The Peak

Monday October 5, Steve was home from work and we decided to do our Friday field trip on Monday instead. The typhoon warnings had been taken down and though it was overcast with an occasional sprinkle, the day seemed fine for an outing. We decided on the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. Steve has never done it and the kids were all excited about riding a cable car up the mountain. Actually they were mostly excited to see me scared witless while riding the cable car up the mountain...such wonderful children. They joked about it all morning as we were getting ready, eating, and riding the bus over to Tung Chung. We got to Tung Chung at lunch time and couldnt agree on a restaurant for lunch. We searched the mall for a food court and finding none...opted for take out from a couple places. Noodles for some and McDonalds for others. We finished up in time to join the cheque for the cable cars only to find out the cars were shut down due to winds up the mountain. I'm not saying the kids jinxed themselves with disrespect to their mother...but makes you wonder!

So instead, we decided to go up The Peak on Hong Kong island. The Peak or Victori Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong island and was traditionally a place that important and high ranking colonial officials lived or vacationed. Most of them elected to be carried up the mountain.

Yes, seriously... and until 1947 only expatriates were allowed to live in the Peak residential area. No wonder they kicked the British out.

We took the MTR (train) to central and walked up to the tram station. We passed St. John's Episcopal cathedral and grounds. It is a beautiful church with a long history in HK.

 

Tomb of a soldier who died fighting Japan when HK was invaded.

Walk up to the tram station

We elected to ride the Peak tram up the mountain, since walking it takes Steve over an hour and it was already late in the afternoon.

Web photo of the Peak Tram

We thought it would be faster and easier for Lizzy. We were wrong about the faster portion.

Crowd waiting to get on the tram. See the crush all the way back to the entrance. It took us about 40 minutes to get to this point. And once we got into this mess, there was no turning back!

On the tram.

 

At the top, there is a very touristy area with a mall, several restaurants and a huge gift store. There is also a path around the peak that is much less traveled. It does indeed have stunning views of Hong Kong and is an easy hike of about a mile and a half.

 

Discvoery Bay in the distance from the Peak.

 

Rubber tree plant

 

This was beautiful and worth the trip. However, we all agreed we will walk up next time. And probably walk back down, too. By far the scariest part of the trip was the mini bus trip down the mountain! It's a bus that holds about 15-17 people, they are usually well worn and the drivers in Hong Kong go fast anyway. We climbed on though since it was the only bus going our way and it was beginning to rain by then. That bus hurtled down the mountain, going around these hairpin turns. We all grabbed for seat belts, but of course they didn't work. My prayers were interrupted by our driver honking at the slow taxi in front of him. I was so grateful for that taxi!! They drive on the other side of the road here...as in England. I'm still not used to it and and it makes feel as though a crash is imminent every second anyway. I'm in a seat holding Lizzy on my lap trying not to think about the status of the brakes on this bus, the wet roads, and the driver is up there yelling and honking. We got off at his first stop even though he could have taken us farther! He kept yelling at us, "Next stop! next stop!" We just thanked him and left. I almost kissed the ground.

We took the ferry home and collapsed! That's what we get for taking a Friday field trip on a Monday!

 

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