Rizal Markers in Hong Kong

So the two days I was with fellow Filipinos in Hong Kong, I learned of the Rizal markers. I joined them in their quest and was glad that even though I have only seen them a couple of times before, they welcomed me in their group.

somewhere in D'Aguilar St., Central

the 1913 Fringe Club: I will target that on my next HK trip

at Morrison Hill Skatepark

at Queen Elizabeth Stadium

monorail

beef wanton noodles for lunch: my comfort food :)

Read: My HK Trip in 2015
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We also went to Artland to buy art materials. It's so cool to be with like-minded people who share the same interests. I'm glad to have gone off with them to see the markers. I hope they also enjoyed my company since I became their translator while walking from HKU to Wan Chai. Awesome walking experience. :)

許士芬地質博物館

Since two days of my recent Hong Kong trip was allotted for a seminar at Hong Kong University, I also took the opportunity to visit the Geological Museum. I came in just in time for the seminar, having run all the way from HKU Station. This is a new MTR station BTW, and the last time I had to take the bus from the Hong Kong Museum of Medicinal Sciences. At least, being familiar with the place helped me a great deal or else I would waste time in trying to find my way around.

busy stores somewhere in Wan Chai

cute kid-friendly double-decked buses

 After the seminar, other Filipino participants and I roamed around the campus and even in Hong Kong side the following day to search for the Jose Rizal markers. We spent some time marveling at the rock collection inside the Stephen Hui Geological Museum. Being fond of rocks, I was overwhelmed and half serious, pleaded to my companions to leave me there to live for sometime so I can study each and every rock and mineral.

the lobby of the museum

some specimens

I wish we had a similar museum here in the Philippines. There could be one in NIGS inside UP Diliman, but I have not yet visited it. Will probably do so VERY soon. :)

Read: My Hong Kong 2015 trip

Biking and Bruce Lee Exhibit @ Hong Kong Heritage Museum 08292015

On the morning we planned to bike, it rained hard and I was afraid the plan will not push through. I've always wanted to bike, to feel the grounds while pedaling instead of walking and running, for a change. In my recent trip to Hong Kong I did just that but with rear bike trainers because I'm just a beginner and I'm not yet used to cycling and yet I biked some 20 km though not a traverse.

By the time we exited Sha Tin Wai Station, the rain had not yet stopped. We spent [read: wasted] time waiting for the rains to let up while engaging in conversation with the boys manning the bike rental shop across the MTR station. That plus a few arguments because they misunderstood us. I was already in a foul mood, mirroring the weather. So we all decided to visit the Hong Kong Heritage Museum first to check out the exhibits but I was sad to say that we didn't go around to see everything. There was a a temporary exhibit on Bruce Lee's life and we only came in for that. [Sad because there was also an exhibit in Chinese paintings but they were in a hurry to bike when the sun was out. #cries]

Photos were not allowed inside the gallery because it contained Bruce Lee's personal items on loan temporarily. While many of us know Bruce Lee as just one of the greatest kung fu artist in films, it should be noted that this man was also instrumental in making kung fu popular in the West. I have seen his academic records and he is pretty much an average student BUT he has an entrepreneurial mind with a clear vision. What I found interesting is that he is also a very insightful person with very little regards for anything shallow. He hates parties, the things that go with fame which separates him from his beloved wife and children many times, but his is a passion unsurpassed for his chosen field. That passion brought him to achieve the status of a legend for which he is known today.

Needless to say, his life provides much inspiration. Born in San Francisco, USA, he grew up and went to school in Hong Kong. He went back to the US to pursue his college studies and he met his wife Linda Emery there. What endears him to me and what I find common in us is that we both love reading, writing, and reflecting on things. He even wrote a poem "Walking along Lake Wash", incorporating many elements like the moon, the water, merging water and sky... common motifs I also use in my poems. Reading it, I felt like I should really read more about him as I might pick up a thing or two on how to also achieve my dreams. His is a philosophy that merges learnings from martial arts to everyday life. Also of note is his notebook, with clear legible handwriting in cursive form. Here he noted down cha-cha steps in a methodical way. 

