Going to Cheung Chau
Literally, Cheung Chau is the Cantonese noun which means "long island". Nope, I'm not going to NY because Cheung Chau is the tiniest island in Hong Kong which is shaped like a Coca-Cola bottle, post war era. In fact, I have recently been to it -- in thoughts only though.
Despite visting Hong Kong over two years ago, I have not heard about this tiny Hong Kong island, off the coast of Lantau Island - yes, the airport and Disneyland island, even though I've read about Lamma Island whose beaches, my friend says fell short of his Boracay white sand standard. It is only when I came across an advertisement in Businessworld for the Hong Kong Tourism Authority, soliciting entries for an essay in answer to the question did I came to know about Cheung Chau island. The question goes, "which of the four festivals during the Culture and Heritage Celebration would you like to see and why?" In the same ad, it was stated that the four festivals are the Birthdays of Tin Hau, Buddha, and Tam Kung, and the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, all of which are to be held between April 27 and May 7 this year. I quickly searched the net to know more about these festivals. Since the criteria for judging were creativity, impact, originality and cohesiveness/knowledge of Hong Kong, I read the write-ups posted at the HKTA website and then veered away from what I perceived were typical sites which would be read by would-be contest participants like me.
And so, this morning, I wrote my not more than 10 sentence essay in answer to the contest question which goes:
Despite visting Hong Kong over two years ago, I have not heard about this tiny Hong Kong island, off the coast of Lantau Island - yes, the airport and Disneyland island, even though I've read about Lamma Island whose beaches, my friend says fell short of his Boracay white sand standard. It is only when I came across an advertisement in Businessworld for the Hong Kong Tourism Authority, soliciting entries for an essay in answer to the question did I came to know about Cheung Chau island. The question goes, "which of the four festivals during the Culture and Heritage Celebration would you like to see and why?" In the same ad, it was stated that the four festivals are the Birthdays of Tin Hau, Buddha, and Tam Kung, and the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, all of which are to be held between April 27 and May 7 this year. I quickly searched the net to know more about these festivals. Since the criteria for judging were creativity, impact, originality and cohesiveness/knowledge of Hong Kong, I read the write-ups posted at the HKTA website and then veered away from what I perceived were typical sites which would be read by would-be contest participants like me.
And so, this morning, I wrote my not more than 10 sentence essay in answer to the contest question which goes:
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival - the mere privilege of being a spectator is an experience I am most certainly looking forward to when visiting the "Fragrant Harbor."
Legends abound that Cheung Chau island, less than an hour away from Central via ferry and off the coast of Lantau Island (famous for Po Lin Monastery and its Giant Buddha and recently, Mickey Mouse's abode, Disneyland) has hidden treasures from pirates' booty, whose excursions to Cheung Chau was put to an end only after the rise of the temple in honor of Pak Tai, the Taoist God of the Sea. While digging is most certainly forbidden in the island, Cheung Chau's secrets caves with neolithic carvings, cradles artifacts of an ancient civilisation - its rich cultural traditions and the community's peaceful existence are like an enchantress which mesmerizes one to cease resisting the urge to take a dip and wade through the experience that is Cheung Chau. For such a tiny, seductively shaped island, it is a gastronomic paradise seeping with culture which intoxicates visitors to forget the fast-paced grind of the industrial world and submerge in its environ surrounded by inviting shops, ubiquitous sampans, windsurfing beaches and magestic temples. And as if it is not enough that the island itself is a beauty on its own, the weeklong Bun Festival, promises to bring to life the word "festive" in all sense of the word, rivaling any other cultural celebration for its vibrance, color, people and pomp. The bun race at the end of the festival calls to mind the palo sebo in Philippine fiestas where townspeople race to climb a greasy bamboo pole for a prize, only that the prize found at the end of the poles in Cheung Chau are buns, which are gastronomic delights in their own right. Children clad in colorful costumes, heart-thumping parades, and traditional Chinese opera are sights which I look forward not to miss. The mere thought of experiencing the Cheung Chau Bun festival floods my entire being with excitement. The food, the island, and the enveloping festivities permeating the air during the Cheung Chau Bun Festival is truly a hypnotic spell worth giving in to.
It would be nice to win the prize which is a 3D/2N Hong Kong package for two, inclusive of hotel accommodations, airport transfers and a half day city tour (hopefully no expensive portraits on ornate plates!). Still, the whole experience of discovering that peaceful tiny island in Hong Kong brought my thoughts back to planning a trip to Hong Kong. Afterall, I know now that I have other choices other than the staple and sole-ripping shopping, always on brisk mode streets and endless sightings of Giordano stores.
Legends abound that Cheung Chau island, less than an hour away from Central via ferry and off the coast of Lantau Island (famous for Po Lin Monastery and its Giant Buddha and recently, Mickey Mouse's abode, Disneyland) has hidden treasures from pirates' booty, whose excursions to Cheung Chau was put to an end only after the rise of the temple in honor of Pak Tai, the Taoist God of the Sea. While digging is most certainly forbidden in the island, Cheung Chau's secrets caves with neolithic carvings, cradles artifacts of an ancient civilisation - its rich cultural traditions and the community's peaceful existence are like an enchantress which mesmerizes one to cease resisting the urge to take a dip and wade through the experience that is Cheung Chau. For such a tiny, seductively shaped island, it is a gastronomic paradise seeping with culture which intoxicates visitors to forget the fast-paced grind of the industrial world and submerge in its environ surrounded by inviting shops, ubiquitous sampans, windsurfing beaches and magestic temples. And as if it is not enough that the island itself is a beauty on its own, the weeklong Bun Festival, promises to bring to life the word "festive" in all sense of the word, rivaling any other cultural celebration for its vibrance, color, people and pomp. The bun race at the end of the festival calls to mind the palo sebo in Philippine fiestas where townspeople race to climb a greasy bamboo pole for a prize, only that the prize found at the end of the poles in Cheung Chau are buns, which are gastronomic delights in their own right. Children clad in colorful costumes, heart-thumping parades, and traditional Chinese opera are sights which I look forward not to miss. The mere thought of experiencing the Cheung Chau Bun festival floods my entire being with excitement. The food, the island, and the enveloping festivities permeating the air during the Cheung Chau Bun Festival is truly a hypnotic spell worth giving in to.
It would be nice to win the prize which is a 3D/2N Hong Kong package for two, inclusive of hotel accommodations, airport transfers and a half day city tour (hopefully no expensive portraits on ornate plates!). Still, the whole experience of discovering that peaceful tiny island in Hong Kong brought my thoughts back to planning a trip to Hong Kong. Afterall, I know now that I have other choices other than the staple and sole-ripping shopping, always on brisk mode streets and endless sightings of Giordano stores.
posted by wernicke @ 7:23:00 PM
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