February/ March 2020
BEING THE
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CONTENTS
February/ March 2020
FEATURES
10 PERSONA Lance Lau, Hong Kong’s Greta
14 DISPATCH 2020 holiday planner
19 EDUCATION 6 ways kids benefit from screen time
20 WALKABOUT From Mui Wo to Tiger’s Head and back
32 MOMENTS Excerpt: Lantau Life by Charmian Woodhouse
20
The Divine Peach Rock, Lo Fu Tau Trail / Photo by Jason Pagliari
REGULARS
06 LANTAU NEWS 09 GIVEAWAYS
February/ March 2020
G
Photo by Martina Yu Publishers in Lantau since 2002
IN
A signed copy of Lantau Life by Charmian Woodhouse
NN
WIN!
RU
To read the cover story, turn to page 10
EE
TIGER’S HEAD HIKE
Call 2987 0577/ 2787 0886 | Fax 2987 0533
YOUR GUIDE TO HONG KONG’S ‘GREEN JEWEL’
AR
2020 HOLIDAY PLANNER
We also publish YE
TUNG CHUNG’S 10-YEAR-OLD ECO WARRIOR
If you have a story idea, email rachel@baymedia.com.hk For general enquiries, email info@baymedia.com.hk To advertise, email philip@baymedia.com.hk For graphic design, email philip@baymedia.com.hk
Discovery Bay
TH
LANCE LAU
29 CLASSIFIEDS
Tung Chung, South Lantau,
FR
CHANGE
30 LOCAL NUMBERS
5
Lance Lau at the beach clean-up he co-hosted with Eco Marine in December
BEING THE
NEWS & EVENTS * PRIZES * COMMUNITY SNAPS * CLASSIFIEDS * THOUGHTS ON ISLAND LIFE
ON THE COVER
26 OUT & ABOUT
FEBRUARY 2020
Why siblings fight (and how to make them stop)
2019 / 2020
Lantau snakes (and what to do if you get bit) The Seychelles on a shoestring
For the latest Life on Lantau updates
Chocolate puddings for your Valentine
PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST
Painter and educator Judyanna Li at home in DB
and www.lifeonlantau.com
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The well-being of our students is our top priority. We help students to develop their Character Strengths and Growth Mindset through engaging learning activities.
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A Lantau Private Primary School From Reception To Year 6 British Curriculum and Daily Mandarin Classes Please contact us to schedule a school visit T: +852 2984 0006 | E: office@silverminebayschool.edu.hk | www.silverminebayschool.edu.hk Units A & B, 1/F Silver Centre Building, 10 Mui Wo Ferry Pier Road, Mui Wo, Lantau Island, New Territories silverminebayschool EDB Reg No: 579009
WHAT’S HAPPENING ISLAND WIDE ECO UPDATE: PUI O WETLANDS
A
t the sixth Sustainable Lantau Office (SLO) meeting on January 10, representatives from local and international environmental groups met with government officials to discuss the progress of conservation efforts on Lantau, with a particular emphasis on the Pui O wetlands.
“The Pui O wetlands have been zoned as a Coastal Protection Area (CPA) which means that they should be protected from development to a certain extent. However, due to an administrative error they are not fully recognised as such, and people have been able to exploit this loophole,” says Dr Merrin Pearse, chair of the Living Islands Movement.
PUBLISHER Corinne Jedwood corinne@baymedia.com.hk GENERAL MANAGER Philip Jay philip@baymedia.com.hk
While the gradual degradation of the Pui O wetlands continues, the green groups hold that the SLO’s attempts to solve the problem fall short. “Take the Environmental Vandalism Cases Database, where individual instances of development are recorded – it’s essentially a death registry,” Merrin says. “It does very little to deter development. As an example, a structure at a site in the CPA was deemed illegal, placed on the database and ordered to be taken down in November 2019. Within just over a month, the structure had been rebuilt without any apparent consequences.”
MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Ainsley rachel@baymedia.com.hk PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Elizabeth Jerabek elizabeth@baymedia.com.hk ART DIRECTION Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk
Voicing the green groups’ concern that current legislation needs to be changed quickly in order to preserve the wetlands, Merrin says: “The Planning Department reported at the meeting that they have only recently begun their review of only one of the relevant pieces of legislation. Their subsequent report will not initially be made public, so we will be left in the dark about any potential recommendations on how that legislation should be changed. It was also mentioned that it would take two to three years for substantial changes to take place, if they ever do.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Duey Tam duey@baymedia.com.hk DIGITAL AND EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Alexander Grasic alexander@baymedia.com.hk OFFICE MANAGER Nikki-Ann Yee nikki@baymedia.com.hk
“This news is incredibly frustrating for all of the groups as there is now a very real possibility that the wetlands will not get the adequate protection in time to save them.”
PHOTOGRAPHERS Terry Chow terry@baymedia.com.hk Duey Tam duey@baymedia.com.hk
The environmentalists are now calling for alternate, more stringent proposals to regulate the development of the wetlands, and they hope that government research on the topic will be made public within the year.
CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Kerr Jason Pagliari Ray Robertson Charmian Woodhouse
Living Islands Movement is dedicated to the sustainable environment of Hong Kong's outlying islands – with a focus on Lantau. To get involved, visit www.livingislands.org.hk. For more on the Sustainable Lantau Office, visit www.lantau.gov.hk.
DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Life on Lantau are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or contributors. The publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. The publisher, contributors, their employees and partners are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors or omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication and expressly disclaim all and any liability for any such action of any person. The mention of specific companies or products in articles or advertisements does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by this magazine or its publisher in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or advertised. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without permission.
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Photo by Duey Tam
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Fenced-off construction areas encroaching on buffalo territory
LANTAU NEWS
ANIMAL WELFARE: TAILS
A
relative newcomer to the local animal welfare scene, Team for Animals in Lantau South (TAILS) is a non-profit organisation that depends on the dedication of volunteers and the generosity of donors and sponsors. Director Esslin Terrighena and her nine-strong team advocate a world in which animal welfare is the norm, not the exception.
