Hong Kong | Discovering Sai Kung Harbour
By Naomi November 22, 2015 asia, hong kong, travel
SAI KUNG
So I've been reminiscing about my days in Hong Kong - being able to wake up when I want and not when my alarm rings, and beginning each day not quite knowing what it will bring.
One thing I loved was being able to spend my mornings jogging along the harbor front, breathing in the fresh ocean breeze, and admiring the restaurants and their gigantic sparkling seafood tanks. Whenever I'm in Hong Kong, I always catch myself stopping mid-run to admire all the fascinating things that live within.
Sai Kung is the center of water activity, whether you want to go fishing, yatching, or sailing. You can hop on your private yatch on one end of the pier, and purchase seafood from the local aunties on the other side. Shouts of 'Good Morning' and the sounds of splashing water fill the air. Everything is so vibrant and alive.
Although it's become more of a tourist trap over the years (you'll see hosts luring travelers with English signs and promises of delicious meals), Sai Kung still retains much of it's original character. On one side you will see the large Seafood restaurants with their glittering signs, and on the other side you'll find little shops tucked in the smallest of corners - harboring tiny Chinese gems that can't be found anywhere else.
It's a place where the local meets the traveler, and the old meets the new.
naomi
A Summer Cottage Getaway
By Naomi September 08, 2015 canada, friends, life, ontario, personal, summer, travel
The girls and I spent the Summer at the Lake.
Feeling a little under the weather due to lack of excitement, I called up the girls, and Shauntel suggested that we take a few days off at her cottage. Hera was quick to jump on the wagon, while I took a bit of convincing (mosquito problems), but I came around soon enough (thankfully) and we had a fantastic time speeding around on the lake, jumping on the trampoline, kayaking, and swimming in the lake.
Her cottage is built on an island in Lake of the Woods - a very popular vacation destination for celebrities due to it's privacy and tranquility. This meant that we couldn't drive up to her house, and instead left the car at the marina. There we arrived with the trunk filled with our belongings, and quickly loaded them onto the boat which would take us to our final destination.
After getting over the initial shock of how amazing her place was, the girls and I spent some time exploring S's expansive property. She's got over 10 buildings on the island alone, and we admittedly lost our way a few times.
We spent the afternoon searching for crayfish on the dock and shooing away spiders, before heading over to the trampoline to get our daily exercise in. Quickly exhausting, we lay on the mat and watched the clouds go by.
Before we knew it, it was dinner time.
Life at the lake is a lot different than life in the city. There's no grocery store nearby, so almost everything is made from scratch. On the menu tonight; steamed asparagus with fresh pesto fettuccine.
I was in charge of the sauce while the girls worked on the pasta.
Feeling particularly stuffed after dinner, we lazed and Hera and I ran around the property looking for a cellphone signal. Shauntel is a little less addicted and retired to her room to relax for a bit.
Feeling slightly disconnected, we eventually found a pocket at the edge of the deck, where we stayed to watch the sun set before Shauntel called us back to the house.
It's time for firepit and smores!
We took a few more snaps before quickly skipping back to the house, where we were tasked with helping load the wagon with wood. Gotta work for those smores, you know.
This is where I learned how to start a fire for the first time in my life, and while Shauntel imparted her wisdom upon me with tips and tricks to get the perfect flame going, Hera went snap happy and made a very impressive time lapse video!
And that's how we spent our evening. Talking around the fire while stuffing ourselves with smores.
Delicious Summer nights.
naomi.