We’re in Hong Kong.
We spent the first few days rushing around. We have to see the Big Buddha at the Po Lin monastery! So we did. Took the metro to the end of the line, bought tickets on an amazing cable car, took the pictures, climbed the steps, and there we were.
Cable car to Po Lin Monastery
We paid extra for the glass-bottomed car
The largest outdoor Buddha in the world is made of bronze and weighs more than a jumbo jet
Climbing the stairs to the Buddha behind some monks from Thailand. We chatted with them on the way up. They were very friendly and one spoke English.
We went shopping, we saw markets, we rode the subway, we rode ferries. All amazing. And exhausting. And we got very tired and crabby.
But it wasn’t until the third day here that we finally slowed down, decided to let things come as they will.
We’re staying in a friend’s apartment while they visit family in the US. We’re on one of Hong Kong’s outlying islands, Lamma Island, a half-hour ferry ride from Central Hong Kong. And I’ve slowly begun to wrap my mind around this place. Instead of being a problem, half an hour ferry ride plus fifteen minutes walk, it’s actually pretty cool.
It’s like Lopez Island (in the San Juans, for those of you not from the Pacific Northwest). Fishing villages, guest houses, hanging around. Unlike Lopez, there are no cars. Everything moves at the speed of people on foot or bike. The main street of the village we’re staying in, Yung Shue Wan, is a footpath. It’s about ten feet wide. Narrow little shopfronts sell groceries, or handmade handbags, or noodles, or seafood, or Annie’s Organic Mac and Cheese at an obscene price to homesick Westerners. There’s an amazing public beach about fifteen minutes away, by foot.
Main Street, Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island (note the lack of cars)
And Hong Kong, in all its busy, crazy, commercial glory, is half an hour away.
I think we’ve landed on our feet.
We had lots of crazy busy plans to go to Beijing on the train. But the reality is that even being here at all is more money than we should be spending. Getting to Beijing means visas for four (not cheap), and train tickets. It’s 24 hours each way on the train, and one of the directions didn’t have a private sleeper car for four, which meant we’d be sharing our sleeping car with strangers. I’m a pretty adventurous soul, but I have my limits, and 24 hours of family togetherness with two strangers is more than I’m willing to do. Flying doubles the cost. We left the Chinese travel agency feeling a little bewildered, and sure we should have done a better job of planning this expedition. We’re not seeing the Great Wall. Not this trip anyway.
I took my son to the beach yesterday. We walked down Lamma Island’s Family Trail—the paved main thoroughfare on a car-free island, and we swam in a little protected bay. He learned to body-surf. I sat in the sand and watched Chinese families play, and felt myself begin to unwind.
We have a long time. More than three weeks. Unheard of by American standards.
The Great Wall will still be there. So will the whole rest of the freaking world. We don’t have to see it all in three weeks.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
amputeemommy
OS Readers' Picks
Margaret Feike
Reflections of a shallow pond
Cary Tennis
Sarah Cavanaugh
Salon.com
Comments
Drema
As for seeing the Great Wall, you may not get to this time, but I feel like what you guys are experiencing sounds like it will be so much more of a personal, strong memory than seeing a monument. The way you're getting to experience everyday life on that little island and in the big part of Hong Kong itself, is such a privilege. Did I mention how jealous I am? :-)
Wishing you wonders to discover, and a continued bon voyage!
Glad you wrote and added photos -- now I'll go read : )
Great Wall Schmate Wall, you've got such a nice spot! I don't blame you for not wanting to share a sleeping car for 24 hours --
Hanging on the beach seems like heaven, car-free zones sound heavenly also. Anyone in your family speak Mandarin or Cantonese? Which is the common language spoken in HongKong ?
I've been trying to learn some Mandarin but keep feeling called to Cantonese -- both seem like Martian but I'm stubborn : )
Have a great time and thanks so much (again) for sharing while you're there.
I feel inspired to go visit the giant outdoor Buddha that's in our area now...
R♥
Drema--It is weird. I keep having to catch myself, my urge to pack up everything and hop on a train is very strong.
dirndl skirt--it's amazing. We walked down to get breakfast pastries this morning. Coming soon--a blog on Hong Kong food, including the amazing and wonderful egg tart, baked fresh every day and served hot.
