Behind the old Kowloon City in Hong Kong, there is a park on a hill. It would be a nice place for a Sunday walk, I thought. So here I was, on a peaceful Sunday morning.

Kowloon Tsai Park

As I climbed up the stairs to the Kowloon Tsai Park, I saw a bird with pretty patterns on her neck that made her look like a nanny with a scarf, looking for branches to build a home for her chicks.

Nanny Bird

I quickly strode past the sports ground that featured a bunch of weekend runners. Then I reached the rear part of the park and found this photogenic bird on the grassland, experimenting with a dozen poses.

The ridiculously photogenic bird

Kowloon City used to be a height-restricted area when the old Kai Tak Airport was still in operation. But in recent years, more and more tall residential buildings have sprouted up in the neighbourhood. This park has never been more important--it leaves a space for people to temporarily escape from the suffocating pace of development.

Kowloon Tsai Sports Field

Further up the hill, I reached the Lok Fu Park. I never realised it was not part of the Kowloon Tsai Park before. I was surprised to find a pile of logs which were presumably cut down from trees within this fenced area.

Logs in Lok Fu Park

There was no one else along the way uphill. I wondered, who would sit on these benches? They have apparently paved the road in a way to make room for the benches. They have even placed a lamp there!

The road that curves uphill

I remembert that when I was small, I used to think that these stairs didn’t have a handle on the left so that people could carry their bikes along the drainage ditch.

The stairs with onesided railing

Before I knew it, I arrived at the gate of the Lok Fu Service Reservoir Garden. I was reminded by a park cleaner that it was raining. I thanked her for the kind reminder, but the rain was not even heavy enough for an umbrella, so I just walked into the grass field.

People and dog having fun, Lok Fu Service Reservoir Garden

But in less than a minute, the rain got really heavy. Luckily, there were several sheltered benches at the far end of the garden. I rushed towards the one nearest to me. The rain was so heavy that I needed an umbrella, even though it was sheltered.

Lucky me under double shelters

The rain lasted only for about ten minutes, fortunately. And as you’ve probably guessed, this is the bench that saved me.

Where I sat...

The shower brought freshness to the garden. Filled with rainwater, the paths now looked like rivers that ran between banks of reeds.

River, I suppose...

I dared not stay there any longer though. Unpredictable weather is unpredictable. Having witnessed the magic of the nourishing rain, I called it a morning and returned to the hectic city life.

Dorothy Limm is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program.

All photos courtesy and copyright Dorothy Limm