Sometimes a day just comes out of nowhere to take you by surprise, creating unexpected, unplanned memories that linger long after the day itself is over. This past Sunday was such a day for me, and one I'll surely remember for years to come. My friend Debbie organized an adventure around a remote, unexplored section of the New Territories, and she invited me to join in. She also graciously extended the invitation to my AirBnB guest, Mike, a fellow New Jerseyan in the midst of a grand Asian adventure!
Our day started bright and early, with pineapple buns and milk tea in Happy Valley before trekking over an hour on the MTR and KCR to Fanling station, near the border with China. There, we linked up with Debbie, her husband Ben and her brother-in-law Derek, where the adventure kicked off.
A short taxi ride deposited us at an open-air roadside restaurant curiously called BB Happy Cafe, the veritable epitome of a hole-in-the-wall. Although we had indulged in those pineapple buns not too long before, neither Mike nor I had any objections to a second morning snack.
Pictures of celebrities lined the walls of the Hakka establishment, and the friendly staff delighted in sharing their local specialties with us. After the tasty treats, and a cheeky Tsing Tao for me, we were off on a hike!
Pictures of celebrities lined the walls of the Hakka establishment, and the friendly staff delighted in sharing their local specialties with us. After the tasty treats, and a cheeky Tsing Tao for me, we were off on a hike!
We forged through a hilly, wooded area and emerged at the waterside, separated from Mainland China by a small channel. The tide was out, exposing the muddy shoreline and durable mangroves. And the ruggedness of the Hong Kong side was silently juxtaposed with the civilization across the maritime boundary.
Some colonial buildings and homes nestled in the midst of the hills and marshes stood lonely and proud, shrouded in mist, lending an air of mystery to our adventure. It was a surreal experience, and amazing to learn that in a city with sections as densely populated as Mong Kok or Causeway Bay, such vast expanses of undeveloped wilderness could still exist in our metropolis.
We passed a school, traditional villages and isolated mansions. The owners, Debbie told us, come back once a year to perform maintenance work on their beautiful homes, but they don't live there most of the time. Gosh, how I'd love to rent one for a weekend to escape to hustle and bustle of the city from time to time!
Before long we came to our lunch venue, eating fresh seafood under a tree, while the towers of China loomed in the distance, with the natural beauty of the New Territories on full display all around us. Hong Kong just keeps throwing unforgettable meals my way, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised any more. But feasting on fresh clams, an oyster omelet, roast duck, fried rice and delicious beef in such a setting knocked me off my feet. The continuously flowing Tsing Tao and stellar company certainly contributed to the overall wonder of the meal.
Retracing our steps back towards BB, we passed a local fisherman shucking oysters, destined to be dried and sold, but, alas, unfit for raw consumption. It's astonishing to me that in the same place where I earn my daily bread, in the world of insurance and finance, countless others still make their livings off the sea.
Our New Territories fun ended memorably at Debbie's ritzy apartment complex, where she presented me with delicious homemade cookies and thanked me for giving her the chance to let her share her neighborhood with me! Truth be told, it was Mike and I who owed her, Ben and Derek all our thanks for one of the most endearingly unforgettable Hong Kong experiences anyone could ever ask for! Thanks, guys! I'm already planning my reciprocal tour of Happy Valley, though I know it won't be half as amazing! Still I can't wait to spend time with you all again soon!
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