After that quick museum visit, we proceeded with biking. Fresh air. I made sure to breathe very deeply because I seldom get a chance to have such fresh air. It also helps that we biked after the rain. And so we were treated to awesome city sights as we pedaled on the bike trail overlooking Shing Mun River.

heart-shaped rock art in Ma On Shan beach

stopover at the beach in Ma On Shan

where we had snacks of siomai and fish cakes

 Many times I would find myself almost falling over and I could feel my cousins being worried about me. I told them that I only bike around in circles in a very small area in UP. LOL. I do that without trainer wheels but well, its more manageable because I don't have to worry about cars and people. Here it was different. We crossed streets. We biked with other bikers. We had to be alert lest some overtaking jerks send us flying to the river. One thing I learned is to focus. Biking may just be the very thing  to help me work on getting a focused mind. Another thing is that a relaxed mind creates wonders. It helps that we passed by many picturesque views.

I LOVE reflection photos :)

one more reflection photo

 On the way back to my aunt's house, I could feel my butt hurting. It was my first time to bike that far. It was an awesome experience and one for the books [in my opinion LOL]. But I know that once I go back to Manila I will crave that pain, that I will certainly miss the tiredness, the sweat, the minor panic attacks, the adrenaline rush...

And my aunt, a very good cook, must knew how tired we were. We were treated to a sumptuous dinner of shrimps and  vegetables. YUM!!!

dinner after a tiring yet fun-filled day

Read: My Hong Kong 2015 in a nutshell
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I will have to thank IB for teaching me the basics of bicycling. And I hope that my other friends who promised to teach me how to bike will keep their promise. Except maybe they lose patience because I can be a scaredy cat sometimes. M invited me once to bike along NLEX and I had to decline her invitation because 1.) I don't have a bike 2.) I don't think I can bike that easily with cars moving on my side. @.@

I am so proud of my cousins for being such courageous bikers. I wish I could be like them... except I was so sheltered when I was young. #cries [This brings a resolve to never do the same to my children... But okay, I need a lover first. #criessomemore]

Hong Kong 2015

So for the third consecutive year since 2013, I found myself in Hong Kong again. I wss supposed to book a flight to Taiwan to attend a seminar but found budget inns too expensive still. So in the end I chose HK since I can stay at relatives' house. I'd also like to see my cousins again, to somehow make up for lost time. I'm afraid they might grow up too fast.

I arrived in HK at around 6PM. Bus from the airport to an aunt's house was pretty convenient. In my trip last year I already learned the art of commuting by bus since it's cheaper though not too easy for a non-local. But I took down notes on what bus to take to go to my relatives' houses last year so I'm still confident I wouldn't get lost.

My first night was spent in front of my cousin's computer since I had yet to finish my powerpoint presentation and the script that would go with it for my reader who requested to have the files sent early so she could review them.  my cousins must have laughed hard deep within seeing me nodding off sleepily while still typing away. Sigh. I still am glad to have finished the other paper last Sunday.

The following day, I went to Tin Shui Wai in New Territories with my aunt to see the Wetland Park. It's too far from Kowloon so the trip ate up a big portion of my Octopus card load. Still itbwas nice having the chance to walk around. I like Singapore's Palau Ubin more though. For late lunch, my aunt treated me to Café de Coral, the number one fastfood chain in HK. I love the fact that it served veggies, too.

The 27th and the 28th were spent in the seminar. I did get to walk around Central and Wan Chai and even saw the exhibits at the Geological Museum inside Hong Kong University. HKU now has an MTR station unlike the last time when I had to walk far just to see it. It's one of my dream universities...

Also, going around Central and Wan Chai, I found Philippine-related markers. Two were related to Rizal because Rizal lived for a time there and was even acquainted with Sun Yat Sen.

On Saturday, I had my first biking experience. It was really awesome! Thing is, I rode a bike with trainer wheels since I don't trust myself when it comes to extreme sports. It's a good thing I did otherwise I wouldn't be able to enjoy the beautiful sceneries we passed by. Did I say that it rained that morning so I got to also visit the Hong Kong Heritage Museum? But we only saw the temporary exhibit on Bruce Lee's life.

