Hong Kong - Late Summer 2016

In September, I visited Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Taipei and Japan. I bought my flight in February for an amazing deal CAD$894.60 for four flights! It was truly amazing price.

This time around, I didn't spend that much time in Hong Kong. This was my fifth time going to Hong Kong. The first three times, I did a lot of sightseeing around Hong Kong, but the last two times, Hong Kong acted more like a hub for surrounding cities. Hong Kong holds a special place in my heart because it is the first place I visited outside of North America. This is a roundup of all the items I liked or was told about Hong Kong. 

Victoria Harbour

Places to Visit (not in any particular order)

1. Victoria Harbour

Every time I go to Hong Kong, my favourite place is to go to Victoria Harbour. Exit Tsim Sha Tsui metro station and it's a bit of a walk to Victoria Harbour. Then you can overlook to Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon side. There is also the Avenue of the Stars walk, and there is a famous statue of Bruce Lee. I walked a bit and I couldn't find the Bruce Lee statue, but they were doing renovations to the Harbour. The last time I went to Hong Kong was in 2009. Around that time, Victoria Harbour was just the main walkway. Now they built a viewing deck, so you can walk up the stairs to this viewing deck/upper outdoor patio.

2. Ladies Street Market

Is an outdoor market that spans a few blocks. There are a lot of goods you can buy here. It's also something interesting to see. On my first visit to Hong Kong, my aunt brought me here. It is common practice to bargain at Ladies Street Market. Closest metro is Mong Kok.

3. The Peak 

On a clear day, you can see all of Hong Kong. There is the bus, and tram. I've come here through bus and tram. I find the tram is a smoother ride. The road is very curvy, so I remember it could get a bit scary at times. Good to note that the houses near The Peak are the most expensive.

4. Ocean Park

Ocean Park is very popular among people in Hong Kong. There's a large aquarium that is pretty well kept. There's also a mini zoo and an amusement park aspect to it. Also, there are pandas at Ocean Park.

5. The Big Buddha

The Big Buddha is located on Lantau Island. The trip to Lantau Island is quite far. From the metro station, there is a far bus ride. Also there are typically long line ups at the bus stop to get back to Kowloon. Besides the metro/bus route, there's also the tram. I've heard from family and friends that the tram is down for maintenance. So, if you're thinking about taking the tram, just note that it might be down. I would definitely check before heading towards the tram. The Big Buddha is on top about 270 steps. So you can make the way up to see the Buddha up close. Also surrounding The Big Buddha is a temple.

6. Sai Kung

Sai Kung is on the East side of Hong Kong. It's also known for fresh seafood. You can buy seafood off a small boat. Even then your up on the desk and fisherman are below, you can bargain and put your money in a net and they will hand over the fish to you. I've gone to Sai Kung twice, and I always remember it was nice to get out of Kowloon and just to walk around near the sea. My aunt brought me both times. Both times, I took a mini bus to Sai Kung.

7. Kowloon Walled City Park

I visited this park in 2009. I had asked my friend to bring me here because I saw pictures online. She said she had never been to this area either. It's a small park, but there's some history for Hong Kong. I thought that was pretty interesting.

8. Stanley Market

Stanley Market is on the Hong Kong island side and is also quite far from the central attractions. The nice thing about this market is, there are other things to see and it's not as crowded as Ladies Street Market. It's also near the south end of the island, so you can see Tai Tam Bay.

9. Disneyland HK

My family and friends don't exactly recommend Disneyland HK as an attraction but I'm going to add this. I went to Disneyland HK in 2007. I still had a fun time. In Hong Kong, there is no discounted pass, so I spent the entire day at Disneyland HK. It is pretty far because it's at Lantau Island. It was nice to see Disney through what they envisioned Hong Kong visitors to want to see. There was a mini section for Mulan, and I really liked that.

