Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, is known as an urban jungle. But the territory also boasts a wide range of green spaces, which more closely resemble “jungle” than “urban jungle.” When I visited Hong Kong in 2011 for a conference, I enjoyed exploring the urban jungle, and also managed to see a few of the greener spaces. The highlight of these excursions was a hike with my friend YTSL, a Hong Kong local who knows her way around the green spaces of Hong Kong. We met up and took a series of subway rides and buses out to Wong Shek, on the Sai Kung Peninsula. (I wouldn’t have remembered exactly where it was we went, but happily YTSL mentioned it in her post shortly after our hike.)
The day was hot and humid, and also very hot and really humid, but I managed not to pass out. I also managed to take several hundred photos. (Pausing to take a photo is a good way to catch one’s breath.) Did I mention that it was hot and humid? It was all entirely worth it, as the views were stunning, and I appreciated them even through the heat and humidity.
The blue skies were filled with fluffy white rather expressive-looking clouds.
Below the blue and white there was plenty of green to be seen.
There were splashes of other colors, too, among the green fronds.
The path was sometimes narrow, sometimes not, sometimes paved, sometimes not. But always surrounded by green.
A particularly photogenic cloud poses for the camera, trying to steal attention from the picturesque rocks, water and greenery.
We passed a small number of homes which appeared to be inhabited, and more that were clearly long abandoned.
Some of the abandoned buildings were taken over by green.
Our hike finished up with a ferry ride back to our starting point, which offered plenty more beautiful views of green peaks. (A few more photos from the excursion are included below, in the slideshow. And several hundred more are still on my laptop.)
This post was brought to you by the color green, which was week’s friday foto finder theme . Green abounds in my photo library, especially of the local greenery, but it seemed a good excuse to get back to posting some of my long-promised travel photos. To see what other green can be seen, stop by the fff blog
collecting tokens 
Yay, more Hong Kong pics on your blog!! Oh wow, Alejna, you DID take a lot of photos of the greenery… and I’m sooo glad you didn’t pass out that day! ;)
Yes, I quite a lot of photos of the greenery, as well as quite a lot of photos of things of other colors. Really, I just took quite a lot of photos.
Yes, that day would have been quite different with a passed-out me. Though I’m sure it would have been an interesting story for us both. (Sometimes it’s better not to have the interesting stories.)
What a wonderful collection of greens. Thank you for sharing
So pretty!
I love the idea of a cloud “posing” for the camera! :) These are great photos and I’m glad we finally got to see more of the Hong Kong trip!
Lovely cool greens. Mine is here…
http://azahar.me/2013/09/06/friday-foto-finder-green/
Wow, I love these. I had no idea Hong Kong had areas like this. The photogenic cloud is framed so perfectly in that shot, and the vines taking over the old building is another of my favorites. I remember a scene in the Chronicles of Narnia when the children-now-adults return to Narnia to find the castles and landmarks in decay and overtaken by vines. It’s such an interesting and yet disturbing sight–what becomes of the buildings that housed your life after you’re gone.
Oh I love these pics, Alejna! They remind me of our visits to HK — though it was always overcast when we went, so I don’t think I ever got to see the greenery in sunshine. Yay! I recognize some of the plants from my pics :)
That cloud is a showstopper indeed.
We are now in Boston so let me know if you’re ever free and in the city! No rush since we will be here till Dec. Hooray :D
Those photos are amazing, but they *do* seem a little hot and humid.