Life on Lantau Feb/Mar 2023

LOVE BITES

VALENTINE’S DAY QUIZ AND A WISH LIST FOR LOVERS

EASY DOES IT

HIKE SCENIC HILL FOR SUBLIME VIEWS

BOTANICAL ARTIST SALLY GRACE BUNKER

Celebrate with us the best of what Italians eat every day!

iL Bel Paese offers authentic Italian cuisine, including pizza, home made pasta & classic desserts

VALENTINE'S DAY MENUS AVAILABLE

Meet Sally Grace Bunker, botanical artist and 25-year Mui Wo resident

22 DISPATCH

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Good things to expect from the Year of the Water Rabbit

26 TRAIL WALKER

Take a hike from Pui O through the quiet and mysterious Chi Ma Wan Peninsula 36 DESTINATION

Scenic Hill – enjoy mesmerising views from the highest point in Chek Lap Kok

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SARIN ALE Art director sarin@baymedia.com.hk

CONTRIBUTORS

RAY AU, IMOGEN CLYDE, ELIZABETH KERR, JASON PAGLIARI, CLAIRE SEVERN

PHOTOGRAPHY

DANIELLE BOOYSE PHOTOGRAPHY www.daniellebooysephotography.myportfolio.com

BEATRIX MALAN www.atscollective.com

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Happenings & Events

STUFF TO KNOW IN FEBRUARY!

MEGA MOUNTAIN BIKE PRACTICE GROUND OPEN IN MUI WO

The Mui Wo Mountain Bike Practice Ground opened on December 17, offering bikers of all abilities a safe and exciting environment in which to enhance their skills. Designed by the Civil Engineering Department’s Sustainable Lantau Office and managed by the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), it covers 4.5 hectares and is located in Lantau South Country Park near Lai Chi Yuen Tsuen, Mui Wo.

With a total capacity for 500 bikes, the Mui Wo Mountain Bike Practice Ground is the first in Hong Kong and one of the largest in Asia. Together with its associated trails, it is the only venue in Hong Kong that covers all five mountain bike difficulty levels.

In addition to the trails and practice areas, there are a whole series of rock gardens, from so-called beginner to advanced. Further technical features –uphill challenge, switch-back, steep descent, sand pit, rock pit, cork screw, ladder bridge, jumps and skinny – ensure bikers of all abilities are challenged and given the opportunity to progress. Enthusiasts are advised to choose training facilities that best suit their skill level and experience, and to be equipped with safety gear in good condition.

The AFCD has long been committed to improving the mountain bike trails in Lantau’s country parks, while protecting the natural environment. To this end, sustainable principles have been adopted in the design and construction of the Mui Wo practice ground, in order to retain the original landscape and reduce the need for future maintenance. The facilities comply with the sustainable trail standards of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA).

The HK$40 million project provides around 9 kilometres of new mountain bike trails connecting to Mui Wo Ferry Pier Road in the east and the road leading to Lai Chi Yuen Cemetery in the west. A free venue, open 24/7, it has toilets, a first-aid kiosk, a shelter and water filling stations.

THE VENUE COVERS ALL FIVE MOUNTAIN BIKE DIFFICULTY LEVELS

MTR TUNG CHUNG LINE EXTENSION

The Hong Kong government has approved the MTR Tung Chung Line extension project, which will see the line diverging into East and West sections. The project will include the construction of an above-ground Tung Chung East station between the existing Sunny Bay and Tung Chung stations, and an underground Tung Chung West terminus beside Yat Tung Estate.

Scheduled for completion in 2029, the extension is poised to bring more convenience to Tung Chung residents. As of now, it takes around 25 minutes to reach Tung Chung from Yat Tung Estate, with buses running every 20 minutes. According to estimates, the total journey time between Tung Chung West Station and Tung Chung East Station towards Tsim Sha Tsui or Central will be reduced by around 12 and 21 minutes, respectively. To find out more, visit mtrtungchunglineextension.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Wikimedia Commons.]

LIVING ISLANDS MOVEMENT AGM AND GARDEN PARTY

Living Islands Movement (LIM) is entering the new year with a watching brief on three significant initiatives: the proposed artificial islands near Kau Yi Chau, the development of 1,000 hectares for recreational use on South Lantau, and the South Lantau sewerage scheme.

