Secret Garden

 The tan building behind the big tree is our house. If we take the shortcut to the beach we walk through this dirt parking lot, past a junk pile and a wall made out of more junk. I had never been on the other side of the wall, until yesterday . . . our neighbors mentioned they were going to the "farm" and did we want to join them. We definitely did.This farm is literally a minute from our house and I was completely  intrigued to gain access inside.

 I was amazed by how big the garden was in the middle of the city. Our neighbor Pauline explained about the many unique plants eclectically growing. There is sugar cane, a lychee orchard, loofas, various varieties of bananas and papayas, bamboo for eating, okra, sweet potatoes, choy sum, malungay, and oh yeah turtles for soup! The tour also explained some of our mosquito hardships, as there were several ponds of stagnate water . . .

 The garden felt like a time warp, as if I'd stepped back into old Hong Kong. It was quite a contrast to the towers and cranes surrounding us and hard to believe that 20, 60- story towers are being built a stones through away.

Our favorite part of our village is the people.  Most of our neighbors spend a lot of time outside so we've gotten to know them pretty well. It is probably the most connected we have ever felt in the Hong Kong Chinese community. They are often brining us Chinese food and soup. If I have to run out quickly they are always happy to have the kids come over. This week a neighbor brought me this, Roselle Hibiscus. Have you tried it? She made jam from it and I made a delicious iced tea.