Tsim Sha Tsui is an area or neighbourhood of Hong Kong located on the Chinese-mainland attached Kowloon Peninsula, just across the bay from the glittering lights of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong island proper. Easily accessible for any visitor to Hong Kong due to being the port of call where the world famous Star Ferry drops you off, it was also relatively close to my hotel, only a short metro ride away. While the main streets tend to be crowded with high end shops and expensive eateries, walking further inland and exploring the small alleys that proliferate the area you'll quickly find all sorts of affordable, trendy clothing and deliciously appetising foods at fantastically low prices tucked away into all sorts of inconceivable corners. On this particular evening I was more hungry for food than fashion, so with my single serving Aussie friend we explored the vibrantly coloured, crowded, perfumed streets of Hong Kong. Well, I imagine they must be scentsual... I have a nearly non-existent sense of smell, but given the plumes of steam and all the delicious foods and sexy things stewing in the streets I can only imagine how robust the cornucopia of scent dancing through the air must be at any given moment. I get the distinct impression that Hong Kong would have a particularly unique bouquet, one that is special to the region.
Our adventure through the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui were not to be unrewarded; we sampled delicious grilled foods in a restaurant where we clinked excessively large beer glasses with locals, dabbled in drinking aquavit with jovial old ex-pats, conquered century eggs and even poked our curious heads into a seedy sex shop. There truly is something for everyone in Hong Kong, whether you're a food lover, fashionista du jour, jet-setting party animal, bargain hunter or nature lover. While by this point I haven't gotten to fully flesh out the natural beauty of the region that I experienced, rest assured that it is rapidly approaching! Hong Kong manages to achieve a trepidatious balance between natural wonder and high-tech commercialism in a microcosm that is unlike any other in the world.
The aforementioned century eggs in all their fermented glory.
There was quite some hullabaloo in the streets outside the restaurant we chose to eat at, so in a paroxysm of curious excitement I darted outside to witness this fellow dancing through the streets and amusing the locals in his dramatic manner and ensemble. There may or may not have been profuse amounts of liquor and some measure of cultural appropriation going on, but he seemed a good sport and no one seemed to be taking him seriously enough to feel any offence at the hijinks. Sometimes you just need to go all out and strut your fabulous stuff, right?
While we successfully managed to stay up and out for another hour or two of exploring the city streets and drinking with a colourful cast of characters, my phone had long since run out of steam and I expeditiously saw my way back to my hotel for some much needed beauty rest.
Check back tomorrow for more adventures in Hong Kong!
XOXO,
Nau
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