It’s been five months since we opened our small snackhouse right in front of our house. It used to be our grocery store back in 2013, but it was closed and left unused during the pandemic until I decided to open it just last May. The once old and rotting building was finally renovated and turned into a snackhouse, something that benefits not only my family but also our neighbors who love snacks. Now, they don’t have to go all the way to the town proper just to buy some.

In this short video, I’m introducing our six best-selling milk tea flavors: dark chocolate, cookies and cream, ube, matcha, cheesy mango, and avocado. I used to offer more flavors, but I decided to keep the ones our customers love the most.

(I finally have a Canva pro, so I tried to make this kind of video using it :). This was just a trial.)

For our ingredients, I use the Top Creamery brand because it’s both high-quality and budget-friendly. I once thought about franchising a popular milk tea brand, but then I realized I could just make my own version for a lot less. Plus, it’s easier now since most ingredients are available online.

Our milk teas are also more affordable compared to other shops in town. The profit isn’t huge, just enough to restock supplies and pay a few bills. So I can honestly say this business won’t make me rich, lol. My main goal was really to bring life back to the abandoned building. In the future, if this snackhouse doesn’t work out anymore, we can always try a new business in the same space instead of letting it go to waste again.

What’s your favorite milk tea flavor? Have you tried any of these yet? I know milk tea started in Asia, but it’s nice to see how the trend has spread to other countries, too.

That’s all for today. Have a nice day!

Thanks for your time.

Yesterday, Sunday on our end, was a lazy rainy day. I honestly wasn’t even excited to open the shop. Weather like this just makes me want to curl up in bed, hug my pillows, and stay under the blanket. After all, it was Sunday. Still, we managed to open the shop around noon.

Rainy days like this are also perfect for enjoying hot dishes. In the Philippines, we usually cook warm delicacies during the rainy season.

We were happy when Mom prepared something special for our siesta. She made totong, a rice porridge cooked in coconut milk with red beans.

While Mom was busy with the totong, I experimented with a snack using the 8-in-1 sandwich maker I recently bought. I don’t even know what to call it. I just used the cookie-shaped plate of the sandwich maker.

I mixed coconut flakes, pancake flour, water, and sugar. For the filling, I added chocolate and cheese. The result was amazing. It tasted like soft cookies with a taste of puto or rice cake. I even thought about adding it to our shop’s menu, maybe with different fillings.

When everything was ready, I made a cup of hot chocolate using unsweetened cocoa powder. The taste was so comforting, and it paired perfectly with the totong and my newly discovered snack.

I made a short video of the process. I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Hive Power Up day.
Don't forget to power up!

Thanks for your time.

It's been a few months since our #FamilyVacation in Hong Kong, but I have yet to finish sharing our complete journey here. I thought I needed to finish the Disneyland series now because I still have a batch of stories to share about our Macau trip.

After our magical ride at Arendelle, the World of Frozen, we proceeded in front of the Castle of Magical Dreams to watch the night event. I was aware that the show would start at eight in the evening but we positioned ourselves beforehand to get a better spot. It's better to be early than not to watch the show well behind the crowd. Our little Breiana fell asleep that time so we took the chance to take some souvenir shots in front of the pretty castle. Nothing has changed with the castle's color even after adding the Frozen Arendelle in the park. However, it now has a multi-sensory effect which is the main attraction during the night event.

The castle looks even more spectacular at night. People gradually poured in front of it, and we were lucky to get a better spot before the borderline. Meanwhile, those with special access occupied the space before us, so when the show started, the tall ones blocked our view, lol. We were supposed to lie on the ground while watching, but when the show started, some people stood up, and everyone followed. What a nice setting! I mean, the opposite, lol.

I set up my tripod and camera to capture the event. I was expecting a group of performers on the front stage (just like before) performing Frozen-themed performances, but to my surprise, it was a different one. Later I learned that it'll be all about Momentous, a spectacular night show filled with music, light effects, fireworks, and magical experiences.

Since I was using my camera to record a video, the following photos were taken from the video recording. Because of the loud music and cheers of the crowd, my little niece woke up. It was even better because I wanted her to watch the transformation of the castle's multi-sensory effects, and listen to different Disney music. It was truly spectacular and people couldn't help but sing along with the music and be amazed by the effects and fireworks.

This 20-minute nighttime event is musical storytelling featuring several Disney moments along with hundreds of Disney and Pixar characters. We were amazed by its world-class multi-media effects, magical lighting, 3D projections, water fountains that synchronized with music, and spectacular fireworks that illuminated the sky. In some parts, we couldn't help but groove with the music and my little niece truly loved it, especially the transition of the 3D projections, dancing fountain, colourful light effects, and fireworks. This show makes one recall different childhood Disney movies and old special moments when watching them.

Different original Disney soundtrack and Disney moments were played that brought the Castle of Magical Dreams to life with its main anthem, "Love The Memory". As if it encourages every viewer, especially the group of families watching the show, to live each day beautifully and cherish the wonderful moments with loved ones. And to everyone watching this video, I do hope that you would do the same in the outside world. Let's create and cherish meaningful memories with loved ones and love those memories forever. You should watch the video to know what I am talking about :)

The nighttime event ended with spectacular fireworks that put everyone in awe and left wonderful memories in our minds. Our magical experience with Momentous was truly unforgettable and worth watching. It's a must-watch event in Disneyland Hong Kong. In case you want to visit Disneyland in the future, don't forget to wait for the night and watch this spectacular Momentous magical event.

Everyone looked tired already, especially my mom because we only stood on the ground until the end of the show. It was tiring, especially since we were carrying a quite heavy kid, but was worth it and she enjoyed it so much.

We strolled along Main Street after. It was brought to life as well with the lights and effects that illuminated the street. As if people didn't want to leave the place, it was still crowded even after the final event. We took several souvenir shots because as I told my family, there might be no chance again in the future, so seize the opportunity.

This experience left us with mixed emotions, pure joy, awe, and fulfilment. Those memories linger in our minds, and I hope to the kid as well, so that someday when she grows up, she will recall that once in her childhood life, she's been to the happiest place on earth, the Disneyland.

There was a sense of euphoria and fulfilment when I left the place. At the same time, a sense of sadness because I'll be leaving the country soon and still uncertain as to when will I be back again. Nonetheless, the feeling after this night was something that would stay long, and as if we carried a bit of magic back home with us.

Meanwhile, you can check my other blogs about our Disneyland trip.

Main Street USA Disney & Pixar Parade

Jungle River Cruise Fun

Arendelle at the World of Frozen

Magical Ride At The Snow-Capped Mountain

Our Macau Trip is next, so stay tuned!

Thanks for your time.

Have you read about Arendelle at the World of Frozen? If not, navigate this link and immerse yourself in this fantastic Frozen wonderland. After exploring Arendelle and riding the sliding sleigh at Wandering Oakens, we visited the Arendelle Tower. I asked my mom to come with me to check out the place and see what exciting things we could do there.