On Sunday I went to the wet market with another aunt. I love going to markets to see fruits and vegetables and fish. Everything looks perfect in HK and my aunts would joke that they inject chemicals into the fruits to make them look juicy and fresh. LOL

Then it was time to go. That afternoon, I would have loved to stay one more day and attend a concert. But I guess, that will have to be for next year. I really hope my sisters can go with me to HK so ny aunts can get busy wth them while I take off on my own. I love spending time with myself especially when abroad. I do appreciate and enjoy their company though. They teach me the real meaning of family, something I do not experience with my relatives on my mom's side.

Hong Kong Nightscapes 2014

Just want to share some pics I took of HK at night:

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Back from a quick date with a friend from elementary school whom I found on a Facebook page and immediately reconnected with. It's been 18 years! Yet it's as if we just parted ways for less than a year as we tried to catch up on each other. I was glad she is starting to do solo backpacking and I hope she'll say yes at my suggestion to explore places together. 

So anyway, because I miss traveling so much... I'm looking at some photos I took in HK and found these. I rarely go out at night when on a trip, preferring to stay at the hotel and grab enough sleep to have the energy to face the morrow for more adventures.

Golden Beach, Tien Mun, HK

After a quick lunch at Whampoa following our brief hike in Dragon's Back, all I wanted to do was lie down in bed and sleep. It's not out of exhaustion, hell I was game for more hiking. It was more because I was drained of energy after having had to go back to the city. My cousin-in-law wanted us to join them for lunch in Whampoa.

Because of the incident in Shek O earlier, I was really in no mood to mingle with my relatives. I was questioning why the hell I had to forego my travel plans for the sake of kinship. Of course it doesn't help that I wasn't really that close to my relatives. Add to that the fact that my happiness and freedom were taken away the moment they snatch me from nature.

And the beach has nothing spectacular about it. All the while I thought of the beaches in Bohol and in Palawan and HK just pales in comparison. HK may have all those impressive skyscrapers and they may have heritage buildings intact but when it comes to beaches, I will vote PH without hesitation.

Except Golden Beach at least has this wonderfully constructed hotel. It's the first thing that caught my eye when we got out of the cab and it was the last image n my mind after my first ever foray into the New Territories. 

While my nephews and nieces and aunt and cousins were playing in the sands under the hot afternoon sun, I opted to take solitary time to rest. My refuge was sloping ground under the trees which provided ample protection from the harsh sun. I'm not a fan of sunbathing and I didn't bring any sunblock with me, so my only option was to stay under the shade.

After all that I've been through that day, I was still happy to have seen one beach in HK. Seeing it certainly made me proud of Philippine beaches, gems of our country which, I hope, will be protected for generations to come.

Dragon's Back, Shek O County, HK

As I have already mentioned in this post, before I visited HK last year, all I knew about HK was that it was a shopping haven. Who would have thought that nature lovers like me will also see its different side?

Truth be told, I didn't enjoy much this hike although I was overly eager on that day. I guess the company is very important when it comes to hiking. One cannot enjoy as much as one wants to when she is with those who do not find pleasure in nature. My companions tagged along without knowing what to expect.

view from the first peak

 I have read that the hike through the entire trail would take 8 hours so I equipped myself with two bottles of water. I was more than prepared. But all my preparations were put in vain because my companions wanted to leave the place already. That was just after only 30 minutes of hiking!

Needless to say, I was saddened because it was a beautiful day and the trail was not difficult at all. Yes, the sun's hot rays burned our skin a bit but most of the trail was in the shade so there shouldn't be any problem.

an invitation to Dragon's Back

 So anyway, I will have to go back there again. Will probably do so in spring when the weather's cooler.

the rolling terrain in this part was enjoyable

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I've often believed people when they say they'd love to hike even though they've never tried it before. But because of this incident, I guess I will have to be more careful in picking out companions lest my hike be in vain. Just when I thought I'd be able to complete the hike! 

On second thought maybe it was inconsiderate of me. But I did ask if they'd want to go hiking and if they have prior experience. They said yes, so I took comfort in their words. I guess people would seldom admit to their shortcomings and would more often than not portray themselves as better than they actually are.

