snaking lines at the ferry terminal to Cheung Chau because it's a public holiday (the Buddha's birthday), and everyone wants to get there for the Bun Festival which falls on the same day
spotting the bun mountains (包山) as the ferry approaches the pier
the island was awash with psychedelic billboards, flags and banners
buns with the Chinese characters 平安 (safety) stamped on them, and that is exactly what they are believed to bring
biting into a custard-filled one
narrow lanes are lined with chairs and stools, and people scramble for prime seats to catch the street procession which will take place in the afternoon
the parade begins and will eventually wind its way to the Pak Tai Temple grounds where the bun mountains are
the parade's hottest draws are these kids, decked out in traditional costumes or as mythical characters, looking as though they are balancing precariously on the tips of swords, vases and columns of fragile items!
look, he's barely standing on the tip of a paper umbrella
and she, on a hoop, spear and lotus bed!
the little boy appears to be holding her aloft with nary an effort
everyone shouts and waves excitedly to get the kids' attention because they are just too darn cute
and the trick behind the illusion: they are perched on steel frames (although I still can't quite figure out exactly how...)
the riot of sounds and colours, plus the physical feats made for a really intense and fantastic experience
after the parade, we went hiking around the island, chilled out at a beach, and queued for hours to catch the bun-snatching race
at midnight, participants climb to the top of the bun mountain and fill their rucksacks with as many buns as they can within a stipulated time
a flurry of limbs and buns flying everywhere (the buns on this mountain are plastic; those on the three mountains behind are real, and are also removed at midnight for distribution the next day)
Hong Kong Travel Journal - Victoria Peak
waiting to board the Star Ferry which will bring us from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central
a near-vertical climb aboard the Peak tram soon takes us atop The Peak with its panoramic views
we skipped the Sky Terrace and opted for the Hong Kong Trail which circles the Peak
this waterfall is what greets us around a corner as we finish the approximately one-hour trail
now for the walk downhill
word-of-advice: buy a return ticket on the tram!
apocalyptic view from the living room my first morning in HK
on the ferry to Yang Shue Wan
taking a breather at a beach enroute from Yang Shui Wan to Sok Kwu Wan
an abundant herb garden and cafe just beside the beach
starting on the trail that wraps the coastline between Yang Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan
the views, of course, were spectacular
there were wild azaleas blooming all over
what you don't see is the thunderstorm that subsequently lashed down on our last leg of the trail and saw us seeking shelter in a cave, which I just found out on wikipedia, was among a few reputed to have been dug out by the Japanese during the war to hide their kamikaze boats!