Lantau island

Today I planned a day trip to Lantau, the largest island in Hong Kong (also where Hong Kong Disneyland is).

First, I took the cable car to Ngong Ping village.

(The weather forecast for this entire week is rain)

The crystal cabin has a glass floor:

The other option is a long hike up the mountain.

At the top is Tian tan Buddha, the largest bronze Buddha in the world.

Before climbing up to the Buddha, I visited Po Lin monastery.

Hope I didn’t offend any gods.

Tian tan buddha:

After seeing the Buddha, I walked towards wisdom path.

Wisdom path:

The wisdom path wooden planks form a ♾

It was a long and tiring walk up to Lantau peak, Hong Kong’s second highest peak.

After reaching bird’s rock at the top of mountain, the path was lost in the clouds.

At the top was a stunning view of a white cloud.

(If not for the weather, I’m sure the view would be quite impressive)

After a quick walk back down, I passed through the 12 guards.

They each represent a time of day and a Chinese calendar animal, each with their own weapon. This one is ox.

At Ngong Ping, I took the bus to Tai O, Hong Kong’s oldest fishing village.

Most shops sell dried flatfish here.

Some websites call Tai O the “Venice of Hong Kong”. It felt like a pretty ordinary fishing village, not worth the visit if that’s all you’re seeing in Lantau.

Locals live mostly in huts and stilted homes.

Tai O has a long history of smuggling and acted as a point of entry for illegal immigrants from mainland China during British occupation of Hong Kong.

After a bus and MTR trip back to my new home, it was time for a homemade Chinese dinner:

Sesame seed pudding:
It tastes better than it looks.