Heaven on Earth.

Waterfall.

I often walk through the park, in Discovery Bay where I live, when I am on my way to the Wellcome Supermarket. On these walks, I keep seeing lots of water birds around the ponds' area. Every time I see them, I think: "Wish I'd remembered to bring my camera." But then I always forget. Well on Wednesday I finally remembered. Yeah me!!!!

The birds were out in force and I was especially delighted to see some posing on or near the bird statues that are positioned in the ponds.

This chap is clearly looking for his lunch.

Another handsome chappie.

Each pretending the other doesn't exist.

This little chappie is perfectly happy to pose with his arty farty friends.

A bit later I was photographing a plant when I turned round and was face to face with a gorgeous lizard. He was so well camouflaged, I could easily have missed him. I love, love, love lizards.

I was looking at this plant when I suddenly noticed this little chappie behind me...

I love lizards.

Just look at those little hands.

After I took lots of photos of this lizard, it looked at me as if to say OK enough.

It was a clear day, so I took a couple of zoom shots of Hong Kong Island.

Looking towards Hong Kong Island.

Looking towards Hong Kong Island.

Today, I headed to Tai Wo Hau Station to go to Shing Mun Valley Park. To get there, go out of exit B, then go right, cross Kwok Shui Road and then go left. Walk to Texaco Road North and go right. After a couple of minutes you will reach Shing Mun Valley Public Swimming Pool. The park is just behind it on the right.

Tai Wo Hau Station.

That's what I should have done. Of course I did go the wrong way once and when I did, I ended up in a little village. It was interesting, but unfortunately when I got there, the rain was pelting down.

I headed up these steps that was the wrong way. I should have gone left instead.

This shrine is at the top of the stairs.

I think this is also a little shrine.

There were bird cages hanging outside village houses.

After my diversion I retraced my steps and found the correct way. Near the entrance to the park there were some fantastic old trees.

Art work in the subway.

Trees growing into the wall.

I loved this path. It was so creepy in the rain.

What a beautiful tree.

What a beautiful tree.

And this one.

Shing Mun Valley Park Swimming Pool.

I have read reviews of the Shing Mun Valley Park and they honestly do not do it justice. It is definitely up there as one of the most beautiful parks in Hong Kong. In fact I would go as far as to describe it as Heaven on Earth, that's how lovely it was and I visited during a torrential downpour.

The Shing Mun Valley Park occupies an area of 10.73 hectares. It was built between 1997 and 1998 and is located on the site of the former Cheung Pei Shan Temporary Housing Area. At one end of the park there is a large public swimming pool. Other sporting facilities here include: tennis courts, a 7-a-side hard surfaced soccer pitch, a basketball court, a fitness corner for the elderly and a children's play area.

Map of park.

However, it wasn't the sports facilities I had come to see, it was the area around the water features. This park has ponds, streams, waterfalls and fountains. It is absolutely brimming over with beautiful flowers and it has cute little features such as animal statues, Grecian urns and Japanese style stone lanterns.

Japanese stone lantern.

Japanese water feature.

Animal log.

Animal log.

Weasels.

All the water features are interconnected with ponds feeding into lower level ponds via a series of artificial waterfalls. It was all beautifully done. There were gardeners out working everywhere. I'd imagine it takes an army of gardeners to keep this park in tip top condition.

One of the many hardworking park workers.

Sunken Bridge on lower pond.

Turtle on bridge in lower pond.

Pigeon near lower pond.

Looking over the lower central pond.

Waterfall and pink flowers.

Pink flowers and waterfall.

Boat and Waterfall.

Boat of rushes.

White flowers near the waterfall.

Butterfly circle.

This was the biggest waterfall on the upper central pond.

Lights and waterfall in upper central pond.

Lights on the water.

Upper Pond. The lotus flowers are at its far end.

Upper Pond with fountain.

Lords of all they survey.

I actually went around the park several times as it was pouring when I arrived. It looked like it may rain all day, so I went around anyway and got utterly drenched. Then when it stopped raining, I went around it all again. It started pouring when I was half way round, so I took shelter, then went round a third time when the rain stopped again. The funny thing was when I went round in the rain, I saw hardly anyone, but once it stopped raining, photographers instantly appeared from everywhere. There were so many of them and they all had really fancy cameras. Most of them had come to photograph the park's huge lotus flowers, but there were many other beautiful flowers everywhere.

Photographers out in force.

Indian rhododendron, Shing Mun Valley Park, Hong Kong

Purple flowers among palm trees.

I think this is Brazilian Red Cloak.

Miagos Bush.

Rose, apparently these are at their best here in autumn. I sense a return visit coming on.

Rose.

Wet purple flower.

Purple flower dripping with rain.

Purple flower.

Marsh Blue Violet.

Crape Jasmine.

White flower. I think this is a rain lily.

Red flower.

Orchid.

Orchid.

Chinese dwarf banana plant.

Beautiful flowers.

Bouganvilia.

There were posters up showing which flowers are famous here in each season. Summer is apparently the time of the lotus flower. It recommends viewing these in June and July, so I'm slightly late, but there were still enough beautiful lotus flowers to keep me happy.

Seasons' Poster.

Lotus flowers normally grow in flood plains or the delta areas of rivers. They produce thousands of seeds each year and while some of these sprout immediately or are eaten by wildlife, a few lie dormant for many many years. They finally germinate under favourable conditions and form their own lotus colony. The oldest recorded lotus germination was in northeastern China from seeds that were around a thousand three hundred years old. Because the seeds can stay dormant for such a long time, the Chinese regard the lotus flower as the symbol of longevity. It's certainly extremely elegant.

Hiding lotus blossom.

Lotus bud.

Lotus Blossom.

Lotus Blossom closer up.

Lotus Blossom.

Lotus Blossom back view.

Lotus Blossom.

Lotus Blossom and seed pod.

Lotus Blossom.

Lotus Blossom.

Lotus Seeds.

Yes, I do know I got rather carried away on the photographing flowers front, that's why I ended up so drenched, I had to wring out my clothes while still wearing them.

Back at the entrance, where the rose garden is, I discovered lots of epiphytes growing on the trees. I really like these. Epiphytes have no roots or any attachment to the ground. They grow out of other plants, but are not parasitic on them. They are just using them for support.

This area also had a lovely statue. There were plenty of shelters to rest in here and some attractive fountains.

Statue.

Epiphyte.

Epiphyte.

Epiphyte.

Shelter.

Fountains.

Park decoration.

When I got on the train to go home, I phoned Peter and mentioned that I was soaking wet. He was surprised as it had stayed dry and sunny in Discovery Bay. I looked around the train and saw I was the only soaking wet person on there. In Tsuen Wan, everyone had been soaking and I sort of blended in. I suddenly felt rather self-conscious. About half an hour after I got home the weather caught up with me as thunder lightning and torrential rain descended on Discovery Bay, too.