WATER TAXIS TO TAI O
Hong Kong’s recently unveiled ferry service operator Hong Kong Water Taxi has launched a new route from Central to Tai O. Departing every Sunday from Central Ferry Pier 9 at 9.30am and returning from Tai O at 4.15pm, the ferry can accommodate up to 168 people at a time. The round-trip journey costs HK$130 per person.
Passing Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, the Tsing Ma Bridge, Hong Kong International Airport, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and Tseung Kwan Shek, the two-hour journey is designed for those living on Hong Kong Island, who want to spend some time in the city’s own Little Venice – all without having to hop on MTR and buses. Day-trippers can hope to spot pink dolphins on the way, while enjoying the breathtaking scenery from the sightseeing deck.
Hong Kong Water Taxi and its parent company Fortune Ferry also operate a number of scheduled routes around town, such as the daily Central – Hung Hom route and the Harbour Tour which runs every Saturday. Boarding and alighting points include Hung Hom, Tsim Sha Tsui East and Central. Large parties can make use of the company’s ferry rental services, with the largest vessel accommodating up to 365 passengers.
In a move to contribute to Hong Kong’s sustainability goals, Fortune Ferry is in the process of redefining its fleet and invites tenders for the design and construction of a 200-passenger ferry destined to be used for its Kai Tak – Hung Hom – Tsim Sha Tsui East – Central – West Kowloon route.
Advanced booking is required for all Hong Kong Water Taxi tours. To learn more and book a trip, visit www.hongkongwatertaxi.com.hk or call 5801 2200.
[PHOTO COURTESY OF Wikimedia Commons].
SUPPORT BREASTFEEDING WEEK
Through her #Ittasteslikelove campaign, Cheung Sha resident Liz Thomas continues her mission to normalise breastfeeding and encourage all of us to stand up for nursing mothers’ rights. This year, ahead of World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), an annual celebration which is held every year from August 1 to 7 in more than 120 countries worldwide, #Ittasteslikelove is encouraging mothers to share and celebrate their breastfeeding milestones.
“Whether it is one week or five years we need to encourage parents to celebrate and share their experiences,” Liz says. “Our Instagram account showcases breastfeeding as art; we use Facebook for sharing the latest research, science and discussion; and the website offers guides, advice and incentives from our various supporters. A popular element is our stories section which features reports of motherhood from the trenches.”
Now in its third year, the #Ittasteslikelove normalise breastfeeding campaign has the support of more than 200 brands and businesses, all of whom have pledged to empower breastfeeding mothers by providing them with a safe space to nurse. Luxury establishments such as Hotel Icon and the Grand Hyatt are among the big-name backers, as well as local Lantau hotspots such as Little Brother, Good Wellness, Pause, Village Bakery and Natural Plus.
“The campaign works with the community, authorities and new mothers to help ensure that parents who wish to breastfeed are welcomed wherever, whenever, and however they need to,” says Liz. “As more and more places actively support nursing in public, people will think twice about voicing their disapproval, and after a while they may see there is no need to be disapproving at all.”
Health authorities, children’s charities, WHO and international policymakers all extoll the benefits of breastfeeding. The science is clear, the public health benefits are clear and the economic benefits are clear. So why is breastfeeding taboo? Why do we make it so hard for women to do it? “That’s what the campaign is trying to address,” says Liz. “If we want more women to breastfeed, and the consensus is that we do, then it is a shared responsibility to make that happen.
“Normalising breastfeeding is not just about society giving the ok for mothers to nurse as long as they do it discreetly,” Liz adds. “It’s about showing the full spectrum of experiences, whether that is natural-term nursing, feeding in a group on the beach, or in a crowd, or in taxi.” To know more, visit www.ittasteslikelove.org.
[PHOTO BY Karen Holt Photography]
PURCHASE WITH PURPOSE
Operated by local social enterprise Tung Chung Safe and Healthy City (TCSHC), Herbsense is the place to visit if you are seeking to purchase with purpose. Located in Tung Chung North Park, the newly opened store sets out to support local enterprises by selling a wide range of products made by Lantau villagers.