There is so many things to see in Hong Kong. In the Kowloon side, from Mong Kok to Tsim Sha Tsui, just walking around there are a lot of things to see. Hong Kong Island has things too, but I mainly stay on the Kowloon side. On the Hong Kong island section, popular areas are Central with the popular area Lan Kwai Fong section for bars and restaurants. 

Things to Eat

When I go to other countries, I always want to know what I can try or is locally famous. I'm not sure if it's because I'm Chinese but there's so many things I want to eat in Hong Kong. So I will try to keep it at a minimal. 

1. Dim Sum

There are two types of dim sum now. There is the type you write on a piece of paper or the type that they roll out in carts. More often now, they use the piece of paper ones. A lot of chefs are coming up with more dim sum dishes that are different from the norm, so you can definitely try it out.

2. Portuguese Tarts - Chinese style

Portuguese tarts are very popular. I thought egg tarts were popular, but actually Portuguese tarts are. My first trip to Hong Kong and China, my aunt bought me a lot of Portuguese tarts. Anytime we found a KFC, we would buy Portuguese tarts.

3. Wanton Noodles

Somehow the wanton noodle experience is so different in Hong Kong. It is delicious!

4. Milk tea

Strong and creamy. While visiting my cousin, he had told me that the best milk tea is in Hong Kong. In Toronto, we also have HK style milk tea, but it isn't the same. It's true, it's just so different.

5. Egg waffles

Oddly enough, my first egg waffle experience was in NYC when I was a child. Then they were available in Toronto. Usually it's the classic egg flavour. In HK, you can buy them on the street. They have different flavours as well. I remember buying taro and chocolate long time ago.

6. Fish ball noodles

My friend's aunt used to bring us to this fish ball noodle restaurant. I believe there is some MSG but the fish ball and the fish brooth was delicious. Simple but flavourful.

7. BBQ shops

Any BBQ item is good. You can identify the BBQ with the hanging meats at the window. A very popular item is "siu yuk" or roasted crispy pork. The reason this is so popular is for the crispy skin. There is also roasted bbq pork, roasted goose, and roasted chicken. In Toronto, we don't have roasted goose. I'm not sure if my family/friends knew that, but I had roasted goose as part of three of my meals.

8. Pineapple bun with butter

I have actually never tried this. I've had regular pineapple buns but not with butter. I'm just throwing it out here that it's very popular. I never realized how popular it was. In my childhood, there was a place we could ask the shop worker to add fresh cream to our pineapple buns, and that was delicious. I mentioned it to my coworker from HK. I think he was surprised and maybe appalled that I would add fresh cream to my pineapple bun. He said they add butter. When I visited HK this time around, I noticed a lot of pineapple buns with a stick slice of butter at the windows.

9. Curry Fish Balls

A very popular and cheap street food for a snack

10. "Tai Pai Dong" - food stalls

These are very hard to find now unless you look for them. "Tai pai dong" would means "big plate(license) stall" is like an outside food vendor. Usually it's very no frills, and can be thought of as quite dirty. However the flavour of the food is delicious. In 2008, I've gone to one that was on the main street level. Since then, I believe the government has removed many of the "tai pai dong" due to hygiene concerns. They are now typically on the second floor of buildings. I went to one this year, and even though it is on the second level, it still feels like it is trying to be outside? The second floor had a few stalls and people eat on the inside. It's not decorated, and it looks very rough, but the food is delicious. Also, when cooking with a wok, there is something of a "wok hei" which is kind of like an added flavour by the way the cook handles the flame underneath the wok.

11. Clay pot rice

This is rice cooked with toppings in a clay pot. Usually the rice at the bottom gets stuck/burnt to the bottom and has this crispy texture. You can mix those bits with the regular bits or you can just eat that part. For me, that is the best part. Usually this takes about 15-20 minutes to cook.

12. Hui Lau Shan

This place is known for many varieties of mango dessert. Very fresh and it's so good.

