Hong Kong — Morning Trail

23 May 2010

Only a few hundred meters up the road from our door is the beginning of a 3 km hiking path known as the "Morning Trail." Each morning since we arrived, we see a steady current of people of all ages (more old than young) slowly climbing up the road to begin the hike.



This morning, after breakfast, we joined the flow. The trail is extraordinary. The whole length is beautifully paved, either in concrete with a slip-proof finish or asphalt. The grading is even and the surface is unblemished. The first portion rises steeply through dense tropical forest passing by exercise stations and resting pavilions. For the last km, the rise is more gentle.



Then, remarkably, at the top, one finds this: A major shopping center! It is also the terminus of a tram that brings visitors up from the downtown area. The views of Victoria Harbor and of the highrise buildings below are stunning!



Addendum: We hiked up to the peak again on Monday morning before breakfast (a response to jet lag). The two photos below were taken on this second trip. The morning light provided nice illumination of the buildings in the heart of Hong Kong.



To the south, as we were ascending, we could see the token wind turbine situated on an island with three tall stacks, presumably indicating coal-fired electricity generation. The turbine looks like it has about 1 MW maximum output. The coal-fired plant probably produces 1000x in full operation. Renewable energy will take a bigger commitment to fossil-free energy than this!