Pok To Yan+Por Kai Shan 薄刀屻+婆髻山+觀景山

Intermittent sunshine　BF2-3　27 ^oC　photos 相簿
自東涌警署對面上登陡斜坑渠，走一段才接上山徑。回頭盡覽東涌市區，吊車緩緩來回彌勒山與市中心；右方為黃龍坑及其支澗，越往上走視野便越可觀。大東二東與鳳凰一列山脈像蓋著一幅白綿被，雲霧還不斷飄向石獅山，滾動的雲極富立體感，像要吞噬甚麼似的 ... 心裡祈求它不要飄過來，擋去風景。近脊頂有小片崖壁需攀爬，而其山脊大致起伏不大，大家很快已抵連接婆髻山的山坳。將抵該坳前，右方谷頂有石貌如狒狒頭。往右迂迴穿越小片長草地，很快路徑變得不明顯，並沒入林中，而地圖顯示它應為明顯路徑，且還應長一倍。由於不欲在悶熱的林內讓蚊子飽餐，抵澗旁時決定改為上登婆髻頂吹風。該處不時有雲霧飄過，大家在峰腳吃過乾糧，續攀婆髻峰頂。該處的谷風跟北龍那邊的同樣強勁。
該峰亦有片崖壁，且較先前那片為高及難。頂峰上游目四顧，觀賞赤"立"角機場固然無任何遮擋。遙看谷的那一方，發現剛才放棄的山徑原來只有那片樹林，過後只有草坡。雖然早知此時所在平坦與陡斜交錯，郤未料有兩大段灌木林中約60度的灰泥徑，不單沒腳位可踏，觸手可及亦多為草，十分不可靠。近日已經常一泡鼻涕加咳嗽，本來每次做運動便大有好轉，此時卻因塵土飛揚，又咳起來。抵山腰電線杆後山勢才轉緩，還有數堆tors形成的怪石，繼有大小相近的疊石，亦有"車厘子蛋糕"。山徑出口旁為白芒村的小型焚化爐。往右到試劍石及更樓。在對面士多聊天後，出小蠔灣小灘。沒走山徑，改經隧道出碼頭，沿海傍朝映灣園走，機鐵就在身旁馳過。沿迎禧路，過渡輪碼頭及吊車站上小炮台後的山岡，沿途可見吊車不斷穿梭。

Robin's Nest > Wa Shan > Crest Hill 紅花嶺>華山>大石磨

Rainy at first　BF1　22 ^oC photos 相簿
於麻雀嶺下車後，沿左方支路略上走，轉右至村東 澗旁林徑上山。可能有霧吧，電塔不停發出滋滋聲。沿路盡是山火後剛長出的蕨類，不少蛛網滿掛晶瑩的水珠。越紅花寨走， 雨便越大。在山脊時已看不見遠方風景，北面山腳的蓮麻坑村只得驚鴻一瞥。越過山頭往紅花嶺的兩座發射站去，剛以為雨勢 略減，豈料轉頭下得更大。沿途只有桃紅色小花，沒見過一隻雀鴝[robin]。下山車路旁現有搶眼黃色欄杆，地面也重鋪過。當 傾盤大雨灑下時，惟有緩跑下山；終於救兵到，大家登上友人的車重回山上掉頭。
雲泉仙館的建築像剛翻新過，內裡景點也不錯，齋菜大碟抵食。繼往"萬里長城"，自通往下山雞乙車路駛入登松山。山嶺雖矮 ，但沿途不少大上落。此時雨過天清，視野極佳，能目視西面大陸港口的吊臂！另一方亦可見梧桐山上正增建一大型建築，反 觀紅花嶺則仍躲在雲霧中。每當能同時看到中港兩方時，心裡總是很珍惜這裡給我的安全感，與及誠信更多的本地人。華山的 新圍練靶場過後，自杉山下虎地坳道。"長城"雖不高，總落差卻不小，加上雨後路面更是濕滑。於河旁下車過橋，從輸水管下 走過，經大橋越梧桐河[Indus River]往羅湖馬房。沿河上鄉路走，過排峰路後才登大石磨順時針走，因上次已走過相反方向。 自山上觀看四周，雨後清晰的景緻依然攝人。山上的警方建築圍網及梯級扶手均已更新，然而車路中間的草卻比上次要高。下 山後重經水管底，繞過屠房，污水廠內的甲烷氣鼓旁有高柱，正燃燒排出的氣體。不多久便重回火車站。

