There is only one public golf course in Hong Kong. Kau Sai Chau is located on an island near the village of Sai Kung on the Kowloon peninsula. After taking the MTR and a bus we arrived sea side in Sai Kung.
Once again we met up with Vesper and boarded a solar powered catamaran for our trip to Kau Sai Chau. It is about a 20 minute ride through beautiful waters dotted with lots of smaller islands.
Once on the island a shuttle took us to the club house. There are three 18 hole courses on the island and each hole has a commanding view of the water and surrounding islands. Ken was in heaven.
We were not there to golf (so sad) but we spent some quality time in the pro shop and the restaurant. Quite a few people go to the club for lunch just for the serenity and the views. We were no exceptions. After dallying on the island for a while, we regretfully headed back to the mainland but were treated to some great glimpses of a regatta on the way.
Once back in Sai Kung, we took some time to explore the town. There are several piers for fishing and many of the catches are sold directly from the boats along the sea wall. The fishermen use fish nets on long poles to get the money and pass up the seafood. It is a lot of fun to watch.
People of Hong Kong are very ecologically conscious. There is a huge push for eliminating disposable shopping bags, electric trams for transportation and one of the most comprehensive public transport systems in the world. There is even a crew to clean up the harbor from litter that is blown into the water.
We spent the rest of our day wandering the shops and restaurant aquariums till it was time to head home.
Another wonderful day.
July 1st is a public holiday in Hong Kong. Our friend Vesper agreed to spend the day taking us to one of the smaller islands that make up Hong Kong. We met Vesper at the ferry terminal and headed to our destination. When we pulled into the dock we saw some waterside houses, lots of boats and even a hotel.
Lamma Island has no motorized vehicles except for some small delivery carts which take the goods from the ferry to the shops. Residents either walk or ride bicycles. It makes walking around very relaxing.First on our excursion was peeking through the shops in the village. We found some very interesting things and did a bit of shopping for goodies to bring home.
Once we finished exploring we started out on the next part of our journey - a hike to the other side of the island. Vesper told us it would take 2 to 3 hours and she was very accurate in her estimate. We started out passing some of the homes set in the hills and then reached the beach.
After passing the beach the only way to go was up. And up we went. Lamma is not that mountainous, but compared to Grand Rapids it is quite steep. However, the views made every step worth the effort.
There were some great scenic spots (read resting places) and we took advantage of them.
We began our downhill part of the hike and soon another village came into view. Off in the distance we could see lots of colorful flags and boats in the harbor and we soon realized we happened upon another Dragon Boat Festival.
We finished hiking down into the village and settled in for a well deserved meal.
As has become our custom, we let Vesper choose the menu. Only this time it was an interactive choosing since we had to go to the tanks to pick out what we wanted. There were many, many choices including quite a few we had never heard of.
We had squilla.
And bamboo clams.
Abalone.
And of course the prawn were served with their heads on.
As part of the meal, the restaurant provided a boat ride back to Central. And on our way out of the harbor we saw one more dragon boat race.
The ride home across the harbor was relaxing and refreshing. Although we were slightly worried when we saw ...
...pirates!
On a rainy Wednesday Shayne and I spent time in the Space Museum and Art Museum. Both were unique and interesting in their own way. We especially loved the Art Museum. While in Kowloon we booked a boat ride for Thursday afternoon.
Prior to sailing we visited the Flower Market and the Bird Market. Shayne got a little squirmy with the bags of grasshoppers and worms for sale in the Bird Market, but otherwise loved our time there.
After our wandering we headed to the Public Dock in Tsim Sha Sui by the Cultural Center. After a short wait our ride rounded the corner right on time.
As the Duk Ling pulled up to the pier we got our first look at the only actual junk still touring the harbor. There are some newer look alike ships, but this is said to be the only remaining original.
We all boarded and set our sails. Even though the boat is under sail, it also has an engine to keep us where we needed to be in such a busy harbor. Then it was off for some beautiful views of Hong Kong and Kowloon.
That large red structure behind the cruise ship is IKEA! They are everywhere. Much of our apartment is furnished in IKEA so they call it New York style apartments.
Even though we felt like we were alone we did have lots of company on the water. There were tons of commercial ships and rigs and well as a few others out for the enjoyment.
The ride lasted for an hour and it was sad to see our voyage nearing its end. The afternoon was overcast with occasional showers, but we managed to avoid them all. The play of light with the sun and the clouds gave us some beautiful landscapes.
But all good things must come to an end and so did the Duk Ling voyage. As we climbed to the pier in Central we got a beautiful look at Kowloon and the tallest building currently in Asia.
