Hong Kong 2009 Day 5

Slug was dissatisfied for leaving the fishing ground empty-handed yesterday, so today we went fishing again, at another more professional fishing ground in Tin Shui Wai (another 1+ hour by train again). It charges only SGD13 for whole-day fishing (from 10am till 9pm), cheap!

I love today's tasty lunch - salt and pepper chicken with rice

At Tin Shui Wai again

We took a cab to the saltwater fishing ground, 鴨仔坑釣魚場, somewhere deeper inside Yuen Long. It was remote, quiet and forested like Lim Chu Kang.

Another fishing ground opposite of the one we went to

鴨仔坑釣魚場

The owner of the fishing ground handed Slug a bucket of smelly little fishes and prawns (for bait), and we bought some cool drinks and relaxed by the pool. What a great way to idle the afternoon away.

Patting a stray dog that the owner kept

Slug casting his line

Relaxing to our hearts' content

There was this pair of guys at the other side of the pool who were really getting good value out of their money - they were practically landing a catch every 15 minutes! After waiting for about an hour or so, Slug finally caught a fish which we thought was a tilapia. It was thrashing about when I tried to hold it, but it soon went limp. I decided not to stress it further by keeping it in a basket dipped into the pool.

It was frightened

Very slimy and left a fishy smell on my hands

Evening was soon approaching

Slug suddenly felt revitalized and was hoping for another catch

I sneaked out and went exploring the area nearby. I noticed a number of locals walking towards the bushes and decided to follow them. It was a pain fumbling through the thick bushes and walking on the uneven terrain, but at the end of it, I came to face with a stunning smoky sunset.

It was a part of the coast named 下白泥, and from here, we could see neighbouring China on the horizon. I was amazed to see many locals gathering there, armed with cameras and tripods, to take pictures of the sunset.

Minibus #33 is the only public transport access here

下白泥

Industrial development encroaching into Nature's territory

Eager photographers shooting the sunset

China in the distance

Sunset at 下白泥

Smog a pervasive problem in Hong Kong

We left the fishing ground in the evening, but not before releasing the fish Slug caught back into the pool. We actually had no intention of taking it away, Slug just wanted to enjoy the process of waiting and reeling in a catch. It was sad to know even if we did not eat it, others would, or it might eventually die if it could not adapt to the water conditions of the pool.

We travelled all the way to Sai Kung for a seafood dinner at Chuen Kee. However, we were greatly disappointed with the indifferent service and drastic drop in standard of the cooking there. The servers were cold and curt, and the food looked hastily prepared. There was a table with ten over patrons that had an elaborately-garnished lobster sashimi served to them. We started to suspect we were being discriminated just because the money they made from the two of us was peanuts to them.

No trip to Hong Kong is complete without savouring some delectable milk tarts

Lobster ee-fu noodles that did not look very appetising

Stir-fried flower crab with ginger and spring onion

Baby abalones topped with spring onion

Steamed garoupa Hong Kong style

Anti-drug campaign in Sai Kung

We returned to Causeway Bay feeling so bloated, and came across filming going on at a quiet back street. In the scene, Charmaine Sheh was in a cab, which after turning around the corner, she alighted and walked a few steps while gazing longingly upwards at a building. I was so mesmerized by her beauty that I could not take a picture of her in time. It was not easy for the film crew - a lot of time was spent waiting for the traffic lights, coordinating with the actors and taxi driver, and yelling at us onlookers not to use flash when taking pictures, for a scene that barely lasted half a minute.

Filming

The chilly nights were so good for a comfortable snuggle in the sheets and a peaceful slumber. Sigh ... ...