Photo courtesy of unsplash.com
TAILS offers education to encourage responsible animal handling and care, and provides medical attention and nurture to animals in need, who have often been abandoned and abused. TAILS is committed to de-sexing, which aids in reducing the numbers of unwanted animals and their unnecessary suffering. Beyond animal rescue, TAILS further provides talks on animal welfare and behaviour.
Meet the cats (and dogs) in TAILS’ care at www.tailslantau.org
Based in South Lantau, TAILS has no physical premises for the dogs and cats in its care, relying instead on a foster system. All fosters are required to commit to fostering for a minimum of two weeks, to bringing the animals to the vet and to adoption days,
and to meeting with potential adopters between adoption days, if required. Adoption days are held twice a month on a Saturday, from 12pm to 3pm, in front of the China Bear in Mui Wo. The adoption fee is HK$1,500 per dog and HK$1,000 per cat. Anyone who is 21 and over can adopt a pet, provided they are able to provide a safe, stable home, in which the animal will get a lot of attention and love. Animals are not rehomed on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis and not all adoption applications are successful. TAILS’ priority is to find the right match that will be in the best interest of both the animal and the family. If you would like to help TAILS help more animals, you can fill in a foster or adoption form at www.tailslantau.org/forms. To offer your support financially or as a volunteer, head to www.tailslantau.org/donate-volunteer.
Photo courtesy of www.foracleanerocean.com
KITESURF: FOR A CLEANER OCEAN
J
anuary 18 saw kiteboard enthusiasts gather on Cheung Sha beach for the inaugural event of Kitesurf for a Cleaner Ocean (KFCO). Founded by Tong Fuk resident Hillian Siu (who in March 2019 was the first woman to make the crossing from Hong Kong to Macau by kitesurf), KFCO aims to help raise funds to support ocean recovery projects and innovations. To do this, Hillian and her team have partnered with Hong Kong- and California-based Ocean Recovery Alliance, a charity that has been battling the ocean plastics problem for the past 10 years. A core group of local kiteboarders and volunteers gathered at Cheung Sha beach to mark KFCO’s first fundraising event. As it turned out the forecasted wind did not put in an appearance, so the kiters hit the water on stand-up paddleboards instead. Twelve challengers
KFCO challengers on Cheung Sha beach, January 18
gritted their teeth and took on a two-hour paddle endurance course, completing a total of 139 laps to raise over HK$90,000 for Ocean Recovery Alliance. For more on KFCO and its founder, pick up the April/ May issue of Life on Lantau or visit www.foracleanerocean.com. www.lifeonlantau.com
February / March 2020
LIFE ON LANTAU 7
LANTAU NEWS
WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS HONG KONG
For art lovers
BANKSY: GENIUS OR VANDAL
For kids
KIDSFEST Produced by ABA Productions and being staged at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wanchai, KidsFest is dedicated to providing exciting theatre for the whole family. This month, catch Mr Men and Little Miss (February 1 to 2), The Gruffalo’s Child (February 7 to 9), The Snail and the Whale (February 6, 8 and 9), Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo (February 13 to 16), Dr Bunhead’s Blast Off (February 14 to 16), Stick Man (February 21 to 23) and Peter Pan (February 20, 22 and 23). For more information, visit www.kidsfest.com.hk. For tickets, starting at HK$195, visit premier.hkticketing.com.
Banksy: Genius or Vandal, showing through March 1 at Portal 6311, Kowloon Bay, celebrates the controversial British street artist whose true Girl with Balloon series, identity remains unknown. original silkscreen This internationally acclaimed exhibition, of over 70 works from private collections, includes original paintings, sculptures, installations, videos and photographs. To find out more, visit banksyexhibitionhk.com.
For punk rockers
Photos by Brian Slater and courtesy of banksyexhibitionhk.com, www.wikimedia.org and www.hkballet.com
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS Celebrating the 40th anniversary of debut album Inflammable Material, Stiff Little Fingers (SLF) is playing Hong Kong for the first time in February. Formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, SLF wrote about their own lives growing up at the height of The Troubles and their ground-breaking debut album put them right at the forefront of the punk movement. Head to This Town Needs, Yau Tong on February 11. For tickets, starting at HK$490, visit www.ticketflap.com.
The story of Peter Pan as told by Wendy Darling
CHEERS The Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s annual ‘Cheers!’ Series delivers a full line-up of family fun ranging from music and dance to puppetry, acrobatics, multimedia performances and film. February’s performances, at various venues across Hong Kong, include Nufonia Must Fall (February 1), Glimpse (February 6 to 9), Dot/line/plane@SuperBaby (February 7 to 16) and Wallaby’s Seat-belt (February 8 to 23). For more information, visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp. For tickets, starting at HK$150, visit www.urbtix.hk.
THE DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS Kids can experience dinosaurs through the power of music during The Dinosaur Footprints , a Hong Kong Philharmonic Swire Sunday Family Series performance at Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium, Tsuen Wan on February 9. After the show, Dr Dino, aka Dr Michael Pittman of Hong Kong University, is presenting a child-centric introduction to palaeontology. For more information and tickets, starting at HK$180, visit www.hkphil.org. 8 LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2020
www.lifeonlantau.com
Stiff Little Fingers 2020
Top pick
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Masterminded by renowned Hong Kong choreographer Yuri Ng, Ballet Classics for Children: The Sleeping Beauty is a one-hour abridged version of Tchaikovsky’s three-act classic. It’s one for the whole family, showing at Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District, February 8 to 9. For more information and tickets, starting at HK$200, visit The Sleeping Beauty, Dong Ruixue www.hkballet.com.
Here’s your chance to win great prizes! WIN A SIGNED COPY OF LANTAU LIFE BY CHARMIAN WOODHOUSE
GIVEAWAYS
Life on Lantau prizes are incredibly easy to get your hands on, and you have until February 10 to apply. Simply scan the barcode, or go to www.lifeonlantau.com/giveaways, select the giveaway you want, and enter your details into the online form.