It took us about thirty minutes to get through the long line. I got more excited as we stayed longer in line to see what was at the end of it. Additionally, it was already afternoon, and I still had other places I wanted to see.

I thought the group of Frozen characters would put on a show. But at the end of the line, there was a waterway with floating boats. That meant there was another fun ride.

The new adventure and storytelling began as we hopped into the boat!

Once upon a time, on a lovely afternoon, a mother and her daughter excitedly ventured into the winter wonderland on a gliding boat. Gently, they glided to the countryside, and on their way, they encountered an adorable snowman with his deer friend. A familiar music echoed in the place. While listening to the music and amused by the snow creature, they felt like they also wanna build a snowman.

They continued their journey and reached the end of the winter forest. It was the valley of the Living Rock where the leader was telling stories to the troll. The cute trolls were listening intently to the beautiful story about the lovely sisters.

*Moving forward, they entered the gate of the icy castle. It looked magical and enchanting. They were greeted by the adorable snowman gliding cheerfully on the icy staircase while singing in an opera voice.

*'For the first time and forever' was stuck in their mind as the familiar song played continuously. A lovely couple was singing the song with their cute uke instrument. Meanwhile, they were amused by the funny look of the deer with his tongue stuck in the icy fence.

They continued their journey and encountered a beautiful princess standing on her balcony and casting magic all over the place. She let go of her magic, synchronized with the familiar song, and created more visual and magical effects in the hall.

As the princess hit the best part of the song, the mother and daughter's boat plunged backward all of a sudden, which surprised them in an amusing way. They thought it was the magical thrilling part of their adventure.

After a while, their boat was twisted, turned, and plunged forward into the dark part of the wilderness, which made them scream in excitement. A giant snowman appeared with its soldiers. They are rather cute, not scary. The experience added more thrill to their adventure.

They were expecting more fun in their adventure, but sadly, it came to an end. They returned to the kingdom safely, just in time before the grand celebration started. The sky turned magical when snowflakes and fireworks were lit.

Before they leave the kingdom, they are serenaded with a joyful song by a happy family to express their gratitude, which also shows that harmony is finally restored in the whole kingdom.

Fin.

It was an unforgettable musical ride with my mom. Our journey was filled with heartwarming storytelling, familiar magical music, and stunning visual effects.

Walking down the hall after our ride, we saw photos on digital frames. Those pictures were taken during the exciting part of the ride when Elsa let go of the chorus of "Let It Go" and we suddenly plunged backward. You can see my mom and me in the end-row seat. I was covered by the head before me, though.

It was a worthwhile ride, which lasted for about fifteen minutes and was way better than the sliding sleigh. I regretted not filming the whole journey because I wanted to take some photos, so the video wasn't continuous.

You can check it on 3Speak! I also added some scenes at the Arendelle and our sliding sleigh adventure ride. Although it was a short ride, it was still fun.

If you wish to see the whole magical boat ride, you can check this video I saw on YT. You can watch it here.

Meanwhile, you can read our other Disney adventures here:

Main Street USA Disney & Pixar Parade

Jungle River Cruise Fun

Arendelle at the World of Frozen

Thanks for your time.

After my family's first river cruise adventure, a warm, lingering joy carries the memory of glistening waters, the rhythm of the river's flow, the fun encounter with the wild, and the thrilling adventure while cruising. It was a mix of wonder, curiosity, and excitement for my little niece. She sure had fun on her first river cruise adventure.

We ventured into the jungle after watching the Disney & Pixar Parade at the Main Street USA - Disneyland Hong Kong. Fun and joy left the street as we embarked on a new, exciting adventure. I planned to visit the jungle because my little niece would love the river cruise. It's one of my favorite spots at Disneyland.

She was pretty tired but still on the go. She loves seeing boats, but she loves riding on them more, especially on her first river cruise.

The view of Tarzan Tree House. It looks different from the first time I saw it. The body part of the tree is now covered with a seemingly jungle net, and the house looks bigger compared to before. After the renovation, it looks even better. I wonder if tourists can explore the tree house. Otherwise, it's just an under-rated display along the river.

Despite the long queue, they remained as excited as I was during my first experience. I couldn't wait to show my little niece and family the wild friends waiting along the riverside. She can't wait to ride on the boat.

While on the cruise, I loved catching her cute expressions as she wandered her curious eyes around with her eyes and mouth wide open, amused by what she was seeing along the river.

The wild friends were waiting, surprising every guest on the boat, especially the little girl. Elephants, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles, gorillas, monkeys, snakes, and other African Saffari wild animals in the jungle added a thrilling and exciting experience to the trip.

I learned one thing from this trip, which I got from the lady Skipper. "The male zebra is white with black stripes, while the female zebra is black with white stripes." After thinking about what she said, I realized that whatever the color of the male and female, they both look the same; they both have black and white stripes, lol. I then Googled it, and the result stated that "the male zebra is bigger in size and has a wider black stripe than the female." At least I understand it better than what the lady Skipper said.

It was a wonderful river cruise trip worth queueing, which is common in different Disneyland adventure spots. The enthusiastic lady Skipper added fun to the experience. At the end of the journey, visitors can explore the whole jungle, buy souvenirs at Professor Porter's Trading Port, or watch the Lion Show at the theater, which we should have done, but we were pretty late when we arrived there. If we want to watch the Lion Show, we must wait until five in the afternoon. Thus, we opted to visit other attractions instead. Our goal was to visit attractions as many as we can.

If you haven't read the first part of our #DisneylandAdventure yet, head over to this link below:
Main Street USA Disney & Pixar Parade - Disneyland Hong Kong (#FamilyVacation Day 4.1)

Thanks for your time.

Back when you were a kid, have you also imagined clouds as fluffy cotton pillows floating through the sky? I remember watching a kid's show back in the day where the main young character hopped onto the clouds. I imagined the softness of it, and I wished I could touch the clouds too someday. When I watched a TV show where there were treasures at the end of the rainbow, I wished to climb the rainbow and slide down to the end to find the treasures too.

Admit it or not. That's how we think back in the day, making impossible things possible in our imaginations and believing those fantasy stories on television. Is there heaven above the sky? I guess you thought of that too when you were a kid.

When I was young, I wished to ride a plane to see the clouds and sky above. I wished to experience what it felt like to cross through a sea of clouds. I wanted to know why the sky was blue. Although it was explained in school, I was always curious.

Believe it or not, It was only in 2013 when I first rode a plane. I was twenty-four years old. Although it was only a domestic flight, I felt like my wish about seeing clouds above the sky had come true. I felt like I was in a state of euphoria the whole course of my flight, but nervous at the same time. However, since I wasn't in the window seat, I failed to take photos of the clouds during my very first flight.

My first flight was followed four years later, when I dreamed of traveling abroad. So each time I fly overseas, I always take the window seat to watch the clouds from above, hoping to spot a rainbow or catch the sunset. I was very happy on my recent flights to Manila, Tacloban, and back to Hong Kong as I witnessed the sunset and spotted a rainbow for the first time.