You can learn more about these projects, and how LIM is proposing to respond to them, at the group’s Fundraising Garden Party in Wang Tong on March 18. Meanwhile, LIM is holding its AGM on February 11 at Good Old Soil in Mui Wo. Headed up by new LIM chair Louise Preston, the meeting will include a brief update on current and forthcoming issues, as well as the chairman’s and treasurer’s reports. LIM is currently looking for volunteers and everyone is invited to attend the upcoming meetings, and commit to working on the challenges and opportunities facing South Lantau. To find out more, visit www.livingislands.org.hk. [PHOTO BY Beatrix Malanwww.atscollective.com.]

VIRTUAL GOLF IN DB NORTH

Anew addition to DB North Plaza, The Golf Bay provides a unique virtual golfing experience, allowing players to perfect their technique and even play 18 holes. The venue’s technologically advanced simulators, designed by Foresight Sports, use three high-speed cameras, which capture everything from posture and swing to the length of your drive. State-of-the-art software replicates some 30 golf courses, from Mission Hills in Hainan to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, immersing players in real-life scenarios as they work on improving their game.

Cost-effective training packages are on offer, and The Golf Bay also partners with golf coaches, with one-hour individual lessons and group lessons available for kids as well as adults. There are two bays: Bay 1 for left- and right-handed players and Bay 2 for right-handed players only. To learn more and book a bay, visit www.thegolfbay.hk. [PHOTO BY Raphael Blet.]

REDUCED TRAVEL TIME FOR TUNG CHUNG RESIDENTS

LOUISE PRESTON, LIM’S NEW CHAIR

BOOK A BAY TO UP YOUR GAME

RACE FOR LOVE ON VALENTINE’S DAY

The Trail Hub is holding its annual Valentine’s Day Race on February 12 at 9.30am. Starting and finishing at Treasure Island in Pui O, the event is one of the most inclusive in town, with joiners competing in pairs in various categories, including Men’s Team, Women’s Team, Mixed Team, Non-Binary, Mum & Me and Dad & Me. The cut-off is four hours and there are two intensity levels – the Easy Love (9km) coastal path and trail route or the Tough Love (15km) route that includes the climb up and over Lo Yan Shan (303m) and the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula.

Entry costs HK$680 per team with the option to add HK$100 per person for a post-race brunch at Treasure Island; day care is also available from 9am to 1pm. To enrol, by February 11, visit www.thetrailhub.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF The Trail Hub.]

HOT HONEY AT SHAKE SHACK, TUNG CHUNG

Shake Shack’s special CNY menu, Hot Honey – tasty ‘golden delights’ filled with sweet honey and spice – is available through February 25. Try the Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich, which combines hot honey-glazed crispy chicken with the Shack’s signature cabbage and green apple slaw on a freshly toasted potato bun, or the crispy Hot Honey Chicken Bites served with Hot Honey sauce on the side.

Shake Shack serves elevated versions of American classics, and it’s known for its delicious made-to-order Angus beef burgers, crispy chicken, hot dogs, hand-spun milkshakes and house-made lemonades. Opened in 2004 in New York’s Madison Square Park, the company has expanded to nearly 300 locations, with more than 140 international eateries, including Tung Chung Citygate. To find out more, visit Facebook @shakeshackhongkong. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Shake Shack.]

DBIS CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

Discovery Bay International School (DBIS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, a milestone that is set to be marked with a glittering ball at the Auberge Discovery Bay on February 11. The event will be a wonderful celebration of DBIS’ journey from its original cohort of three students and three staff in January 1983 to a community in its thousands.

In other news, DBIS welcomed Marc Morris as its new Head of School in January. Taking over from former head Stuart Bridge, who expertly guided the school for three and a half years, Marc joins DBIS from Jumeirah College, Dubai, bringing with him 40 years’ experience in the education sector. Originally from the UK, Marc is no stranger to Hong Kong, having previously spent six years as Principal of Sha Tin College. With a resume that includes headteacher roles in the UK and Asia, as well as three years as Chief Education Officer for Dulwich College International, Marc has a track record of academic excellence, while being a strong advocate for extracurricular activities. For more on DBIS, visit www.dbis.edu.hk. [PHOTO COURTESY OF DBIS.]

COMPETITORS RACE IN TEAMS OF TWO

SWEET AND SPICY CNY DELIGHTS

MARC MORRIS, DBIS’ NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL

SOLARIS FOUR PEAKS RACE

The epic Four Peaks Race, sponsored by Solaris Yacht Asia, is taking place from February 4 to 5. Competitors sail between Lantau Peak, Mount Stenhouse on Lamma, Violet Hill on Hong Kong Island and Ma On Shan in the New Territories. At each destination, two runners kayak ashore, scale the mountain and return to their boat.