touring Macau on foot

It was the lay-day of the Chinese New Year yacht regatta, we'd arrived from HK yesterday. We'd stayed the night at Zhuhai. Since 11pm, noises of fireworks came from everywhere for hours. Early in the morning, we departed along the "Lovers Promenade" towards the Gongbei (拱北) Frontier. That wasn't a romantic walk at all: besides being a foggy day, the path was rather badly paved, with litters here and there. Even though there're warnings against firecrackers and so forth, traces of firecrackers were found both on land and along the muddy shore. Just before leaving for Macau, we had short stops at a departmental store and some pharmacies.

Being back in Macau was a relief, for I didn't enjoy the kind of culture, nor the hustle bustle in cities in China. Leaving the Placa das Portas do Cerco, we walked along Av. Artur Tamagnini Barbosa, then turned right at the sign-post indicating the direction of the Church of our Lady of Fatima [花地瑪聖母堂]. To our disappointment, it was only a church inside a school which was closed for the holiday. Without staying long, we hurried on back to the yacht where we left our purchase for the day. Unloading those weights was a relief, which allowed me to carry on a more than 10 hrs walk during that day.

Our next stop was Mong Ha [望廈] Park and its fortress. Though both of us possessed our own maps, we're sharing the one of mine for the day. Without enough 'map contact', I tended to switch my attention to the sceneries. Having lost some time going the wrong way, we finally arrived at the corner of Avenida do Coronel Mesquita. Turning right and going on for some distance, we came to the Kwun Yin Temple. Facing it was a row of multi-colored historical western-style buildings. Ascending the road to the brightly colored Institute of Tourism, we headed on to the peak where the most canons were found. We're lost again trying to go downhill via the other side to Temple of Lin Fung. In the end, we're only able to reach the hill foot in the east. Rounding the NE corner, we reached the Temple with Lin Ze Xu Museum on one side. People were lighting firecrackers at the open area in between the two constructions, heaps of red were found here and there. Facing the other corner of that street, the block of nostalgic Victoria Hotel stood elegantly. We'd come across it from a distance the night before, both its day and night scene gave me the feeling of being in an old European town. Again, it took us some time to look for the bus to A Ma Temple. At last, my partner suggested to go and take it at the terminus at the Frontier. The bus stop seemed to mock at us when our bus stopped by outside the wall of the LZX Museum!

The plaza between A Ma Temple [媽閣廟] and Maritime Museum was crowded with people. It was also the only place where I'd come across the tricycle there in Macau in recent years. Going along the back lane of the green mansion, we then reached Moorish Barrack [港務局大樓] at Calcada da Barra. The Arabian-style barrack is now the Maritime Admin. Office. Further away at the crossroad, was Largo do Lilau. Another wonderful place surrounded by colorful houses on all sides. It seemed like we're in a cartoon fable of the 18th century ... looked as if a horse-drawn wagon might appeared anytime on the pebble-laden streets. Or perhaps, it might be a scenario of the first book of Narnia, when the little girl left the wardrobe into the snow-covered ground where the lone lamp post was. Maybe we should come back at night to see what happened at that lamp under the old banyan tree there ....

