December 4th - Hong Kong

Whew! We had quite a day yesterday and today will be no different as there is much more to explore.

I neglected to mention why I wore Juniper out yesterday:

9 miles

23,359 steps

23 floors 

We figured out that was Joseph in the middle with his tool box and hammer before we saw the sign saying it was St Joseph’s church. 

Moth orchids

Ficus Microcarpa

Our day began with a walk to Cafe Landmark for breakfast. The cafe was in an upscale mall, the kind you feel like you will be charged just for entering the store. Breakfast was exceptional. 

We shared the petite breakfast of lobster sandwich with spinach and mushroom, lobster bisque, lobster foam, and French fries. Would love to know how they made the foamy lobster sauce. It was all quite tasty. 

Inside the mall, a little Christmas village. 

A little bird joined us for breakfast. 

The plan for today is a trip to Lantau Island to visit the Big Buddha. Lantau is Hong Kong’s biggest outlying island, and it’s got a bit of everything: mountain peaks, stilt-house villages, a giant Buddha, and epic scenery. Unfortunately, the forecast for sun, was wrong and the views were obscured. 

Into the subway we go. To get there, we took the MTR to Tung Chung, where we boarded the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car. 

Kowloon in the background

The queue at the cable car

I neglected to tell Juniper that I had booked the Crystal Car which has a glass floor for great views below. She didn’t much care for it (understatement). 

This is a scenic 25-minute ride with panoramic views of the mountains, coastline, and airport.

Looking down through the floor. 

More photos from the cable car

Managed to get an anxious smile out of her anyway. 

The ride was pretty steep 

Hong Kong airport, named world’s best airport by Skytrax 8 times. 

View of Big Buddha from the cable car 

And as we walked through the village. 

Oranges hanging from the tree

Juniper choosing a bottle of water 

I’m going to do this!

Just getting started 

Here it is in all its pomp and circumstance. 

Plans to construct a Buddha statue began in 1973, after monks from Po Lin Monastery visited the Great Buddha of Kamakura in Japan and the Great Buddha of Changhua in Taiwan. The following year, the British government would grant a 6,567-meter plot of land next to the temple for the construction of a Buddha statue.

The Big Buddha’s construction began in 1990 (they work about as fast as we do 😁), and was finished on 29 December 1993, which the Chinese reckon as the day of the Buddha's enlightenment. When the image was completed, monks from around the world were invited to the opening ceremony. Distinguished visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United States all took part in the proceedings.

The 34 m (112 ft) tall image weighs over 250 metric tons (280 short tons), and was constructed from 202 bronze pieces. In addition to the exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside to support the heavy load. You have to climb 268 steps to reach the Buddha, I’m glad someone else counted them. The right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction, while the left rests open on his lap in a gesture of generosity.

Juniper asked if the symbol on his chest was a swastika. The symbol on Big Buddha's chest is indeed a clockwise swastika, known as a "manji" in Japan, which represents auspiciousness, good fortune, and the heart of the Buddha. It signifies that the Buddha possesses all virtues, symbolizing prosperity and eternity. 

The symbol is said to contain the entire mind of the Buddha and is often imprinted on his chest, feet, or palms.

It is crucial to distinguish this ancient symbol from the Nazi swastika, which is a different, counter-clockwise version and has a negative association.

As I watched people stop and pray to this statue, I was curious about what they believed it could do for them and so blessed to know that I serve a living God and not an inanimate object. 

Buddhism is a global religion based on the teachings of the Buddha (meaning "enlightened one"), whose original name was Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama, an Indian prince who lived in the 5th or 6th century BCE, is considered the founder of Buddhism.

Buddhists follow the Buddha's path to enlightenment, which involves practices like morality, meditation, and wisdom to end suffering. They do not believe in a single creator god.

The ultimate goal is to achieve a state of enlightenment called nirvana, which is the escape from the endless cycle of suffering and rebirth. The path to enlightenment is often described as the "Middle Way," which avoids both extreme asceticism and self-indulgence. If that’s all there is to look forward to, heartbreaking!

Yes, Juniper did indeed make it all the way to the top. 

Big Buddha’s bootie sitting in a lotus flower. 

Memory wall inside the base

As we were coming down the steps, Juniper said 30 minutes going up and 5 seconds going down if you trip. 

Po Lin Monastery. Famous for its location opposite the Tian Tan Buddha, or "Big Buddha" statue, was established in 1906 (originally called “the big hut”) and was officially named Po Lin Monastery in 1924. It features classic Buddhist architecture, a vegetarian restaurant, and is known for its tranquil gardens.

Common camellia

Busy Lizzie impatiens 

And some beautiful water lilies 

Incense burning sticks. The smoke was intense and not pleasant 

The ornate and intricate work on the temples is astounding. 