Alysa--yes, the Great Wall will still be there. Our hope is to build up our savings so we can take advantage of cheap tickets when we can find them... it means not digging too deep of a hole now. And it is nice to be in just one place, and not on a Grand Tour of Everything.
Joanie--so much more to come!
Mary--it's an amazing place. Have you been here? Any recommendations?
Just Thinking--where is there an outdoor Buddha in Oregon??? My daughter knows a little bit of Mandarin, but they speak mostly Cantonese here. She said "thankyou" to a flight attendant in Mandarin, and the attendant said (in English) "Maybe you can learn to speak Cantonese too" and now she's afraid to try out her Mandarin.
Bell--thanks for reading and I will post more!
Fusun--it's very hard to slow down and stop running around.
_______ad88888888888888888888888a,
________a88888"8888888888888888888888,
______,8888"__"P88888888888888888888b,
______d88_________`""P88888888888888888,
_____,8888b_______________""88888888888888,
_____d8P'''__,aa,______________""888888888b
_____888bbdd888888ba,__,I_________"88888888,
_____8888888888888888ba8"_________,88888888b
____,888888888888888888b,________,8888888888
____(88888888888888888888,______,88888888888,
____d888888888888888888888,____,8___"8888888b
____88888888888888888888888__.;8'"""__(888888
____8888888888888I"8888888P_,8"_,aaa,__888888
____888888888888I:8888888"_,8"__`b8d'__(88888
____(8888888888I'888888P'_,8)__________88888
_____88888888I"__8888P'__,8")__________88888
_____8888888I'___888"___,8"_(._.)_______88888
_____(8888I"_____"88,__,8"_____________,8888P
______888I'_______"P8_,8"_____________,88888)
_____(88I'__________",8"__M""""""M___,888888'
____,8I"____________,8(____"aaaa"___,8888888
___,8I'____________,888a___________,8888888)
__,8I'____________,888888,_______,888888888
_,8I'____________,8888888'`-===-'888888888'
,8I'____________,8888888"________88888888"
8I'____________,8"____88_________"888888P
8I____________,8'_____88__________`P888"
8I___________,8I______88____________"8ba,.
(8,_________,8P'______88______________88""8bma,.
_8I________,8P'_______88,______________"8b___""P8ma,
_(8,______,8d"________`88,_______________"8b_____`"8a
__8I_____,8dP_________,8X8,________________"8b.____:8b
__(8____,8dP'__,I____,8XXX8,________________`88,____8)
___8,___8dP'__,I____,8XxxxX8,_____I,_________8X8,__,8
___8I___8P'__,I____,8XxxxxxX8,_____I,________`8X88,I8
___I8,__"___,I____,8XxxxxxxxX8b,____I,________8XXX88I,
___`8I______I'__,8XxxxxxxxxxxxXX8____I________8XXxxXX8,
____8I_____(8__,8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8___I________8XxxxxxXX8,
___,8I_____I[_,8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8__8________8XxxxxxxxX8,
___d8I,____I[_8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8b_8_______(8XxxxxxxxxX8,
___888I____`8,8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8_8,_____,8XxxxxxxxxxxX8
___8888,____"88XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8)8I____.8XxxxxxxxxxxxX8
__,8888I_____88XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8_`8,__,8XxxxxxxxxxxxX8"
__d88888_____`8XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8'__`8,,8XxxxxxxxxxxxX8"
__888888I_____`8XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8'____"88XxxxxxxxxxxxX8"
__88888888bbaaaa88XXxxxxxxxxxxXX8)______)8XXxxxxxxxxXX8"
__8888888I,_``""""""8888888888888888aaaaa8888XxxxxXX8"
__(8888888I,______________________.__```"""""88888P"
___88888888I,___________________,8I___8,_______I8"
____"""88888I,________________,8I'____"I8,____;8"
___________`8I,_____________,8I'_______`I8,___8)
____________`8I,___________,8I'__________I8__:8'
_____________`8I,_________,8I'___________I8__:8
______________`8I_______,8I'_____________`8__(8
_______________8I_____,8I'________________8__(8;
_______________8I____,8"__________________I___88,
______________.8I___,8'_______________________8"8,
______________(PI___'8_______________________,8,`8,
_____________.88'____________,@@___________.a8X8,`8,
_____________(88_____________@@@_________,a8XX888,`8,
____________(888_____________@@'_______,d8XX8"__"b_`8,
___________.8888,_____________________a8XXX8"____"a_`8,
__________.888X88___________________,d8XX8I"______9,_`8,