This year for the first time in the race’s history, a team of sailors and runners from Sailability are taking part. To have a fully inclusive team of para-sailors and para-runners competing in one of the most testing sports competitions in Asia is a new milestone for both the race and Sailability. To find out more, visit www.sailability.org.hk and www.4peaksrace.com. [PHOTO COURTESY OF Aberdeen Boat Club.]

NEW ITALIAN AT CITYGATE

Woolly Pig Concepts’ Man Mano opened in mid-January at Citygate, with a focus on artisan-style pasta, all made in-house. Man Mano means ‘hand to hand’ in Italian – working with two hands to gradually achieve a goal – and the aim is to provide home-made and delicious, seasonal dishes that could have come from a nonna’s kitchen. While pasta is the speciality, other Italian favourites such as Veal Parmigiana and Suckling Pig are available, not to mention an extensive selection of antipasto. There is also a solid range of Italian wine, spirits and mocktails. Must-try desserts include Tiramisu, Panna Cotta, Cannoncini (Italian Cream Horn) and Cannolis.

Man Mano is open seven days a week from 11.30am to 10.30pm. To find out more or book a table, visit www.manmano.com.

REGALA SKYCITY HOTEL

Newly opened Regala SkyCity is Hong Kong’s third airport hotel, well positioned for MICE, weddings, social gatherings and staycations, as well as business and leisure travels. The hotel has 1,203 rooms, three restaurants and a bar, plus games rooms to keep kids entertained. There are also two banquet halls with a bridal room covering 1,789 square metres. Wellness facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and an outdoor gym.

Part of Regal Hotels International, the property is directly connected to AsiaWorld-Expo and the 11 SKIES retailtainment complex, which is scheduled to open in phases through 2025. A shuttle bus service is available between the hotel, the airport and Tung Chung MTR station. To learn more about the property, visit www.regala-hotels.com.

[PHOTO COURTESY OF Regala SkyCity Hotel].]

FIRST LEG: LANTAU PEAK

MAN MANO’S PASTA IS ALL MADE IN-HOUSE

A NEW PLACE TO STAYCATION

WANT TO REACH AN ENGAGED AUDIENCE OF AFFLUENT RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES IN LANTAU?

advertising packages available for the Year of the Rabbit 2023

For 20+ years the Bay Media team has been publishing the original community magazine in Discovery Bay. Around DB is the most trusted source of content for DB residents.

From our humble origins we have grown into another two publications, Life on Lantau and Best of Lantau , and a design studio. We have a very active Facebook presence, over 40,000+ visitors to our website every month and provide tailor-made marketing campaigns to reach our unique readership. We are currently offering special advertising packages (both print and digital) 2023.

Out & About!

WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO!

LANTAU RUNNERS ON THE LANTAU 50 PODIUM

Action Asia Event’s Lantau 50 skyrunning race on December 10 saw participants choose between three grazzuelling courses, 16km, 27km and 54km. A special shout-out goes to Lantau residents Stella Grasso, who finished first in the women’s 54km ultramarathon and Salomon Wettstein, who finished first in the men’s 54km. [PHOTOS COURTESY OF Action Asia Events.]

COMMUNITY SNAPS

FAMILIAR FACES FROM ACROSS LANTAU

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Danielle Booyse Photography www.daniellebooysephotography.myportfolio.com

Be My Valentine!

VALENTINE’S DAY CARD, HK$35, WWW.BOOKAZINE.COM.HK

S.W.A.L.K!

Glam gift ideas for the one you love on February 14

TREASURE PENDANT WITH ARGYLE PINK DIAMONDS BY CHANTEL SHAFIE, HK$270,000, WWW.AUROM.CO

CHAMPAGNE PAUL GOERG PREMIER CRU BLANC DE BLANCS NV, HK$539, WWW.DIRECTWINES.COM.HK

SAKS POTTS PINK COAT, HK$5,182, WWW.VESTIAIRECOLLECTIVE.COM

MARINE SERRE EMBROIDERED MOIRE BASEBALL CAP, HK$1,700, WWW.FARFETCH.COM

BOXED I LOVE YOU ROSES, HK$1,680, WWW.ESPRESSOBLOOMS.COM

DISNEY MAGIC ACCESS ADULT ANNUAL PASS (SILVER), HK$1,348, WWW.HONGKONGDISNEYLAND.COM

ALittleofBitTrivia!VALENTINE’S DAY QUIZ

IN THE LEAD-UP TO FEBRUARY 14, FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOU KNOW ABOUT THE MOST ROMANTIC DAY OF THE YEAR

