Ferry Boat to Peng Chau

The missionary couples in the Asia Area office go on Saturday excursions once or twice a month. One of the first ones we went on was a ferry ride to an island between Hong Kong Island where we live and Lantau Island where the airport is located. It is called Peng Chau. The only access to the island is by ferry. There are no cars on the island, just bicycles. Seven couples left our apartment building early on a Saturday in March. We took a bus to the ferry in Central, and then boarded a ferry that took us to the island. (About 20 minutes). We visited the market place and while the other couples hiked up a steep hill to view the surrounding islands, we enjoyed a stroll around the village with its houses on the hills, its little shrines, and the village atmosphere. After the visit to Peng Chau, we took another ferry to Lantau Island and went on a hike around part of the island to Discovery Bay, a town where many Hong Kong employed Caucasian families live. We ended with dinner at a Mexican Restaurant. This first blog is of Peng Chau. The next blog will include pictures of the Discovery Bay hike.

The ferry holds about 200 passengers. It moves at good speed. There are ferries going to different islands from Hong Kong including one to Kowloon where the Temple is located. Some days we go to the Temple by ferry and bus, but most of the time we go by bus through the harbor tunnel because it is faster. Fares are reasonable. For the ferries, seniors travel free!!

This is a picture of some of the office couples on the ferry. Elder and Sister Woolsey, E/S Gibbons, E/S Halverson, E/S Jackson, E/S Bench, and E/S Erickson were with us. We were in our casuals which made hiking much easier.

Peng Chau Ferry Pier

A map of the island of Peng Chau. It makes it look much bigger than it is.



A shop right next door to the "Shrine" on one of the few streets of Peng Chau. As we were just starting our day's adventure we didn't buy anything, but later did find some needles and black thread, and an "Umbrella Walking Stick". We also had a fruit drink to go along with the pastries we bought. It was great to get away from the HEAVY traffic we have in Hong Kong.

Imagine, only having bicycles to get around on. Some of them looked pretty old, and we felt safer just using our own legs and feet. It was a relaxing morning.

We saw lots of beautiful flowers as we walked around the small village, mostly around the homes. There were many apartment building also. We didn't get much information on how many people lived on the Island. We will have to find out and add that to our Blog.

Some of the houses and apartments had "Pot" gardens for flowers and vegetables. It was amazing to see what they were trying to grow. However, some really liked their privacy (note the big fences). We enjoyed our stroll through the village, while the younger couples enjoyed the strenuous hike to the top of Finger Hill. We knew we would slow them down, so didn't go with them.

One of the many neighborhood religious shrines. Every island and village has them.

Apartment houses are everywhere. But these on Pen Chau Island are not near as high as the ones we have in Hong Kong and Kowloon.