_________.88:8XX8,_________________a8XxX8I'_______`8__`8,
________.88'_8XxX8a_____________,ad8XxX8I'________,8___`8,
________d8'__8XxxxX8ba,______,ad8XxxX8I"__________8__,__`8,
_______(8I___8XxxxxxX888888888XxxxX8I"____________8__II__`8
_______8I'___"8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8I'____________(8__8)___8;
______(8I_____8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8"______________(8__8)___8I
______8P'_____(8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8I'________________8,_(8___:8
_____(8'_______8XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX8'_________________`8,_8____8
_____8I________`8XxxxxxxxxxxxX8'___________________`8,8___;8
_____8'_________`8XxxxxxxxxxX8'_____________________`8I__,8'
_____8___________`8XxxxxxxxX8'_______________________8'_,8'
_____8____________`8XxxxxxX8'________________________8_,8'
_____8_____________`8XxxxX8'________________________d'_8'
_____8______________`8XxxX8_________________________8_8'
_____8________________"8X8'_________________________"8"
_____8,________________`88___________________________8
_____8I________________,8'__________________________d)
_____`8,_______________d8__________________________,8
______(b_______________8'_________________________,8'
_______8,_____________dP_________________________,8'
_______(b_____________8'________________________,8'
________8,___________d8________________________,8'
________(b___________8'_______________________,8'
_________8,_________a8_______________________,8'
_________(b_________8'______________________,8'
__________8,_______,8______________________,8'
__________(b_______8'_____________________,8'
___________8,_____,8_____________________,8'
___________(b_____8'____________________,8'
____________8,___d8____________________,8'
____________(b__,8'___________________,8'
_____________8,,I8___________________,8'
_____________I8I8'__________________,8'
_____________`I8I__________________,8'
______________I8'_________________,8'
______________"8_________________,8'
______________(8________________,8'
______________8I_______________,8'
______________(b,___8,________,8)
______________`8I___"88______,8i8,
_______________(b,__________,8"8")
_______________`8I__,8______8)_8_8
________________8I__8I______"__8_8
________________(b__8I_________8_8
________________`8__(8,________b_8,
_________________8___8)________"b"8,
_________________8___8(_________"b"8
_________________8___"I__________"b8,
_________________8________________`8)
_________________8_________________I8
_________________8_________________(8
_________________8,_________________8,
_________________Ib_________________8)
_________________(8_________________I8
__________________8_________________I8
__________________8_________________I8
__________________8,________________I8
__________________Ib________________8I
__________________(8_______________(8'
___________________8_______________I8
___________________8,______________8I
___________________Ib_____________(8'
___________________(8_____________I8
___________________`8_____________8I
____________________8____________(8'
____________________8,___________I8
____________________Ib___________8I
____________________(8___________8'
_____________________8,_________(8
_____________________Ib_________I8
_____________________(8_________8I
______________________8,________8'
______________________(b_______(8
_______________________8,______I8
_______________________I8______I8
_______________________(8______I8
________________________8______I8,
________________________8______8_8,
________________________8,_____8_8'
_______________________,I8_____"8"
______________________,8"8,_____8,
_____________________,8'_`8_____`b
____________________,8'___8______8,
___________________,8'____(a_____`b
__________________,8'_____`8______8,
__________________I8/______8______`b,
__________________I8-/_____8_______`8,
__________________(8/-/____8________`8,
___________________8I/-/__,8_________`8
___________________`8I/--,I8________-8)
____________________`8I,,d8I_______-8)
______________________"bdI"8,_____-I8
___________________________`8,___-I8'
____________________________`8,,--I8
_____________________________`Ib,,I8
______________________________`I8I