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels

“My garden is a great inspiration to me, and a microcosm of the biodiversity we have here. I have planted things like bougainvillea and Chinese privet, which attract and encourage birds, butterflies and dragonflies

- Sally Grace Bunker

THE NATURAL

LONG-TIME MUI WO RESIDENT, ILLUSTRATOR AND ARTIST SALLY GRACE BUNKER HAS MADE A THIRD CAREER OF DOCUMENTING HONG KONG’S NATURAL WONDERS. ELIZABETH KERR REPORTS

Sally Grace Bunker calls the Mui Wo village house she shares with her husband Bob a “proper English house.” She says it with a chuckle, acknowledging the fact that the modest, sub-tropical jungle that surrounds it is far from English, which suits the teacher and botanical artist’s Raynaud syndrome just fine. The inherited condition makes it hard for her to physically keep warm, and it’s messed with her fingers, but it hasn’t stopped her art. Suffice it to say she’s the lone dissenter when summer hits full force.

As committed as Sally is to Hong Kong, and to Mui Wo where the couple has lived for 25 years, the house is, indeed, English; and a home of fully lived lives. Sally’s first-floor study is crammed with books about art and plants, and two desks tailored to her needs – one with a computer, scanner and printer, the other a drafting space littered with paints and brushes. The drawing desk is by the window, Sally’s natural lightbox.

This desk is where Sally put in seven years’ worth of work as illustrator for Portraits of Trees of Hong Kong and Southern China (with Richard MK Saunders and Chun-chiu Pang), released in 2019. Prints and originals are propped up against the lower shelving, which Tia, the year-old rescue dog, manages not to knock over.

Sally herself is lean and fit, decked out in cashmere, blue jeans and swanky Ray-Ban shades, a shock of short-cropped silver curls, the only true indicator she’s 74. Bob comes in with a proper tea service (cups, saucers, milk jug, sugar bowl), enticingly loaded with coffee.

TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL

A native of Kent, Sally took a circuitous route to a third career as a botanical artist. After getting married in 1971, Bob accepted the banking job that bought the couple and their young sons – one now in the UK working in IT, the other just down the road in Mui Wo – to Hong Kong, and once the kids were in school, Sally took a job in her university specialty, physical education, among other subjects.

Like most transplants, Hong Kong’s natural environment surprised her, and when they discovered Lantau through weekend stays with friends, all bets were off. “I said to Bob, ‘Oh, this is lovely! Wouldn’t it be nice if we had our own place?’ So we bought a little place in Shui Hau and spent every weekend there.” At least until they relocated permanently.

It was in Mui Wo that Sally’s second career as a school principal began. “I was teaching environmental studies at schools and I was doing a lot of outdoor ‘work’ with Parkview International School,” she recalls. “The best way to teach kids about the environment is to get them out there, and I thought the only way I’d be able to do that – in my 50s –was to qualify as the principal of a school. So I did. It nearly killed me!” she finishes with a laugh. That was the genesis of LEAFY, South Lantau’s first international kindergarten, which Sally ran until her retirement.

“I wrote a curriculum based on learning through nature,” she says. “And not just learning but being informed. I got a few students to start with, and it just grew from there. Locals wanted their kids to learn language my way and it’s still going today, as part of Lick Hang Kindergarten.”

BOTANICAL ARTIST

But Sally wasn’t done. In 2009, at 60, she set her sights on becoming a professional botanical painter. Kind of. She was always keen on art, and though she didn’t study it beyond A-Level, she’d made it a hobby, “fiddling around” with painting, and sketching with on-the-weekend artist groups. Around the time she retired, a friend noted her patience, observational skills and strong technique, and insisted she get some kind of formal certification.

“She recommended a course in the UK, in Rutland. So when we were holidaying one year, I did a one-week course in a manor house in a village. It was very English and you had to dress for dinner, and go into the drawing room to take your sherry,” she chuckles again. “Then we were welcomed to the ‘advanced botanical art class’ and I just about dropped

PHOTOS BY Beatrix Malan - www.atscollective.com

my sherry.” She shakes her head. “Later my friend said, ‘You wouldn’t have done it if I’d told you.’ She was right.”

The course was run by renowned instructor Anne-Marie Evans, and led to a three-year distance learning course with the London Art College, followed by an SBA Diploma in Botanical Art, in which Sally gained a distinction. Now a Fellow of the UK Society of Botanical Artists, Sally uses her skills to take up projects that record Hong Kong’s beautiful flora and fauna, including the book with Saunders and Pang, which painstakingly documents 109 of 390 Hong Kong tree species and features over 100 of her watercolours.