Another note: I'm not angry at all at my aunt and niece. It's just that I felt like I was robbed of the beauty of nature this time because of my plans were suddenly cut short. I do appreciate that they wanted to tag along, perhaps out of concern for me. For that, I am still thankful to them. I just hope that one day, I will finish the trail. Will probably go there alone for a more contemplative hiking experience.

Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery

After taking a look around the Hong Kong Museum of Medicinal Sciences, I went on to HKU. Back in college, I was often persuaded by my aunts to go to HKU but my parents cannot send me there due to our financial conditions. Besides, it would mean being away from my family. My parents, being conservatively strict and overprotective, wouldn't want that.

So anyway, stepping inside the campus felt surreal. I had fun going inside the buildings. Good thing classes had not yet started at the time of my visit so I was able to sneak in a ease without worrying if I were caught.

I got in the art gallery and museum but taking pictures is not allowed. The museum has ancient furniture and ceramic wares, not unlike the other museums. And they also exhibit contemporary art.

There is however, one disturbing sight: that of golden lucky cats which mechanically raise their paws while their eyes are fixed on a screen flashing alternately "I LOVE CHINA" and "CHINA LOVES ME" on red background, reminiscent of Communist China. I was disgusted at the sight. Shortly I came home, news of HK protests for democracy were all over. It seems that the exhibit was actually satirical.

view near the library: the main building which I mistook for a church

inside the Main Building

post renaissance style facade

九龍城寨 (Kowloon Walled City Park)

While doing a last minute research the night before I left for HK, the Kowloon Walled City Park was put in my priority list. I love parks, more so parks with ruins.

the preserved ruins inside the Walled City

The park is located in New Territories and it used to be a military fort. First constructed in 1847, the place was meant as a defense fortress cum accommodation for civil and military personnel. During the Tai Ping Rebellion in mid 19th century, the walled city was invaded by the rebels. The military officials were forced to evacuate the area. After World War 2, the walled city started to gain its notorious reputation as a dark sin city, becoming a big drug den where illegal activities abound from prostitution to unlicensed medical practitioners. As such, crimes were more than frequent.

Interestingly many people lived normal lives in that enclave with no sewage system and water supply was scarce. Eventually the Chinese and British government decided to demolish the tall buildings that mushroomed there and to relocate the people in order to transform the whole area into a public park.

broken stone tablet with the words 九龍城寨 (Kowloon Walled City)

small falls inside

fragrant juniper trees lining the paved path

restored structure

pagoda where people nowadays practice tai chi and do exercises

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I wish the Manila government would also do something for Tondo, Manila. While the area is not enclosed like the early Kowloon Walled City, the parallelisms lie in that both are infamous for illegal things and for the anarchic (in the widely popular sense of the term, and definitely not the original noble definition it has). We can learn a lot from how the Chinese and British managed the evacuation and relocation of the original residents. It will take greater political will to do so and only a true government, something that really cares for its people, can do this. Unfortunately we all know that government officials are nothing but greedy pigs who seek office to pocket the people's money. Sigh.

Hong Kong Maritime Museum

After staying for almost two hours in Thai Pad, a Thai restaurant along Bonham Road where I took advantage of the free wifi, I went on my way to Hong Kong Maritime Museum. To this day I still treasure the moment I was in the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense in Shau Kei Wan where I thoroughly enjoyed walking around. It was because of that museum that I became determined to go visit each and every one of HK’s museums and I am happy to say that this year I was able to go to five.

Tired from walking around the whole day in HK summer, I almost didn’t make it to Central Ferry Pier 8. The good thing about travelling alone is that when in a desperate situation you will be forced to interact with strangers and place your trust in them. I was lucky because when I kept on asking the bus driver if it was already my stop, a woman in her 40s took care of me. She was headed to TST and was to go there via a ferry. She told me to tag along and I did, grateful for the company. If I went alone I would have missed Pier 8. It was she who pointed it out to me.

Entrance fee was HKD 30 and I had second thoughts because I got there at past 4PM, leaving me with less than two hours to go around. And I can really kill time when inside a museum! And my camera battery was also about to die out.

