Skip to main content

8 hours to kill in Hong Kong

Described as the fragrant harbor meaning Hong Kong this bustling region in south China was our layover as we headed to Japan for spring break.

Having visited at some leisure few years back we were hoping to visit some fondly remembered eateries but this time around we were early.   As in too early.   This is what happens when you connect through another airport and there is no control on the itinerary.

We landed around 5 am.  But by the time we cleared customs and immigration the airport express train service had begun and so we went to check out our options to see if we could visit the gambling destination of Macau.   An island with an economy much like Vegas,  an hour's ferry ride from HK was going to be a tight timetable so we instead chose to loiter on HK island and were able to take in lot of sights and sounds and flavors - some different than the last visit.  A cacophony of people, vehicles and vendors plying everything from baked goods to fancy jewelry it is a city that winds up and down and is a mish mash of crooked and crowded streets that sell street food from all continents but suddenly open into large glitzy shopping neighborhoods at the next bend on an escalator.   Yes, some neighborhoods actually have outdoor escalators to move people up the hill with a roof overhead to shelter them from the frequent rain squalls.
We enjoyed some desi chai equivalent (at Tsui Wah - yes chai bilkul wah wah thee) with toasted bun and condensed milk for breakfast  (which was early dinner time in CA) and later strolled the harbor which was heavily foggy.

Barely could make out Kowloon island a mile across the strait.

Grabbed few noodles and Japanese curried rice before boarding next flight to Nagoya.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

On the go(zay masta) in Japan again

Cool cat the Japanese are Tokyo at dusk  My second visit to this land of the rising sun after almost a decade. Back then clearly I was wet behind the ears product manager and likely didn’t pay attention to all (efficient) things Japanese. But today I did and of course continue to be impressed. It is as much the obvious stuff like on time travel that is both clean and comfortable and all that which makes it possible. The impressive landmark and landscapes that these humans have put together despite their cramped (or because of it) surroundings and precarious geological conditions could amaze a novice architect among us. But it’s also the little things that someone had to think about which have a phenomenal impact on day to day lives that make the Japanese stand apart. Below are few random examples- 1. Providing a very fine machined wooden toothpick in every packet of wooden chopsticks. The said chapsticks are simply set on the To Go counter of any food vendor/ convenience store wher...

Presumptive Society

Today's world is hyper connected.  I am not so sure what it means but you hear it a lot.  It is probably hyper but not sure how connected it is.  Sugar (fermented or not) is available in many ways than before and so getting hyper is easy.  It is probably more a threat than cocaine since it is sold legally. And what is this connected stuff?  Most people I encounter seem disconnected from reality.  So going back to this assumption that we are connected there are subtle and no so subtle instances of how brands and companies and middle men try to portray someone - A linkedin profile for somebody working for X years at a place advertises to the connected network that so and so is CELEBRATING X years @ Such and Such Inc. Do we know if (s)he is celebrating or cringing?  Perhaps a better way to portray will be - So and So LASTED X years @ such & such inc. Then it exhorts the readership to go ahead and congratulate them for this lasting effe...

The Central State aka MP

Narmada river and site of Omkareshwar Indore Rajwada or palace of the Lady Holkar   Somewhat geographically centered in India is the hot landscape of MADHYA PRADESH. A region I had a faint memory of visiting as a young lad eons ago. Now in my (along with my best half) quest to get to know lands far and wide I got an opportunity to visit Indore city and surrounding areas in MP. It begins with an evening visit to a bustling old market selling native snacks both savory and sweet. It is the realm of jewelers who run night time street side restaurants once they close their primary operations at dusk. Think of it as desi style block party that I am told goes into wee hours of the morning. My impression was it is worth one visit.  The humid and hot ambience along with crush of humanity doesn’t make for a pleasant dining experience but the sheer variety of foods sort of makes up for it. From piping hot coconut filled fritters to oodles of milk based sweet confections, I gorged on item...