Speaking of her art, Sally says: “I am lucky to live on Lantau. My garden is a great inspiration to me, and a microcosm of the biodiversity we have here. I have planted things like bougainvillea and Chinese privet, which attract and encourage birds, butterflies and dragonflies. As dusk falls, the bats which roost in my fan-palm come and dart around in the twilight. The flowers and trees in my garden provide many of the subjects of my work.”

GREEN QUEEN

Sally describes the creative process as hugely satisfying –and laborious – which begs the question, why not just take a photograph? Why go to all the time and effort of producing a drawing? She nods, appreciating the logic, but points out that botanical artists document a species and its life cycle, while photographers capture only a moment in time.

“A photograph, however close-up, cannot convey all the details of a plant, or find its essence,” Sally adds. “A botanical painting shows the details of its growth, its flowers, its fruit, its structure, everything about it. With a photo you can’t do that. It’s just one shot. A botanical illustration is a work of art, but it also highlights scientific information.”

An avid gardener (founder of SLUGS – the South Lantau United Gardeners, she also worked with WWF-HK to restore the gardens at Island House Conservation Studies Centre in Tai Po), Sally is a firm believer that you can never do too much to highlight Hong Kong’s natural beauty, and how lucky we are to be surrounded by it.

“When I retired, I just knew I had something else to do in my life,” she reasons, before launching into a story about walking her dogs and constantly running into giant spider webs. “I asked myself, ‘How do I keep running into these webs?’ The answer, of course, was I was rushing. So I slowed down, and I looked around and thought, ‘How many of these beautiful trees have I rushed past?’ And I thought I should do something about this. Someone needs to record all this. That was the spark.”

Recently, Sally has been experimenting with butterflies and shells, in addition to her beloved trees and flowers. If we’re lucky, her watercolours will be part of an exhibition at the University of Hong Kong this year, straddling the line between art and science. You’ll know an authentic Bunker when you see it – look for the tiny spider in the signature.

SALLY ENJOYING HER DELIGHTFULLY ANGLICISED VILLAGE HOUSE

Shade

HOPPING INTO THE NEW YEAR

2023 IS THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT. SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU? RAY AU REPORTS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Freepik

Each of the animals in the Chinese zodiac has an overriding characteristic, for instance the Rat is cunning, the Ox is hardworking, the Tiger is restless and the Rabbit is fortunate. We rang in the Year of the Rabbit on January 23, which means we can expect the months ahead to be filled with luck and good fortune. We can look forward to happy times – harmony in our relationships, money in our pockets and good health.

To understand why the Rabbit is considered so fortunate, you have to look back to the legend of the Great Race –the race held to determine the order of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle. The tiny, unassuming Rabbit placed fourth in this race, beating eight animals, including the fiery Dragon, to the finish line. How? Because he was fortunate. Seeing the Rabbit being attacked by a wolf, the Dragon stepped in and in so doing allowed the Rabbit to cross the finish line before him.

The Rabbit’s association with good luck is furthered by another legend, which reveals his special relationship with the moon goddess Chang’e. In this tale, the Rabbit (the Jade Rabbit to be specific) lives on the moon as Chang’e’s favoured companion. This means that the Rabbit – and therefore a Rabbit Year – brings with it the moon goddess’ wisdom and protection.

2023 looks set to be a peaceful, constructive year in which we will make the right decisions with regard to personal relationships, career developments and, on a larger scale, the world around us.

WHAT WILL 2023 BRING?

In predicting what 2023 will bring, we need to take a good look at the Rabbit’s characteristics. First and foremost, we know him to be patient and empathic, responsible and bookish. Skilful and quick-thinking, the Rabbit is also wellgrounded, so, in 2023, we can expect life to get back on a more even and rational keel.

Rabbit years, like 2023, are all about gentleness, kindness and positivity – very different from 2022’s tumultuous, tantrum-throwing Year of the Tiger. The Rabbit will calm those who are too impulsive, while bringing those with their heads in the clouds back down to earth.

Importantly too, the Rabbit is optimistic and persevering, happy to work hard to get things done. When encountering obstacles, the Rabbit gets calm, cautious and decisive; he digs in his heels to get problems solved. This is why, assuming we pause to think before we act in 2023, we will manage to achieve much that is worthwhile.

Chang’e and the Rabbit have our backs in 2023, so we can look forward to a return to harmony and balance in all aspects of life – and to having a little well-deserved fun. The Rabbit is friendly and outgoing, so 2023 looks set to be a socially active year for all of us. We are well advised to follow our passions and make time for activities that make us feel good.