Following the signposts, we climbed upill for the Pencha Church [西望洋教堂]. The panoramic view from the peak was one thing that no visitor should miss. Just to name a few, it overlooked the Macau Tower, the bridges across the harbor, and both the man-made lakes at the shore. In the foreground, those eye-catching pink buildings of Santa Sancha lay close at hand. Retracing the road downhill, then took another junction to St Lawrence Church [聖老楞佐堂] which was under renovation. Stairs leading up to its facade with twin towers. A school was situated at the junction at its rear. We reached the rear entrance arch of St Joseph Seminary from the left branch. Not only was this the biggest church we'd been to that day, its interior was also the most magnificient. One wouldn't be able to tell from the light yellow wash of the plain exterior, how grand and extravagant interior could be. The wooden columns twirling up to the ceiling near the entrance, in addition to the ornated dome and the various altars were dazzling. Taking the right at the same junction, we went on to D Pedro V Theatre located at the front of St Joseph. At the opposite of this green construction was another marvellous church, the St Augustine. At the time of our visit, many Filippinos were going to have a mass there. In order not to disturb them, I had only stayed at the rear for a while. The main entrance of St Joseph Seminary was located next to a library at the farther end of the pebbled road. A large mosaic was found further downhill along the road to Largo do Senado [議事亭前地].
Rua Mercadores was one of the side streets diverting from Av Almeida Ribeiro. As in those other lanes in the vicinity, numerous shops of nostalgic styles lined its sides. Further uphill when the ruins of St Paul's could be seen through blocks of buildings, the streets became much more crowded with shops selling local snacks. A small temple for the goddess who saved the primeval world was found at the junction, it looked like part of a common block. Somewhere nearby, we had a late lunch after 4pm at a Brazilian restaurant at a dead-end lane. Its service was much better than those local ones. Passing an old school, we went uphill, passing by Na Tcha Temple, we visited the crypt behind St Paul's Ruin, piles of bones lined the sides of walls with a huge cross in between. Rounding to the ruin of the facade, then going upstairs to Mount Fortress. Yet, we didn't have enough time for the museum.
The sun was low, we hurried to Luis de Camoe's Garden [白鴿巢公園]. The Garden was not far away when St Anthony Church [聖安多尼堂] was in sight. There's a "grotto" of a famous Portuguese poet in the garden, however, it seemed more like the space between boulders to me. A new statue stood at the other end of the park, which was of Father Kim, a Korean priest. A bit downhill from the exit nearby where a local temple situated, huge boulders clustered together. Soon night fell, we hurried downhill through alleys of old buildings. Turning right, we walked along the coast area back to the marina club with our souvenirs. Leaving them behind on the boat, we left for the bus stop. Unable to locate it after some time, we had decided to give up such idea. Up Estrada do Repouso [鏡湖馬路], we turned into Rua Tomas Vieira [新勝街]. Near the hillfoot, rows of historical buidlings lined the sides of the pebbled street, including the St Lazarus Church. At last, we took a break at the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden beside its ponds, before popping around the Tap Seac area. The busy road section in front of the library had become part of a plaza. Finally, we went uphill via the same street, heading for a local's home for the night.

