October 24, 2022
We are spending most of our time at work and we can barely give ourselves a break. Not even on weekends as we need to grind online, aren't we? The demands in our daily lives are truly overwhelming: the job, family, what about the naughty kids for mothers? Surely, we also need a disconnection from everything, and perhaps, some "me time" even just for a while.
To Stanley Town, I headed one Sunday to give myself a break. A break from work, most especially a break from online grinding. No company, no commitment, and such, just myself alone. I had no idea that my plan to watch an event would turn out to be a literal me time. That was because I missed the event, so I ended up dating myself, wandering around town, and ending up at Stanley Beach in the late afternoon.
The scenic view of the shorelines from the bus window is one of my favorite aspects of traveling around Hong Kong island. There are several popular beaches along the peninsula, and tourists have many options for where to go. And it is common to see several boats sailing on the waters in various parts of Hong Kong.
Stanley town is a popular tourist destination located in the far part of Hong Kong island. There are two beaches in this town, one is a secluded beach in the western part near the town proper, and the main beach is on the eastern side.
While looking for the main beach, I came across the smaller beach in the secluded part of the town. There were lesser visitors in the area which gave them more private spaces. As you zoom out of the photo, you can see some buildings on higher parts of the hills.
I was a bit lost finding the main beach and I was heading in the opposite direction. Glad I stumbled upon a lady who seemed to be a resident of the town. She was walking her dog along the main highway and cordially answered my inquiry. I was told the exact direction to the beach which I then followed.
The event was done as expected because it was already afternoon. All I saw was a group of people in the same shirts. They were participants in the dragon boat racing competition which I was supposed to capture, but I failed for some reason.
The group was probably one of the winners as they seemed to have a party at the beach. They were cheering, shouting, and having fun. And if you zoom out of the photo, you could see dragon-designed boats at the back that were used in the competition. The group was obscuring the path so I didn't bother going to the farther side.
You can watch the video below at 1:24 to see what kind of game they have done at the beach.
Following the event, some visitors were already enjoying and playing in the water. The majority of them were foreigners who were most likely Hong Kong residents, though some may have been tourists visiting the city. This was the right side of the main beach, and the left side has more visitors.
As I made my way to the other side of the beach, I stopped by the lavatory along the way to change my top, and the entrance was a few steps from it. I traced down the staircase to the viewing point of the building which was just right outside the shower room.
There was a store for snacks and refreshments on the left, and a deck with tables and chairs on the right that offers a good viewing point of the beach.
Fortunately, the beach was not as crowded as I had anticipated due to an event that day. Visitors have most likely relocated to the waterfront in the main town, where there are more attractions and restaurants where they can relax and have a good time until nightfall.
Stanley's main beach is smaller in area than other beaches on the Hong Kong island peninsula, so it can become overcrowded during special holidays. I had only seen one beach umbrella, so I couldn't tell if it had been rented or brought by a visitor. However, there were many tents along the beach, and some simply laid mats for them to settle well.
While the sun was still quite high, children were playing and sunbathers were basking. It was already 120 degrees and casting shadows on buildings along the beach, providing shelter to visitors without tents.
I, on the other hand, looked for a place to set up my mat and found one in front of the lifeguard station with a better shed. These rescue boats were stationed along the beach, ready for use in the event of an emergency.
It was therapeutic to walk barefoot on the golden stretching sand. The clear water was inviting, but I was hesitant to jump in because I was alone. There were also floating diving platforms in the water, but I didn't get any close-up shots of them. To see the floating diving platforms, simply enlarge the photo below.
(this tripod is my great companion when traveling solo)
It was past four in the afternoon and more people were diving into the water since it wasn't too hot anymore. For some, it is the ideal time to soak in the water to avoid getting burned or tanned by the scorching sun.
While others were enjoying the clear water, I was at the side watching them. It should have been a perfect time to swim if only I had a companion. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my "me time" while admiring the picturesque view of the beach.
It's ironic that as we get older, we realize that we have more working time than me time due to the overwhelming demands of our daily lives. The struggle to balance work and life is real, and it frequently jeopardizes our well-being. But we also have the option of taking a break if we so desire. Money is important, but I guess making beautiful memories while living in this world matters more. We only get one chance to live each day, so let us make it happy. 😊.
Happy new week everyone and thanks for stopping by.
Check out my mini series of blogs about Stanley Town:
Window Shopping At Stanley Market
Murray House: The Oldest Victorian-Era Building In Hong Kong
(All photos are mine)