Grand hall of ten thousand buddhas

Lanterns

Lotus flowers carved in the stone walkway

From Ngong Ping, we took a bus to Tai O, a traditional stilt-house fishing village where life moves at a slower pace. We wandered the narrow streets, browsed local seafood markets, and enjoyed a boat ride with a view.

Steamingdumplings

Playing traditional mahjong. Their hands moved so fast and the sound of the tiles clicking was like ten domino games shuffling at once. They made it very clear we were not allowed to watch. 

Bleeding hearts

More mandarin oranges 

Tai O is a fishing village on Lantau Island in Hong Kong, which is home to the Tanka people who have built houses on over-the-water stilts. It’s a bit like stepping back in time to an idyllic village that’s home to friendlier people of a bygone era. Some go as far as to call Tai O Fishing Village the “Venice of Hong Kong.” I wouldn’t go that far. It’s a bit awkward putting their lives on display like this and we questioned how much they like that vs the increased economy the tourists bring. 

Steps down to the boat we took

A photo of the boat we took out to see the Chinese White Dolphins (also known as pink dolphins), which are a rare type of dolphin. This species is disappearing thanks to fishing practices, boat traffic, and industrial waste, so I’m wondering when someone last spotted one. We certainly didn’t, but the ride was fun even with very rough, choppy water. 

Stilt houses

Many boats out fishing 

Bridge to Macau island

My impression was that Tai O exists because its residents are holding onto their way of life. That for over 200 years, this has been a fishing village, and even in the face of Hong Kong’s ever-evolving economy, they embrace their roots. However, it was clear that the younger generations are not there and I suspect that the village will soon die or be made into more of a tourist destination than it already is. I can’t imagine that the poverty would be desirable to the young people we saw flooding the streets of Hong Kong. 

Making fishballs which I understand is a treat. We were going to try them but didn’t manage to find our way back to him. 

The produce was simply amazing

Bonsai trees growing wild on the beach

A tiny lumber yard with vintage pieces of wood and banboo

Fire station

What a contrast! From the stilt houses in old Tai O and the apartments at our next stop, Kowloon. 

Fake flowers in Kowloon 😁

Since its opening in 2011, sky100 has become a beloved attraction for both Hong Kong locals and tourists to take in the stunning views of the city. The views are from the 100th floor restaurant and sky deck which are unfortunately closed for renovation. Temporarily closed was also the case with Hong Kong Centrals Christmas market and the symphony of lights display. 

Christmas display inside the underground mall in which we found ourselves lost. We literally wandered around on about four different floors trying to find our way out. When we finally did, 1 1/2 hours later, we were right back where we entered it. I think we might have been just a wee bit tired. 

We ended the day at the Temple Street Night Market, a famous outdoor market in Kowloon that is most active from about 4 p.m. to midnight. It offers a huge variety of goods, including clothing, electronics, and jewelry, and features street food stalls, fortune tellers, and Cantonese opera performances. The market is known for its lively atmosphere, bargaining, and is a popular spot for both tourists and locals.

Juniper had read much about Turkish sand coffee so we stopped here for her to get some. It was interesting to watch her make it. The sand the copper pots are sitting in keeps the water hot and she moves them around piling up the sand around them until the coffee foams up to the top. After her first sip, Juniper grimaced and said it was awful and like drinking mud. Such a let-down. 

This picture doesn’t show how huge this fruit is. The grapes are as large as the biggest strawberry I’ve ever seen.  

We opted for stir-fried rice noodles with veggies and beef. They could have left the beef out, as it was tough as shoe leather, but the rest was delicious. Since we were sharing it, Juniper let him make it medium spicy, she would have, just like her daddy, gone for the spiciest. 

Even sharing it, and not having eaten anything since breakfast, we couldn’t finish it. 

The food court in the center of the market. 

After many hours and miles of travel by foot, subways, cable car, buses, and boat, we made our way back to the hotel for one last night in Hong Kong. I think I may have put some photos in more than once in my bleary-eyed state last night. It got to the point that I had to put it down and finish blogging this morning. I wish I could tell you how many steps we ascended and descended, but it would have taken someone with way more initiative than I to pull that off. Let’s just say it was an astronomical number and leave it at that. 

Steps walked: 24,330

Miles: 9.2

I believe that the biggest source of frustration in our lives is not from poor circumstances, it’s from unmet expectations. Our expectations have the power to steer our emotions, affect actions that we take, and mold our hopes and dreams. That’s why it’s so important for us to set our expectations rightly – on the right things, and in things that are true. This was never more evident to me than in the sites we visited today. 

Advent is a time of hopeful waiting. Yes, sometimes the wait feels long and hard, but we do not wait without hope. As the Psalmist wrote, “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3).

The glorious truth in this hymn is that Christ can reign in our hearts now, through the power of His Holy Spirit. As we surrender and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us completely, we find the rest our hearts are desperately seeking.