The Natural and Historical Beauty of Hong Kong

[Randy W]

An ongoing topic - click here for Most Recent Post

 

SCMP -

How time-lapse film showing Hong Kong's stunning beauty came to be made

Francis So was inspired to try time-lapse photography by a video of New Zealand scenery. It's now his full-time job, and his first film, of Hong Kong's natural beauty, has been viewed 320,000 times

 

 

 

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An iridescent night sky filled with stars, windswept rolling hills, a fast-moving sea of clouds streaked with breaking sunlight and serene water sprinkled with bobbing boats. The scenes in Seen by My Eyes, Hong Kong, a five-minute short made by local photographer Francis So Ka-chun, are so breathtaking that it is hard to believe that they were captured in Hong Kong, a city more famous for being a concrete jungle than its natural beauty.

 

Made using time-lapse photography, the short won four prizes – including winner of the mountain tourism category and first runner-up for best time-lapse – in the 4th Finisterra Arrábida Film Art and Tourism Festival held in Portugal in May.

 

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Greg.D.]

Loved it! SItting here at my kitchen table, awake too early, trying to keep the lights down - wishing I could sleep some more - this was a great balm. Did not know, would not have imagined, this was possible from HK. The cows were a nice touch!

[Randy W]

In the New York Times - more in line with what I did. But I hardly got to see anything in just a couple of days transiting between China and the U.S.

 

A $1,000 Day in Hong Kong for $100

Skip the Michelin-starred restaurant and the guided tour. Opt for a map and a good pair of walking shoes to take in Hong Kong without all the expense.

[Dennis143]

Awwww, Hong Kong.... Stunningly beautiful video. Not the Hong Kong that I remember as a 19 year old sailor on R and R in 1968/69 when I fell in love with China and a lovely young lady whom I still carry in my heart today.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[johnxiaoying]

Awwww, Hong Kong.... Stunningly beautiful video. Not the Hong Kong that I remember as a 19 year old sailor on R and R in 1968/69 when I fell in love with China and a lovely young lady whom I still carry in my heart today.

I'm sure as a good swabbie you stayed away from liquor and avoided Kowloon since it was full of commies, like I did. Fond memories, especially Lily from what I can remember.

[Randy W]

Some fascinating photos

This Photographer Beautifully Documented Hong Kong's Transformation In The 1950s

http://media.allday.com/8ZhAESP1CGijf16ORkToHNSu2Ao=/0x342:650x830/1200x900/smart/etch-production.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/posts/7b/a3/20/7ba3200000000000.jpg

http://media.allday.com/l7lg08hgB6wus_tXlsqm5ROXsQI=/1200x900/smart/etch-production.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/posts/3a/a3/20/3aa3200000000000.jpg

 

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In the 1950s, Hong Kong was undergoing a massive transformation. British Control resumed after the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong ended in 1945, and the Nationalist-Communist Civil War was raging in mainland China, prompting a surge in refugees that caused the city's population to grow from 600,000 to 2.1 million.

In the midst of this transformation, Chinese photographer Ho Fan was documenting what he saw on the streets. Ho would go on to become one of China's most celebrated photographers, film directors, and actors. Taken when he was a teenager, his photos, seen in "Fan Ho: A Hong Kong Memoir," show his talent even at an early stage in his career.

 

Edited January 2, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

in the SCMP

 

Hong Kong’s MacLehose Trail named one of the best hikes in the world

National Geographic Society compiled picks from ‘outdoor luminaries’, including trail runners, CEOs and popular authors

 

 

 

The city’s first and longest hiking trail, the MacLehose Trail, has been named one of the best hikes in the world by the National Geographic Society.

The society said it had asked 20 “outdoor luminaries” including trail runners, CEOs and popular authors for the trails they dreamed about.

 

. . .

 

Fayhee, the author of a dozen of books on mountaineering, said: “I hiked this trail in 1987 over the course of a week, and it kicked my ass.”

The experienced hiker, who has completed the 3,380km Appalachian Trail and the 1,368km Arizona Trail in the United States, said he had heard about the MacLehose Trail as a youngster from his Uncle Jack, a retired sergeant major in the British Army, as it had apparently been used for fitness competitions between the various national components of the army.

“While Hong Kong may be one of the most densely populated places on the planet, the surrounding New Territories are rural and quiet – and they are tough country to hike,” Fayhee said.

