Getting Stuck In.

Clouds reflected in the still waters.

I wasn't even planning on writing this blog, but since I am stuck at home in a typhoon eight, I may as well.

I took Peter swimming and out to dinner last Wednesday. It was incredibly hot. The very hot weather warning has been up day and night for around a week. Swimming got better as the sun began to go down, before that it was too hot and too bright.

Swimming as the sun goes down.

Next day I decided to do a short walk. I felt it was about time I returned to Shing Uk Tsuen in Yuen Long to see if I could find any of the elusive water hyacinths. These flower unexpectedly for very short periods of time and when they do they cover everything. However, on this occasion I couldn't find any, but nonetheless I found the area very beautiful.

While I was waiting for the bus in Discovery Bay on my way to Shing Uk Tsuen, a beautiful lizard fell out of the tree right next to me.

I really like lizards.

Not sure that anyone else in the queue even noticed it.

To get to Shing Uk Tsuen I travelled to Yuen Long Station, exited through Exit B, and then walked to Fook Hung Street minibus station where I took minibus 74 to Shing Uk Tsuen. I got off at the last stop, then walked down a side road towards the village's abandoned fish ponds. This is a short and easy walk, but I couldn't stay out too long as there was absolutely no shade. It's amazing how quickly you start to feel ill when you are outside nowadays.

There are many areas of abandoned fish ponds in the Northern New Territories. These were originally paddy fields, but when the farmers here could no longer compete with the cheaper cost of imported rice, the paddy fields were flooded and filled with fish. For a while fish farmers could make a reasonable living, then they lost out to cheaper imported fish supplies and the fish ponds were abandoned.

Reflections on the abandoned fish ponds.

Reflections on the abandoned fish ponds.

Tall grasses by the water's edge.

Tall grasses by the water's edge.

Nowadays these old fish farms are under threat as the government is starting to shift the centre of Hong Kong from Hong Kong Island to the border area with Mainland China. This means sleepy, rural Hong Kong is being built on like never before. Shing Uk Tsuen itself was once a traditional village and still has old village houses as well as modern ones, but it's right on the edge of an industrial estate and not far from the high-rises of Tin Shui Wai new town.

Tin Shui Wai across the waters.

Tin Shui Wai viewed across the waters.

Wooden houses by the waterside.

Wooden houses by the water's edge.

Wooden houses by the water's edge.

Traditional and modern.

Conservationists point out that these abandoned wetlands are now home to large numbers of different bird species and rare types of frogs. It's important to appreciate these areas while we still can, so even without seeing any water hyacinths, it is well worth coming here.

Still waters.

Still waters.

Still waters.

This area is also very popular with cyclists. When I explored, there was hardly anyone here, presumably due to the intense heat. There was just me and a jogger. Goodness only knows how he could run in this weather. This won't be my last visit here, I still want to see those elusive flowers.

I climbed that hill before, a beautiful hike I must repeat.

That's Shenzhen in Mainland China in the distance.

Sadly this is not my photo. It's from the internet. It's Shing Uk Tsuen when the water hyacinths bloom.

On Friday I met up with Maggie, Linda, Sarah, Yang, Sheena and Lai for lunch in the Glasshouse, a restaurant near where I used to work. Linda, Yang and Lai were pretty excited as they had finally made it to the start of their summer holidays.

Our group in the Glasshouse.

Enjoying our meal.

It was Lai's last day ever at the school.

I didn't go into school but we bumped into Cian

Lovely picture of Yang and Sarah.

Going back to Maggie's car.

I asked for shredded pork with crispy noodles which wasn't on the menu, but the staff agreed to make it for me. Everyone laughed at me as they said I had ordered 'white people's Chinese food' i.e. totally non-authentic, wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, type food. I admitted that I love 'white people's Chinese food' and actually prefer it to the real stuff. This caused outrage and laughter then several of the group admitted they rather liked some of the non-authentic food, too. Anyway my meal was delicious, even if it was totally unhealthy, I loved it.

My delicious white people's food.

I had hoped to take Peter swimming on Sunday but it was Typhoon Three and the pool would have been closed. Also there was a massive thunder storm. I think our building was struck by lightning. Before the storm we had really irritating spotlights on the bamboo scaffolding which is currently covering the whole building due to renovation. After the storm none of these work. This is great news for us as the lights make our bedroom really bright at night. With the heat and the bright lights, it has been very difficult to sleep.