Can you imagine this beauty? It was a magical golden hour. It was as if there was a surge of awe and happiness that awakened my soul. I couldn't keep myself from taking photos of it. On my next flight, I spotted a rainbow. Childhood memories flashed through my mind. It was the very first time I saw a rainbow after many years.

In the middle of overwhelming emotions when crossing the sky, there is a sense of calmness and humility. That's another reason why I always take the window seat, and I don't really care if I pay an extra fee just to get one.

Seeing the beautiful scenery above somehow helps dissipate the stress and whatever sad emotions I'm dealing with inside me. I feel like the world is so small that I could easily cross from one end to another. I cross vast oceans and mountains in just one sitting. How amazing it is, right? How much more if I see the sunset and rainbow up close. It was a wonderful journey.

You can watch the short video with some thoughts to ponder.

Thanks for your time.

(All photos are mine)

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Happy weekend hustlers! It was gloomy on my part of the world with intermittent rain showers. I'm starting to feel the real Autumn weather now since it was like summer in the past few weeks even though in the autumn period. The effect of Climate Change for sure.

Anyhow, today I'll share with you the recent animal show we watched at Manila Ocean Park. For an underwater experience at Oceanarium, you may watch the short video uploaded on 3Speak. Feel the scene of the aquatic world as if you were navigating in the water world. It's fascinating and magical under the deep ocean, and calming at the same time.

Meanwhile, at the animal show, the birds were pretty smart! I was amazed by how a bird solved a mathematical problem. Others showed their amazing stunts and talents. The last show features another set of intelligent animals, sea lions. It was shameful to think of the fact that these sea lions are pretty more talented than me, lol. They would showcase their talents along with some stunts. They would groove to the music with their trainers. They would make a salute, clap their hands, play the ball, backflip in the water, and do something else. Such talented creatures are truly entertaining to spend time with. The trainers, of course, are commendable for putting effort into training animals. Their skills were unleashed because of them.

Enjoy the ThreeShort and happy weekend!

(All photos are mine)

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I must admit that in my entire life, I can't remember the last time I spent quality time with my mom. As I stepped out of college, my life focused more on making a living, while my mother's focused more on taking care of our family. We barely had time for each other. Not even for intimate mother-daughter talk. We live in the same family, but we seem to be in different worlds.

During my vacation in the Philippines, we had more time to bond after my father's burial. Since we often go to the city, I took the chance to let her experience new things because most of her life had been isolated only in the four corners of our home, performing her duties as mother and wife.

We went to Ramen 99 one day when we were looking for a place to have our late lunch. The food shop serves Japanese ramen for as low as Php99 or less than $2. It was the most affordable ramen restaurant I ever encountered, so I didn't think twice about entering the place to let my mom taste Japanese food and hear her feedback on it.

This self-service restaurant has a minimalistic Japanese interior with comic walls. Reading the comic walls is somewhat entertaining, which is great while waiting for the orders to be served.

Here is the ramen of different flavors they serve in this restaurant.

Since I don't like flavored soup bases, I opted to order the ordinary one, Kyu Kyu Ramen, with a plate of gyoza or dumplings. The same order was made for my mother.

Before entering the restaurant with the thought of eating noodles, I knew it would be a struggle for my mom to eat using chopsticks. The funny thought of her doing so was already in my mind, and I intended to teach her. I looked for a fork in case she wouldn't get the proper way of using chopsticks, but to no avail. The way she held it was already wrong, lol.

I saw her picking up the noodles using chopsticks, so I initially thought she knew it. Upon seeing her fingers, she wasn't holding them properly, loo.

She thought she was clever enough, but look at her hand 🤣. Chopsticks areclosed,d as she just grasped them both tightly. I never thought it would be harder to teach someone how to use chopsticks than my first time usingthem. Nobody taughtme;, I just learned through my initiative. Besides, I needed to learn badly since people in my workplace are using chopsticks.

Then the chopstick lesson began. Following my instructions, she picked up the chopsticks, and I started teaching her the proper way of holding chopsticks and picking up food.

She would follow at first but still end up grasping the chopsticks tightly, as if afraid that the food would fall. In the video, you'll see how I tried to teach her, but her fingers seemed stiff and she couldn't properly hold chopsticks.

Looking at her struggling to properly hold chopsticks and pick up the noodles, my tutorial ended up throwing laughter, especially seeing my mom's facial expressions. I couldn't keep myself from laughing at her, and we ended up laughing together.

She managed to pick up noodles using chopsticks in her own way. She even learned how to pick the dumplings without my help, even though it wasn't proper, lol.

When everything seemed to end up in vain as she was hard to teach, I shared with her another way of eating noodles using a spoon along with chopsticks. Just scrape the noodles onto the spoon using chopsticks, and viola! It was easier. We both finished the big bowl of ramen, but I did it before her.

This chopstick tutorial became a source of laughter, as I kept laughing throughout the session. Hearing her laughter and seeing her funny face brought me happiness. We had never done such a thing before, so I felt genuinely happy.

(All photos are mine)

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I couldn't agree more when they said that "it's a privilege to live most of our lives in a province." Even though provincial life is simple, you can still live a content and happy life. You'll get a chance to switch off from technology and pay attention to your surroundings. Additionally, it's a place to connect with nature while admiring its beauty.

The splendor of nature is around even when traveling to the city. It is a never-ending, completely free nature viewing. And just staring at them is relaxing.

There are a few ways to travel from our town to the main city. We can travel either by land or water. It may be a hassle trip, but the experience is great. However, it depends on how you perceive it, bad or good. Everything has bad sides anyway. It's far way different from Hong Kong transportation. I've been used to riding trains: convenient, fast, and comfy. I just wish that our country will be as developed as others, and mode of transportation will be improved.

When we wish to avoid congested roads, we choose to travel by water. Despite the improvements to the main roads, traffic is something that has not changed. By water, however, we must travel from our village via habal-habal or motorbike taxi to the port where we would board a small ferry to the city. Another trip will be taken inside the city. In other words, it typically requires up to three different rides to get us to our goal. Kind of hassle, isn't it? Being close to nature is a benefit of living in the province, but road congestion is a problem.

But instead of feeling stressed about transportation hassles, I just wander my eyes around beautiful creatures of nature.

We call our beautiful town, Basey, which is pronounced as Basay, and the people are called Basaynon or Mabaysay which means beautiful. This is our humble town which is one of the survivors of the strongest typhoon Yolanda in Philippine history.

Meanwhile, this is the entrance to our Baranggay or village. That white building from the distance is our former store which is now closed, and below it is our house.

Look at that greenery and mountainous backdrop. There are a lot of mountains in our province, but I don't dare to hike them. Aside from the fact that it isn't safe to hike without a guide, the trails aren't good which could make one lost in the woods.

Hopefully, someday, I will be able to hike some mountains in our town.

(All photos are mine)

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You probably know that I am an occasional trying-hard chef who likes experimenting recipes using the ingredients on hand. Sometimes successful, sometimes not. But it is still me who eats my food anyway 🤣.