Vibe Book & Music Store and author Charmian Woodhouse are offering four readers a signed copy of Lantau Life: A Year on Lantau Island (worth HK$100 each).
Packed with gorgeous photographs and written in diary form over the course of a year, Lantau Life documents the island’s incredible bio-diversity through Charmian’s daily encounters with a myriad animals and plants. Charmian wrote Lantau Life for her mother, who lives in Cape Town, and it’s an ideal way to introduce friends and family to the island. To read an excerpt from the book, which is Vibe's book of the month for February, turn to page 32. To find out more head to Vibe in Mui Wo, or visit www.vibehk.com.
Charmian Woodhouse
Congratulations to last issue’s winners Tatum Claypole and Clifford Kwok for a Eureka Bamboo Socks gift voucher.
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PERSONA
Hometown Hero Ten-year-old Tung Chung resident Lance Lau is picking up the extinction rebellion torch for Hong Kong as our own Greta Thunberg. Elizabeth Kerr reports
A Photos by Martina Yu
t first glance, P5 student Lance Lau looks like your average Hong Kong primary school student. He also has a P5er’s energy, constantly looking around the food court in the new Citygate extension, but never letting his attention stray. It soon becomes clear Lance is probably sizing up his surroundings for environmental transgressions he can lobby management about correcting. To say Lance is invested in his future is an understatement.
Lance first started striking for the climate at his school in September 2019
Lance is leading by example as part of the local climate change activist community, inspired in large part by Time magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year, Swedish student Greta Thunberg. The young eco warrior who’s been personally attacked and belittled for her climate change awareness campaign by the likes of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Jair Bolsonaro, has become a beacon of action among under-18s globally, including Lance, because in his words, he doesn’t want to die.
And there, ladies and gentlemen, is where it all began. When Climate Action Hong Kong (the teen-led movement) decided it was too dangerous to strike again in September 2019, at the mass rally in Central, Lance opted to go it alone. “My first solo strike was on September 13 last year, inside my school,” he explains. “I made a sign and walked around the school. I got caught by a teacher but I didn't go to class that day. I was in a separate room planning for green actions instead.”
“I was inspired by Greta,” Lance says. “She called a global strike for the climate in March last year and I thought, ‘Yeah, I have to do something.’ I attended the strike in Central, led by Climate Action Hong Kong.”
School strikes for the climate
10 LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2020
www.lifeonlantau.com
Moving into 2020, Lance is more determined than ever to continue his work, which for the time being is focused on beach clean-ups,
harassing friends and family about their consumption and striking for the climate for an hour outside his school every Friday. As of January 20, these strikes have been going on for 13 weeks outside Ying Wa Primary in Sham Shui Po.
on helping me with my stuff,” he says with a boisterous laugh. “If I had brothers or sisters, she’d have to care for them too.” He’s still laughing as Mum can only offer a smirk, somewhere between amused disbelief and pride.
An average strike day for Lance starts with him leaving his Tung Chung home extra early, at 7am. He picks up the educational materials he makes himself and stores in the school counsellor’s office – who, according to Lance, “doesn’t mind. I just barge in every Friday and grab my signs” – and sets up in front of the school gates. Then he proceeds to do what he can to inform passers-by – mostly adults – about the dangers of climate change. He points out the parts of Hong Kong that will be underwater in a decade if things don’t change; that only 1% of Hong Kong’s power comes from renewables; that our own behaviours are the root of the problem. It’s a slow process but Lance is happy to bear the burden.
Being the change
Kids are more woke than the rest of us, so it would be logical to expect that Lance gets plenty of back-up from fellow students on strike days, but that’s sadly not the case. “I strike solo,” he says. “It’s just me.”
Lance has some advice for people looking to organise their own beach clean-ups. “There are Facebook groups, like Hong Kong Cleanup, that you can join to learn how to do it,” he says. “And remember to make it fun; use the clean-up to build a community that loves the planet and all living things in it.”
Lance isn’t totally alone, though. He gets support from his dad, who stands with him when he can, a handful of teachers at the school and his mum, Martina Yu, a photographer, who’s sitting beside him during this interview, occasionally adding a comment. For the most part Martina sits and listens, letting her gregarious 10-year-old take the lead. Lance really doesn’t need her help, but he’ll take it just the same. “I’m an only child, so she can focus
Lance has a curious laser focus on his mission and, when it comes to the environment, he practices what he preaches. “I joined my first Lantau beach clean-up with Eco Marine in May last year and I got talking to the founder Keilem Ng. She invited me to co-host monthly clean-ups with Eco Marine,” Lance says. “The government provides bags and gloves, and picks up the collected garbage afterwards because it will exceed 100 kilogrammes every time.”
Like Greta, Lance is totally unapologetic about evangelising. “If I want to buy something with a plastic package on it, he’ll pull me away,” chimes in Martina. He lectures his friends about eating beef, but is able to laugh at their occasional scoffing. He takes the boos in his stride, like the ones that followed a talk he gave at school (at the school’s request) outlining what climate change is, why we need to take action now and what we can do personally.
Lance with fellow student activists at a strike led by Climate Action Hong Kong in November 2019 www.lifeonlantau.com
February / March 2020
LIFE ON LANTAU 11
PERSONA No one is too small to make a difference Lance, with Martina as an ally, admits environmentalism – sustainability, reducing our carbon footprints, going vegan, all of it – is hard, particularly given the collective lifestyle we don’t want to give up. “Milk itself is easy to give up, but milk tea, and pastries, and cake, and ice cream…” he trails off. Add reducing the amount we fly and buying fewer clothes (fast fashion and the consumption economy wheel it’s a cog in, is a killer), and it’s easy to predict the challenges. But Lance is quick to point out that everyone’s baby steps add up to a greater whole. “It is hard, so don’t try to be perfect. Be what you can be. Do what you can.”