Visitors will first see vintage posters advertising great ocean liners. As marketing materials they can be considered as artifacts in their own right, giving information on the history of the maritime industry.

Also on display are fine dining ware. The cruise ships are indeed for the rich as even eating utensils, cups, and teapots are given great attention. Clients are really given the best luxuries.

view from within the glass walls

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this artwork

 Aside from ship models, SCUBA equipment, and exhibits on luxury liners, the museum also educates the public on how seamen give signals to each other other. I especially liked that section. Public awareness of water pollution is also ensured as the museum commemorates the Plastic Disaster of 2012 when a ship leaving HK carrying plastic pellets fell victim to Typhoon Vincente. The containers were destroyed and the pellets spilled into the waters. HK residents immediately sprung into action to save the beaches and the seas by recovering the plastic pellets.

As expected, the museum houses a lot of miniature ships, including the Chinese junks. There are also exhibits on pirates and on the history of HK's shipping industry. Interestingly, Wu Delin who set up the Taiship Group in 1951 which remains active to this day, attended the University of the Philippines! Now isn't that awesome?

Booklets were on sale that time so I bought three. One is about pirates since lately I've been engrossed in One Piece again.

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I wish we had a similar museum here in the Philippines, plus archives on our maritime history since we are surrounded by waters and watercrafts are an ancient mode of transportation. BTW, a book I'm excited to read after I finish the ones I have been reading for months now is James Francis Warren's Iranun and Balangingi: Globalization, Maritime Raiding and the Birth of Ethnicity. I bought the book at a discounted price last month during a conference where I presented a paper related to archaeology at UP Diliman. I'd be more than happy to get a book related to the Philippine maritime history. #wishlist LOL

Hong Kong Musuem of Medicinal Sciences

My third day in my 2014 HK trip was spent roaming the streets of Central and Sheung Wan. When I got tired at looking at all those very tall buildings in those areas, I decided to finally look for the Museum of Medicinal Sciences which was included in my draft itinerary.

Walking in the streets located behind the skyscrapers had been a fruitful adventure because I got to see a lot of street art. Some would call them vandalism but I guess it is tolerated in HK as a form of expression. Also, it was a pleasant surprise to find a row of restaurants serving different cuisines ranging from French to Japanese. In fact, I passed by a Japanese restaurant claiming to serve the number one ramen but I didn't get to try the place because I got there too early and it would be a hassle to go back there from HKU which I visited right after the HK Museum of Medicinal Sciences. 

I almost gave up trying to find the museum because even after consulting my maps countless times I couldn't seem to get to the place. Relying on instinct I carried on until I came to an elevated playground where I saw an important-looking building made of red bricks. I practically ran to it happily thinking it could be a heritage building hidden in that not so busy part of HK. Turned out to be the museum built in the Edwardian style.

What greeted me when I passed through the gates was a mini garden where they planted different medicinal plants. It seems that part of the objective is also to educate the visiting public so there are labels indicating the name of the plant and its uses. 

I paid the HKD 10 entrance fee and went on a tour all by myself inside. I was lucky because I was the only one inside at that time. 

The museum puts on exhibit a comprehensive medical history of Hong Kong and this includes the use of Chinese medicine alongside Western tools and equipment. A section is devoted to SARS, one of the deadly diseases in human history for which HK suffered a dip in tourism following numerous cases of SARS. It preserves the memory of an international collaboration to combat this respiratory disease.

What I liked about the museum is the basement where they simulated a Chinese medicine shop. Part of the exhibit inside the Herbalist Room is the portrait of Shen Nong, the god of herbs. This portrait, which originated from a stone carving in Wu Liang Temple dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty, is a reproduction from the Shanghai Medical School Museum. 

After touring around, I bought a book on Chinese herbs, determined to study about medicinal plants and their uses. It makes me remember the late botanist Leonard Co whose untimely demise in the hands of the military is such a big loss to the Philippines. He published a book on medicinal plants though I have yet to see a copy. I'd definitely like to have one, as part of my 2014 Christmas wishlist.