I recently cooked red beans for my viand and I thought of using the leftovers to make mochi since I saw a video online. We also have tapioca flour in the pantry, so why not do another experiment? Mochi is usually made from glutinous rice flour. But since I have none, I used the available tapioca flour. It is sticky as well, so I thought it'd be good for making mochi too.

So in this recipe, I tried making economical mochi using ingredients on hand. I used matcha powder, banana, and leftover red beans for fillings.

This was my first time making mochi, so I was uncertain of the outcome. If you want to know how I made mochi, you can watch my video on ThreeShorts ☺️.

Making mochi is just easy. There are many tutorials on YouTube. But sometimes, expectations versus reality are truly different. Easier to watch than do the process, as they said.

So first, I mixed the tapioca flour, sugar, and water. Next, I transferred the mixture into a small pot and then boiled it on a low fire until it formed a paste. I had to cool it down first before kneading and filling the mochi.

The mixture is sticky so coat it with flour before kneading. I didn't really knead it. I just coated it with flour, made small balls, then filled them with fillings. That's how easy it was!

Yep! Too easy to imagine. Unfortunately, as you can see in the final output, the mochi doesn't seem appealing, lol. After making a few balls, I got pissed off and decided to make long and bigger mochi, and put more fillings in it, lol.

Was it successful?

Nope, it wasn't. I realized that tapioca flour isn't suitable for making mochi with fillings. Just look at the photo above, the mochis aren't well-shaped and some fillings came out. I also realized that, I should have not crashed the banana. It's watery making it ooze out from the mochi balls.

Tapioca flour is only good for making warabi mochi. It has no fillings, but rather coated with soybean flour just like in the photo below. It is easier to make than those with fillings. I should have done this instead. It was too late to realize my mistake, lol.

Image source from this video.

After chilling for long hours, it surprisingly tasted better. I even saved some for the next day.

And in that afternoon, I savored my unsuccessful tapioca mochi recipe, as if it wasn't a failure, lol. But honestly, I felt like I was eating a slime 🤣. Tapioca is so chewy. At least, I learned from my mistakes and I better do it properly next time.

So this is Chef Jane once again with my failed mochi experiment. See you in my next cooking time 🤪.

Thanks for stopping by.

(All photos are mine)

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I've been reading blogs uploaded on ThreeSpeak Shorts. I thought of making one just for a try. So this will be my very first video on ThreeShorts. I first made a landscape video, but when I checked the rules, it should be in portrait mode, lol. So I just edited the screen size.

I recently made a papaya jelly since I got bored. Then I opted to take videos of the process. I hope you'll like it.

Papaya is usually what I eat for breakfast and snacks because it is rich in antioxidants and digestive enzymes for my weak tummy. Moreover, it also reminded me of childhood memories. We had papaya trees in our backyard back in the day. We used to eat papaya with milk powder. We liked eating green papaya cooked in coconut milk too. That was our simple viand for dinner. The seeds would be scrapped off and saved so we could plant them again. It's my father who likes planting fruits and vegetables. And it's us who's taking care of his plants. So seeing papaya reminded me of the good old days.

For sure, you guys know how to make jelly too even without any tutorial. It's one of the easiest desserts that anyone could make. The process of making papaya jelly is just too easy and all you need are three ingredients: ripe papaya, gelatine powder, and sugar. Of course, you need water too.

I had two papayas left. One was scrapped off and set aside the skin. The papaya fruit meat was eaten after lunch 🤣. The other one was slices for the jelly toppings.

After preparing the papayas, I dissolved the gelatine powder in a small pot of water and then boiled it while stirring continuously. While cooling down, I put some papaya slices into the skin which served as the jelly bowl.

Afterward, I slowly poured the boiled gelatine into the papaya, let it cool down, and then refrigerated. After an hour, the sweet papaya jelly was ready to be eaten.

I added some toppings, because why not? I love eating papaya.

So that's it! The simple and sweet papaya jelly. After making this jelly, I discovered another way of making papaya jelly without scrapping off the fruit meat. I might gonna make it next time.

You can try this simple recipe if you want. A perfect snack for summer.

You can also check the short video I prepared in ThreeShorts. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by.

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In almost six years of staying in Hong Kong, I have never been to the Bun Festival on Cheung Chau Island nor celebrated Buddha's Birthday freely. These two are declared public holidays for Hong Kong residents, but not for foreign workers. However, festival celebrations were called off when the pandemic happened at the start of 2020, so it didn't matter to me at all.

But the government announced last year that the 26th of May will be declared a permanent public holiday for everyone in celebration of Buddha's Birthday which coincide with the Bun Festival in Cheung Chau island. Foreign employees like myself were overjoyed to hear the good news because it meant an extra statutory holiday for us. Moreover, I was too happy to know that, I'll be able to witness Bun Festival that I've been yearning to attend since then. It was May last year when I planned to attend the Bun Festival but since the events were canceled, I opted to wait for another year and hoped that Covid restrictions will be lifted, which was granted before 2022 ended.

We are back to normal and so as festival celebrations! So last Friday, the 26th of May, I went to Cheung Chau Island to attend this celebration, rain or shine. The weather has been so unstable recently and even though I saw some possible rain indications on Friday, it didn't impede me to continue going to the island to witness this festival.

Come and join me to celebrate Buddha's Birthday and Bun Festival On Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong.

Despite the cloudy weather, it didn't stop people from attending the festival. As expected, the queue in the ferry terminal was long and some reporters positioned themselves in the corner to cover the scene. Some police officers stood by the corners of the pier to mitigate further incidents.

I opted to go for Deluxe Class on the upper floor of the ferry to get to the open deck and see the outdoor view which I always prefer when traveling either on land or water. The Deluxe Class has more available seats and I was lucky to find available seats on the open deck which offers a stunning view of the harbor.

Later on, thick clouds paved the way to reveal the sun and blue sky which I loved. There's nothing to worry about possible rain anymore and the festival will be celebrated joyfully.

After more than half an hour, we finally arrived.

Welcome to Cheung Chau Island!

Cheung Chau Island is part of the Island District located in the southwest of Hong Kong and one of the fishing villages. The fact that fishing is the major source of income for many villagers, several fishing fleets can be seen along the harbor. Those floating boats have been part of the main attractions on the island in which some are used for tourist water tours. There are boat junks as well used by some fishermen.

Every 26th of the year is a celebration of Bun Festival alongside Buddha's Birthday. And this year was a special celebration since the covid restrictions were lifted and the day was declared a permanent public holiday where everyone can enjoy without limitations. As I got to the island, people were expectedly swarming around. Some parts of the road were closed in preparation for the afternoon parade.

Given that it is also Buddha's Birthday, the island food was turned into vegetarian where most served food contains no animal meat. Fast foods are no exception, even Mcdonald's. This happens for the whole week prior and on the day of Buddha's Birthday. So vegans would like to go to this island to celebrate the two events on the same day.