So, what can we do? One: eat less meat. “Hong Kong imports more Brazilian beef than China, and Brazilians are burning down the Amazon to help,” Lance rails. Two: reduce our reliance on cars. And three: eliminate single-use plastics. “Just ban them. They’re useless, they’re bad for the environment,” Lance says. “And you have Coca-Cola boasting about making a few bottles from bottles taken from the sea. Why are you using rubbish to make more rubbish? That’s called greenwashing!” Seriously, we need to get this kid in front of a crowd. At the ripe old age of 10, Lance admits a lot could change for him in the next few years, but as of right now he’s toying with the idea of a future in green architecture and sustainable development. He’s reasonably confident that people are waking up to our looming climate catastrophe, and is thrilled that youth activism – extinction rebellion – is getting the message across. Why is this so near and dear to Lance’s heart? “Well. I don’t want to lose my future, do I?” From the mouths of babes.
FIND IT
• Lance co-hosts monthly beach clean-ups in Lantau with Eco Marine
Join Fridays for Future Hong Kong for Lance’s latest strike and beach clean-up updates, www.facebook.com/groups/957946194565231
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HOLIDAY PLANNER
2020
Looking to make the most of your precious annual leave in 2020? Ray Robertson has this year’s vacations all worked out for you Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul
A
s I write, I’m imagining you happy and refreshed and just back from a fabulous Chinese New Year break somewhere… relaxing. Or maybe you headed to a resort spa to burn off some of those Xmas calories. Either way, I hope you enjoyed a full nine-day escape (January 25 to February 2), while cashing in just three days of annual leave (January 29 to 31).
Photos courtesy of unsplash.com
The good news is that in Hong Kong we enjoy 17 public holidays a year, so you may in fact have just enjoyed a tasty long weekend over the designated Lunar New Year holiday (January 25 to 28) without taking any annual leave at all. The bad news is that by law, the most paid leave we can expect per year is 14 days, and that only kicks in once we’ve been with the same company, on a continuous contract, for nine years. Of course, most employers have a more enlightened attitude to our need for downtime (and you need to be savvy about this when negotiating your employment contract) but still, it’s a good idea to maximise the leave you get by planning it around those 17 public holidays. Looking at the way public holidays fall this year, 2020 is going to be the Year of the Long Weekend. The Easter weekend April 10 to 13 is a given, as is the four-day break provided by the Buddha’s Birthday (Thursday, April 30) and Labour Day (Friday, May 1). You can bag another four days in June by taking leave on Friday June 26, the day after Tuen Ng Festival, and in October by taking leave on Friday October 2, the day after National Day. Note too that the day following Mid-Autumn Festival (October 2) is a Friday, and the day following Chung Yeung Festival (October 26) is a Monday. 14 LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2020
www.lifeonlantau.com
With those six minibreak opportunities highlighted, let’s take a closer look at the calendar and nail down some more 2020 holiday options. Spring break: April and May There are no public holidays in February or March, so by April you’re going to be ready for a vacation. And you’re spoilt for choice. Since the Easter holidays are April 10 to 13, by taking time off from April 14 to 17, you can grab yourself a 10-day break for the price of four. Or with the Buddha’s Birthday falling on April 30 and Labour Day on May 1, by
Bongeunsa Temple, Seoul
HONG KONG PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 2020
booking holiday from April 27 to 29, you can get a nine-day break for the price of three. Like I said though, two opportunities for four-day weekends (April 10 to 13 and April 30 to May 3) present themselves in the spring without you having to take any leave at all. The question is where are you headed? A minibreak in South East Asia, now let me think… Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Siem Reap, Hanoi, Vientiane. Been there, done that? Well, how about Seoul? The South Korean capital is an unexpected delight. In a city awash with beautiful palaces, Gyeongbokgung is the one you simply must see. Built in the late 1300s, the complex is reminiscent of Beijing’s Forbidden City, and highlights include the ornate twostorey Geunjeongjeon (main palace building), and the spectacular Gyeonghoeru, a picturesque pavilion in the centre of an artificial lake. There’s also bustling Bongeunsa Temple, with its 23-metre-tall statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha, and over 3,000 150-year-old woodblocks inlaid with Buddhist scriptures. Visit on a Thursday, when the monks provide a temple tour, tea ceremony and Zen meditation. For a glimpse of ‘new Seoul,’ don’t miss Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). This popular cultural centre – DDP stands for Dream-Design-Play – is filled with galleries, event spaces and designled shops. Designed by the late, great Zaha Hadid, it’s a futuristic sight to behold in undulating aluminium and concrete, with lawns that rise up to its roof. No visit to Seoul is complete without a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Described by Bill Clinton as the ‘scariest place on Earth,’ it divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, and is heavily militarised. You can book a guided tour of the frontline to see no man’s land, intercepted infiltration tunnels and the now barricaded Freedom Bridge.
