Sunset Peak - Lantau Island

 We began our 5 day break with an early morning hike.  Jones Lai, of finance, invited us along with Elder and Sister Sudweeks to join the department at Lantau Island for a hike to Sunset Peak.  The elevation climb was STEEP.  The misty fog added to the atmosphere and cooled are sweaty bodies.   One might imagine the finance employees to be a bit “stuffy”?  Not so.  We laughed all day.  I suppose everyone needs a break from work to let loose and enjoy the beauties we bypass with busy schedules and time commitments. 

Dominic pauses before ascending the steep passage.  He claimed to be no hiker and then stayed close to me the entire day.  He's from Malaysia, served a mission in Singapore and attended school at BYU-Hawaii - Remarkable young man.

                         Jones and Rick led the group for most of the hike.

Misty fog hovered all morning.  I loved the moisture and floating clouds.  The weather was perfect for hiking.

                        The mist covered mountain reveals our goal – Sunset Peak.

I opt for the path while Dominic takes the stairs.

Gabriel stops for a moment in the clouds.

Herman can’t let Gabriel be the only one to enjoy the view from the rock.  We burst into laughter when he snapped open his fan and posed.  

                I had to join in the rock climb.  Note the ocean in the background, rather in the mist.

We reached Sunset Peak.  Apparently, autumn evenings hold the greatest beauty.  We enjoyed the spectacular view in April. 

Jasper (15), Jones and Sherrie Lai - remarkable family!  

A handful of small “cabins” dot the hillside. 

The cabins are constructed of stone – 16 inches thick.  Summer inhabitants sought shelter from the humid heat.

Half the group begins to descend while the rest of us attempt to scale one more peak.

We made it!  Jasper  displays his glee at our arrival.

Rick and Jones frequently work together so seeing them in a casual setting makes me smile.  They have become good friends and respect the contributions each makes to progress in the Asia area.

One more cabin.  The only way to reach this abode is by foot.  Visitors must transport food and all other needed items.  It doesn’t sound like much of a vacation  - except the view is spectacular.

We now see Mui Wo, the finish line!

The end of the trail looks much like a beginning.

Walking through the town we viewed the local herd.  Rick felt right at home.

Herman and Kristen joined us for dinner.  We handed them the menu and Kristen took charge of every dish.  They promised we’d love the eggplant rolls.  They were right.  The pink rice with shrimp was a seasonal item.  Kristen insisted we try it.  Delicious!!  She breathed a sigh of relief as she’d never eaten it before.   Dragon fruit peel is used to make the rice pink.  Sampling the five dishes required a bit more bravery than hiking to the peak.  Yet, each was a winner – great finish to a wonderful day.