Hong Kong
I arrived this morning from Wuhan. I can’t remember an easier travel experience in China. When I got off the train in Shenzen (right outside Hong Kong) there were big signs in English with arrows that said ‘Hong Kong.’ Everything was clearly labeled and easy to figure out. I got off my sleeper train and to my hotel on the southern end of Kowloon in about an hour and a half. Pretty impressive I think. As you would expect from a previous British concession, English is widely spoken and no phrase book is needed to get around. On the flipside in is bloody hot here and very pricey. HK is very cosmopolitian. There is a significant Indian presence here and more than a few people from the Carribean.
I spent the morning walking around and I started to get hungery. This guy on the street gave me a flyer for the ‘best Indian buffet in town.’ It was pricey, but I figured I could get my moneys worth. I let him lead me there. When he opened the door the place was empty. Not a good sign at 12:30. When I was much younger I worked in the food service industry and had to take some food and sanitation class. One of the things I remebered was that food from a buffet that no one else is eating is bad for you….or something like that. I said, “Uh, no thanks” and started to walk away. The guy was persistent and finally I decided ‘Eh, I HAVE been eating sketchy skewers of meat and noodles from the side of the road for two months, how bad could it really be?’ I sat down, but when I went to the buffet containers they were empty. HMMMMM. The waitress came back and said ‘Oh, I sever your buffet at your table. So sorry.’ Um, OK. All part of the experience right. Right? It was great. The best Indian food I have ever had. She just kept bringing out dishes. I ate for three people. As I sat slowly sipping my complimentary glass of wine she asked what I wanted for desert. I was pained. ‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly.’ Some Indian ice cream then, she suggested with a smile, perhaps just a taste to clear your mouth. Well, OK, just a taste. I might not eat again for days. I might not be able to afford to.
Tags: Travel
June 19th, 2007 at 2:07 am
For more Indian, hit India Today on Elgin Street in SoHo, Hong Kong Island. It’s up stairs one story. Good Jazz place (if it’s still there) called Dynamo Hum right across the hall.
For a good bar NOT in Lan Kwai Fong, hit the Globe on Hollywood Road, just around the corner from the escalator.
The street market around Peel and Wellington is also nice.
And a nice day trip … take a ferry to Lamma Island and go for a walk. Lots of ex-pats live out there, and no-one is allowed to own a car. Besides the peak, it’s a nice escape from the craziness of the hyper-populated areas.
Have fun, dude.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Waiter: “Could I get you some desert, Sir?”
Fat Man: “I couldn’t possibley eat another bite.”
Waiter: “How about just a little wafer then?”
You know the rest of the story.