New Year’s Day
January 1 (Wednesday)
Lunar New Year’s Day
January 25 (Saturday)
The third day of Lunar New Year
January 27 (Monday)
The fourth day of Lunar New Year
January 28 (Tuesday)
Ching Ming Festival
April 4 (Saturday)
Good Friday
April 10 (Friday)
The day following Good Friday
April 11 (Saturday)
Easter Monday
April 13 (Monday)
The Buddha’s Birthday
April 30 (Thursday)
Labour Day
May 1 (Friday)
Tuen Ng Festival
June 25 (Thursday)
HK SAR Establishment Day
July 1 (Wednesday)
National Day
October 1 (Thursday)
The day following Mid-Autumn Festival October 2 (Friday) The day following Chung Yeung Festival October 26 (Monday)
Christmas Day
December 25 (Friday)
The first weekday after Christmas Day
December 26 (Saturday)
publicholidays.hk/2020-dates
Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul www.lifeonlantau.com
February / March 2020
LIFE ON LANTAU 15
DISPATCH
Ibaruma Sabichi Cave, Ishigaki
Summer vacation: June and July Whoever dreamt up Hong Kong’s list of (17) public holidays forgot that the ‘summer holidays’ are a bit of a tradition all over the world, particularly for those of us with kids. From June to September, there are just two public holidays – Tuen Ng Festival (June 25) and HK SAR Establishment Day (July 1). If you want a summer break, or to spend time with your kids on their long vac, you’re going to have to dip into your annual leave. Autumn getaway: October October looks more promising. Another great opportunity for a long weekend away presents itself, since National Day falls on October 1 (Thursday) and the day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival on October 2 (Friday). Or, you can take three days off (September 28 to 30) for a well-earned nine-day break. For a long weekend away in October, consider Tokyo. It’s easy to get around, wacky as they come, and with the 2020 Summer Olympics (July 24 to August 9) out of the way, it won’t be over run. In four days, you can ‘bathe’ in the lucky incense at Sensoji Temple; mingle with the anime, manga and idol crowd on Harajuku Bridge; catch a kabuki show and get a glimpse of Mount Fuji. If you’re taking a nine-day break in October, you could of course take the opportunity to see more of Japan. Maybe you’ve always
had a yen for Kyoto, the ancient capital, with its temples, palaces, shrines and… geishas. But have you considered (or even heard of) Ishigaki Island in Okinawa prefecture? This remote little idyll in the deep south has long been a beach-holiday favourite with Japanese tourists, and the rest of the world is slowly catching on. Ishigaki’s white sand beaches and rich mangrove forests give Hawaii a run for its money. (Be sure to find time to visit Maetake, a rainforest hideout located right on the island’s north-western shore.) Yonehara Beach is the most popular, but for a more relaxed vibe, base yourself in nearby Kabira Bay, which is famed for its yacht-dotted harbour and small islands near the shore. The best way to get around Ishigaki is to rent a car and if you’re based in Kabira Bay in the northeast, you’re a short drive from most of the island’s main sights, including Ibaruma Sabichi Cave, a limestone cave, dripping with stalactites, that leads onto a beautiful, often completely deserted beach. Ishigaki Town, where you’ll find the port, and larger shops and restaurants, is just 40 minutes’ drive south from Kabira Bay.
Kabuki show, Tokyo
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While Ishigaki is a known quantity (at least with Japanese tourists) and even boasts a Club Med, the other islands in the archipelago are genuinely off the beaten track. Nearby Taketomi Island is well worth a visit, particularly if you’re a keen diver. Just be prepared to rough it a bit if you decide to stay the night.
New York City, USA
Mount Fuji, Honshu
Winter escape: December Since there are no public holidays in November, you may well decide to secure yourself a work-free Christmas and/ or New Year. Taking three days off (December 21 to 24) will give you nine days leave, or you could jingle all the way through to the New Year by also booking leave from December 28 to 31. Should you choose the latter option, grabbing a 15-day break for the price of seven, you’ll want to make the most of your time off. So how about treating yourself to a white Christmas? If you’re a fan of romantic comedies – like Miracle on 34th Street (1947), When Harry Met Sally (1989) and Serendipity (2001) – you already know that a New York Christmas is hard to beat. There’s skating in Central Park, the annual Christmas Spectacular at Radio City, and, of course, shopping on Fifth Avenue. Hoping to see Santa Claus on skis? Then head to Shymbulak in Kazakhstan, the largest ski resort in Central Asia. Just 25 kilometres from Almaty, it’s not too remote, and it’s well set up having hosted the 2011 Asian Winter Olympics. The ski areas span over 920 metres of vertical drop and nearly 13 kilometres of ski runs. There are three ski lifts, with the highest taking you 3,200 metres above sea level.
Shymbulak Ski Resort, Kazakhstan
A world away from the commercialised glitz of a Hong Kong mall, Christmas shopping is a truly magical experience at Nuremberg Christmas Market, in Bavaria, Germany. The 200 vendors sell traditional handmade toys and holiday goods only (no plastic holly), and you can treat yourself to cookies and mulled wine as you shop. Nuremberg is all about nostalgia for Christmases past, so there’s an old-fashioned fun fair right by the market, complete with a Ferris wheel, carousel and steam train. Fröhliche Weihnachten! www.lifeonlantau.com
February / March 2020
LIFE ON LANTAU 17
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Free Home Delivery on Any Mix of 6 Bottles Discovery Bay & Tung Chung Delivered on Wed & Sat | South Lantau, Friday via Ferry Delivery Service We also have shops in: Sai Ying Pun, Tsim Sha Tsui & Sai Kung. Please check our web site for details
EDUCATION
6 ways screen time benefits kids
W
ay back in 2010, Eric Schmidt, then CEO of Google said: “Every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilisation up until 2003. That’s something like five exabytes of data.” Ten years have passed since then. Technology has developed much further and we now have the first generation of adults who don’t know what it is to exist without a computer or smartphone.
Photo by Blake Barlowe - unsplash.com
As we enter a new decade, a new generation is emerging. People who think that touchscreens and free video calls to the other side of the planet are the absolute norm. Our kids are growing up in a high-tech world, and most are drawn to all the gadgets and new technology. As a result, parents have to make daily decisions about the amount and type of screen- and gadget-time they allow their kids. While teen and even tween ‘tech addiction’ is a serious issue, and something we all strive to protect our kids from, most educators agree that denying kids screen time at home would not only be unfair but also misguided. One of the things that technology is doing is changing the parameters of how we do things, and education is no different. The iPad was not specifically designed as a piece of educational technology, but it was designed as a mass communication device, and so for educators to incorporate tablets into their classrooms is probably more natural than parents may feel. Here are six ways kids can benefit from properly managed screen time, both in the classroom and outside it.
1
Knowing they can ask the computer anything they want to know drives children’s desire to do independent research. Children can only learn what is available to them, and traditionally parents, friends, teachers and the wider community were the only gateways to learning. Now the internet gives kids a vast library of material, which they can access at the touch of a button.
2
Educational games that require children to follow objects and interact with them can boost hand-eye coordination. Young gamers also learn how to interact with systems, for example they discover that pressing the right button will invoke the desired action.
3
Many children use their voice to enter their search queries into search engines, and they then need to read and evaluate the results that are presented. Over time, this improves kids’ language skills, and they become faster and more adept at finding the information they want.
