Getting In Touch With Our Inner Zen.

Roses.

I've been terrible recently. I go to bed full of good intentions about getting up and out and hiking or looking at something, then when my alarm goes off in the morning, I just roll over and go back to sleep.

Fortunately, my friend Lai contacted me yesterday and asked if I fancied going out somewhere today. Now, of course, if I arrange to meet someone, I cannot just switch off that alarm; I have to actually get up. I suggested meeting at Tai Wo Station and checking out a Thai temple with a rather unique feature. Lai readily agreed to this, so this morning we met at Tai Wo Station Exit A. It was a pretty cold, dull, overcast sort of day.

Tai Wo Exit A leads out into a shopping mall. We quickly went outside from here and headed towards the Lam Tsuen River where there is a rather pretty red and green covered bridge. Actually I believe Tai Po has three of these bridges. This one is simply called Tai Wo Bridge.

Coming out of the station.

Tai Wo Bridge.

Looking at the Lam Tsuen River.

We crossed the bridge and entered a little village called Kam Shek New Village. We wandered through this, past a children's playground, until we reached a roundabout where there is a sign for the Thai temple. This village also had some very convenient public toilets, especially welcome on such a chilly day.

Kam Shek New Village sign.

Walk past the playground.

First sign for the temple.

Me next to the temple sign.

We headed off in the direction the sign was indicating through Shek Kwu Lung Village. There were some attractive looking village houses here. It's always lovely to visit somewhere that isn't just block after block of high-rise flats.

Village house.

Village house.

Village house.

Village house.

Soon we were wandering along the banks of a bubbling stream. The sound of the water and the greenery all around us was so relaxing. In order to believe we were in the middle of nowhere, we just had to avoid looking up at the huge motorway where heavy vehicles hurtled by overhead. Ah, Hong Kong, City of Contrasts!

Stream.

Stream.

Stream.

So peaceful if you don't look at the motorway overhead. Haha!

There were some beautiful autumn leaves among the overhead branches as we walked.

Autumn colours.

Autumn colours.

We saw more signs for the temple and climbed up some steps. This area had some very beautiful flowers. We stopped to take some pictures. A couple of dogs in the garden behind started barking at us, but fortunately they were safely locked away behind a tall fence.The temple was just up ahead.

Temple sign.

Roses.

Roses.

Roses.

Roses.

Lai taking time to smell the roses.

Me with the flowers.

The last village house with the dogs.

The temple we were going to is called Wat Makthunvamuram. I can't find out very much information about it. It's one of several Thai temples in Hong Kong and was built to serve the needs of the Thai community here. Apparently it gets very busy at festival times, such as Songkran, Thai New Year, which takes place every April.

Monastery gateway.

Detail of the gateway.

Temple buildings.

Temple buildings.

Elephants guarding the temple doors.

Elephant and donation box. Entry to the temple is free, but you can make a donation if you choose.

The courtyard of the temple was home to several ornate golden Buddha statues. Offerings of flowers and incense had been placed in front of each of these.

The central Buddha statue.

The central Buddha statue.

The central Buddha statue.

Statues with chrysanthemums.

Statue with orchids.

Statues at the monastery.

There were also a few little shrines.

Shrine.

Shrine.

There was a big Buddha statue inside the monastery, too.

Inside the monastery.

Inside the monastery.

I looked inside another part of the monastery, but wasn't entirely sure if I was allowed to go in. It looked like the monks' private rooms.

Inside the monastery.

Inside the monastery.

There were plenty of places to sit and lots of flowers, including several different kinds of orchids.

Orchids.

Beautiful white flower.

Orchids.

Orchids.

Plant pots.

I think the temple probably serves vegetarian food at certain times, though we were probably a bit too early for that.

Beautiful though the temple was, it wasn't what we had come to see. This temple has a feature that is quite unique and it was this that had led us here. We walked to the end of the temple courtyard and went down some stairs to the river. We walked across a little bridge and there in front of us was a very unusual treehouse.

Me wandering down to the bridge.

Crossing the bridge.

Temple treehouse from the bridge.

Temple treehouse from the bridge.

