Natural Expectations from a Canadian Journalist

By Liam Mitchell, Winner of 2002 Student Journalists Hong Kong Fellowship

I left for Hong Kong with a pretty clear expectation of what I would find when I arrived. Crowded sidewalks, busy streets and skyscrapers blotting out the sun. I was wrong. I had not imagined the natural splendour that also resides on this small parcel of land.

Sure, there are some crowded sidewalks and busy streets, but there are also grand parks and large tracts of land utterly untouched by human hands. Hong Kong is more than the familiar sights of Central or Wan Chai.

It became evident to me that my preconceived notions would have to undergo some significant revisions as I touched down at Chek Lap Kok Airport. Located on a piece of reclaimed land on the largely rural Lantau Island, mountains surround the airport and the sight of lush palm trees greets visitors. It bore little resemblance to the stories I was told about arrivals at Hong Kong’s former airport Kai Tak, where aircraft literally swooped past apartment towers in their approach towards the runway.

Lantau Island is a remarkable contrast to Hong Kong Island. Twice the size of Hong Kong Island, Lantau has just a fraction of the population. Most of its population is centred in just a few small villages. One of these is Tai O, a small fishing village. Walking through the small town, you feel like you are in rural China, not a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. Many residents live in small tin houses that are built overtop of the harbour. Their homes are connected together by rope bridges that create a pseudo-sidewalk. With no plumbing and little energy, many in Tai O experience a lifestyle not much changed from that of their ancestors.

Lantau Island is also home to the Po Lin Buddhist Monastery. Set at the base of a hill, the monastery is best known for the giant bronze seated Buddha – the world’s largest. But it is also a marvelous cultural experience as you wonder amongst worshipers. You can learn about the unique cultural hybrid of Hong Kong spirituality that merges Buddhist and Taoist beliefs into a cogent union. You can also enjoy the magnificent vegetarian cuisine served at the monastery and walk it off with a hike through the surrounding woods.

But such peacefulness and natural tranquility can also be found on Hong Kong Island. I frequently took advantage of the century-old tram that pulls passengers up to Victoria Peak. From there, not only could you enjoy a majestic view of the office towers of Hong Kong’s financial district, but also the natural splendour of the surroundings high above the crowded sidewalks and busy streets below.

The lasting memories I bring back with me from Hong Kong are not of my time spent in the urban core – the only thing I expected to find – but of my time enjoying the nature that abounds.

The Student Journalists Hong Kong Fellowship is one of two fellowships jointly organized by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office and the Canadian Association of Journalists. The other is the Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship for working journalists. Liam Mitchell was in Hong Kong from February 16 to 25, 2003.
 

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