4
Interactive websites and games help children learn to solve problems, for instance when they work their way through challenges to get to the next level. Even simply using their devices makes them more adept at problem solving; they work out how to play new games or interact with new programmes, and they learn to solve connectivity issues.
5
Screens offer a stimulating environment of colour, sound and movement that can be more interesting to children than reading a book. They provide an opportunity to engage children who are struggling with traditional learning environments.
6
Being able to use gadgets, both socially and professionally, is now an essential life skill. Our whole future is about technology and, arguably, the kids who can navigate it best will be at an advantage as they get older.
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LIFE ON LANTAU 19
WALKABOUT SPOTLIGHT
THESE BOOTS are made for
WALKING Over the coming months, Ham Tin resident Jason Pagliari has pledged to walk us all over Lantau. In the first trek of the series, he makes his way over the hills from Mui Wo to Lo Fu Tau and back via the Olympic Trail At the Tiger’s Tail looking towards the Hong Kong-Zhuhai–Macau Bridge
T
his issue, I’m revisiting one of the classic Lantau hikes, heading out from Mui Wo by way of an off-the-beaten-track route over the hills above Wang Tong village and returning via the Olympic Trail to its start in Pak Ngan Heung village. We’ll be on the Lo Fu Tau Trail for much of the time, and it’s a 12-kilometre roundtrip (5.5 kilometres there, 6.5 kilometres back), well-recommended for keen hikers of a reasonable fitness level. Highlights of this trek include clambering up mysterious rock formations with panoramic views over North Lantau, and reaching the peak of 465-metre Lo Fu Tau (literally, the old/ wise Tiger’s Head). The trails can get a little dicey in places on this one, so get yourself some proper footwear.
Photos by Jason Pagliari
Over the hills from Wang Tong village Our group of three for the day, accompanied by faithful canine companions, meet up at Mui Wo’s famous ‘Toilet Bar’ (a village shop/ cafe with a table and chairs) next to the Chung Hau Tsuen public toilet, right behind the Silvermine Bay Hotel on the main path to Wang Tong. We expect the trek to take between three to four-anda-half hours, depending on our pace and how many rest stops we make along the way. Taking the narrow road parallel to the beach, we reach Wang Tong village and follow the stormwater catchment to the left, where there are many large houses with spacious gardens. At the end of the 20 LIFE ON LANTAU
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catchment, we take the left path, and walk towards steps which snake up the hills to the north. There are placards depicting species of plants that the botanically disposed can spot as they ascend through the forest. Quickly climbing above the tree cover, we pass a lot of graves, all of which are well-equipped with fire beaters. Long grasses and ferns line the path, which is crazy paved with decent handrails, and there are plenty of benches where you can stop for a rest and enjoy the view back down Wang Tong Valley and over to the Mui Wo ferry pier. Continuing to the end of the paved surface, we reach a wooden pagoda, a good place to rest up especially in the event of a sudden downpour. From here, we follow an earth trail up, it’s a wide path with small trees either side but quite eroded in the centre. As the path swings uphill to the left, we avoid the fork to the right and continue climbing. You’ll find you quickly gain a lot of elevation as views open up over the huge mountain range to the northwest. Cannon Rock
At the top of this rise on a grassy hilltop, there are three forks: the left fork takes you towards the Olympic Trail and the right fork has an abandoned sign. We continue straight ahead. The path here narrows considerably and ferns cover it as it winds around a hill to the right. Up ahead, we spot a patch of bare earth at the far side of a heavily forested valley. That’s where we’re headed. Making the steep descent into the valley, we cross a stream, before heading right and back up the other side. It can get a bit muddy here but, unless it’s been raining heavily, you should be able to jump across the wet spots. The trail leading up is narrow, with tall trees either side; soon we reach the clearing and that patch of bare earth. You’ll see the remains of ramps that were clearly once mountain-bike jump-offs, long abandoned. The fantastical Lo Fu Tau Trail
Jason’s faithful hound Sunny dutifully poses with the Divine Peach Rock
At this point, we reach the only potentially confusing part of the hike; keep going straight up over the earth patch and the narrow trail soon picks up again. Make your way over the rise and head downhill, brushing past the foliage, and before you know it you’ve hit the Lo Fu Tau Trail. This junction is close to distance post marker C7101, but be aware if you’re planning to do this trek in reverse you may not find it, as there are no bright ribbons and it’s quite concealed from the main trail.
View over Discovery Bay from the Tiger’s Head
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LIFE ON LANTAU 21
WALKABOUT
The Lo Fu Tau Trail is popular, so we start to encounter other hikers as we proceed to the right. The path meanders uphill to the left, and we suddenly realise the west end of Discovery Bay golf course is right below us. The path continues uphill and, once at the top, a stretch of grassland opens up. There are great views of North Lantau as the path swings to the right through rolling hills dotted with colourful shrubs.
View down to DB golf course
Rounding a corner, we spot a boulder-covered hill up ahead in the distance, and steps leading up to a strange pointy rock. As we make our way there, we are suddenly confronted by an enormous boulder smack in the middle of the path. It looks odd, like it’s been perfectly placed there by a crane, even though we are miles from any roads. And it has a name – the Divine Peach Rock – from which you can guess its shape. The imagination fires up at this point and soon things start getting even stranger. Faced with a fantastical boulder-strewn landscape, I half expect to see Tim the Enchanter, John Cleese’s character in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, flinging lightning bolts across the valley. As we climb the steps up to the aforementioned pointy rock, we find what looks like something out of Stonehenge – two tall boulders side by side resting on a flat-topped rock, about 20 feet tall. Finally, we’ve reached the Tiger’s Tail (and we’ve still a way to go ‘till we reach its head, Lo Fu Tau). Behind it, clearly visible, is the new bridge extending into Lantau from the Zhuhai-Macau terminal building. On the adjacent hilltop, we spy another bizarre rock formation – a flat stone slab sandwiched between two boulders and pointing outwards in a cantilever arrangement. In profile, it resembles an old cannon, so it’s known as Cannon Rock. Continuing along the path, there’s a turn off to Cannon Rock, and, since it’s easy enough to climb onto the cantilevered ledge, it’s a popular pitstop for hikers.
