A Fine Day at Hong Kong

The best things to do in Hong Kong are shopping and eating, no fun without a company. When I learned that I would have a weekend free, we arranged to stay with an old friend and she was a great host and tour guide.

Tai Ping Shan (太平山）, overlooking downtown, is prime residential area. Rent average is about 5 to 10 times higher than ShangHai or ShenZhen. The city built a long and winding escalator chain (中環扶梯) cascading to about mid-level, along side the old punishing stairs. The escalators are all one-way. They go downhill before 10am and switch to uphill for the rest of the day. There are hundreds of bars and western restaurants along this winding path: pubs, Spanish, Mexican, burger joints, etc. I could breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drink here for a whole month without getting bored.

IFC (International Finance Center) is really a huge mall. In addition to the normal variety of stores, there are also several nice restaurants. Shoppers do not come to Hong Kong for bargains anymore. Instead, this island offers probably the store and selection density. Within a city block, it has unbelievable number of stores selling unbelievable number of goods. All accepting your credit cards with impeccable smiles. It is pleasant to shop here, just wear comfortable shoes and also bring a porter to carry the bags.

Ice House Street (雪廠街) has several historical gems. There are four street lamps, still burning gas, at the corner of a lovely flight of stairs. Half way up is a Starbucks (yes, sorry) in a historical Ice House (冰室 Bing Sutt). Old pictures and posters on the wall give this chain store some unique personalities. The coffee, of course, tasted exactly the same.

Our host brought us to an authentic tea restaurant (茶餐厅): neighborhood diners that serve comfort foods. These pragmatic establishments focus on speed and high-quality ingredients, instead of decor or services. They fill a gap in Hong Kong’s over-populated life; no one has a decent kitchen or time to cook. These tea restaurants feed Hong Kong, cheaply and quickly. The menu reflects Hong Kong’s melting pot culture. We saw spaghetti in Chinese broth. Noodles with sides of sunny-side up eggs and toasts.

In the morning, we bid farewell to the friend and boarded the ferry back to ShenZhen. I am probably 5 pounds heavier from all those decadent indulgences. No regrets. So nice to have an old friend in Hong Kong.