“The MacLehose Trail makes constant, grueling 1,000-plus-foot descents followed immediately by ascents along the fingers of ridgetops, making it more challenging than its mileage suggests,” he added.

He described the trail as starting at the stunning eastern beaches before climbing up into tropical mountains, where monkeys chattered from the branches.

“It usually takes five to six days to complete the trail, which has been made a bit easier since the days of the Gurkhas with stone steps and paths and first-come-first-serve free campgrounds.”

 

[Randy W]

The best of the MacLehose Trail, East Asia’s only National Geographic Dream Trail

Which bits of the 100km trail through the New Territories reward you with the best ridge walks, coastlines and scenery? Which are the best side trips? How to get to them, and toughness ratings, included

Edited December 21, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

 

 

 

 

MEGAN SULLIVAN‘S TWO-MINUTE VIDEO made of one-second shots of Hong Kong sums up the place perfectly: show-stopping skylines, nature reserves just one stone’s throw from the city, and the glimpses of tradition in an extremely modern environment. Give it a watch and be transported.

 

[Randy W]

Not exactly beauty - maybe intrigue - how some people survive in Hong Kong

Coffin cubicles, caged homes and subdivisions … life inside Hong Kong’s grim low income housing

Behind the city’s glittery facade is a cramped and sometimes squalid underbelly where more than 200,000 people live day-by-day

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He lives in a 500 square foot apartment with 21 other residents. He spends his nights cooped up in a tiny space, which barely fits a single-sized mattress, trying to fall asleep while his neighbours squabble over whose turn it is to use the bathroom.

. . .

His home, which is featured in a new photo exhibition and book by the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO), highlights the plight of those living in all kinds of low-income housing, including coffin cubicles, caged homes and partitioned flats hidden behind the city’s glamorous facade.

. . .

“I have to crouch down to take a shower so the kitchen stove and condiments don’t get wet,” Ye, who only gave her last name, said.

Her 10-year-old daughter who lives with relatives was shocked to see how her mother lived.

Edited December 21, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

This article is just about Hong Kong Island - not the rest of the territory - in the SCMP

Five places hikers can get away from it all on Hong Kong Island’s wild side

Forget the New Territories and outlying islands: from Shek O to The Peak, a rewarding mix of beaches and steep trails in the island’s south and west gives the soul a lift – and all in a day

Edited December 21, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

in the SCMP

Hong Kong hiker collapses and dies while tackling ‘treacherous’ Sharp Peak

Signs along the trail warn people of hazards, but department website extols the ‘handsome’ views to be enjoyed from the top

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Sharp Peak is popular among hikers despite the difficult two-hour trek to the top because it offers a breathtaking panorama of the four bays of Tai Long Wan.

But the trail is steep and a large part of it is not paved. Hikers – often wearing gloves – have to scramble to the summit using their hands.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has posted signs along the route reading: “The trail leading to Sharp Peak is very treacherous and difficult. For safety reasons, you are advised not to proceed.”

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

in the SCMP

 

Your guide to hiking around Hong Kong’s Lion Rock - the trails, the sights, and how to get there and back

Reaching the summit of one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive landmarks takes some effort, but your reward is some spectacular views

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During the “umbrella movement” protests in 2014, a band of intrepid activists hung a giant yellow banner on the rock, with black characters proclaiming, “I want real universal suffrage”.

Although most people only see Lion Rock from afar, it’s a prime site for rock climbers, and there are a couple of trails to the top for hikers. Reaching the summit takes some effort, but the rewards are spectacular views.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from Sotheby's -

Visual Dialogues
Hong Kong through the Lens of Fan Ho

14 JUNE 2017 - 30 JUNE 2017 | HONG KONG

. . . and the SCMP

Photographer Fan Ho’s never-before-seen Hong Kong images on show in exhibition and new book

Portrait of Hong Kong - Ho’s final book project - showcases a more documentary style of photography compared with the stylised street scenes of 1930s to 1960s Hong Kong for which he was known

Video on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/10155312309759820/

Edited December 21, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Some excellent shots here - in the SCMP

 

How an amateur Hong Kong photographer wowed editors at National Geographic

Graphic designer Edward Tin, 56, says having mountains close to urban areas is a boon for taking pictures of the city

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2017 by Randy W (see edit history)