The hike to Lo Fu Tau peak
across 957-metre Tai Mo Shan above Hong Kong Disneyland, and you will see a way down at the low point. But we are heading back to Mui Wo, so we prepare to revisit the full 3.4 kilometres of the Lo Fu Tau Trail, a gentle downhill trek. In parts the trail is heavily eroded in the middle and you have to keep to the sides.
Cresting Lo Fu Tau peak
Back to Mui Wo on the Olympic Trail
As we continue uphill towards Lo Fu Tau, we notice a patch of short grass about 10-metres wide to the left of the path. Contrasting with the long grasses on the right, it resembles a firebreak, but whether it’s a natural phenomenon or something engineered is uncertain. Soon, we reach a flat grass-covered plateau. Keep an eye out for kestrels hovering above, particularly on a windy day, and watch them swooping down on unsuspecting prey before they resume their patrol.
It takes about 40 minutes to reach the merge with the Olympic Trail, where there’s a pagoda and a big map at A Po Long. Built in 2008 to commemorate the Beijing Olympics, this concrete trail connects Mui Wo with three villages in North Lantau near Tai Ho Wan reservoir. Going left towards Mui Wo, we notice intermittent flagstones, like the way-markers lining a pilgrim’s path, each decorated with stick figures doing Olympic sports.
A short while further, we continue past a turning to Discovery Bay on our right, which leads downhill through long grass towards the reservoir. Just a bit further is Lo Fu Tau peak. It’s taken us a leisurely two-and-a-half hours to get here from Wang Tong village. DB looks very far below, and there is another steep, though easier-than-itlooks descent here towards the reservoir. If you want to go to DB North Plaza, continue along the trail, which extends all the way 22 LIFE ON LANTAU
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The path is nicely forested here with ferns and tall trees but quite open and breezy. We reach some steps, and realise we are back in civilisation, since there are streetlights and benches for rest stops. We continue on past Silvermine Cave and the waterfall to the trail’s start, where there are several commemorative plaques. From here, you can take the steps on the left down towards Silvermine Bay, or head right through Pak Ngan Heung village and back into Mui Wo along the paved brick road.
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he cooler weather makes this the perfect time to spend crisp days and long nights cuddled up with someone special. Whether it’s strolling along Love Lock Promenade, browsing the Discovery Bay Sunday Market, or enjoying a fairy-tale weekend getaway, Discovery Bay is the perfect place for couples to hang out. What’s more, the Romantic Rendezvous @ Discovery Bay decorations are up, giving everyone a chance to get a head start on that loved-up Valentine’s Day feeling.
Photos courtesy of Hong Kong Resorts
If it’s a romantic meal you’re after, the D’Deck and DB North restaurants have some of the best alfresco options in Hong Kong, combining gourmet international dining with panoramic 180° sea views. Through February 14, diners get a HK$100 dining voucher to be used for subsequent spending when they spend HK$880 or above in a single transaction at the designated restaurants* and present the original same-day receipt at the Dine ‘N Ride Service Counter. On February 9, lovers can meet at the Discovery Bay Sunday Market in DB Plaza to browse over 100 booths, showcasing handmade items by local artists and indie-crafters. With so much to choose from, you are certain to find a very special gift for that very special person.
you’ve written your names on the lock, you can lock it to the railings of the promenade to symbolise your love and commitment to each other. While in DB North, lovers can ride off into their own ‘happily ever after’ in a horse-drawn carriage, taking in the elegant European-style architecture lining the route and breath-taking views along the coast of Yi Pak Wan. You can pick up tickets for the classic horse-drawn carriage ride at the Activity Centre at Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong. Valentine-themed rides are available from February 14 to 16, from 9.30am to 11.30am and 3pm to 6pm. Each ride costs HK$300 and lasts for about 10 minutes, with a maximum of four people per carriage. But no Valentine’s Day in DB would be complete without the annual candlelight event on Tai Pak Wan. Every year, the beach is lit up by thousands of candles arranged in heart-shaped displays, making it the ideal place for couples to exchange their vows and capture moments of love.
