Flea market fun

My favourite flea market at Discovery Bay. 

 The next one is on September 22 -- a Saturday. The weather should be nice and cool by then.

Sail away...

Pellet police

You gotta love Hongkongers. They could have been relaxing on the beach listening to the music during the Silverminebay Music Festival but instead they are picking out the plastic pellets that washed up on the beach during Typhoon Vicente. 

Hongkongers really do care about their environment – it's not just lip service. Are the Environmental Protection Department people seeing this?

The pellets are thrown into this bin for disposal.

Mui Wo rocks!

We may not have a bun festival which goes back hundreds of years but we do have a hip music festival that's into its seventh year. This year, despite the typhoon, there was a huge turn out for the weekend's bash. I even spotted metal barriers at the ferry pier... surely a first?

They also had more music stations, starting with one just outside the seafood centre. That was good because it set the mood for those coming off the ferry and heading to the beach. 

And the bands were good. This one, particularly... I think they were called Buskic. They didn't have expensive equipment – their drum box was just that, a box – but they managed to attract a large crowd. The lead singer had a lovely voice.

Silvermine Beach Resort, one of the festival sponsors, really got into the spirit of things. Their pub and snack store did a roaring business.

Apparently, they had quite a few famous local and Taiwanese bands playing over the weekend but I'm not savvy with the Cantopop scene. The leaflet mentioned ToNick, Yellow, Kolor, Killer Soap, Supper Moment and Ignite the Hope... must go and google them.

People had fun, and I think that was the most important thing.

Famous band being interviewed. Anyone know who they are?

Hope the festival will be even bigger next year!

Kit the baker girl

Kit's very first batch of bread. In true village style, she went round Mui Wo offering samples to people she knew. We managed to score a super yummy fresh-from-the-oven roll.

For those who missed her adhoc sampling, pop on down to her bakery opposite the Jockey Club shop when it opens in September.

The Silverminebay Music Festival is on!

Because of Typhoon Kai-tak, the fate of the outdoor festival hung on the balance for a while. In fact, Friday's festivities had to be suspended because of thunderstorm warnings. But things are back in swing again and the music has started.

Passing by the beach, I saw it dotted with so many more people than usual. And the entertainment starts just off the ferry pier.

It's so exciting. We're off to grab a late lunch and then chill out by the beach. Join us?

Typhoon day again

Ominous clouds gather to herald the arrival of Typhoon Kai-tak. 

But I must say that, after Vicente, Kai-tak was surprisingly well-behaved, staying on its expected path and coming close to Hong Kong overnight so there wasn't much disruption.

The T8 signal was lowered in time for the peak-hour ferries to start up. How civilised!

The only uncivilised note was the selfish people who hogged the whole row (by plonking themselves in the middle seat) in the first few ferries to resume –  even though it was obvious that these ferries would be packed. For shame!

Get well soon, Winsome!

I've missed seeing Winsome Lane's cheery bumbleebee car in Mui Wo recently and I only just found out why - our much-loved Mui Wo celebrity has been hospitalised for some time. 

She's now recuperating at home but can't see any visitors yet. Tom at Caffe Paradiso has a get-well card for everyone to sign so if you're popping over for a coffee, don't forget to add your best wishes for Winsome.  

Help the Philippines flood victims

The floods in The Philippines have killed close to 70 and displaced over 400,000 people.

As you know, there is a big Filipino community in Mui Wo and they are doing their part to help their countrymen.

This is the perfect time to do some summer cleaning. Clothes and foodstuff are welcome and you can drop them off in the box outside China Bear.

If you want to donate money or bulky items, give Rolando a call. He's the chairman of the Filipino community here. His contact is 9612-5821.

Fancy a paddle?

Awww, aren't these pleasure boats just cute? The belong to Silvermine Beach Resort, which seems to be heading in the right direction by making full use of its location to promote holiday activities. 

Can I have one in the shape of a swan please?

August happenings

I miss Diane Stormont and her wonderful Lantau Link (RIP, Diane). Nowadays, there's hardly any good website giving South Lantau folks some idea of what's happening in their area... which is a pity because there usually is loads going on. 

Anyway, let me do my part (and partly post this to remind myself). 

The two biggies in August - for me at least- are the Silvermine Bay Music Festival on Aug 17 to 19 and the Discovery Bay flea market on Aug 26.

The organisers of the music festival are expecting about 10,000 people to turn up.

And on August 26, the Discovery Bay flea market. Don't forget to give Jacqui a call to donate any items which you think can help raise funds for PALS. Clothes, books, home decorations, Le Creuset pots...

Green Island lighthouse

I usually doze off in the ferry but I try and make sure I'm awake to take in the view of my favourite lighthouse. There's precious little information on it but I did find this link on lighthouses in Hong Kong.

For those who are too lazy to click on, this is what it says:


Green Island (Tsing Chau) 
1905 (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white flash every 10 s. 17.5 m (58 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 1st order Fresnel lens in use. The keeper's house and other light station buildings are leased to to the Wu Oi Christian Centre as a youth drug rehabiliation center. 

Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built to carry the 1st order lens made available when the Cape D'Aguilar lighthouse was replaced by the Waglan Island lighthouse. The station was recognized as a Hong Kong Declared Monument in 2008. Located at the southwest point of Green Island, a small island off the west end of Hong Kong Island. Accessible only by boat; there are views from various ferries in Hong Kong Harbour. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS HOK-002; HK-069; Admiralty F3538; NGA 19460.

Hmm... I wonder if I should have taken drugs as a youth because the rehab centers appear to be in places with wonderful views. Joke, joke!

Gasp... choke!

The pollution hanging over Central was so bad that I started sneezing non-stop the moment I stepped off the ferry. 

These days, I find I can breathe easily only when I get back to Mui Wo as the trees and sea do have a positive effect on the air. We have so few green lungs in Hong Kong now.

Do you think the officials behind the Shek Kwu Chau incinerator proposal are jealous of South Lantau folks and want to spread the misery around?.

Hot hot hot

When it's hot like this...

 ... don't you wish you were here?