My Early Morning Walk in Happy Valley Hong Kong

After we arrived in Hong Kong on our mission, it took us several weeks to feel comfortable with the surroundings and our busy schedule at work. We also visited five countries in the first six months, so that kept us going as well. We both walked to the office and back each day, plus often a few blocks at lunchtime, but we noticed that our weight was beginning to go up. Several of the Elders among the Senior Couples talked about walking at the Happy Valley Race Course every morning. It is about 10 minutes away from our apartment, but the opposite direction from our office.

Just before our trip to Laos in July, I finally decided to walk over to Happy Valley on an early morning and try it out. I was soon hooked. The area for the race course was set aside in the late 1800's (See history on a plaque on the Peak blog). It has been remodeled several times, and still is used for horse racing. The infield has been made into several beautiful soccer fields. There is an outside asphalt ambulance track that goes completely around the infield. It is wide and can be used for cars and ambulances. It makes a wonderful walking and jogging track. It is over a mile completely around the field. There is also an inside softer track (rust in color) that goes around the infield (about 3/4 of a mile in length). Scores of joggers, walkers, elderly yoga exercisers, etc. enjoy the beauty and the facilities each day. I am now on a routine of leaving my apartment at 6 a.m., walking ten minutes to the track, walking once around the outside track and once around the inside track and home; 50 minutes time. It is hot and humid 24 hours a day here in Hong Kong from June-September, so I am pretty wet when I get home, but I think it is working. I feel better and my pants fit a little better as well. JenaVee is afraid she will be too tired to spend a day at the office if she does this in the morning. I think it will be easier as the weather cools. She joined me Saturday when we could both come home and rest.

The following pictures attempt to capture the beauty of the area. The track is surrounded with tall apartment and office buildings. The track is like an oasis. The flowers are beautiful, the birds sing, and friendly walkers and joggers wave their hellos. It's a wonderful respite from the crowded streets and sidewalks of Hong Kong. I even go when it's raining, though the umbrella slows me down a little.

Buses and taxis are still out at 6 a.m, but it is still easy to cross the streets.

This "Golden Dragon" is a landmark on Queens Road on the way to Happy Valley. People refer to stores and streets by their location in relation to the dragon. It sits in the center of several intersecting streets. I go in front of it on the way to Happy Valley.

Early morning traffic, mostly taxis.

Signs lead the way after going through a tunnel under busy roads.

A display of horse statues in varying front-half colors greets the visitors. The track is beyond the horses.

The gates are open to welcome the many people who come to use the field.

A racing museum is part of the complex. We haven't seen it as yet. The racing season doesn't start until Fall. We may try to take in an evening of racing (no betting of course) before we leave just to enjoy the setting.

A sign describes the facilities and shows a map of the fields.

The inner track goes by an exercise area with bars and a soft surface. People of all ages and of both sexes stretch and limber up in this area.

One of the picturesque views that a walker around the outer track sees.

This man in the red shirt is there every morning. He walks the reverse route, so I see him twice each lap.

For a long time I wondered where the horses ran. I was told that it is on the lawn next to the asphalt track. They replace torn sod after each racing day. The white fence defines the outer border. I will have to see it to visualize it.

This is a soccer field and on the other side is a good view of the grandstands. Many stories high. I think there are offices and maybe stores inside. I haven't had a tour of the grandstands yet. There has been considerable repair work being done this summer on them.

This bush and lawn area is a good example of the well kept grounds surrounding the soccer fields and the walking tracks.

The sun comes up as I wak. When there are clouds, the effect is stunning. This picture shows the grandstands, the inner fields, and the distant building. I am looking North towards our apartment complex.

This is a south-eastern view.

Even football goalposts on the field.

Another north-west view from the south end of the field. Beautiful cloud cover.

This is a western view. Tall apartments and a hill. The Peak we visited last week is a couple of hills further east.

Notice the man stretching his leg on the top of the fence. The woman is doing a slow yoga-type exercise as she bends and moves her arms slowly. Sometimes twenty or more Chinese are following a leader as they exercise to music in unison. There is another favorite walking and exercising area east of us called Victoria Park. There are many more people there each day than at Happy Valley. I have seen up to 100 exercisers with 2 or 3 leaders all working in slow motion together. So different from the fast paced exercise programs on TV at home.

The box seats are ready and a new rainbow-type display was just erected last week.

A lot of windows on several floors. I'm not sure if they are just loges or stores or even apartments. I need that tour.

I have included several pictures of flowers and trees. Ahead are several plumeria trees. We had several in our yard when we spent a year in Hawaii. The blossoms make beautiful leis. We love the pink ones, but they all seem to be yellow here.

I have seen women in the morning with bags picking up the blossoms on the ground, probably to make leis.

A beautiful fan palm in the garden area.

A walker, two exercisers in slow motion, a garden and tall apartment houses. A great pictorial of how Happy Valley is used.

Sculpted bushes. Probably like the bushes trimmed to look like animals. (See Thailand blog and the Summer Palace.)

Stunning flowers on a clump of bushes.

The door to the apartment building looks good as I complete my walk. It is a secured building and requires a code to open the door

Our front hall with a bucket to capture a leaky air conditioner. There are two sets of elevators. One goes from 2-9. The other from 10-18. We are on the 13th floor.

Each floor has 13-15 apartments. Ours is 13H

Each apartment is secured with steel opening or sliding doors

Home and time for a shower, breakfast, and another walk to work.