When I step on the balcony these mornings, I am greeted by a Bauhinia tree, which is also called Hong Kong Orchid Tree. Its flower is the symbol of Hong Kong, and you see it also on the flag of the city. It is an indigenous plant which does not grow naturally in many other places. But it is cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical botanical gardens. When you travel a lot, it is always good to have something in the morning, reminding you where you are. This tree nearly touches my window in one of the rooms of the Robert Black College Guest House on the campus of The University of Hong Kong. The morning walk up to the Victoria Peak is an easy one, but it brings you to another world above the busy city. Many people take this as a start into the day. Some just for fitness, others to practice an instrument (which they can't do in their small flat), and again others to read the newspaper or finalize their bet for today's horse races. You never know what the new day brings. And it is good to start it up here.

Bauhinia tree on the campus of The University of Hong Kong.