Hong Kong Stories

If we want to see animals, what else can we do apart from visiting the zoo? In the city, all we need is to raise our eyes to observe and scan our surroundings carefully, then we might spot their presence. They are the “animal neighbours” that dwell and coexist with humans in Hong Kong. The hostess Charlene Houghton will begin a journey in search of animals in seclusion with a group of nature enthusiasts, and listen to the rarely known stories of black-eared kites, boars, Pallas's squirrels, tree frogs, fiddler crabs, etc.

To some people, the purpose of travelling is to explore new things. Yet, we don’t have to go to another country to do so. In our daily lives, the city we work in and a familiar environment, there may be some things that we have never drawn our attention. Over 100 years ago, there was a City of Victoria in Hong Kong, with its boundaries marked by stone pillars. More than a century later, there are only 6 boundary stones left. In this episode, our host Lee Ming-hay, our city travel expert Paul Chan and the Director of the movie “Dot 2 dot” Amos Why, will ride on rickshaws (with more than 100 years of history) instead of bicycles, to trace these 6 century-old monuments hidden in our city and the stories of the City of Victoria.

In this episode, we will follow our host Charlene to go on an “in-depth” local tour. Depth? How deep? As deep as the sea! Scuba-diving is getting more and more popular in Hong Kong these days. As summer is around, Charlene gets in the boat of John, a scuba-diving instructor, to set off for the Sai Kung seas. There, Charlene combines scuba-diving with underwater photography. It turns out that underwater photography is a highly challenging pastime that requires patience, experience, technique, and a lot of know-how. Although it takes quite some time to master, underwater photography can take you from the hustle bustle of city life far, far away to relax in the bosom of nature. It can even cleanse your mind. It is really an interesting pastime. From the serene underwater world, we come back to the turbulent sea surface. Guided by Mr Lau Lee-lam, Charlene and her party steer through one sea cave after another. The sea cave, a natural wonder though, is a risky place to visit because of the pointed speleothems and the dark, narrow passages between rocky surfaces, not to mention the turbulent waves below; all these features contribute to the exciting and challenging nature of the visit. It is a test on not only personal stamina and courage, but also the spirit of mutual help and cooperation within a team. The two sea activities give Charlene some food for thought.

Besides dining and entertainment, spending and pastime, does travel hold other meanings? In this episode, we will embark on different volunteer activities: Ms. Ng Yui Man, our hostess, will make way to the grassland with her straw hat on, in order to understand the habitat in Long Valley as well as the agricultural industry in Hong Kong while working as a volunteer. If a day of volunteer tour does not feed your appetite, you can listen to the story of Ethan and some foreign volunteers about their one-month stay in Lamma Island. They work as volunteers while attending to the voice of the fishermen and experiencing in person the exotic ambience surrounded by the sea. In addition, Mr. Lee Ming Hay, a cycling expert, will join Ms. Ng Mun Mun to travel around Tsuen Wan separately using wheelchairs to experience the barrier-free facilities in the district, so as to integrate a map for the sake of wheelchair users’ convenience. It turns out that volunteer activities can be so dazzling and enriching!

The wasteland, as the name implies, is a forsaken land with ruins. Yet, it is, in a way, a record of our many predecessors’ ways of living. Ms. Ng Mun Mun, our hostess, believes the wastelands in Hong Kong bring her a sense of warmth because the moment she enters a wasteland, her memories of growing up flash back. Following the lead of Stone, Sir Lau and Jackie, the three wasteland experts, Ng Yui Man visits some deserted villages, livestock farms and tungsten mines to study their history and capture different feelings.

Over 60% of the total area in Hong Kong is rural area. As Hong Kong has natural waterfronts and a landform of eroded hills, and the hills usually rise suddenly above the sea level, people here are living in the narrow gaps among the hills. Mountain lovers can enjoy hiking in different ways. In this episode, hiking expert AU Wing-kui (Ah Kui) will take us to recognise the different feelings between people and hills. "Wandering Photography”, a mountain photography group, will take Ah Kui to Robin's Nest, the highest peak of the Northeast New Territories. Is the sunset of Robin's Nest worthwhile for mountain photographers to come all the way to visit? The group “Yamanaka Yuko” and Ah Kui will climb the Tai Tun Hill which they have never stepped foot on. Although this petite hill is not that high, it is not particularly user-friendly after torrential summer rain. Can this group, which feeds off inspiration, embody this experience and transcend their current liminal state in this ephemeral journey? Ah Kui takes his son with him to visit his friend, Tristan, and her family which has settled in Chuen Lung Village for three generations, and takes a look at her extraordinary in-house Chinese herbal medicine garden. Ah Kui will also visit Elizabeth and her husband Clive. The Australian Elizabeth, having lived in Hong Kong for over two decades, lives the couple’s ideal lifestyle of seclusion in the hills. Is there really anything fascinating about life in the hills? There was a time when humans and nature were one. There, up in the wild hills, lies part of ourselves that we have lost touch with. Which part of it do you want to bring back to the hustle and bustle of city life, whenever you wander in the hills?

Many men have aspiration to have their own space to enjoy their own private time. To find a place of higher altitude from where one stands, will one be able to discover a kind of romance that only belong to oneself? Our host Lee Ming-hay will follow tree-climbing coaches to Tai Tong and Pak Tam Chung to experience the fun of tree climbing and enjoy the unique scenery. He will also follow an instructor of astronomy to Cape D’Aguilar, the southernmost part of Hong Kong, to appreciate the spectacular view of the Milky Way in summer. At Shui Hau, Lantau Island, under the broad starlight and through astrophotography of deep sky objects, we can feel the vast and boundless universe hidden deep in space.

Dancing is an exhibition of a person’s stature as well as an art form that responds to the society. In this episode, our hostess Charlene will walk into the world of dancing in Hong Kong and study different types of dance. She will gain insight into the culture of Hong Kong urban space while exploring the spirit of dancing. Modern dance untethers dancers from traditional techniques and focuses more on dancers’ subjectivity and movement interactions with space. Joseph and Kenny, a couple of modern dancers who just completed their studies abroad, practice the integration of environmental elements into dance movements with Charlene in the nooks and crannies of the city. They perceive the environment with body sensations; communicate with each other through dance steps; and create a new choreographic piece with the fruit they bear in the end. In addition, Charlene will glean the skills from other dances: Mo is a street dancer who shows solicitude for female identity, she will visit various places from universities to streets with our hostess in a bid to experience the relation between females and space; Angela, an experienced jazz dancer, will let Charlene attend a formal dancing class as a preparation for the performance choreographed by Charlene.

Although Hong Kong has mountainous terrain and shortage of flat land, the highest mountain here is not even higher than 1000 m above sea level, thus it is not even close to measure up against the famous mountains and rivers overseas. However, the countryside of Hong Kong is within easy reach from urban areas which allows the public to take on the challenges from the nature. This kind of easy access is very rare around the globe. Coupled with Hong Kong’s precipitous landscape, it is perfect for outdoor challenge activities. One of these activities is canyoning, which has not been introduced to Hong Kong until recent years. Euphoric excitement is brought about by the cliffy escarpments and roaring torrents which make every participant’s step a nerve-wracking challenge. In addition, the craggy boulders and upright rock faces strewn around offer venues of different difficulties for attempting bouldering and rock-climbing. In this episode, our hostess Charlene will attempt all the aforementioned activities and take you all on a challenging journey exclusive to Hong Kong.