I think this building by the river was once part of the temple complex, judging by all the sandbags placed around, this area must be subjected to flooding at certain times of the year. The temple building has fallen into disrepair and a banyan tree has completely enclosed it. With branches above it and roots cascading down from it, the treehouse looks like an illustration from a fairytale. I loved it.

Temple treehouse from the path next to it.

Looking inside the temple treehouse.

Looking inside the temple treehouse.

Lai found a good vantage point from which she could sketch and paint the treehouse.

Lai busy sketching.

Temple treehouse from the river.

Meanwhile, I had a wander around photographing the tree house for different angles and the surrounding area.

Me taking photos by the river.

Temple treehouse from the other side of the bridge.

The river.

Looking back at the temple.

When I returned to the river, Lai was almost done. It was really peaceful to just hang around, getting in touch with our inner zens, rather than rushing around all over the place. It would have been a lovely place for a picnic, too, though apparently there are lots of mosquitoes around in warmer weather.

An artist at work.

Finished result.

When Lai had finished painting her artwork, we walked back to the temple taking some pictures on route.

Lai with the treehouse.

Lai on the bridge.

Crossing back over the bridge.

Lai decided to sketch some of the statues in the temple courtyard. One of the monks noticed that she was standing very still and asked me if she was an artist. He was very friendly. He told us he was Thai, but normally lived in a monastery in South Korea. He was only in Hong Kong for a short visit, then would return to Korea via a short stay in Japan. He was very interested in art and had studied sculpture at university in Bangkok. His teacher there was an Italian.

Lai sketching at the temple.

Her sketches of the Buddhas.

We wandered down the hill and headed back towards Tai Po. We could see a Chinese pagoda on the other side of the river. We crossed a bridge to it, but it couldn't be accessed from where we were. Later I read it is possible to get close to it by wandering through part of the village.

Bridge.

Pagoda.

We saw a gorgeous little cat and Lai tried to photograph it. It refused point blank to pose for us, but I got it as it stuck its little head through the railings to avoid us.

Lai trying to photograph a very reluctant cat.

You can run but you can't hide.

Walking back into Tai Po.

We saw a Chinese restaurant in Kam Shek New Village and decided to go in and have lunch. Lai had prawns cooked in egg and served on rice which she described as great comfort food. It looked messy, but tasted really good. I had shredded pork on crispy noodles which was lovely. We both had iced teas. The meal was really reasonably priced.

Restaurant.

Happy to finally get fed.

My shredded pork with crispy noodles.

After lunch we wandered along the river to another of Tai Po's covered bridges.

Another Tai Po bridge.

Me with another of the Tai Po bridges.

Looking down the Lam Tsuen River.

We wandered into Tai Po where we had a quick look at the Man Mo Temple dedicated to the god of literature and the god of war.

Entrance to the Man Mo Temple.

Doorway.

Dragons and incense.

Ladies folding paper offerings.

Paper offerings.

Inside the temple.

Hanging incense coils.

Then we wandered through the market street outside. They sell just about everything here. This street is always really busy, but it is very very colourful and really photogenic. I love it.

Fresh fruit.

Colourful fruit.

Fresh vegetables.

Vegetables.

Choosing vegetables.

Dried meats and fish.

Dried fish

Dried goods.

More dried goods.

Chinese New Year decorations.

Household goods.

Orchids.

Orchids and fruit.

We decided to take a quick look at the railway museum before heading home. This is housed in a former station. It contains old photos and old trains. It's free to visit and although it is small it's fun to have a look around here.

The old station that is now the museum.

Lai in the old waiting room.

Old KCR steam engine.

Old train.

Lai exploring.

Lai exploring.

Lai felt a Penelope Pitstop moment coming on and had to have a lie down on the tracks crying:"Help! Help!" We know how to make our own entertainment.

"Help! Help!"

There is a very long train people can walk through and compare third, second and first class carriages.

The long train.

The long train.

Me on the long train.

Lai on the long train.

Third class carriage.

Lai in third class.

Lai and I in second class.

Old first class carriage.

Going up in the world. Lai and I in first class.

On our walk back to Tai Wo Station, we passed a waving lucky cat placed there for Chinese New Year.

Lucky cat.

It had been a really lovely and fun day out. Now if I can just get out of bed again this week, I may even manage to have some more.