Hong Kong (Part 2)

Seeking respite from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong and Kowloon for a day it was decided to head off to Lantau Island, which is 20 miles or so from Hong Kong island. Getting to Tung Chung was a doddle using the MTR..which puts the UK transport system to shame. From there our journey continued on the Ngong Ping cable car...which takes you 5.7 kilometres over the sea and forest before depositing you in Ngong Ping village. For our return journey we opted for the cable car with a clear glass floor...which was fun!

Ngong Ping village wasn't very interesting...just a series of tourist shops..but the village isn't why people visit. Lantau Island has the Tian Tin Buddha...also known as the Big Buddha, a magnificent bronze Buddha standing 34 metres tall at the top of 200 steps. Its the largest seated Buddha in the world and draws both tourists and devotees alike. Somehow despite the throngs of people it felt a peaceful place to stop, reflect or simply admire the natural beauty of the forest all around and the rooftops of the Po Lin monastery, our next destination. 

Po Lin is a large monastery and was undergoing some construction work but we were able to quietly observe devotees burning incense and admire the beauty of the temple decoration.

Perhaps the unexpected highlight of our trip to Lantau Island was a walk through the forest to the Wisdom Path. A series of wooden half columns have been erected on a hillside each inscribed with verses from the Buddhist Heart Sutra...in Chinese calligraphy. A walk back through the forest encountering Chinese hikers who greeted us with smiles made for a memorable day.

Our final morning in Hong Kong promised sunshine and so we set off early to see The Peak by way of a 'ding ding' tram...so called because of the noise they make and then the famous Peak Tram. Arriving early we beat the crowds and had panoramic vistas from the Sky Terrace. 

A final few hours were spent on and off the mid level escalators. Now this is a bit more interesting than it sounds! Because Hong Kong is built on steep hills these escalators (the longest covered ones in the world) transport residents and weary travellers 800 metres up hill..crossing different districts where its possible to hop off and detour to explore local markets. These markets and the shops were lively, colourful and chaotic.

And so ended our short stay in Hong Kong. It was clear we had only scratched the surface of this vibrant world city which crackles and buzzes with energy and electricity. 

It was time to head for the airport and our next destination: Sydney..but with the knowledge Hong Kong had given us a fabulous start to our travels.