Saturday, August 25, 2012

 

Kau To Shan (九肚山) 15 August 2012


On a recent Sunday afternoon, Gibson & I set out to explore Kau To Shan. We walked 20min from Fo Tan KCR Station to reach the main road leading up to Kau To Shan. At the start of the road, there were several signboards. Besides a big signboard “Kau To Shan 九肚山”, I noticed a small signboard “Ma Liu Village马料村” and a picture suggesting “No Green Cab Allowed”. I asked myself “Am I not in New Territories, why is Green Cab1 not allowed into Kau To Shan?” “Oh? A village here?”
                                         
Kau To Shan, a hill (399m high) in Shatin, Hong Kong is dotted with many luxury residential townhouses – equivalent to the likes of Kowloon Tong in Kowloon & Shouson Hill in Hong Kong Island.  Actress Wang Fei王菲, CY Leung’s sister and many businessmen are known to live or had lived there.

Kau To Shan oversees Shatin Racecourse - could it be the reason for the many horse related street names/house names in Kau To Shan?  Ma On Path马鞍径, Ma Lok Path马乐径, Ma Ling Path马铃径, Winner Lodge, The Barogue伯乐居2. I’m not too sure. Maybe these names got to do with the nearby area called Ma Liu Shui 马料水 and/or the Ma Liu Village马料村.

As we strolled along Ma Lok Path马乐径, taking in the sights of many posh houses, private swimming pools, tennis courts and luxury cars, we stumbled on another small signboard “Ma Liu Village马料村”. We followed the sign and walked on. We saw many typical village houses, we heard villagers chatting loudly and happily, we caught sight of huge hanging jackfruits and bananas. We were ‘welcomed’ by many dogs (behind the fence) but had to put on a ‘brave’ face as we slowly & steadily walked past a pack of wandering fierce barking dogs.

We were intrigued by this place and did further research on the net when we got at home. 

Kau To Shan (九肚山) also known as 狗肚山 is originally an indigenous Hakka village settlement. The main Hakka family, surnamed Lo (罗) found many wild dogs (豺狗) in the area and called the place 狗多. This Hakka name got twisted a little and became 狗肚 (dog’s stomach). Having a ‘dog’ as a name wasn’t too elegant and so it was subsequently changed to九肚 (nine stomachs). The number ‘Nine’ sounds the same as ‘Dog’ in Cantonese.

So, what has happened to the vast villages and wild dogs? I guess they were mostly ‘chased’ away by big property developers. Two remaining villages viz. Ma Liu Village & Kau To Village are now obscured by the luxury houses – there is no clear sign/direction to the village. I imagine the struggle of the villagers and their fight to stay. I applause the existence of these indigenous residents in Kau To Shan. I wonder for how long the villagers will stay united before caving in to the big fat cheque offered by the unscrupulous developers.

From Google Map, we discover a hiking trail from Kau To San to Taiwai. We look forward to exploring it one day.

And now, I think I know why no green cab is allowed in Kau To San.

1 Hong Kong has 3 types of taxi – Red color taxi, the most expensive and could travel anywhere in Hong Kong.  Green color taxi, the 2nd most expensive is restricted to New Territories.  Blue color taxi, the least expensive is restricted to Lantau island.

2 伯乐 is a Chinese mythical God who manages horses in heaven. 伯乐 is also used to describe someone who excels in recognizing and managing talented people.

# posted by Mae @ 6:16 PM 0 comments
 

Denied Basic Hospital Care!!

Gibson was recently being denied access to basic hospital care in Hong Kong!  Can we really trust the Government’s policy that “no one should be prevented, through lack of means, from obtaining adequate medical treatment”?

While working in Dongguan one Monday evening, Gibson had severe diarrhea, felt great abdominal cramp and nausea.  With a long history of gastroenteritis, he knew he needed treatment at the hospital. He rushed to Hong Kong border and asked for ambulance service. At the government hospital, he was given injections (to relieve pain and nausea) and was asked to leave. It was one in the morning and his request to be admitted for further treatment was denied due to lack of bed. He was then left, for observation, in the corridor, lying on a bed under a television which was on full blast.   

After four hours or so, not feeling better, Gibson decided to leave and seek treatment at a private hospital.  The attending doctor at the private hospital acknowledged his critical condition but could not admit him due to lack of bed. The doctor prescribed some medicine and asked him to wait at home for available bed.

After seven hours or so, Gibson felt worse, the medicine did not help. His sister called all hospitals in New Territories & Kowloon and found all were fully booked except one. Dragging his weak and highly dehydrated body, he sought immediate admission.  Upon examination, he was diagnosed “Gastroenteritis Presumed Infection” but was denied admission due to lack of isolation bed. At this time, Gibson was extremely exhausted and weak. Gibson and his sister went home feeling so helpless!

At about 6pm, Gibson and his sister rushed to a clinic just before it closed, to consult a private doctor who cured him of H. plylori infection years ago.  The doctor realized Gibson’s grave condition but gave the standard answer after the nurse called the nearby hospital - lack of bed.  Seeing Gibson was on the verge of collapsing, he exercised his special privilege to secure an admission. 

Finally after 18 hours and 4 attempts, Gibson was given the basic hospital care he badly needed. Laboratory tests showed norovirus infection.

Hospital Authority’s website states the Government ensures “all members of the community have access to comprehensive, affordable, highly professional and people-centred preventative, curative and rehabilitation healthcare services if they need them.”     Is this just an empty promise?
 
ps:  I flew to Bangkok on that Monday morning and was feeling totally helpless and frustrated! I'm extremely grateful that Gibson's sister is around to help!

# posted by Mae @ 3:14 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

 

Seasons & Colours of Summer Lodge

Seasons & Colours of Summer Lodge    The colour represents each season  Winter冬  Spring春  Summer夏  Autumn秋  

Lunar New Year Che Kung Temple 车公庙  welcomes hordes of tourists
Pretty pink Bauhinia 洋紫荊 , Sweet fragrant Osmanthus 桂花  flourish.
Flame of the Forest 凤凰木 blossoms, Bougainville 簕杜鹃  is awesome.

Early spring brings high humidity, no more great smell air-dried laundry!
Wampee 黄皮  flowers small & white,  Cotton flowers 木棉花  red & bright
Bleeding Heart Glory Bower龙吐珠  the two unite.
Cottons float in the air, Wampee fruits and jackfruits大树菠萝  bear.

Lychee fruits ripen when Cicadas call 蝉鸣荔熟   Summer mozzies and blackflies on the ball!
Sweet sour Wampee we savour in July, Big jackfruits hanging nearby.

Mid Autumn Festival, BBQ food at Summer Lodge is delectable.
Troop of hikers tramp higher ground,
Shing Mun Reservoir, Lion Rock Mountain, Wilson Trail off they bound.

Along Shing Mun River all year round, cyclists & joggers are often found.
Around Summer Lodge all year round, often heard is bird’s sweet sound.
Summer Lodge, our humble abode.  Thank You Lord for this lovely compound!

# posted by Mae @ 12:27 AM 0 comments

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