first draft on 2/3/07　　　last updated on 23/4/07

local regatta: Daya Bay, SZ > HK

於當地作繞泡賽
album

Sheung Tam Stream 雙潭石澗

Sunny　BF0-2 　30 -33^oC　photos 相簿
烈日當空下於迴旋處下 車，沿舂坎角道出岬角。沿途所見海灣清澈，無論遠近景觀都一流，不敢相信下面那泳灘曾是我被漂浮的糖紙圍困之地。對岸 的岬角(154m)有著大小海蝕隙，卻沒近看過，反而曾以小風帆及獨木舟接觸過頭洲及銀洲。外表豪華的護養院(原來是政府辦的 )旁有石階下崖頂的廢炮台，石階滿是落葉，炮台內則堆滿一袋袋垃圾。圍牆旁有繩垂下，不知是往釣魚用，還是通往山洞。回 大路再下走至炮台區燒烤場，那兒剛清潔過，加上今天煙霞較少，無敵大海景也包括了大陸的島嶼。右前方可見昨天的南丫風 車，上星期雙體船課程時，則在左方至黃麻角一帶練習。
原路回走至迴旋處旁小徑下赤柱灣內名"沙石灘West Bay"的小灘，碰上人們在上獨木舟課。此時黃麻角那邊已有小風帆在細風 中行駛。往赤柱廣場吃brunch，之後經環角道小徑上淺水灣道，過紫崗橋，來到大潭中水塘壩下，其時它仍有水排出，水已差 不多掩過橋面。塘的另一面是一道高高的石橋，倒映在一泓碧綠的水中，古意盅然。不一會來到雙潭石澗下游一潭瀑，大家已 忍不住下水，逗留良久也不願離去。其後有數段稍平卻闊大且長的瀑布，因近月雨量多，不論有水沒水之處也遍佈青苔。大概 原先穿的鞋底已太舊，抓地力不好，惟有赤腳或穿人字拖走，反而只值數元的後者效果不錯，但不鼓勵他人仿效。
不時需靠邊走以避水流，臨出澗時要貼高崖上攀。來到大潭上水塘小壩前，右上燒烤場，過小壩接大壩。壩下來了大群小魚， 錦鯉及巴西龜。別過"大魚缸"後，便是大段上坡路，最後經陽明山莊抵油站。

Wong Lung Stream 黃龍坑

Sunny　BF1　31^oC　photos 相簿
反常地下了差不多一個月大雨，尤其是在週末，難得終於放晴，當然立刻去黃龍啦！在赤"垃"角村望向薄刀屻山腳，發現它有數個新塌坊處。自黃龍坑道朝南望已看見一道似是懸浮空中的長瀑[猜是東龍一瀑]。在地龍口下黃龍坑，沒有像上次般爬渠過，而是直接入澗，再繞過水堰。呀！遲一會帶手套便中招，給長有小彎鉤的勒刺入肉。映入眼簾的是一片蒼翠，澗中也分佈著凌散樹木，記得上次好像不是這樣，大概是未到吧。 ... 走呀走的仍是這般才知道那是由於水沛。也正是同一原因，方便的落腳點少了很多，有時又要繞道或者扮蜥蜴，結果比上次多花一倍時間才到主瀑。陽光映照在黃龍潭中，潭清澈見底，真有點想下水，只是想起那些吸血蟲，便決定放棄，當然仍有同伴下水。雖然未到午飯時候，但是我因這幾天有點胃痛，今天早餐沒吃得下多少，所以這麼早便肚餓了。大家略為吃過乾糧，便又上路。自左面上攀，黃龍瀑就在右方嘩啦啦的灑下去，令人可近距離感受這震撼情景；當然要以小心留神上攀為重。自瀑頂下望，只看到兩道水柱激射向下，從這上面看更覺潭水之清。前方又有一小潭瀑，只是大家的注意力都被後方的左龍所吸引住了。 ... 正要貼邊踏石走，卻原來那小石上有一只有著綠背黑腿的蛙伏著，幸好沒踏著牠。最後，當我打算採取較高難度的路線避開牠時，牠立刻醒目地跳下水中，還示範一下正宗蛙式給我學習。好，我明天就到海灘練習[註：我當然有實諓啦]。拜別蛙師傅不久，左龍的倩影便出現，它自峽谷高崖頂分二道凌空瀉下，水珠飛濺，實在美得如仙景一般。此瀑下只有淺潭，大部份水都滲走，所以即使不懂游泳者也可一嘗站在瀑下的滋味。右龍離此不遠，也是懸空飛掛，而較小的龍尾瀑看來已觸手可及。後者瀑前有一小潭，左右皆壁，惟有退回左瀑與右瀑間朝上攀。不一會來到藤梯崖，現在只剩一藤一繩，自該處可回望另一幼長瀑。同伴之一由此舊路上攀，我與其他人往左走新路。先是一層又一層的棧道，之字形的偏向左龍伸延。近瀑頂有繩索助攀一窄崖，崖高大概為藤梯崖兩倍，左方懸空，右為崖壁。上攀途中有小坪可略為欣賞四周，左瀑的側影就在不遠處，小瀑則仍在對面。抵達崖頂不久，蛇倒退就在面前。它是一內傾斜壁，上有兩道淺疊痕可作腳位，當然也有繩可借力。過此處後轉山徑上登，沒走下路回頭。
走舊路的同伴已在上方小台地守候多時，會合後的山徑林蔭時有時無，地面不斷散出熱氣，令人難受。惟有不時稍停觀景，發覺剛才東涌的吊車好像還在緩緩移動，怎麼現在好像都沒動過，以為一直只是試空車，回家後才知是有乘客在試坐，噢。臨近出林抵平地前，又要走小段棧道。再上攀，終於見到蓮花山的測量墩了，會合所有人後朝雙東坳走，小徑雖算平坦，卻十分濕滑，跟澗道中一樣都是長滿青苔。接鳳凰徑下黃龍郊遊徑，後者那些大石級最是要命，穿澗鞋走這種路更要命，結果還是換回球鞋，鞋底當然厚些較被震，走青苔路則未必那麼好，幸而最終安全抵達車路，亦沒被以豎立水泥板作的梯級絆倒。重走黃龍坑道出東涌，見一些人在小溪取水，另一些在坑中玩水。這次跟上次也是五時許到村口，只是離日落還剩一段時間。

