On the basis of another recommendation, I’m off to Sai Kung Town, on the eastern Kowloon Peninsula; famous for its fishing restaurants and seaside ambiance. So after a breakfast (ah the welcome beauty of a good brand) of croissants and cappuccinos, and a read of Allan De Botton, I venture for the first time myself into HK’s subway system, the MTR at Austin station. I had used it once before, but was accompanied by people who know what they were doing. I have to say that the MTR was beautifully made and I quickly mastered it. Knowing which station I needed, it was a matter of pointing at the station on the ticket screen map, and up popped the price of 50p for the single. I paid and found my way down to the track. I got off at Diamond Hill, and found the number 92 (my old bus number into Birmingham when I was an undergraduate). I sat on the top floor of this British-style double-decker and enjoyed the wonderful, verdant scenery and the air-conditioning, all for 30p, on this hour long trip. The bus was packed with other travellers, and it was easy going. Again I was unsure as to when to get off, so I got off with the majority of others, which turned out to be the right call. Sai Kung is a typical seaside town that could be an Asian clean-and-tidy Devon town. There were people everywhere, strolling along the esplanade, many people walking pet dogs, which I hadn’t seen in China. There were fish restaurants all the way along a half a mile stretch. Many with large glass tanks showing off every shape and coloured fish under the sun. Pick your fish and watch it fry.
There was a pier offering boat trips out to all the neighbouring “Greek” islands and it was a beautiful warm and sunny day to see this. I had got sunburnt on the previous day and before I did anything else I went to a chemist and bought some sun-block and a Snickers. I found a restaurant that had a spare table and ordered Sea Bass and iced lemon tea. It came to £12. I had another walk up the promenade and watched the small fishing boats bringing in their catch in baskets to the sides of the esplanade wall. Shoppers were shouting and haggling, pointing down at the fish they wanted and they were handed them up in nets and paying in the same way. Sai Kung is St Ives without the pasties and painters, but with beautiful food, crystal clear water and stunning landscape set against the hills It was that hot that I had to sit and have another iced tea, before catching the 92 back again.
One of the highlights of the whole three months in China was seeing a road sign for Fuk Man Road. The journey on the 92 is quite stunning as it takes you into the green hills of Kowloon and through some very pretty-if-isolated villages.
On Sunday I took it steady and kept local, going to the HK Museum of Art and then to…..Starbucks for lunch, and off on the ferry. I was extremely pleased with my long weekend’s adventure. It was a pity I hadn’t got a camera to capture some of the beauty, but I have some nice memories and some more self-belief.