As part of the celebration, traditional buns were everywhere and people were lining up just to purchase and taste the special food of the festival. These buns are filled with sesame paste, some have red beans and other flavors. They are traditionally made and are one of Cheung Chau's best local food. The buns are marked with auspicious letters to give good luck to whoever will consume them.

Not just real buns, but souvenirs as well. There were several cute souvenirs, including bun pillows and keychains.

While waiting for the special event which will take place in the afternoon, particularly at two, I spent the morning roaming around the island, visiting temples, and other places of attractions. The temple premise is set as the special place where the main event usually takes place.

Bun Towers

A huge tower with thousands of buns was set in the middle of the court for the Bun Scrambling Competition. Unfortunately, the competition will be held at ten in the evening, so I didn't have a chance to watch it. Participants would climb the tower and collect as many buns as possible, and the higher they reach, the higher points they'll get. The one who could collect the most buns and reach the peak will be proclaimed the winner.

In front of the temple were more bun towers made by different groups. Some offered food in front of them as part of Chinese tradition. I was uncertain though whether the bun towers were real or artificial buns. Nonetheless, they are attractive.

Buns have red stamped with characters which means peace/safety.

Pak Kai Temple

The main temple on the island is Pak Kai Temple devoted to the god of the sea, Pak Tai, where villagers as well as Taoist and Buddhist visitors offer prayers for protection, longevity, and prosperity. I've been to this island several times and for some reason, I can't just leave the island without visiting the temple. I was probably influenced by my boss who is a resident of this island.

Incense Temple

On the side of the main temple is the incense temple purposely built for the festival. I am certain it wasn't permanently built because I've been to this place several times.

There were hung coil lanterns that resemble fish trapped which are common in incense temples.

Giant Lanterns of Deities

Meanwhile, on the side of the court below the temple are giant lanterns I assumed were the village's deities. Many people visit the island just to offer prayers to their deities to drive evil spirits and bad luck away. These deities are usually built outside the temple during festivals.

Another temple is located on the opposite end of the island. In front of it were seats built for another competition, a blue girl drinking competition if I wasn't mistaken since barrels of this beer brand were in the area, and staff were setting up booths with bottles of Blue Girl beers.

Bun Festival Parade

Part of the tradition is the festival parade which took place at two in the afternoon. The parade started from the main temple, strode around the village, and ended at the same point. People gathered on the roadside to witness the parade and capture the main attractions - the marching bands, lion dance performances, and floats of children in different costumes who seemed to be floating over each float.

I was kind of late to position myself along the road to watch the parade as I was at the beach beforehand. But I crammed my petite body into the crowd just to see the parade up close. The scorching sun didn't help the situation as I forgot to bring my umbrella. My cup only covered my head, but my arms were exposed and I felt like they will get sunburnt at any moment.

But watching the parade must continue because it was the main reason why I visited the island, and it was my very first time to witness the parade.

Marching Bands and Carriages

Different marching bands started to play their musical instruments - cymbals, drums, trumpets, trombones, and others and performed on the streets joyfully. Some were chanting to make the parade more lively. Some viewers along the road, including me, jived with the beat of the music.

Different participants of the parade brought their colorful flags, lanterns, and banners representing their pilgrims or organizations.

Alongside were carriages containing different statues of their respective deities, and other sacred stuff.

Lion Dance Performances

The most anticipated part of the festival parade was the lion dance performances and float parade. Participants from different groups showcase their lion dance performances wearing lion mascot costumes of different colors.

Some lion dance performers climbed the pole and showed some stunts. They seemed to be skillful in this stuff as they weren't afraid to climb up. People around cheering them making the crowd more lively and fun.

Apart from lion dance performances, there was a paper dance performed by an old Chinese man, and the monkey king suddenly appeared tumbling and doing some karate stunts on the parade ground.

Floating Children Float Parade

One thing I noticed while watching the parade was the participation of kids. The main highlight of the Bun Festival is the float parade where kids seem to be floating in the air in their cute costumes, props and poses from different groups. They were too adorable to look at.

Tsim Sha Tsui, popularly known as TST, located in the southern part of Kowloon District, is undeniably the best place for city nightlife, luxury shopping, fancy dining, exploring historical places and museums, watching live performances and cultural shows, and has the most iconic view of Hong Kong's Harbour. That explains why this is a perfect spot for daytime and nighttime strolling.

Among all its tourist destinations, the most popular is the promenade along Victoria Harbour, which offers an iconic view of Hong Kong's skyscrapers and harbor front. There is plenty to see in this neighborhood, not just the beautiful harbor view. It's the busiest city, not just during the day but also at night. And before people bid goodbye to TST at night, an amazing light show is what they are waiting for.

For today's travel blog, I'll show you Tsim Sha Tsui's Symphony Of Lights, Streets Performances, and Aqualuna

As dusk falls, the promenade will be transformed into a beauty to behold. Whether it is day or night, there are a lot of sights to see, especially along the promenade. This is where people usually spend much of their time wandering and strolling, watching different street performances, and waiting for the Symphony of Lights at night.

This is the iconic Central skyline that can be seen from the promenade of TST.

Part of the attraction here is the variety of street performances. Wherever you go in Hong Kong, you will see performers making the street livelier and more cultural. Performers are not just local Chinese residents but even foreign residents. The government allowed such street activities because that's another way of promoting the city. Besides, they are truly attractions worth watching.

There are a lot of talented local and foreign artists here, and the streets are their way of showcasing their skills and promoting their original and unique ideas and talents. There are street dancers, local bands, soloists, painters, human statues, and others showing their artwork and talents that attract passersby.

Street Dance Performers

For instance, this foreign couple performed an acrobatic dance the last time I visited the TST promenade. The performance was held in front of the massive screen, showing different Hong Kong scenes, news, advertisements, movie scenes, and other attractions. Such served as their distinct backdrop. Alongside was the music of their choice, which made the audience more lively.

Their performance attracted kids as well. You can see those adorable girls watching them up close, as if curious about what they were doing, or probably wishing to dance like them as well.

This isn't just their way of showcasing their skills, but also of raising funds for their own expenses. So if you have a talent and visit Hong Kong, don't hesitate to perform on the street. And if you opened a box, you would definitely go home with a ton of pennies.

You can check the video to see their acrobatic dance performance.

Solo or Band Singers

Meanwhile, this young teen showcased his singing skills. Along with some covers of popular English songs, he also promoted his own original songs. On the ground inside his guitar cover are some signature items and CD tapes containing his original songs. His voice is beautiful and has the potential to become more known in the future if he keeps promoting his skills and songs in the streets. Who knows? A passerby might discover his talent.

Just last Sunday, I went back to TST and saw more performers along the underpass. Some came in a group, while some were solo. There were even some who danced to the beat of the song sung by a local singer.

Human Statues

Have you ever seen human statues? You will definitely admire their effort in posing like real statues. It may look like an effortless pose, but it's not easy to freeze and not move while posing with the tourists. Can you even do it for a couple of minutes?

