Sharp Island.

Sharp Island was the final stop on our tour. We reached the island and looked at the different volcanic rocks that are found in the area. One of the rocks that are a point of interest are the "pineapple bun" rock. The crusty rock surface is similar to the pineapple bun surface that is sold in bakeries here in Hong Kong. My daughter, being the fearless girl that she is, found a dead fish washed up on the beach while she was collecting shells to send to her Nana back in South Carolina. After snapping this picture, she threw it back into the water hoping it would miraculously come back to life and swim away! 

Touring Caves On A Traditional Sampan.

After a full day of hiking around on foot, it was a wonderful change to be able to relax on the wooden sampan and get ferried around to the different points of interest. Once again the views were breathtaking and it was fascinating to see the rock formations. I kept thinking about my mom who lives in Canada, wishing she had been along for the experience. She loves rocks and it's a running joke in our family about how excited she becomes when she sees them. 

Hiking The Global Geopark.

From the East Dam we then walked along the road and down some paths to the secluded village of Pak Lap where we took a forty-five minute water break before heading over to Sha Kiu, which was another thirty minute hike. In Sha Kiu, we ate a seafood lunch around a communal table, and then boarded a traditional wooden sampan.

The Most Beautiful View I've Seen So Far {Mok Min Cave}.

Our day remained foggy, which was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because the sun didn't beat down on us, but it was a curse because we couldn't take in as much of the scenery as we would have like to. We hiked up this mountain and then back down a steep incline, literally scaling the sides of the cliff. Our efforts paid off when we were greeted by a beautiful sea arch that we could walk through. There is something for me about being in nature that I feel so much closer to God. To see how He has created this earth and to see the majesty of it all, amazes me and makes me realize that what I experience on a day to day basis is nothing compared to how powerful He is and how powerful He is.

I was proud of my two children for being so game about hiking such a difficult trail. We made sure to pack plenty of water and some snacks to keep their energy levels up. From the description of the hike, I had not realized it was going to be so strenuous. Several of our other traveling companions were also under the assumption that we would walk around the entrance of the geopark and then a boat would ferry us the rest of the way. I was definitely not wearing the correct shoes for the experience and I am currently suffering the damages done to my already troublesome right ankle.

Hong Kong Global Geopark of China.

I could definitely spend this whole week writing about our hiking experience of Hong Kong's Global Geopark, and so I will do just that. We had been wanting to make a trip out to this park for some time, but we were not sure how easy it would be to get back out of the park once we were finished exploring the area. We have had a previous experience where we were stuck hiking in the Sai Kung East Country Park. Fortunately we were there with our friends who live in Sai Kung and knew how to get us out, but we didn't want to repeat the experience on our own. I got excited when I saw an advertisement on an expat sight for a walking tour of the geopark, so on a holiday Monday, we caught up with the other members of our group and started exploring.

We took a taxi from the University station to the East Dam of High Island Reservoir where we learned about the famous hexagonal rock columns. 

The Philippines - Ayala Museum.

For one of the days I was in Makati on my own with my two kids, I took them to the Ayala Museum. My parents told me I've been there several times as a child, but when I was there nothing seemed familiar. The six story museum gave us great information on the history of gold in the Philippines, the influence of different pottery from China and surrounding Asian countries, and fun dioramas that depicted some of the history I got to live through. History in the 1980's with Ninoy Aquino getting shot and the EDSA People Power Revolution. My kids found it amazing that I got to experience it!