Exploring Botanicals, Buddism, and a Wet Market

Today we arrived in Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. It has a rich history, dating back to the 15th century when it was referenced in maps by Chinese explorer Zheng He. The British established a colony in Hong Kong in 1841 due to the harbor's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea. This harbor presents breathtaking panoramic vistas of Hong Kong's skyline, dominated by towering structures that seem to fill every possible spot along the harbor's coast. Hong Kong has more than 350 skyscrapers - more than any other city in the world.

The city of Hong Kong boasts a population of 7.5 million individuals, with an interesting fact that a majority of the populace resides and works above the 16th floor level. Here's just of few glimpses of the towering structures we observed during our visit:

Our day onshore began with a visit the Nan Lian Garden is an 8-acre public park designed in the traditional Tang dynasty style, featuring:

• Ponds, pavilions, waterfalls, and bridges [We used to have Koi fish as shown here - we learned these are worth $1400 each. Little did we know we had such a "gold mine" back in the day!]

• Collections of banyan, pine, and flowering trees

• Artificial hillocks, and ornamental rocks [you may not enjoy rocks as much as our geology neighbors and we do but these were an amazing collection; Jeff wondered just how they were brought into the garden - skeptical that machinery would be powerful enough]

• A striking gilded pagoda and red wooden bridges:

The garden is meant to encourage quiet walks and reflection, providing a serene oasis amidst the surrounding urban sprawl. Overall, the Nan Lian Garden which contains a beautiful Buddhist monastery, with golden statues of Budha, offers a peaceful respite from the busy city of Hong Kong.

Our day continued with a trip to the wet market, a common type of food market in China and other parts of Asia. For many citizens of the USA, the term "wet market" may carry negative connotations, as some disease outbreaks like SARS and COVID-19 have been linked to these markets selling wild animals. However, the reality is that the majority of wet markets in China primarily sell common domesticated livestock like chickens and pigs, as well as fresh produce, seafood, and other staple foods. The term "wet market" refers to the fact that the floors are often wet from vendors washing their products.

Although it seems foreign to those of us in the United States, think of it as the local grocery store. These markets play an important role in providing affordable, fresh food to local communities. And as for Covid-19, when it struck this part of the world, the Chinese authorities moved quickly to build large-scale isolation complexes. These facilities consisted of small, modular "apartments" measuring approximately 10 feet by 10 feet, with a total of 80,000 such units constructed just alongside where our ship was docked.

Individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 were required to isolate in these facilities for a period of 21 days. During this time, they were provided with free housing, food, and internet access to meet their basic needs. The units are now being converted to temporary public housing for those who are waiting to have their applications approved to move into permanant public housing which can take up to ten years.

We have two full days in Hong Kong so there's lots to write about in my blog. More to follow ....