You can see a lot of human statues on different busy streets of Hong Kong. You can take photos with them and put some pennies in their boxes as a form of appreciation.

Mascots

I spotted one of the characters in Transformers while walking along the promenade. Kids are usually those who enjoy a lot when seeing such performers. There are different mascots you can see in different crowded parts of HK, usually at night. They are truly entertaining.

The Finale: Symphony of Lights

As the TST clock tower chimes at 8 in the evening, people will position themselves by the waterfront to witness one-of-a-kind Symphony of Lights. There are different viewing points to enjoy this show, but the TST promenade is the best spot.

Skylines around the harbor will be illuminated for this multi-media show. This is the top highlight of the evening.

Not just the visitors and skyscrapers will groove with the beat of Symphony of Lights music, but as well as the boats, ferries, and cruise ships strolling in glistening waters in Central and Victoria harbors. They would stay afloat in the center of the water to participate in the show. Ferries would glow in different neon colors along with the skyscrapers glowing lights and lasers.

As lights from different skyscrapers start to glow synchronously, people will take their phones out to record the spectacular night skyline show.

Upbeat music would play, and different buildings would join in synchronously, transforming the waterfront into a light and sound festival scene. People by the harbor and other viewing spots, of course, will groove to the beat of the music and light.

This light and sound show will last for more or less ten minutes. I wasn't sure, actually, because I took a pause in the middle while recording the Symphony of Lights show. But my videos show less than ten minutes of duration.

You can watch it in the video above. You would definitely enjoy the grooving music, along with the amazing light show. A big round of applause will be thrown by the visitors after the spectacular show.

Aqualuna

I must include another attraction along Victoria Harbor, the Aqualuna junk boats. This Aqualuna II is the very last Chinese junk boat in Hong Kong, along with the Aqualuna I. This offers a 45-minute cruise in Hong Kong harbors. The night is definitely the best time, especially during the Symphony of Lights show.

This iconic boat is made of wood and bamboo and is part of the Aqua Restaurant Group. Customers on board could have a chance to indulge in its nostalgic old dynasty setting and enjoy the sip of wines and cocktails, and delicious cuisine while enjoying the stunning view of the Hong Kong skyline.

Prices for the Harbor Cruise on Aqualuna start at 160 HKD for kids and 230 HKD for adults. It is definitely worth paying. Someday, I will definitely board this iconic pirate-like junk boat.

Here is a panoramic view of Victoria Harbor.

To enjoy this blog more, you can read it while watching things to do at Tsim Sha Tsui uploaded on 3Speak. The first part of the video is about my walk along Avenue of Stars which was posted on Wednesday Walk.

(Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong's Walk of Fame along TST Promenade)

It's another beautiful attraction in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Thanks for stopping by and see you in my next travel blog.

You can also reach me on my socials and let's be connected:

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- Aristotle

It was August 2022 when I discovered Tai Kwun after riding on the world's longest covered walk escalator at Mid-Level Central. I explored the place in September, and until then, it become my leisure spot when visiting the capital city, Central on weekends.

Come and join me explore Tai Kwun, Hong Kong's Center for Heritage and Art, and learn the history of this historical compound.

The revitalized Tai Kwun, Center for Heritage and Art was opened to the public in 2018. The former Headquarters and Prison Compound during the British colony has been revitalized into one of the most visited attractions in Hong Kong, particularly in the capital city, while retaining its authentic historical features. This isn't just a spot for heritage and art, but as well as a place for nightlife, fancy dining, and shopping, as well as several workshops, creative events, concerts, and art exhibitions.

On the entranceway, the back view of the former Police Headquarters Block facing the street in red bricks and white facades is part of the main attraction. People passing by would definitely notice this enormous historic site.

There are 16 Historic sites, including the three declared monuments conserved and revitalized in this compound as useful facilities. Meanwhile, two new buildings were added with architecture inspired by the historic site. To give you an insight into how huge this former police headquarters and prison compound is, here's a sketch map of the whole compound I found on its wall.

Tai Kwun's Historic Sites

BARRACK BLOCK

Upon entering the place, you would be amazed by this enormous and stunning colonial four-story architecture, Barrack Block, with white facades. This is one of the oldest historic buildings on site completed in 1864 that served as police offices. It is now a popular backdrop for photoshoots and houses the main heritage gallery, story-telling spaces, shops, and restaurants.

Locals and tourists simply come to this place to take photos of its facades and open windows. The front yard now serves as the Parade Ground where events, shows, and concerts are usually held.

While walking in its hallways, you could imagine policemen relaxing in those barrack spaces back in the day during their free time.

POLICE HEADQUARTERS BLOCK

Meanwhile, on the left side of the Parade Ground is the Police Headquarters Block with red brick walls and architecture that shows authority. This was completed in 1919 and was a former multi-purpose building with offices, dormitories, and a gymnasium. It now houses another story-telling space, shops, and fancy restaurants.

THE ARMOURY

Next to the police headquarters is the Armoury. It's the former Stable Block during the Japanese occupation period and was used by Traffic Division in later years. This now houses Aaharn restaurant on both floors.

You might be tempted to dine in as the parade ground is surrounded by al fresco restaurants. However, be mindful that those are located in this center for heritage and art, so prices of food are definitely higher compared to those outside the center. Before planning to dine in, it's better to explore the compound and see what lies within this historic place.

Behind the barrack block are more impressive old architecture. And first things I noticed when I first wandered into this place were the narrow alleys and the series of stairs connecting one building and another and giving access to other spots of Tai Kwun.

The main buildings have elevators, but one would definitely take those Instagrammable stairs to explore other parts. These were surely the main access points within the compound back in the day since there weren't elevators yet. You can imagine officers patrolling around, some guarding the corners, and prisoners transporting from one hall to another on those stairs.

It's not me, just my model for that day. This backdrop is one of the popular spots to take Instagrammable photographs.

Some graduating students in academic dress taking photoshoots.

There are different halls in this place and whichever alley you take, you would reach another hall at the end with more attractions to capture and spots to explore.

CENTRAL MAGISTRACY

One of my favorite spots was this part with Greek style. This is the left-side view of the former Central Magistracy that was completed in 1914. From the name itself, this was where the magistrate or civil officer resides back in the day. There was a courtroom and prison cell on the ground floor.

During my last visit, I was able to enter the former Courtroom. It serves as one of the storytelling spaces. There was a large projector screen in front showing animated stories about how trials were held back in the day.

SUPERINTENDENT'S HOUSE

On the other side of the courthouse is the Superintendent's house.

My model for that day. I don't know her actually, lol

It was the former main entrance to the prison. In later years, part of the ground floor was converted into a Prison Chapel.

This now houses one of the fine dining restaurants in Tai Kwun, some shops, staff offices, and back-of-house facilities.

Have you been to a real prison in real life? This was the very first prison I ever visited!

