Nan Lian Garden & Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple

I needed another solitary adventure, like that long ago journey to IKEA. But this time I took the lazy route and followed the path provided by my Hong Kong Walks: Exploring the City's Living Culture brochure. I only finished half of the prescribed walk (because the shopping malls outside each MTR station distracted me and also it started raining) so I'll visit Hau Wong Temple and Kowloon Walled City Park another day.

I left relatively early (10:30-ish?) but even the West Rail line was packed. So I read the newspaper ("US House gives nod to revised bill," "Stricter checks for dairy production," "Why does hair tangle itself?") instead of practicing my characters, which would have been a difficult feat to accomplish while standing.

Take MTR to Diamond Hill Station. Leave the station by Exit C2 and follow the directional signs pointing to the Nan Lian Garden.

I'm not going to repeat the entire brochure description of Nan Lian Garden, but I will say that I particularly looked forward to viewing the "various odd-shaped rocks."

As I said before, shopping centers distracted me, but as they weren't particularly aesthetically pleasing, this rectangle [] will represent a mall. I wanted to go to this one because of its very long escalator and to find a new bag before my fraying one spills its contents, possibly in the middle of a road, where a taxi could then zoom by and crush my camera or maybe only leave intriguing tire marks, but anyway... I left for the garden when I felt hungry for a semi-picnic lunch (I'd bought some buns at the MTR station).

The main entrance and supposedly "one-way circular route." However, I exited nowhere near these gates.


Artificial fog. It looked pretty, even if it defied science.


These tables looked absolutely perfect for lunchtime.
But an important looking lady came by and said, "Sorry, miss. No food."
Luckily, I'd snagged a few bites of my meat bun so I no longer felt horribly hungry.


Perfection Pavilion.
It's completely gold-plated.


Koi! Much larger than the ones I saw the last time I saw koi.
Apparently the campus has some, near the northern hostels, but I have yet to investigate.


There's a restaurant behind the waterfall;
like something a villain would design for his (or her) top-secret lair!


One of the "odd-shaped" rocks in the rockery.


Outside the garden I could finally try my pumpkin and cream cheese bun!
As delicious as it was adorable!

Take MTR to Wong Tai Sin Station, leave the station by Exit B3 and follow directional signs pointing to the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple.

[]
I needed to visit this mall because...umm...I didn't. But it was right there!


My favorite temple by far! I could photograph everything (except the inside the Main Temple) and there was much more to see and smell! Well, only one thing to smell--incense--but there was much more of it.


I paid the 2HKD required donation to enter the Good Wish Garden.
A very smart choice, if I do say so myself.




Now I know what a mango tree looks like!


Bummer...

This garden made no claim to provide a single, circular path--and it certainly didn't.
I thought if I followed the exit signs I would end up back at the temple; instead I found myself at the fortune-telling arcade. But after a bit of back-tracking I found the exit I needed.

I walked through the main temple, which was filled with people shaking containers of fortune sticks. If incense had been allowed inside, I'm sure there would have been plenty of that too. I guess when it comes to the insides of the temples I kind of prefer the smaller ones. Ones without guards at the entrance and exit, a distant statue, well-posted no photos signs...

Po Chai Hall.
I only know this becaues I'm referencing the map of the temple.

Take MTR to Lok Fu Station, leave the station by Exit A and follow the directional signs pointing to the Hau Wong Temple.

But I already told you I never made it.

[]
For one, I spotted this shopping center before I spotted any directional signs.

For two, when I finally left it had begun drizzling. I attempted walking to the temple anyway, but then the rain picked up speed. So then I picked up speed and scurried back to the MTR.