Ching Ming Festival, or Grave-sweeping Day, is similar to our Memorial Day as it is when "Chinese families show their respect by visiting the graves of their ancestors to clear away weeds, touch up gravestone inscriptions and make offerings of wine and fruit." By offerings we mean light incense sticks and stick them in the fruit or near it. Apparently, fires are inevitably started each year. I think maybe fire safety needs to be taught simultaneously with how to make offerings. You can see a big flame behind the boat in the picture below.
Fortunately for us, we (us and our friends, the Julians) weren't on our way to visit the graves. We were riding aboard this lovely junk on our way to Sharp Island. The Island is a very short ride from Sai Kung, where the Julians live.
Isn't this a luxurious way to travel?!
The girls enjoyed it. This is one of Jade's BF's in HK, Maleah. They get along so well. We love Maleah (and the rest of her fam)!
We had planned to spend time lounging on the beach in our suits, but well, it was way too windy and cold. Even my light jacket wasn't keeping me warm enough. My buff hubby had to drag all our crap around all day for no reason. Yet he didn't complain a bit! What a man! Instead of swimming, we hiked around the island.
I love Jade's pose in this one. She is such a ham!
The girls were still loving the sand, with or without swimsuits.
After we arrived back in Sai Kung, James showed us around the pier. All the boats in the below picture are selling seafood. They tie up their boat and sit there all day waiting for buyers to come. The people on the pier are the buyers (and site-seers like us I suppose). Can you spot Cody and James?
A close up of what's for sale.
There's Cody. Now you can see him!
We watched the seafood merchants for quite awhile as they gut the fish and handed them up in long-poled fish nets. I found it very interesting, not to mention entertaining. This video is not for the weak-stomached.
This was SO COOL! We have seen a lot of things, but I had never seen this before. It really is the craziest thing we have seen for a really long time.
Then we, of course, decided since we were going back to the Julian's to have a BBQ, we may as well buy some shrimp to throw on as well.
Three years ago there is no way that thought would have crossed my mind, but now, oh I was excited!
Cassie and I were even *brave* enough to hold them. And yes, they were still alive and jumping (yes, I said JUMPING) around.
To be honest, there may have been a few squeals in the process though.James' beautiful skewering job. Don't they look perfectly pink and delicious?!
They were. We ate every last one of them. Yummy!! Here is the carnage to prove it.
3 comments:
Totally just laughed out loud at the video of you two trying to pick up a shrimp. Ha ha ha ha. I squeaked too when it jumped out of her hand!
I can't believe they just do all that stuff to those fish when they're alive. It made me incredibly sad watching that video. That poor little thing. But it was really cool to watch (and made me feel a little guilty that I thought it was so cool). The ink was insane. I'm glad you bought something while you were there.
For the record, I did indeed find Cody in that picture. :)
Wow...that is so cool. If I was a fish eater, that would be the place to be.
I am just relieved that the "homemade fort boat" made it to the other side! I think I would've liked some arm floaties before I stepped on:) Thanks for your detailed posts, it's almost like we are there! Love you!
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