MONEY IN OUR POCKETS

The Rabbit is cautious and shrewd, good with money, which means we can expect a rewarding 2023 as far as our finances are concerned. Cash flow should be ample, and we can hope to recover earnings lost during the pandemic.

The Rabbit’s motto is ‘work smarter, not harder.’ Follow his lead and you will be able to make money in 2023, while finding time to play too. And don’t be fooled by the Rabbit’s quiet, modest demeanour, he is rightfully

known for his ambition and tenacity. 2023 is therefore your year to go all out and attempt the ‘impossible.’ When encountering difficulties, take a leaf out of the Rabbit’s book – persevere and stay hopeful and optimistic. Effort, commitment and determination will get you far in a Rabbit Year, as will the ability to focus on the task in hand.

It’s inadvisable to implement big career changes in a Rabbit Year but, if you are an employee, your chances of promotion and salary increase are high, particularly if you have a male boss. 2023 looks set to be a great year for loyal employees, who will be amply rewarded for their hard work, creativity and dependability.

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

The Year of the Rabbit 2023 is under the influence of the Water element, which also bodes well. Out of all of the Chinese zodiac elements, Water has the greatest connection to the emotions – to sensitivity, empathy and falling in love. What’s more, we know the Rabbit to be gentle, kind and empathic. It follows therefore that 2023 will be a positive year for relationships. We can expect to meet people with whom we will establish close

partnerships (friendships, romances, work collaborations) or who will have a beneficial influence on our family or business interests.

One word of caution: While the Rabbit is loyal and dependable, he has a tendency to be secretive and introspective. This means that all of us will need to make a special effort to communicate constructively in 2023. It’s time to share our thoughts and feelings, to empathise and be generous with our time and hearts. By making an effort with this, married couples and those in longterm relationships can find their feelings intensified in a Rabbit Year.

With the moon goddess smiling down, 2023 also promises to be a lucky year for those who are single and ready for romance – watch out for your soulmate in June, July and November.

While Water is the element associated with love and romance, it is also the strongest element – even stronger than fire – because it can go around any obstacle in its path. Empowered by the strength of Water, most of us will enjoy good health in 2023.

COMPATIBILITY

How we will fare in the Year of the Rabbit also depends on the year we were born – on how well our ‘birth animal’ gets on with the Rabbit. The good news for all Rams, Dogs and Pigs heading into 2023 is that they are all highly compatible with the Rabbit. The Ram’s idealism, Dog’s empathy and Pig’s happy-go-lucky nature all vibe well with the sharing, caring Rabbit.

Oxen and Snakes should do well in 2023, since they also have a lot in common with the Rabbit. The Ox’s pragmatism and love of routine appeals to the down-to-earth Rabbit; the Snake’s reserved nature gels with his secretive, introspective side. Tigers, Dragons, Horses and Monkeys can also expect a good year, as long they can find a way to keep their limelight-seeking exuberance in check.

Unfortunately, Rat and Rooster energy sits less comfortably with the Rabbit. The Rat’s materialism and irresponsibility rankles, as does the Rooster’s quarrelsome, in-your-face approach to problem solving. Rats and Roosters should therefore prepare for a bumpy 2023, with some power struggles and financial challenges ahead.

Meanwhile, those born in a Rabbit year are not in as bouncy a position as you might think. According to Chinese astrology, we offend the Tai Sui gods in a year that is governed by our birth animal, meaning we can expect many challenges and unexpected changes. In 2023, Rabbits are advised to tread with caution, and invest in some feng shui remedies. Encourage the Rabbit in your life to carry a lucky dog trinket… and wear red underwear!

2023 looks set to be a peaceful, constructive year in which we will make the right decisions with regard to personal relationships, career developments and, on a larger scale, the world around us

LANTAU HIKE: CHI MA WAN PENINSULA

This walk takes you from Pui O, around the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, to a mysterious and eerie turquoise lake known to only the more adventurous of Hong Kong’s hikers. Allow four hours and take plenty of water; sections of the trail are about as remote as you get in Hong Kong, so a mobile phone is also recommended.

At your starting point in Pui O, adjacent to Tap Tap restaurant, look for the path marked for Ham Tin and Mong Tung Wan. This meanders pleasantly across the buffalo fields before reaching the bijoux hamlet of Ham Tin.

Follow the concrete road to the left and stay on it as it waltzes alongside the river. Watch out for egrets, heron and, if you are lucky, the very rare Brown Fish Owl.

