We were in luck. It was the Tai O Dragon Boat Races. We have been trying to catch some races since our arrival, but have always been gone from HK or had a conflict. This time we were right where we needed to be. Dragon Boat racing is a huge sport in Hong Kong. There are club teams from almost every village and group and there is even an international race (which we missed when we were in Singapore). Dragon boat racing is similar to crew but with more oarsmen and a drummer who beats out the pace for the oarsmen.
The boats are also similar except for the dragon head at the front and the tail at the back. The teams wear colorful shirts and there is pageantry in the drawing for lanes and loading of the boats.
The fans line the pier and the waterways and it seems a lot like any summer sporting event - lots of beer.
Once the racing starts it is quick and fun with the drums beating at an increasing pace getting the crowd up and cheering.
After watching some of the racing, we took a short 20 minute boat ride that took us through the village and into the sea to look for dolphins. The village is definitely a step back in time. The villagers make their living from the sea and because they sit right on the water, the homes by water's edge are built on stilts.
We even made some friends along the way.
The ride out to the dolphins proved fruitful, but they are so quick that they eluded capture of film. This little tuna fish didn't.
Upon returning to Tai O we took a walk through the markets and the residential parts of the village. The main product for sale is dried fish. You can find all parts of almost any kind of fish and seafood that has been dried and put up for sale.
As we wandered through Vesper treated up to a few local favorites. We had bar-b-qued dried cuttlefish (very tasty) and a local egg waffle that was a real treat.
We left the market area and walked through a residential area along the water. The homes are made of every material imaginable and built very close together or in clusters.
A surprising sight is the fact that most all of the homes were open to the street with no one home. It is a very trusting village. There is a bridge that connects the two shores of the village. Vesper says it is a fairly new addition. Before there were boats that were pulled across by a rope system with a charge for each crossing. The water is only about 20 to 30 feet across. The bridge has certainly made life easier for both villagers and visitors.
While wandering on the far side, we again saw village life up close. We did notice that cats were the pet of choice in Tai O.
Every now and then we would coma across a small shrine set in someone's home or between buildings. There were even carved gates.
After our exploring we left the waterfront portion of the village and came back to present time. We headed across a park like area in search of dinner. Vesper had a favorite place and she has not steered us wrong yet.
We enjoyed a traditional Chinese dinner and relaxed a bit before getting our next bus to Mui Wo. What we saw of Mui Wo is the ferry terminal area. Upon arrival you feel very welcomed by the bright signs. Even though we could not read them, they seemed very hospitable.
Dockside one can see the transportation of choice for the locals to get to the ferry.
The last leg of our journey was a ferry ride back to Central. As we raced the Macau Ferry back home, we relaxed and reflected on a great day's adventure.
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