Friday night, we explored the nightlife.
Saturday day, we explored the wildlife.
Sunday, I fell off a waterfall.
This will be a relatively long post, so I'll try to post pictures to keep everyone entertained. This post will be more of a factual, what-I-did post, than really anything else.
On Friday (June 17), after work, the gang and I decided to leave the safety of our campus and venture into the city. We left the our campus at around 7:30, and were able to easily navigate the MTR (subway system) to find our way to a region of Hong Kong known for its bars. Not too surprisingly, it was a very touristy area, with more caucasians than another ethnicity. I won't really dwindle too long on this night as it was largely relatively standard, pseudo-westernized region. There were about 3 blocks that were sectioned off from cars (only during the night, I believe), filled with bars, promoters, and tourists.
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June 18
On Saturday, a friend of mine in my group went exploring along the shore of the university. After hiking/climbing around for some distance we decided that we would turn around... just after the next turn...
Okay, maybe the next turn after that
I just want to see what's around that bend.
This went on for a little while, until finally we saw a beach along the shore, and decided that we would just go forward, and take a taxi back. (oh how naive we were)
Long story short, we kept walking for a while, thinking that we would find the bus stop back to our HKUST (where we live), but Hong Kong being the beautiful place that it is, we kept seeing new places we wanted to go. We ventured on some slopes, that we definitely were not supposed to go on (which we should have figured out, based on how difficult it was to get onto to them).
Eventually, we thought we found a beach. Then we took a few wrong turns, debated whether or not hopping a fence was allowed, hopped a fence and then actually found a beach.
Although we were already soaked from the heat and humidity, we gladly jumped in the 80 degree Fahrenheit temperature water, abandoning our things on the beach with nothing more than our good faith in the Hong Kong community. The water was extremely refreshing and we were very happy to be there.
Afterwards, we walked home. Repeatedly just missing the bus that would take us home. At one point, we sprinted after a taxi, but to no avail.
This may come as a surprise, but we made it home.
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June 19, 2016
Sunday was a pretty long day, I started off with a different friend from the program, exploring the opposite direction along the shoreline. I don't know if we're allowed to, but that can be our secret for now - there is definitely evidence of people, and I've seen people there before, so I don't know.
Now, I would like to pre-empt what I did, by saying it was very stupid. I climbed up to a relatively high point, to where I saw this view:
At which point, my friend (logically) decided to turn back. I decided to continue forward, without her, and very quickly fell in the water, and soaked myself. I was lucky, and didn't do any more harm that a few bruises on my arm; but still, don't climb on wet rocks, that's really stupid. Aside from feeling foolish, it was a strange feeling to fall in the water because of the humidity & sweat I didn't feel any wetter than before.
After which, I found my way to a path, which started so innocently as a staircase going to a road - and proceeded to never end. I think I climbed roughly 50 floors of stairs, or about a million, it's hard to tell. Additionally, there were a good number of really big insects and spiders that had it out for me, which really just meant that I had to (sporadically) sprint my way up.
I eventually made it up, along a path that I had no idea where it led. I thought I was incredibly lost, and asked a person standing by the top of the trail where the university was... The guy laughed, and point to the right. As it turned out, the path had somewhat unbelievably led me to the front gate of the university, and had I taken another 3 steps, I would have seen the sign.
This post is getting to be a little too long I think, so I'll abridge the rest of the day.
I went to go play frisbee through a group I found on Facebook. I used the MTR to get there, and fell even more in love with the subway system (I think I will make a separate post about the public transport system). I got off, bought a hat, and played pick-up for 3 hours.
Putting on my cleats for the first time in a month was truly a rejuvenating experience, though I cannot deny that I have gotten worse since the season ended (for shame!).
Afterwards, I ended up getting dinner with some local players, and 2 Americans (one from Princeton, and one from Columbia- so, all from the metro-east region). Did you know, that you're supposed to eat the entire chicken foot? The cartilage and everything! Well, maybe they were messing with me... but they all did it so casually, and that's commitment to the bit. It was a unique experience to have such a casual experience with locals.
Later we got dessert, and used the MTR again (what a treat!).
Saturday day, we explored the wildlife.