Hau Tong Kai 猴塘溪

Pouring rain　BF1　30^oC　photos 相簿
Oh, it's raining again ... it had poured for more than an hour in the morning [and had been pouring for days already]. Not long after we'd got off the bus at Tsak Yue Wu BBQ site, the Autumn Maple Stream under the bridge looked alright by then, but we expected that it would become horrible very soon if the rain continued. Unwillingly, we gave up this stream and headed for Hoi Ha beach for a swim. It might be better to leave your raincoat and umbella dry and safe in your backpack, than to take them out and hope that they'd be able to shield you from getting wet.
Later, with the scene of the big pond of Hau Tong Kai popping into my mind, I decided to go there for lunch. It's not far from Hoi Ha Road, and it's only a "1-star" stream ... en route to the pond, the roaring sound of water came into my ears, then my classification for that day had changed > it souldn't be far from being a 3-star stream. My estimation was proved right soon as the cascades came into view. They used to be "gentle kids" when I last visited it in August. Now it was nothing but a rapid all along, the falls further upstream could only be more powerful. It's gorgeous to stand in a safe place near the stream admiring its beauty with such water volume. Needless to say, one couldn't avoid having to wade. Since I think it's unwise to wade in running water of thigh depth, I'd skipped part of the stream and took the trouble to ascend a hillpath, then searched for an indistinct path leading to a dried up stream. From there, we moved through rather densely vegetated area and hit the stream at the sharp bend before Fan Pool. The Pool was located at the last and most prominent sharp bend, with the Beacon Rock [更樓石] just before the bend on its right bank. The Rock looked less deep pink in the rain, with shades of branches over it. A flooded ditch formed recently lay right in front of it ... last time, we could access and climbed onto it without much difficulty.
We spent quite some time preparing our meal somewhere above the falls of Fan Pool. At about 3pm, we continued a bit upstream, and left for Ko Tong CT on its left bank. Throughout our stay in the stream, showers, drizzles and sunshine appeared in random turns. As it's still rather early, we headed for soya bean pudding at Cheung Sheung. Wow, brooklets stretched across the plateau; while marshes had become ponds. After the refreshment, we continued along Maclehose Trail, joined Yung Pak Corridor [榕北走廊] for Pak Tam. The trail was either full of slippery stones and cobbles, or was very muddy, that's truly annoying! The panoramic view at Fa Miu Shan [花苗山] had become all the more fascinating because of the clearness after the rain. Only a veil of mist lingered over the horizon. As the toilet at Pak Tam was full of mosquitoes, we had to move on to Pak Tam Chung so as to put on dry clothes instead.