regular weekday lunches with Alex and Aileen in Central at our favorite cha chaan teng where a Henan lady welcomed us with warm smiles and kind words.
The memories, no longer fresh and vivid, become sweet and fuzzy, glowing like the remaining embers of a crackling campfire by which smores have been roasted and ghost stories traded under a glittering, star-studded sky.
Reflections on my journey through Hong Kong
by:
Amina Forde
August 14, 2009
My friends from kickboxing
Throughout this summer I have appreciated the wonders of Hong Kong, explored new interests, and had valuable work as well as networking experiences. I have been especially fortunate to meet some amazing people from both Columbia and Hong Kong with whom, I have no doubt, I will maintain lasting friendships.
Although the adventure, the food, and the opportunity for
international work experience were the main factors in my choice to come to Hong Kong, what allowed me to have such a great time were
the people around me. I worked in a
relatively small office and although not everyone got along so well, all the
regular workers treated me and the other interns fairly. Oftentimes I would find some of them going
out of their way to help me out by replacing a broken battery charger, helping
me buy Cantonese opera tickets, or showing me around Hong Kong and Macau. I also met
two amazing friends in kickboxing class, Yan and Joey. They were a bit older t
Me checking in for my flight back homehan me and kind of
adopted me for a month or so. They
showed me around all the parts of Hong Kong I
hadn't explored for myself. I knew I
could call them anytime if I got lost or I needed the Chinese name of a place
to give to a taxi driver. I left my family in the US
and gained one in Hong Kong. My last day in Hong Kong,
they insisted that I let one of them help me carry my bags to check in for my
flight. I'm really glad I got to spend
time with Yan and Joey during my last night in Hong Kong.
Although my internship involved a lot of administrative
wor
Goodbye lunch with my coworkersk, I was also able to do to a lot of research on epilepsy. I, of course, researched the driving laws,
but I also got a chance to research more scientific aspects of epilepsy to help
one of my coworkers improve the PowerPoint presentation they use for epilepsy education training. Being able to learn
more about epilepsy, or rather the lack of information on it, has made me even
more excited to go into the quickly developing field of neuroscience.
This summer has been a fascinating learning experience. Choosing to participate in this internship rather than staying in New York to continue researching in a lab was a good choice. During the summer I connected with people on the other side of the world, participated in an internship that wasn't necessarily following the path of a pre-med student, and blended into Hong Kong society.
Getting away from the machine
by:
David Xia
If you like what you read here, please check out my real blog, Easily Amused. Yes, I own my own domain. I am that cool.
There’s a digging machine at a construction site near my workplace in Hong Kong Central. Enormous, cylindrical, and piston-shaped, it prepares the foundation of a new building on Pedder Street by driving a sheer metal shaft at least two feet in diameter into hard, raw concrete. When steel collides with stone, the ground shakes and an ear-splitting clangor pulsates through the air as the threatening piston trembles and rises to strike again. An auditory manifestation of the city's pace of development, the piston slams into the ground again and again – a metronome beating out the urban tempo.
Presto
The monotonous impacts can be heard from several city blocks away. They create a frenetic rhythm. Legions of business people, coolies, and restaurant workers dash to and fro. Swarm this way and that. Point A to point B. They shield their ears. But they can still feel the machine pounding away. It's under their feet. Reverberating through their legs. Vibrating up their spines. It resonates beneath their scalps. Within their joints. Deep into the ventricles of their hearts.
Allegro
Victoria Peak can be reached by taking the Peak Tram railcar, but the rewarding route is taken by those who offer their sweat and energy for a communion with nature instead of exchanging money for air-conditioned comfort in yet another real estate developer’s creation.
View of Pok Fu Lam Reservoir en route to Victoria Peak
A gazebo on Governor's Walk atop the Peak
"At present, in this vicinity, the best part of the land is not private property; the landscape is not owned, and the walker enjoys comparative freedom. But possibly the day will come when it will be partitioned off into so-called pleasure-grounds, in which a few will take a narrow and exclusive pleasure only, - when fences shall be multiplied, and man-traps and other engines invented to confine men to the public road, and walking over the surface of God's earth shall be construed to mean trespassing on some gentleman's grounds. To enjoy a thing exclusively is commonly to exclude yourself from the true enjoyment of it. Let us improve our opportunities, then, before the evil days to come." - Henry David Thoreau, "Walking"
HK at night from the Peak
Moderato
The Dragon’s Back trail is so named because the undulating ups and downs of this path through hills and valleys makes you think you’re treading on the spine of a prostrated beast. The trail is gentle and gives marvelous views of beaches teeming with sun-seeking leisure goers, yachts making their way through the South China Sea, and far-flung uninhabited islands.
