nan lian garden

last weekend we had a try at our best haggling with the mong kok street vendors to no avail. 

{too many tourists for golden week, perhaps?} so on our way home we popped into a garden a local friend had suggested. of course, it was the best thing going and we walked every inch...

the pavilion of absolute perfection is in the center of a lotus pond with eight surrounding old pine trees.

eight is a lucky number in chinese culture and the pavilion is an octagon as well.

{it is perfect. isn't it?}

the guards leading up to the perfection pavilion

one of the chinese timber architecture gallery buildings

 the pavilion bridge is on the east side of the blue pond and a majestic phoenix guards atop

the lamp of enlightenment

{notice the eight sides again?}

fantastic, euh? this is the main restaurant in the garden

it wasn't open when we visited, but i will be gathering up my friends 

 in typical hong kong style you are requested to not walk on the grass

one last glance of the perfection pavilion on the walk out...

{i've already ordered this one to frame}

xox, 

c

p.s. if you are more interested in the garden details check out the link. chinese are gardens are not just thrown together. the nan lian garden was built based on the jiangshouju garden of the tang dynasty. every care was taken to ensure serenity within a busy city.