* The designated restaurants are: 22º North, Three Sheets Marquee Bar, Coyote
On February 8, 9 and 14, meanwhile, couples can redeem their own padlock to add on to Love Lock Promenade in DB North. Simply like the Visit Discovery Bay Facebook page and the Valentine’s Day promotional post, leave a comment on the post and tag three friends. To redeem the complimentary love lock, present your Facebook post comment at the Love Lock Redemption Counter in DB North. Once 24 LIFE ON LANTAU
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Mexican Cantina, Ebeneezer’s, Figos, First Korean Restaurant, Hemingway’s, Il Bel Paese, Koh Tomyums, McSorley’s Ale House, Pascucci Italian Caffe & Fine Food, PizzaExpress, Shanghai Breeze, Solera, Zak’s, Cali-Mex, Mirch Masala, MooFish, TigerLily, Peony Chinese Restaurant and D’Café at Discovery Bay Recreation Club and Café bord de Mer & Lounge at Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong
ACTIVITIES FOR SWEETHEARTS • Through February 17: Delight in the Romantic Rendezvous @ Discovery Bay decorations in DB Plaza and DB North • February 8, 9 and 14, 2.30pm to 10pm: Redeem a complimentary love lock to seal your love at DB North near the clock tower • February 9, 11am to 6pm: Pick a heart-warming gift for your sweetheart at the Discovery Bay Sunday Market in DB Plaza • February 14 to 16, 9.30am to 11.30am and 3pm to 6pm: Enjoy a romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage at the Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong • February 14, 6pm to 11pm: Take a selfie beside the thousands of candles arranged in heart-shaped displays on Tai Pak Wan
AUBERGE SPECIALS • February 14 to 16. Priced from HK$2,688**, the Valentine’s Day Room Package at the Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong includes a one-night stay in a mountain-view room for two, plus a breakfast buffet, Valentine’s Day Set Dinner and arts-and-crafts workshop. Couples also receive a complimentary heart-shaped lock souvenir • February 14. At HK$1,588** for two, the Valentine’s Day Set Dinner at Café bord de Mer & Lounge delivers a decadent selection of dishes, ranging from sea urchin and soft quail egg capellini pasta with caviar cream sauce, to grilled black angus filet mignon with sesame sauce and red wine foam. Diners are also entitled to a photo session beside the hotel’s European-style horse-drawn carriage at the White Chapel. • Valentine’s Day Giveaway: The first 100 couples who book a Valentine’s getaway or set dinner will receive a HK$1,000 I-Primo cash voucher and a Pevonia Travel Kit ** Terms and conditions apply; all prices are subject to 10% service charge
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LIFE ON LANTAU 25
OUT & ABOUT
COMMUNITY SNAPS
e ould lik If you w tured os fea t o h p your to see email page, is h t on .hk ia.com d e m y ba duey@
On December 22, 10-year-old eco activist Lance Lau co-hosted a South Lantau plog – a hikecleanup-hike – with Eco Marine. The volunteers met up in Pui O before hiking 3.5 kilometres to clean Wang Tong beach, which was literally covered in man-made rubbish. To read more about Lance, turn to page 10. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
Photos by Martina Yu
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On December 18, the students at Silvermine Bay School presented their Christmas show, The Magical Christmas Jigsaw, which brings the Christmas story to life as a magical Christmas jigsaw is pieced together. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
silverminebayschool.edu.hk
Ashville International Kindergarten & Nursery students and their families celebrated the festive season at their Christmas concert on December 16. The concert ended with a visit from Santa, who is based in Lantau, when not in the North Pole. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
Photos by Duey Tam www.lifeonlantau.com
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LIFE ON LANTAU  27
OUT & ABOUT
e ould lik If you w tured os fea t o h p your to see email page, is h t n o .hk ia.com d e m y ba duey@
Dogs and their owners helped raise funds to support animal rescue, homing services and desexing programmes at the 34th SPCA Dogathon on January 5 at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. The theme for this year’s event was 12 Zodiac Animals Walk Together. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
dogathon.spca.org.hk
The Treasure Island Christmas Market on December 14 and 15 was a big hit, as was the group’s Charity Beach Ball on December 14. Proceeds from the ball benefited Lantau-based animal welfare charities. Find more familiar faces @ www.lifeonlantau.com
www.treasureislandhk.com
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AKASH MOVING Local packing, moving, storage & handyman service • All kinds of transport services • Inbound shipment clearance Having stuff delivered from China? They are not delivering to DB or Lantau? Have it delivered to our office in Kwai Chung & we’ll deliver it to your home corporate & business services
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www.lifeonlantau.com
February / March 2020
LIFE ON LANTAU 31
MOMENTS
Charmian’s Diary
I
Written over the course of a year by Mui Wo resident Charmian Woodhouse, Lantau Life records the author’s joyful expeditions around the island and her encounters with a myriad animals and plants. This excerpt reminds us that, in February, spring is just around the corner
t’s February 24, a calm, silvery grey morning. I stop for the view over Pui O on my way up Sunset Peak. There are splashes of silver sunshine on the water between the islands. I walk into cloud, it’s cool at the top with a light wind blowing up and over the mountain. As I start up Lantau Peak, I pass several trail walkers and bump into friends. Seven-year-old Josiah is going up the peak for the first time. “It’s the Everest of Lantau!” I say and we walk together for a short while.
The ferry ploughs on, between the islands: Green Island, Sunshine Island and Kau Yi Chau, continuing to Hong Kong Island to berth at Central pier, entering into another world. A world of crowds, lights, bustle, commerce. But at the end of the day, I’ll take the ferry home, watching the lights of the city flash and sparkle and give way to the still darkness of the sea until the lights of Mui Wo welcome me home. Back to Mui Wo, back to peace and space and the wide-open bay with still waters, surrounded by friendly hills and overshadowed by Lin Fa Shan.
I love the views of the rolling hills and mountainside on my way up, and we ascend back into cloud at the summit. The run down to Ngong Ping brings me out of the wind onto the sheltered side of the mountain. I stock up on water in Ngong Ping and head down the road back to the trail. It’s a beautiful trail, with soul-refreshing views, that meanders down to Tai O. I cross a stream, flowing gently in this the dry season. The sound of water fills the glade. I pass a house, hidden away in the hills, far from anywhere. It has an exquisite garden with a large pond with a zig-zag bridge. It’s being restored today. I descend down the extremely steep track into Tai O and walk along the pier through the mangroves to finish off my wonderful day out in the Lantau mountains.
Bauhinia flowers
Photos by Charmian Woodhouse
February 28 The air is full, saturated with birdsong. The sky is shining, covered with light cloud and the rising sun infuses it with pastel yellow and peachy pink. There are two little egrets in the tree, watchful of their world from their lookout. The red-whiskered bulbuls land in the TV antennae just for a moment. High above, the swallows swirl and dash, hunting for their breakfast. I hear a flit of wings above my head. It’s a large bird but I can’t identify it from this angle. It could be a heron; I can’t be sure. I watch as it flies towards Butterfly Hill and lands in ‘The Tall Tree.’ Butterfly Hill is forested but there is one tree that is taller than all the rest and it’s a favourite with the birds. I can see it from my living room window and often see birds coming and going from it. The rumble of the ferry engine vibrates in my stomach and the propeller-churned sea makes a path to show where we’ve been. The sea is a clear jade green and the sun is warm with pastel-blue skies overhead. Spring is coming. 32 LIFE ON LANTAU
February / March 2020
www.lifeonlantau.com
Looking back at Mui Wo from the ferry
FIND IT
•
Lantau Life: A Year on Lantau Island by Charmian Woodhouse is available at Vibe Book & Music Store and Lantau Base Camp in Mui Wo, and at Bookazine in Discovery Bay and Prince’s Building, Central
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