Dragon's Back trail
Shek O Peak
I went to Shek O beach on the anniversary of HK's SAR establishment day (July 1). Apparently, so did the rest of HK.
Andante
The weather on mountaintops is extremely unpredictable. One moment, it’s completely sunny with vistas of towering mountain ranges and vast tracts of sprawling urban centers; the next moment, you’ll find yourself engulfed in rolling plumes of mist and unable to see anything more than several meters away. As the winds push super humid air up the mountains, temperatures drop and clouds materialize, hanging mysteriously in fragile formations as the air sweats out its latent water. It’s a wondrously otherworldly experience to walk in these clouds. You feel like you’re venturing through some alternate dimension suspended between heaven and Earth. Look up and all you see is clouds; look down and even the ground seems to fade from view as the mist swarms around your legs. Suddenly, a slit opens in the clouds above unleashing a flood of sunlight, and all the mist around you evaporates just as quickly as it appeared.
Golden Orb Spider (Nephila pilipes) can grow to 50mm in length and spin webs three feet wide that have yellow orbs on some strands and are strong enough to capture small birds.
Adagio
After an entire week of crowds, fumes, and fluorescent lights, I retreat to the beaches of Shek O, the woods of Sai Kung Country Park, or the peaks of Ma On Shan. Here, there’s no trace of the daily grind, urban throngs, or artificial amenities. The mountains are a sanctuary where I get my weekly fix of solitude, wholesome air, and Mother Nature.
I ran out of stuff to say. Shocking, I know. So here's a bunch of photos for your mindless viewing pleasure.
Lantau Island
268 steps lead to the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island
We're so proud of Eugene. He finished all 268 steps.
The Wisdom Path features calligraphy from the Heart Sutra carved into thick, upright tree trunks.
Landslides? Screw that. We're going.
"Life consists with wildness. The most alive is the wildest. Not yet subdued to man, its presence refreshes him. One who pressed forward incessantly and never rested from his labors, who grew fast and infinite demands on life, would always find himself in a new country or wilderness, and surrounded by the raw material of life. He would be climbing over the prostrate stems of primitive forest-trees." – Henry David Thoreau, "Walking"
Looking up towards Lantau Peak, second highest peak in HK, its summit shrouded in mist. (photo courtesy of Yipeng Huang)
South side of Lantau (photo courtesy of Yipeng Huang)
Ma On Shan
Ngong Ping mountains in Sai Kung catching the sunlight.
Snapping a photo of a butterfly at a fire watch tower overlooking Kau Sai Chau
Sharp Island off the coast of Sai Kung town
Ascending Ma On Shan aka Horse Saddle Mountain
"For I believe that climate does thus react on man, - as there is something in the mountain-air that feeds the spirit and inspires. Will not man grow to greater perfection intellectually as well as physically under these influences?...I trust that we shall be more imaginative, that our thoughts will be clearer, fresher, and more ethereal, as our sky, - our understanding more comprehensive and broader, like our plains, - our intellect generally on a grander scale, like our thunder and lightning, our rivers and mountains and forests, - and our hearts shall even correspond in breadth and depth and grandeur to our inland seas." - Henry David Thoreau, "Walking"
Preparing for the final ascent up the cliff
"...the natural remedy is to be found in the proportion which the night bears to the day, the winter to the summer, thought to experience. There will be so much the more air and sunshine in our thoughts. The callous palms of the laborer are conversant with finer tissues of self-respect and heroism, whose touch thrills the heart, than the languid fingers of idleness. That is mere sentimentality that lies abed by day and thinks itself white, far from the tan and callus of experience." - Henry David Thoreau, "Walking"
Sun's rays filtering through the clouds onto Sha Tin
"But there is another kind of seeing that involves a letting go. When I see this way I sway transfixed and emptied...The secret of seeing is to sail on solar wind. Hone and spread your spirit till you yourself are a sail, whetted, translucent, broadside to the merest puff." - Annie Dillard, "Seeing"
Sha Tin at dusk
Evening clouds over Sai Kung