FORMER VICTORIA PRISON COMPOUND: A, B, C, D, E, & F HALL

This prison compound is one of the main highlights of this site. When I first heard about Tai Kwun Prison, I was so curious to see it in real life as I had never been to any real prison before. When I see this alley where a lady was standing at the corner who seemed to be waiting for someone from the hall, I asked myself, "Does the prison still exist until now keeping real prisoners?" That excites me to look for it.

A HALL

By looking at these buildings, I thought the prison cells were on the left side hall surrounded by barbed wires which are typical in prison cells. However, this left side is the A Hall, which was built in 1928 as the functional hall. It served as office space back in the day, and in later years, a chapel was built on the ground floor and an immigration office was the last known use. It now serves as a hall for educational activities.

B HALL

The building next to it is the B Hall which houses prison cells that are still intact up until now. Prison Halls were revitalized and now serve as art exhibition centers. People were queueing to enter the prison hall.

The last time I visited this prison hall, the exhibition called Art Behind Bars was still ongoing. Each cell has projected animation displays showing life in prisons back in the day. You can click the link above to know more about it.

C HALL

Behind me is the C Hall connecting the Superintendent's House. This was the first building to use as the Prison Hospital which was later used as a kitchen and canteen. This now houses staff offices.

D HALL

As I walked towards the back part of the compound, I found the D Hall. This hall was the original radial-plan prison block which housed prison cells, stock cells for rice and water, and a Prison Hospital. It now houses a restaurant, some staff offices, and another storytelling space.

E HALL

Meanwhile, at the E Hall is the Behind Bars, a fancy bar behind bars. The prison cells were revamped and interlinked giving you an infinite feeling. At night, the sides will glow in the dark in different neon colors and the place will transform into a disco bar. Only those with an extra budget can go to this bar. It may look ordinary, but the prices of cocktails, wines, beers, and others are definitely high.

F HALL

Next to JC Contemporary is F Hall built in 1931 and used as a government printing shop and later used as a reception center where convicted prisoners were admitted. Both floors now serve as a storytelling space and exhibition center. There was an ongoing exhibition the last time I visited it, but it wasn't for free so I failed to enter the place.

JC CUBE & JC CONTEMPORARY (newly added buildings)

On both ends of the D Hall are the two newly added buildings - JC Cube and JC Contemporary. In partnership with the government, the Jockey Club sponsored the restoration of this historic site and added these two new buildings, from which they got their name JC. Both serve as exhibition spaces. The exterior of these new buildings was inspired by the original red brick patterns of historic sites.

The JC Contemporary has three floors that house contemporary art galleries, a book library of Asian artists, and a cafe. I had a chance to explore the art gallery and dine in at the cafe the last time I visited Tai Kwun. You shouldn't miss the art exhibitions here in case you visit Tai Kwun someday.

You can check my blogs about JC Contemporary Art Exhibition and Between Coffee Cafe here.

• JC Contemporary Art Exhibition: Exploring LGBTQ+ and Body Politics
• Unplanned Dine In At Between Coffee

The JC Cube serves as the multi-purpose auditorium. The popular attraction in this place is the Laundry Steps. It's the literal laundry space back in the day which was transformed into a more useful facility today. This is also where some events, conferences, seminars, and educational activities are held.

On available days, this covered outdoor space serves as a resting space for visitors. There are coffee tables on the right corner and kiosk machines for buying drinks and snacks. However, it was out of order when I visited the place. And sometimes, this place holds film shows on the weekend featuring curated films. The film shows here can usually be watched for free. I am uncertain though about the others.

And should I say this is also a place for dating? Couples are everywhere in this compound.

Just last Sunday, I visited the compound again for a reason. The ongoing exhibition was called The Spotlight. Some performers were performing in the prison yard and laundry steps but I didn't understand anything since they were speaking Cantonese, lol.

Some art galleries were closed as they are preparing for a new art exhibition. I would definitely visit this compound again next week when all are already set up.

AIR RAID SHELTER

This wasn't included in the map, I guess, but while exploring spots between narrow alleys one day, I found the Air Raid Shelter. From the name itself, you could tell the usage of this building back in the day. It serves as the shelter of protection against air attack. Since this site was built during the World War era, the shelter was definitely significant for Tai Kwun Police forces.

I traced a narrow corridor and found rooms parallel to each other. Some are even connected and some are closed probably used as staff offices nowadays.

This is one of the shelter rooms which is similar to a prison cell.

The shelter now serves as one of the storytelling spaces showing the history of Tai Kwun and different cases handled by Tai Kwun Police Headquarters, such as drug trafficking cases, opium and gambling, and other stories such as the evolution of Central Magistracy, British Law, Japanese Occupation, and others displayed on its walls.

MARRIED SARGEANTS' QUARTERS

This block was built in 1896 as the dormitory for married sergeants which was also used as police laundry space after the war. It now houses Tai Kwun's artists-in-residence.

SINGLE INSPECTORS' QUARTERS

This block was built along with the married sergeant's quarters which was initially used as another dormitory. A medical post was built in this block after the war and it now serves as a quarter for artists-in-residence as well.

"The best view comes after the hardest climb."

I must admit that my hike to the highest mountain in Hong Kong was the most excruciating, yet, was the most worthy hike. The summit has the most beautiful view as well, and this proved the adage above, the best view comes after the hardest climb.

Come and join me on my final journey to the highest peak in Hong Kong - Tai Mo Shan.

After passing through the series of waterfalls, the first tough part of my journey has been surpassed. Yet, another problem came up when I stumbled upon an intersecting trail with no signs of the right direction. I froze at the moment and worried about the situation as I didn't want to get lost in the trail again. No internet connection means no Google Maps and couldn't access the article guide.

For a while, I stayed and studied the trails well. The summit is, of course, at the peak of the mountain. Thus, the trail must be going up so I thought of choosing the left one. However, for the first time, I got scared of it so I halted. The right trail was flat, yet there could be an ascending trail ahead. I thought of checking it first but I only saw concrete broken parts of something built there in the past. What could this be? It added to my thoughts while looking for the right trail.

I stayed for a while in this spot as I truly sensed something different that day and I didn't like the feeling. I felt hopeless at the same time and thought of going back. However, at the back of my mind was the desire to reach the summit of the highest peak in this country. Besides, I hiked far enough which would be a waste of effort and time if I discontinue.

I jumped out of my skin when I heard the crushing sound of withered leaves on the ground and approaching footsteps. I readied myself for the circumstances but I felt relieved when I spotted an old man coming in my direction. I felt grateful when he understood English so I asked about the right direction. My gut was right after all when he told me that the right trail was on the left and the way to the Tai Mo Shan peak was just 10 minutes ahead.

This trail truly was the wildest among all trails I climbed. But I can't deny its enchanting and nostalgic beauty perfect for photography.

Ten minutes from the intersecting trails was this bamboo forest. There were a couple of foreigners who passed by while staying alone in this area. I thought, "Where were they when I was confused about the right trail earlier?" They came after me from the same direction. I let them pass by as I already felt confident that the trail ahead was pretty much easier to trace.

