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2012年10月11日 星期四

A piece of the past

It's a long time since I went to a remote village in the New Territories. I was last there some 17 years ago. I helped the village get a proper road which would not flood during the summer rains. I learned from the driver of the village van that the village representative with whom I dealt had died a few years ago. He used to run the village store in a run down house at the head of the village. He was a good man. Memories flooded back, like the torrents which went under the Waterworks Department catchwater channel whenever there was a flash flood: an emaciated old man with a suntanned face lined by deep grooves carved out by the ravages of time who spoke with a slightly husky voice and who always appeared to be deep in thought. All I met now were new faces none of which knew me. When I left the van, I made a mistake about the van fare. The lady driver returned the entire overpaid fare to me, a full 50% of what I paid. My heart felt warm. It was a good feeling. I went to Yung Shue O in the Saikung area.



My only company on the initial leg of the journey was this family of cows, free to roam and lie down on the road as no young men nowadays are prepared to engage in the hard work of tilling the soil.



I don't give a damn about others looking at me!



I enjoyed the sunlight, basking upon the leaves, like the leisurely cows.



The road was full of these crape myrtles which have never stopped blooming since summer.


Not far from the village, the sea was full of mangroves. Hardly anyone go there nowadays. At one time, the village representative discussed with me ambitious  plans to turn the village into a holiday resort with a pier of its own to take out tourists on boats with glass bottoms to look at the famous corals under the shallow sea there and for fishing. Nothing came of it. All I found at the village now was a shed store for aficianados of "mock field battles"  with some some tables for  food and drinks.



The quiet stream which runs from the village to the sea



There used to be some fishermen who reared fishes on rafts. I was told that the old men who used to service the rafts have all retired.



A grit beach not far from the village.



The path to the beach were overgrown with creepers



A deserted house close to the ex village representative's home



Behind the village, there were lots and lots of moths and butterflies.



A butterfly



More butterflies



Creepers were everywhere



And some unknown little flowers



A flood control hole for the catchwater a little higher up the hill behind the village



A pool supplying water to the entire village



A mountain stream on my way from Deer Pool to Yung Shue O.



The path was well covered.



Some rock climbing creepers.



A withered flower



and berries



I never get tired of looking at sunlight performing its magic upon the most ordinary looking leaves.



or lighting up the undergrowth



An unusually dark morning glory



Guess what are these which I found on my way there?



But you don't get that kind of "organic" sesame candy all the time !



Back to the bus stop !

8 則留言:

  1. I envy the leisure cows.
    [版主回覆10/11/2012 17:30:34]You sure not the butterflies?

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  2. 域 流亦詩 Louis Rick2012年10月11日 下午6:07

    圖片很美。對呀、今日年青人大多不選擇務農這類艱苦工作。謝謝分享!
    [版主回覆10/11/2012 18:13:28]Nobody wants desk jobs nowadays. Hence most of our young men have lost touch with Nature !

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  3. Nice photos. You have captured the tranquil and peaceful mood of the village.
    [版主回覆10/17/2012 12:22:56]Thank you. There's hardly a soul there !

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  4. Like the butterflies in your photos!
    [版主回覆10/17/2012 12:24:03]Glad you like them. They're everywhere amongst the wild flowers growing in abundance at the back of the village.

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  5. Back to the bus stop !
    哈哈!妙!
    [版主回覆10/17/2012 12:24:48]It's got to stop somewhere !

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  6. Men have gone long but the light, the tree, the mangroves, the cow and the butterflies stay. That may not be a bad outcome. Beautiful pictures of the butterflies.
    [版主回覆10/19/2012 07:10:50]What do you think they might be?
    [Gravel回覆10/19/2012 00:59:47]By the way what are those organic sesame?
    [版主回覆10/17/2012 12:28:53]Yeah, it's good Nature steps in whenever men step out. She recovers her own paces. I like the flitting butterflies there too ! So full of life !

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  7. Did that cow pose for you?? looks like he is smiling.....
    [版主回覆10/17/2012 12:30:55]That's you would like to think! I don't think the cow sees the camera at all ! Who'd care if one is having a lazy noon-day nap !

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  8. 美好的一天, 謝謝分享.
    [版主回覆10/19/2012 06:59:44]yes, it was nice to go hiking from time to time.

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