What's On The Menu: Hong Kong Part I

A highlight of this newest adventure was to eat my way thru hong Kong and China. Thus far my tastebuds fancies have delightfully been tickled.

My oral exploration began with my first bowl of noodles and wontons not long after landing. A great way to start any asian adventure.

Day 2. We visited the best dim sum restaurant EVER (According to my humble guide. Having nothing to compare with I am therefore inclined to agree with her to date).The restaurant with the red door, Lin Heung Hau, was everything I'd been told it would be. Ascending up into the heavens, we entered a massive room filled with large round tables, and covered in tea. Not as dramatic as you'd think, more like an Asian diner that's had pale weak tea spilled ALL over it. We quickly joined a family and Jenn wasted no time in getting the meal underway. She ran around hecticly chasing the slow moving women wheeling carts of various dim sum around the restaurant. She even made a special trip to the kitchen to request special steamed buns. All the while the staff and our dining companions marvelling at her excellent Cantonese (Jenn is 5ft, red haired, energetic, and has lived here for 4 yrs now).

Our meal consisted of shrimp then ham & veg steamed dumplings, cooked pork bits (watch out for bone), sauteed greens (choi sum), topped off with bbq pork steamed buns. All washed down with Iron Buddha tea.

Dessert was found elsewhere at a famous little pastry shop selling the best egg tarts in town. Followed by a freshly squeezed mango juice, we fund ourselves rolling around town the rest of the afternoon happily glowing in satisfaction.

Day 3. Day trip to Cheung Chau Island. Buns for breakfast is a wonderful way to "get up and go". Spicy beef and sweet corn was my preferred wake-up call that morning, followed by another steamed bbq pork bun. With fine items like this to choose from I think I may be able to survive quite easily without my eggs and toast. Although the "coffee in a can" pales in comparison to my sweet's "alongé's" with soya milk back home.

We explored part of the island, offering me my first lesson in temple "know-how". 3 incense sticks are good. 4 are BAD (4 is a number equal to death). Proper 3 bow technique were shown me and I made my prayers to unknown gods for their protection in my upcoming mainland travels. I hope that dragon does his job! We wandered along the waterfront past restaurants, and found ourselves meandering upwards to find a pagoda effering excellent views of a new bay begging exploration. Hunger finally took over and we headed for our promised feast.

Down along the waterfront we found a restaurant, or more like the hostess found us, convincing us that hers was where we needed to be. Mobile phones were pulled out, calls and text messages made and sent, and an extra table and chairs were arranged for our party.

Amid pleasant conversation and more delicious tea, we feasted on the following: Scallops & Brocolli, Salt & Garlic Prawns, Mixed Fried Rice, Mango & Chicken, Steamed Fish, Spicy Snails (complete with wooden scewer for extraction), and Garlic Scallops.

The ferry ride home had part of our group doing a quick "teach and learn" salsa lesson. To burn off extra calories for the next round of food. Did it work? Only time will tell if my pants finally start feeling looser after weeks of this diet. Guess we'll know in 2 months time!

Bumpy ride in a rusty tin can

Journey from Montreal to Hong Kong

Point form of the images and situations that stuck out along the way:

* The first bus taking me to the airport is the 211. It was replaced by... the "Special" bus. Come On!

* Citrus fruit and customs do not mix. Woops! And since when do we have to take our shoes off to go thru the detectors? No wonder the floors look so well buffed. The "electronic passports" sign made it feel more futuristic.

* Detroit airport. A cool fountain shooting "water worms" thru the air, and a sky tram moving people around. The futuristic theme continues.

* Northwest Airlines Part 1: Detroit to Tokyo. Oh my! The airplane looked a bit worse for wear as did the crew. They appeared to despise us & took great pleasure in sarcasm. Headache from hell complete with mysterious nausea, added to the pleasantness of the experience.

* Tokyo-Narita airport. Cleanest toilet stalls in the world (you notice these things as you slowly become convinced you're dying). The Public Lounge has amazing leatherette reclining lounge chairs, I finally can sleep horizontally, Score! My first siting of the mysterious "Pacori Sweat" softdrink, sold in vending machine. Should you really name a drink with the word sweat?

* Northwest Airlines Part 2: Tokyo to Hong Kong. The staff change and become Asian, attractive, and friendly. A Huge thumbs up to the lovely older japanese lady that was serving our section. Beauty, grace, and all smiles despite her misfortunes with drinks and meals.

* Landing in Hong Kong, my exhausted and now even more than usually warped mind decided that all the look-alike apartment buildings look like grain silos...for people. Pods. How odd.

So after 24hrs of journeying and feeling at deaths door for part of it. I arrived safe and sound to be greeted by my friend Jenn. All smiles and energy as always. Quickly fell into our theme song for this journey "Jump In The Line (shake Senora)", and off we went. My first bowl off noodles and wontons, and a quick visit to Jenn's local, d'Apartment, followed by a nice walk with my guide pointing out architectural and historical, as well as mythical, wonders, we finally made it home for good. To Jenn & Christina's very own silo pod.

Aaaaah. Sleep.