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- on the trails of Lion Rock and Amah Rock -

-two prominent Hong Kong landmarks -




The mountain Sz Tsz Shan,- Lion Rock-, is a very prominent landmark, that can be seen from almost everywhere in Hong Kong, high above the Kowloon peninsula.
Therefore Lion Rock cannot be unknown to the Hong Kong visitor, but still I believe, that only very few tourists actually take the time and effort to take a hike to the top.
In fact I have only seen a couple of "gwei lo's" on the Lion Rock trails,- and they were all locals.
I have done the trip across Sz Tsz Shan a couple of times, because it's really worth it to go up there to get away from it all, and have another look at Hong Kong.

If you go a little bit further and actually cross the mountain range, another reward is waiting for you on the other side. That's Mong Fu Shek ,- Amah Rock- , another well known Hong Kong landmark.
The whole area is a protected area, - a country park -, where nature reigns supreme.

Please enjoy my impressions from trips across the mountains behind and above Kowloon.
The pictures are mixed from a trip 1997 and from a trip 5 years later in 2002.
 
 



Lion Rock - Sz Tsz Shan
 Here a spectacular morning view towards the Lion Rock.
I took the picture from a plane during landing at Hong Kong's old airport at Kai Tak.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Kai Tak Airport
Here a view towards the Lion Rock seen from Kai Tak airport.
From this angle it is quite obvious why the mountain is called Lion Rock.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Lion Rock
- a closer look at the "lion" , - as seen from Wong Tai Sin -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
Up the slopes of Tz Tsz Shan, - Lion Rock -, in the early morning mist - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
Along the trail,- a beautiful tree with red flowers -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
- on the trail up, - looking down towards Tsz Wan Shan
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
- on the trail to the "Lion's Back" -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


  Lion Rock
- the trail through forest -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Lion Rock
- the trail through the Lion Rock Country Park -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Lion Rock
- view over Wong Tai Sin and Kai Tak airport in the background -
(Photography by karsten Petersen)
 
 


Wong Tai Sin, - as seen from Lion Rock.
- here a closer look at the magnificent Wong Tai Sin Temple surrounded by high rise apartments -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Lion Rock
- finally, - on the "back" of the "lion" -
- and some political messages painted on a rock -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Political manifestation on Lion Rock
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)

This photo was taken in 1997, - the year that Hong Kong was reunited with China -, and apparently the various political fractions have used the opportunity to display their political stand on this rock high above Hong Kong.
Looks like somebody first painted the Taiwanese flag and written in blue and white: "Freedom and Democracy"  and  "Blue Sky, - White Sun" , - symbols of the democratic Kuomintang movement.
After that a Mao fan apparently has added some communist propaganda and written a wish for "universal love" and a "red Earth", - a combination that does not really make sense, but in those days you saw a lot of those political manifestations where the communists displayed their flag and the democrats showed theirs, so it was quite easy to distinguish between the areas or villages that preferred communism to those that preferred democracy and freedom.
And a part of this peaceful propaganda war in Hong Kong you see on this picture - - -
Wonder if it is still there????
 
 


View from Lion Rock
- a sight we will never see again, - a jumbo jet roaring just above the Kowloon roof tops before landing at Kai Tak -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
Kit Yu, - on the "lion's back" -, approaching the "lion's head".
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock - Sz Tsz Shan
Kiy Yu, - finally on top of Lion Rock
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Lion Rock
- a rock climber taking care of his gear on the very top of the "lions" head -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 
 


Lion Rock
- rock climbers struggling on the vertical section of the "lion's" head -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
- rock climbers in action -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
- the "lion's" head -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Lion Rock
- view over Tsz Wan Shan at the outskirts of Kowloon -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 
 
 


Lion Rock
- another view from Lion Rock -
 
 
 


Lion Rock Country Park
- on the trail down from Lion Rock to Amah Rock -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Monkey
- the mountain slopes of the Lion Rock Country Park is home to many monkeys -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 


Lion Rock Country Park
- and ancient overgrown tombs are found on the mountain sides -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
 
 
 


Amah Rock
- view to Amah Rock, - "Mong Fu Shek" -, high above Shatin below -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)

The Chinese word "amah" means a nanny, and this is exactly what Amah Rock looks like, - a woman with a baby on her back. From certain angles the similarity is stunning.
 
 



Amah Rock
- a closer view -
 
 
 


Amah Rock
- finally, - to end this chapter-, the massive base of Amah Rock, - and ME!
(Photography by Tao Kit Yu)
 
 

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     Updated:  June 21.2003
                   Nov.26.2004
                   Dec.02.2004
                   Sept.22.2007
                   Sept.23.2007
                   Sept.24.2007
 
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