The road bends sharply to the left, followed 100 yards later by a sharp right. You see a small grotto to your right, dating back several hundred years, before emerging to an amazing reveal of the estuary and beach. On your left, a Tin Hau Temple dates back to 1798. Take the coastline path marked for Mong Tung Wan, and enjoy the wonderful views afforded from its vantage point 100 metres or so above the sea.

On a clear day you can see Lantau and Sunset peaks, standing like a Praetorian Guard above the South Lantau coastline. The Soko Islands in the foreground give way to Wei Ling Ding Island in the mists beyond.

The path hugs the coast for a mile or so and is an accessway for several gravesites and small columbaria. Many ornamental trees have been planted, including unusual varieties of pine, whose needles scent the air, giving an almost Mediterranean feel to this section of the trail.

Mong Tung Wan is a curio from the 1970s, when it was developed to provide holiday apartments for wealthy Hong Kongers. A small boutique of a beach gives way to three

large apartment blocks, now lying empty bar a couple of caretakers, who have the place to themselves. Eerie it most certainly is, a reminder that Lantau has seen surges of development in the past, which have subsequently waned due to economics and demographics.

MONG TUNG WAN TO CHI MA WAN

Follow the path through Mong Tung Wan on its steep ascent up 100 metres of hillside. Once you make it to the top, take a right and continue along the coast.

The path leads you through dense jungle and because it is not widely used, you have a good chance of seeing some of Hong Kong’s most retiring wildlife. There are

REPORTING & PHOTOS BY Martin Lerigo

PUI O FROM THE DISTANCE

Along this section of trail, gentle and shy barking deer, with their distinctive cry like that of a jackal or dingo, forage nervously on the upper slopes. You might be lucky and glimpse one as you turn a corner, most likely drinking from one of the many streams that tumble to the sea. It will be off as soon as it hears or sees you.

Snakes are prevalent on this trail. They often bask on the open path or on the rocky outcrops that skirt the flanks. Burmese pythons, Chinese cobra and red-necked keelbacks are common local inhabitants.

KINGDOM OF THE TURQUOISE LAKE

The path now turns west along the coast. There is an option to descend to the right to Tai Long Wan (translates as Big Wave Bay, one of five in Hong Kong) and the near-deserted Sea Ranch development. But keep straight on, enjoying views across the sea to Cheung Chau, replete with its harbour, teaming with fishing boats and rows of silver fish drying in the sun.

In the distance, you glimpse Lamma and Central through the thick jungle foliage, which is interspersed with outcrops of natural bamboo and the occasional grove of planted pine. This part of the island is strewn with large boulders placed thousands of years

CHRISTIAN ZHENG SHENG COLLEGE

MEI

many spiders – hundreds in fact – their webs brushing your head as if playing some parlour game at Halloween. The spiders take many hours spinning and casting their sticky secretions across the path, which provide them with a natural trap in which to ensnare their prey.

ago by Goliathan forces of nature. The path continues for another 3 kilometres before arriving at a four-way junction marked with a yellow concrete lotus leaf. Take the path marked Chi Ma Wan Country Park Management Centre.

Now the path starts to descend into a lush and mysterious valley; streams flow on either side and rows of Camphor trees beckon you on. Wending your way downwards, you find yourself in a swampy, misty, humid place: the Kingdom of the Turquoise Lake. Soon you spot its brilliant-blue shores on your left, the sun glistening atop its deep and mesmeric interior. Continue and its expanse opens up – a small yet gracefully formed reservoir, built to service the two prisons that sit nearby.

The path emerges after another five minutes at the reservoir wall and from here you can cross to the aforementioned management centre, which sits in the deep and sheltered shadow of the watery expanse above.

THE HOMEWARD STRETCH

A jungle track, part-concrete, leads you to the entrance of Chi Ma Wan Prison, now devoid of inmates. Dating from 1956 the original prison was the first ‘open’ facility in Hong Kong, later upgraded to house more serious offenders, with high double fences added to the original exterior. Take the road past the now defunct prison officers’ club, where the karaoke stage and backgammon tables lie dormant, waiting for the next twist in their history.

The road takes you along the outer fence, continuing along the coast. An old incinerator on your left, now overgrown with creeper vine, once burned the rubbish of small local villages, many of which are long-since abandoned. The second of Chi Ma Wan’s prisons emerges in front of you, this one a former Vietnamese refugee camp, later converted to a youth offenders’ institution. The path rises above it, affording views of the cell blocks and workshops now gathering moss and dust.