Sunday, I fell off a waterfall.
This will be a relatively long post, so I'll try to post pictures to keep everyone entertained. This post will be more of a factual, what-I-did post, than really anything else.
On Friday (June 17), after work, the gang and I decided to leave the safety of our campus and venture into the city. We left the our campus at around 7:30, and were able to easily navigate the MTR (subway system) to find our way to a region of Hong Kong known for its bars. Not too surprisingly, it was a very touristy area, with more caucasians than another ethnicity. I won't really dwindle too long on this night as it was largely relatively standard, pseudo-westernized region. There were about 3 blocks that were sectioned off from cars (only during the night, I believe), filled with bars, promoters, and tourists.
 |
| Just a quick pic |
June 18
On Saturday, a friend of mine in my group went exploring along the shore of the university. After hiking/climbing around for some distance we decided that we would turn around... just after the next turn...
Okay, maybe the next turn after that
I just want to see what's around that bend.
 |
| 10 minutes walking along the shore |
This went on for a little while, until finally we saw a beach along the shore, and decided that we would just go forward, and take a taxi back. (oh how naive we were)
 |
| We found these guys - one was in the boat, and the other was free-diving underwater for clams, oysters, and sea urchins (I believe). |
Long story short, we kept walking for a while, thinking that we would find the bus stop back to our HKUST (where we live), but Hong Kong being the beautiful place that it is, we kept seeing new places we wanted to go. We ventured on some slopes, that we definitely were not supposed to go on (which we should have figured out, based on how difficult it was to get onto to them).
 |
| Hong Kong is covered in these faux-cement slopes - I believe they are to prevent serious erosion problems, as Hong Kong is such a steep region. It seems like a lot of work goes into maintaining these slopes. |
 |
| just Hong Kong views |
Although we were already soaked from the heat and humidity, we gladly jumped in the 80 degree Fahrenheit temperature water, abandoning our things on the beach with nothing more than our good faith in the Hong Kong community. The water was extremely refreshing and we were very happy to be there.
 |
| As far as beaches go, it was a beach. It was everything we could have wanted it to be. |
 |
| We found this afterwards - though, we weren't part of the lucky 1% |
This may come as a surprise, but we made it home.
------------------------
June 19, 2016
Sunday was a pretty long day, I started off with a different friend from the program, exploring the opposite direction along the shoreline. I don't know if we're allowed to, but that can be our secret for now - there is definitely evidence of people, and I've seen people there before, so I don't know.
 |
| We got up to this point without any real problem. |
 |
| Look at how arrogant this guy looks. What a dummy. |
At which point, my friend (logically) decided to turn back. I decided to continue forward, without her, and very quickly fell in the water, and soaked myself. I was lucky, and didn't do any more harm that a few bruises on my arm; but still, don't climb on wet rocks, that's really stupid. Aside from feeling foolish, it was a strange feeling to fall in the water because of the humidity & sweat I didn't feel any wetter than before.
 |
The scene of the crime - I was being overdramatic earlier, I didn't fall off a waterfall, only near a waterfall; but honestly, I'm surprised you read this far.
I thought about not putting in this photo, because I think it looks more dangerous than it really was, but on the other hand there isn't anything you can do about it (sorry!), and I promise to be honest with you guys about my adventures. |
 |
| what a beach |
 |
| I don't know if you can tell how big a spider that is. But it was really big. |
This post is getting to be a little too long I think, so I'll abridge the rest of the day.
I went to go play frisbee through a group I found on Facebook. I used the MTR to get there, and fell even more in love with the subway system (I think I will make a separate post about the public transport system). I got off, bought a hat, and played pick-up for 3 hours.
Putting on my cleats for the first time in a month was truly a rejuvenating experience, though I cannot deny that I have gotten worse since the season ended (for shame!).
Afterwards, I ended up getting dinner with some local players, and 2 Americans (one from Princeton, and one from Columbia- so, all from the metro-east region). Did you know, that you're supposed to eat the entire chicken foot? The cartilage and everything! Well, maybe they were messing with me... but they all did it so casually, and that's commitment to the bit. It was a unique experience to have such a casual experience with locals.
Later we got dessert, and used the MTR again (what a treat!).
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