The man was right, after thirteen minutes (supposed to be ten but I spent some time in the bamboo forest), I finally spotted a direction post at the end of the bamboo forest. A group of old Chinese hikers was resting in the place. The group was from the summit's direction and going down to where I started.

I stumbled into yet another rocky stairway which I thought would take yet another excruciating climb. At this point, more hikers were coming from both directions. I almost screw them as I thought, "Where were you guys when I needed some company?" Yet, the direction post says that the summit is only 3/4 hours or just 1½ Km ahead so I felt excited.

I was excited yet exhausted. There was a point when I exclaimed loudly upon seeing seemingly endless rocky stairs. I even called it the, rocky stairway to heaven. My muscles were almost cramping so I rested on the stairs for a while before they get worst.

Before taking another stretch, I admired the enchanting beauty of the forest and wayward trees. The vibe somehow relieved my tiredness and inspired me to see more beautiful spots ahead.

I traced yet another narrow paved path followed by another set of rocky steps. After tracing this trail, a pile of hope was formed upon seeing the clear sky and brighter path.

Relief after getting out of the jungle

It was such a huge relief after getting out of the jungle where the sky was covered by trees' thick canopies. After passing by a long stretch of ascending stairs and narrow paths, I finally reached the clearer trail where, on the left side, city and mountain views can be seen.

It was an indication that I was almost near the summit. Was I? Just keep reading to find it out. At three in the afternoon, I reached this area with a resting shade and intersections to other trails. On the left was a mountain that I initially thought was the Tai Mo Shan Peak.

However, upon checking the direction posts, a sign shows Route Twisk which is 1½ hours ahead, and the Tai Mo Shan Forest Track. That alone shows that the mountain on the right was the Tai Mo Shan. And it, therefore, shows that I was still quite far from the peak. Imagine the three hours journey in the jungle! And I was still far from the real peak.

From the distance, I was seeing another mountain which could possibly be the summit, and the Weather Radar Station on top. I was certain about this radar station as I saw photos of it online. However, I was uncertain if the mountain was the real Tai Mo Shan peak. It looks near right? The hell not!

I was in the middle of two mountains and was uncertain which one is the real peak I desired to reach. I visually measured their heights to see which one was the highest. To prove my thoughts, I intentionally visited the left mountain before going to the right mountain. The left one lead me to Lead Mine Pass.

Reaching two peaks in one day

(continue reading to find out how I reached two peaks in one day)

Surprisingly, the Lead Mine Pass is another mountain located in the middle of Tai Mo Shan and Grassy Hill, so it proved that the mountain on the right side was the Tai Mo Shan. Since I was already on this trail, I decided to continue.

I was looking at the distant mountain and asking myself, "What time will I reach that peak?" By the time I reached this spot, it was around 3:30 in the afternoon. The view of the winding trails and the highest peak is beautiful, isn't it?

The Lead Mine Pass is a rocky mountain and from the name itself, you could tell that there was a mining area in this place. If not existing in the current era, probably in the past. More hikers were coming from this mountain and probably going to the opposite mountain.

The pineapple dam in Shing Mun Reservoir and the Needle Hill I climbed before are visible atop the hill.

You can check my separate blog about the Lead Mine Pass here to see more photos atop the peak.

Still smiling here even though I was already exhausted due to the steep trails, lol. Who wouldn't be relieved by this stunning view, anyway?

The final stretch

The sun was slowly settling so I have to go down back to the resting shade and start another journey to the highest peak. I zoomed this view out to check the trails and I just felt exhausted upon seeing it.

It took another thirty minutes to go back to the starting point (direction post) and I saw this group of teen students going up the trail so I followed them. At least, I wouldn't be alone.

The long stretching trail is paved making it easier to climb. However, it became steeper and steeper as I climbed higher.

I was checking the views on the right side from time to time and my right leg muscles suddenly cramped. This time, I truly rested as I felt like I was pushing myself too much and I couldn't bare to walk well farther. Moreover, I felt hungry so I took my chocolate wafers out to have a bite. I stayed until my legs got better and continued my journey.

I felt hopeful upon seeing the radar station atop the peak getting nearer and nearer. Thus, I was also nearer the peak. Before taking the turning point to the radar station at around five in the afternoon, I stumbled upon this abandoned building nestling along the ridge.

There were hikers along the stairs and some were resting at the watch posts so I opted to go down. The cat mural on one of the watch posts was another attraction. After a while of contemplating whether to raid the abandoned building or not since I was solo, I gave it a try because I was a curious cat, lol.

You can read my blog about my exploration of this abandoned compound here. A short video was attached to give you a better view of the place. After exploring the derelict place, I left the area at past five in the afternoon and you can see the sun slowly settling below the horizon at my back.

The more I admire its beauty, the more I reminded myself to get myself faster as I might miss it on top of the highest peak. This spot below is a popular spot I saw in online photos. I wanted to get down to the rock formations but I had not enough time.

The photo below is the biggest Weather Radar Station in Hong Kong, and I felt excited as I got closer to it. Can you see the plane? Planes were passing by at scheduled hours and they looked too enormous in closer shots.

I came across cows resting atop the hill. That's when I realized that the scary sounds I heard when I was in the abandoned building that made me storm out came from them.

Did he just stick his tongue out at me? Naughty cow! The moon is already out. You can see it in the distance.

As I made my way farther, I came across an intersection below the radar station. The right way was leading to the inside part of the station. However, only authorized persons are allowed to go in.

The view of the enormous radar from the opposite side.

I made my way to the left and I was more excited to see the other side of the peak.

This is where I came from, the Lead Mine Pass. The views got more stunning as I reached the higher part.

From the distance, I was seeing a group of people taking photos on a rock formation by the cliff. The spot seemed familiar to me (saw it in my article guide), and I ran to take photos by the cliff as well. With the help of some Chinese ladies, I got this beautiful shot.

I'm on top of the world! No, on top of Hong Kong!

I took my phone from the Chinese lady and got back on top of the rock to take more shots. I spotted some bikers and hikers below. Some might ask, Why does it seem easy for me to stand by the cliff?" I don't mind the height, I mind the view and the experience! Adventurous people will understand.

The sunset was so damn beautiful! I was speechless upon seeing the beautiful sunset and cityscapes of Hong Kong on top.

And that's when I realized that there are actually concreted paved roads going up to the highest peak from the base. "Why the hell did I take the jungle?" That was the question that was formed in my mind. But I can't deny that the jungle experience was great and another thing that added to my memories that will remain forever. That is what matters to Jane The Hodophile!

Was I on the highest peak?

No, it's not yet! I continued my way up and followed the ascending concreted paved road. I spotted a family at the edge of the cliff taking photos of the sunset. They seemed had a day camping in the area.

They asked me a favor to take a family photograph with the sunset, and in return, the wife took this beautiful shot. I finally got a souvenir shot of the sunset taken on the highest mountain in Hong Kong!

Was I on the highest peak? No, not yet!