Jardine's Lookout

On Saturday afternoon, Drew and I decided to go for a short hike. The trailhead is a quick 5 min drive away from our complex. That is one of the beautiful things about Hong Kong. Hiking for everyone! When we got to the trailhead, there was a group of about 30 people dressed in a blue government uniform with coils of climbing rope over their shoulders. They also had maps and compasses. The Hong Kong Hiking Rescue Club on a training hike? Except Drew and I finished the hike way faster than they did, so obviously they weren't veteran hikers. Perhaps a police force out for some off-site training? Who knows. 

This particular hike was named Jardine's Lookout. To this point, I thought Jardine's lookout was a neighborhood that we lived next to, not an actual high point on the island. Apparently back in WW2 when the Japanese were invading everywhere, people fought on the island from the Peak to Jardine's Lookout, which is why it is actually named. Very green huh! Could you imagine having to fight a war amongst that stuff? Ha!

Anyways, this hike was more like 25 min of the stair master, climbing up and up forever. No switch backs allowed. Trig was worn out by the end, but that's the idea. The best part of this hike was that you had views of both the north side of the island (where the city is) and the south side of the island (more residential and laid back). I took a lot of good pics, so I'll step through and explain them.

The pic below is of the Tim Tam Reservoir that then goes out to the south side of the island to the South China Sea. Not a house or sky scraper in sight huh! Well, maybe if you look at the island looking thing in the middle of the pic. That's actually Repulse Bay (I think) where several of Drew's coworkers live. 

The next picture is also of the south side of the island but the western part. You can't see it very well, but find the center high point in the distance. The section to the left of that high point has Hong Kong's amusement park called Ocean Park. The view from there must be incredible, even if the rides are mediocre. I will have to take the next willing visitor there!

On the other side of the ridge we were on is the north side of the island, where the majority of the people are, obviously. This picture shows the two highest skyscrapers we have, the ICC on the right, or Kowloon side, and the IFC on the left in Central. The two towers mirror each other in look and almost height. They are often called a modern Colossus of Rhodes, which ships had to sail between to get into the ancient city of Rhodes in Greece around 280 B.C.

I can just hear my mother saying, "Look at all of the haze! So much pollution." It's true; rarely do we get a sunny day here with crystal clear blue skies. A lot of the haze comes in from mainland China, from large industrial cities such as Guangzhou which is not that far away from us. China just does not have the same environmental standards as we do in the U.S., so be thankful U.S.ers.

Aren't my two boys handsome? :) You can actually see our apartment complex in this picture. See the U-shaped depression made from Drew's back and the greenery? The building right in the middle of the U with the X-looking detail at the top of it is our complex. The building just to the right of the X one (They look like they are almost touching here) is our actual tower. Pretty cool huh!



Miss you guys!