Police on a mission...

Super impressive entry, all James Bond-y with officers at the helm holding rifles. Two dash ashore... to McDonald's. Hey, the police officers do get hungry on patrols and training missions too, you know.

Overheard in South Lantau

Guy A: So, you live here?
Guy B: Yup
Guy A: Lucky sod

Dragonboat festival 2013

This year's dragonboat race took place during a Very Hot weather warning. So don't expect too many photos from me.

 I was too busy taking cover under the shade.

And munching on burgers from Silvermine Beach Hotel. I always look forward to events on the beach now because the hotel sets up a kiosk outside with very basic but very yummy burgers (HK$30 each).

National Day ferry collision

That's the boat that sank off Yung Shue Wan on October 1. It looks pretty substantial, so it's hard to imagine it sinking within minutes.

I take the ferry every week day to work and on the whole I find the staff are really professional. 
Unlike in the bad old days, these ferries have radar so how could the collision have happened?

The only worry I have as a non-swimmer (ok, as a non-water treader) is the condition and location of the lifejackets. They say it's under the seat but in some ferries, you have to run to the lifejacket cupboard and fiddle with the lock before you can access them. Imagine doing that in pitch darkness while your boat is slipping into the water.

Sail away...

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?

It's dragonboat time again

Mui Wo's dragonboat races are set for June 10. Last year we had loads of fun at the races so am looking forward to them again...

 ... especially when they create lots of excitement in the weeks before. I was dozing off on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I heard some commotion in the sea off the dock. Turns out they were unloading a dragonboat in preparation for the race.

 I wasn't in time to catch the boat being unloaded. But I'll probably be seeing it again come June 10.

What scum!

The delivery boats have come and gone. And this is what they appear to have delivered along with the usual groceries. Yuck!

Dragonboat festival

We were woken up early today to the rhythmic sound of gongs. It's Tuen Ng festival again – let the battle of the dragonboats and who-has-the-longest-lens begin!

The weather was absolutely perfect for a day of watching the races... blue sunny skies and a nice stiff wind to keep temperatures down.

There was a carnival feel in the air. Even the sad old dragon at the entrance to the beach got its ceremonial garb out.

Apparently there's some secret illegal betting going on and the rivalry between the local fishing teams and the sponsored (mostly expat) teams is bitter.

You can tell which ones have the most money by their coordinating outfits. The poorer ones just make do with a motley bunch of T-shirts.

But for spectators like us, who don't have a particular team to root for, it was just a fun, colourful event.

It even prompted Buffalo Wilbur, always the last to be picked out for playground football teams, to want to join a dragonboat team too.

He wants to join only the most unfit, it's-not-the-winning-it's-the-taking-part team because he's worried his team-mates might just kick sand in his face.




For some people, though, it was just business as usual.

Enter the dragon

The Dragon Boat Festival starts on June 6 this year but already we can hear the rhythmic drums of the dragon boaters practising, some well into the night.

I've always wondered who makes these boats: Are they made in Hong Kong or bought ready-made from across the border as we do most of our stuff?

Today, on our walk, I got my answer. They make them in Shap Long... or at least, they are lacquered there.

This guy was puzzled as to why I was so excited about seeing him paint a boat but he gamely agreed to the photos.

Man Kok Tsui

We decided to try a new hike over Boxing Day. There was this beach we kept seeing from the ferry so we thought we'd try walking past Silvermine Bay beach, find this one, and then keep on to the tip of the bay.

It was a lovely discovery. The walk took us past holiday homes (with the inhabitants sitting outside enjoying the sunny weather) and abandoned pig farms. The beach was surprisingly clean, with pretty white corals and shells.

We thought we'd be hugging the contours of the hill so the walk shouldn't be too arduous but, after the beach, it took a steep climb upwards. Just as we thought of turning back, the views opened up in front of us and we could see all the way to Peng Chau and Central. It was breath-taking.

A sign post promised us Man Kok Tsui, which sits on a small promontory at the entrance to Silvermine Bay. So on we trudged.

We were not disappointed. Though it looked deserted, the houses and vegetable gardens in the village looked well-kept. And it had a view that encompassed Disneyland, Peng Chau, Central and Hei Ling Chau.

To make the walk even more magical, a tiny fishing boat turned up just as we were about to double back to Mui Wo. It has been hired by two guys who'd been out fishing but they very kindly allowed us to board. It cost HK$70 for both of us – which we were happy to pay for the 15-minute ride almost to our doorstep.

Mui Wo from a ferry boat