Follow the road to Shap Long, a charming series of three hamlets, astride an estuarial inlet and flood plain, home to water buffalo and migratory birds. You may also see a colony of fiddler crabs, large claws to the fore, during food gathering stints at low tide. Such is their number that if you stand still and allow them to emerge from the protection of carefully formed mud burrows, they create a blanket of moving oranges and reds – a true kaleidoscope of nature.

From Shap Long you can take the well-marked coastal path back to Mui Wo, another two hours of hiking, or head back up the hill to Ham Tin and your original route from Pui O.

CHEUNG CHAU; MARKER TO CHI MA WAN; SHAP LONG RESERVOIR; CHI MA WAN PRISON

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LOVE BITES

DECADENT TREATS TO SHARE WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE ON VALENTINE’S DAY

ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Serves 2

2 globe artichokes

2 lemons, halved

50g plain flour

Remove the tough outer leaves from the artichokes and cut off the stalks and the tops. Using a sharp knife, trim off any tough parts, discarding everything except the tender leaves and stem. Rub each artichoke with the cut side of a lemon. Set aside in a bowl of water. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large saucepan. Add a pinch of salt, the flour and the artichokes. Fill the pan with enough cold water to cover the artichokes. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender.

Serve with hollandaise sauce for dipping the leaves. You break off each leaf and draw the soft fleshy base through your teeth. Once you’ve removed all the leaves, you can pull or slice off the hairy ‘choke’ and then eat the heart and the meaty bottom with the remaining sauce.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Makes 25

150g dark chocolate

150ml double cream

25g unsalted butter

1 orange

Chop the chocolate and tip into a large bowl. Put the cream and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until the butter melts and the cream reaches simmering point. Remove from the heat, then pour over the chocolate. Stir the chocolate and cream together until you have a smooth mixture. Add the grated zest and juice of one orange, a teaspoon at a time, to taste. Cool and chill for at least four hours.

To shape the truffles, dip a melon baller in hot water and scoop up balls of the mixture, then drop the truffles onto greaseproof paper. Tip cocoa powder into a bowl and gently roll the truffles until evenly coated. Place on a baking tray, then chill.

LOCAL NUMBERS

DISCOVERY BAY

SCENIC HILL AND THE AIRPORT TRAIL

Located beneath Ngong Ping 360’s Airport Island Angle Station and a 10-minute walk from Tung Chung town centre, Scenic Hill is a hidden gem; a picture-perfect spot for a leisurely hike, right on the southern tip of Chek Lap Kok. At 77 metres, it’s now the tallest point in the area, since other nearby mountains were bulldozed in the 1990s to make reclaimed land for the airport. The views from the top are outstanding – it’s a superb place to watch aircraft take-off and land – and the trail leading up to the summit is a favourite among Tung Chung residents training for trail races or walking their dogs.

The trail path starts on Chek Lap Kok South Road, and the hike, though steep, is do-able for most –allow 30 to 45 minutes depending on your pace. The stairs leading up are well-maintained, and you can even enjoy this walk by night thanks to solar-powered lighting. Bring your own water since there are no stores at the top.

As you climb, you get very close to the cable car, so close that you can wave at passengers and have them wave back at you. Midway through your walk (where the stairs give way to concrete trail), you can pause to look out across Tung Chung Bay, with its gleaming housing estates backed by Sunset Peak. From here, you may even spot hikers on the 14-kilometre Tung O Ancient Trail, on the southwest side of the bay, once the easiest way for villagers to commute between Tung Chung and Tai O.

On reaching the summit, you are welcomed by a mesmerising, panoramic view over Tung Chung, the airport and South China Sea. You get a glimpse of the HK$141.5 billion third runway and the 55-kilometre Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge. Choose a sunny day, when the pollution index is low, and you can see all the way to Macau. There’s a charming Chinese pavilion from which to take in the view, though it’s often standing room only at the weekend.

Before heading back to Tung Chung, take a detour and walk the 3.5-kilometre Airport Trail, part of which

wraps around the bottom of Scenic Hill, and takes you past the airport’s back end (cargo area, Cathay Pacific City, Air Mail Centre). Managed by the Airport Authority, the HK$6 million project was designed to connect the airport with its neighbouring community, giving Tung Chung residents, visitors and airport workers an outdoor space for exercise. More than 10,000 trees, including 20 indigenous species, have been planted along the trail, making it a surprisingly scenic spot to do some laps.

PHOTOS BY Sarin Ale

REPORTING BY Raphael Blet

GO WALKABOUT IN TUNG CHUNG