Peace of Mind
On a weekend, we visited a wetland area to the northwest boundaries of Hong Kong. It is a unique place because there is few other places like it in an ultra-urban cosmopolitan like Hong Kong where citizens live in the shadows of skyscrapers. This place, known as Nam Sang Wai to the locals, is a strip of peninsula bounded by two rivers running to join each other just north of the Yuen Long district.
The time has arrived when summer turns into fall. It is a transition when birds migrate southwards and their favorite resting place is one of these expansive wetlands north of Hong Kong. To me as an amateur photographer, I really wish to shoot (with a camera!) the lively birds in action, but I lack a long telephoto lens to do the job.
So, instead, like many others who have arrived at the wetlands on the same afternoon, we enjoyed the day as a valuable retreat from the busy city. Couples could be seen strolling along the hidden paths holding hands, families were picnicking comfortably on the grass. To the people of Hong Kong, the vast amount of foliage is a rarity, and this piece of land is famous for being “the Last Garden of Hong Kong”.
Perhaps to foreigners, this piece of land is nothing extraordinary. But to some local people, this garden symbolizes the last line of defense against the multibillion worth of land developers who wish to destroy the forest and wetlands and replace the green trees with tall buildings (which make them rich). A protest was held last year when the local people voiced their dissent with the government’s development plans that threaten to damage the natural environment.
It was a truly relaxing environment in this rural country with little modern structures to be seen. A large grassland welcomed us. From here, a small path lined with trees led us to the bank of the wetlands. On the far side of the waters, colorful houses showed us the signs of their age as the rust eroded into the sheets of metals covering their walls. Apart from the visitors who wandered, cycled, and captured pictures of wild birds, the atmosphere was serene and peaceful.
The following picture is my personal favorite. The broken bridge stood out from the scene. Shades of green and yellow dominated the landscape. A soft breeze cooled us under the cloudless sky.
The effect of light on the plants was magnificent. It was time to practice my macro shots. Although there is not even one beautiful flower to capture, the beauty that our Creator has entrusted to us was evident in even the smallest and most ordinary plants.
And going back to the water side, more colorful houses could be seen. The original farmers and villagers who lived here a long time ago have mostly moved into the city where everything is more convenient. Only a few tuck shops remained, serving traditional Chinese sweets. It was the chilled Tofu Hua (a beancurd jelly with syrup) that delighted us most.
An old house by the water, made of wood and metal sheets
A forbidden forest and a forsaken hut
Closeup of the old houses in contrast to the skyscrapers in the city
We must learn to relax from time to time, and be grateful for what has been given to us each day. We’re glad we found our peace of mind!
(NB photos taken with Sony NEX-3 with Tamron 18-200 and Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro; with HDR post-processing.)
Thanks for visiting. Check out the related posts and the gallery below:
- Shing Mun Reservoir Scenery in Hong Kong
- Tai Tam Reservoir Scenery in Hong Kong
Good for you! So hard to find peace of mind in a very cluttered world! Your photos are amazing. I’ve always thought of hk as a jungle of scyscrapers, so glad to know there’s a forest area left. I really appreciate your photos. =>
Thank you for your compliment and taking the time to read the post and commenting. Yes it is indeed a precious place to treasure!
Nice! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for stopping by and commenting, glad you liked them!
Beautiful Photos!
Thank you very much!
Any area preserved like this is a blessing and thank you again for bring us these wonderful images.
Thanks 🙂 for your compliment as always, great to share these images with you!
OMG! These are just so beautiful. These are my favorites: https://bwbears.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dsc08237.jpg, https://bwbears.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dsc08141.jpg and https://bwbears.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dsc08229.jpg. I wished I had seen this before my travel to HK, maybe next time I will. Very stunning.
Thank you for your comment and there are some good hidden treasures in HK 😉
I would visit again soon! 😉
These are beautiful.
Thank you very much =)
All the photos really bring about peace of mind when you look at them! 🙂 GREAT JOB!
Thanks for the wonderful compliment. Have a great day!
Just felt in love with all these photos. 🙂
I fall in love with bwbears! 😛
The colours in these photos are amazing!
such beautiful, carefully captured details! thank you for sharing.
Thanks for your comment! You have a wonderful blog. 🙂
thank you – i still haven’t tried HDR yet! (smile)
Beautiful photo set (peace of mind). I really like the definition surrounding the rustic weathered foot bridge.