Be sure to check out Herbsense’s locally made soaps, ranging from the classic Housekeeping Soap (HK$20) to Camellia Nettle Leaves Shampoo Bar (HK$79). There’s also a tempting selection of organic food sourced from partners of the Hong Kong Vegetable Marketing Organisation. Priced at HK$330, the “local agricultural products pack” is a steal comprising Lantau-grown leaves, corns, mushrooms and eggs. Herbsense is also a place for kids and adults alike to enjoy various workshops, such as handcrafting and cooking classes. To find out more, call 3152 3427 or visit Facebook @HerbSenseHK.
[PHOTO BY Sarin Ale.]
A SPACE TO WORK AND PLAY
Setting out to redefine the way we live and work, The Humble Room in Mui Wo is a real gamechanger. You can rent the co-working room to host events and workshops, or the workshop space to hold private sessions, meetings and consultations. Needless to say, there’s a packed workshop and event schedule: Regular classes include ballet and yoga (for both adults and kids), ballroom dance (for kids), Pilates and massage.
The Humble Room also serves as a pop-up retail space in which islanders can showcase their products, and it hosts a sustainable weekend market selling locally made items. Collaboration at its core, the market is aimed at giving small businesses a chance to showcase their products. To find out when the market is running this month and/or sign up as a vendor, visit www.thehumbleroom.com. [PHOTO BY Beatrix Malan – www.tmstudiohk.com.]
COOK TO GIVE!
Founded in response to the rise in homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanuman Charity holds five charity walks weekly, distributing bags of pre-prepared food to people in need throughout Hong Kong. Founder Naveen Sadhwani also arranges visits to different elderly homes, twice a month, providing residents with snacks, daily necessities and games.
Hanuman Charity can now provide up to 650 meals weekly for those in need, thanks to the generosity of local businesses and individuals, like Tung Chung resident Leony Gadastria who meets with a group of fellow volunteers every Friday to cook and bag meals for redistribution. Naveen is on a constant lookout for new volunteers, be it to prepare and pack-up meals or distribute food bags.
To learn more about upcoming charity walks, check the weekly schedule on hanumancharity.org, Facebook @hanumancharityhk1 or Instagram @hanuman.charity.
[PHOTO COURTESY OF Naveen Sadhwani.]
WE MOURN THE LOSS OF MARTIN MALDEN
Martin Malden, 69, passed away on June 24, walking the hills above his beloved Mui Wo. A long-term Mui Wo resident and avid nature lover, Martin will be sadly missed by many in the community. Our hearts go out to his family and friends at this time.
Martin was a member of the Lantau Base Camp Social Runs & More group, and a close friend of Gary Brightman of VIBE. “Martin’s death is a tragic loss. It came as a great shock to family and friends as he was seemingly in great health, and happy with his life here on Lantau,” Gary says. “Martin was a great friend and worked at VIBE on an occasional basis; he came to the shop pretty much every Saturday to socialise with friends. He never missed an author’s talk or Tiny Desk gig in all that time… He will be greatly missed.”
Martin ran Lantau Network, a website providing support for local businesses, and he was active across Hong Kong as a digital consultant through his website company, Abledragon. Indeed, Martin was greatly valued by our team at Bay Media, for his support as web consultant, advising on IT related issues. “It’s with extreme sadness that we hear this news,” says Philip Jay, owner of Bay
Media. “Martin was a lovely guy and he was critical in resolving our complex web operations. Just recently, he helped us troubleshoot the Around DB website.”
Friends in the Lantau community held a wake for Martin at Café Isara in Mui Wo on July 30, followed by a one-hour memorial walk on July 31, starting at Lantau Base Camp. Martin was cremated on July 15 in a private ceremony.
WIMBLEDON TOURNAMENT IN TUNG CHUNG
Residents of Tung Chung held the inaugural Wimbledon Mix and Match Social Tennis Tournament on July 9 to coincide with the prestigious UK event which took place from June 27 to July 10 this year. Thirty-two players from all over Hong Kong dressed in all-white uniforms to conform with Wimbledon traditions, descending on the tennis courts in temperatures of around 33˚C.
Aside from celebrating Wimbledon, the event introduced Decathlon’s Tennis Ball Recycling Project, aiming to raise awareness among local players. Over 1,000 tennis balls were collected and donated to Decathlon’s initiative which turns old tennis balls into shoe soles and tennis shoes. To learn more about the recycling project, visit www.decathlon.com.hk.
[PHOTOS COURTESY OF Tom Chang Wu.]