13. Australian Diary Company

This place is an all day HK breakfast place. It's very fast paced and you have to line up. Though since it's so quick, the line moves very fast. Basically everyone almost eats the same thing. When you sit down, they will give you a menu but the meal sets are similar. My friends and I typically get the regular HK breakfast. It has beverage, two slices of toast, eggs (the way you like it), and macaroni with ham. You can choose what type of beverage you want (here I would of course recommend milk tea) and scrambled eggs. HK style scrambled eggs are very creamy and not fully cooked.   Also the Australian Diary Company is known for scrambled eggs.  Due to space, it is common to share a table with strangers. Also the workers expect you to know what type of beverage and how you like your eggs. They might be a little snappy if you can't decide quick enough.

I realized I actually did write a lot about food and I didn't even include KFC or McDonald's. Just because there's country specific foods that I found interesting. 

Transportation

Hong Kong Metro is very convenient. You'll see signs that say MTR that'll indicate HK subway. You can buy the ticket at the machines but they only take bills under HKD 50. I went and I only had HKD 100, so I bought an Octopus pass instead. There is a deposit for an Octopus card, but it's worth it since it's very convenient. You can use the Octopus card anywhere: convenient stores, supermarkets, some fast food places, etc. For entering the Metro, you tap your card first and when you are exiting you tap it again to exit. The fare is based on distance. There are many subway lines in Hong Kong, and it's pretty easy to use. Also, I tend to just follow everyone even if I have to switch subways, just to figure out where to go. There are so many people trying to move, that if you stop in the middle you'll be bumped. So, just quickly move to the side or go with the flow. Sometimes the transfer station line is on the opposite tracks or a different level within the station.

Potential Day Trip: Macau

Macau is very close and it's possible to take the ferry to go to Macau and spend a day or two there. Macau has built itself to be known for casinos. Kind of like the Las Vegas of Asia. In addition to casinos, Macau has a rich history. It was under Portugal for a period of time, so there are mosaics, and other structures that are European influence. You can find food that is a fusion of Portuguese and Chinese. Sadly, my trip to Macau in 2006 was cut short because I had a member in my group who wasn't interested in the day trip, and didn't want to stay in any attraction that long so we went back to Hong Kong. I was taken to a restaurant owned by a lady from Macau in Guangzhou. We had delicious fried rice, and a pork bun. It was all very delicious.

Victoria Habour

Final Thoughts

Hong Kong is a fast pace city. Everyone walks at a quick pace, and when you order, usually you should order quickly. These are usually things friends who lived in HK for many years tell me. You also shouldn't be surprised to share tables with strangers if the restaurant is small. It also maximizes efficiency because the waiters can serve more people. However you're not expected to talk to the people you share a table with.

With this fast pace, I'm not sure if I could call people from Hong Kong rude necessarily. I have seen some online pages mention this. It could be tone, or what they say. Or is it because I'm used to their tone and what they say? I don't remember my previous experiences, and this time I only had some restaurant, metro and train experience. I would summarize it as they are just normal. They won't act super nice to you, but they will give you what you ordered. They might look unhappy, but at least they are showing their true feelings. It's kind of hard to explain, (except for the high end stores) it seems that it's not about smiley customer service, but more about efficient service.

Sai Kung

I should also mention that I've only gone to HK in May, September and October. It's a good idea to check these things before going to HK:
1. Rainy or Typhoon season
2. Chinese New Year
3. Golden Week - while this is in China, but HK can get crowded during Golden Week
4. Mid-Autumn Festival

I have gone to HK twice in May and twice in September. These are usually the months that are still hot but not as hot as summer. The preferred month is October. However, this October, I read that there was heavy rain. What I do like about going to HK during Mid-Autumn festival time is the spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The way Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated has changed from what it used to be. My Aunt told me that my cousins used to run around with lanterns and play on the night of the Full Moon, but now it's more to go out for family dinner.