Hong Kong Day 3: Tsim Sha Tsui

After climbing nearly 270 steps to reach the Tian Tan Buddha and hiking around in high elevation, my single serving friend and I parted ways for the evening. I opted to go to the Tsim Sha Tsui district on my own, despite having been warned by coworkers not to wander certain areas at night...perhaps not the wisest of choices, but since I'm nearly 6 feet tall and have rarely ever been "messed" with, even walking through some of the shadier neighbourhoods in Vegas, I felt confident exploring on my own, even in a country I was only just getting the feel of. Besides, I'd read that this was a good area to do some shopping in and having already wandered nearby the prior evening, I decided to go for it!

No harm no foul, aside from the damage to my wallet after spending some of my hard earned salary on new goods and some dinner. I found a chunky black sweater with lime green threads woven throughout in a texture I love, an item that I still adore and plan to take with me to Seoul soon, for roughly $6 US. SIX DOLLARS! Brand new, no less! The only time I found sweaters that cheap in Japan was when I bought them at thrift stores like my beloved Kinji in Harajuku. Another store that I stumbled upon and loved was House of Chapel on Granville road, a shop with a creepy surreal vibe and affordable yet stylish, minimalist clothing, much of which I still wear frequently. 

For dinner, I stopped in a small noodleshop not far from my hotel. I ordered a bowl with a whole pig foot suspended atop the broth, along with some sautéed veggies for some freshness. It was delicious, though I found the smooth plastic chopsticks to be a bit of a challenge to use- when an elderly gentleman who worked in the shop came to my aid. Though we didn't speak each other's language, he gently tapped my hand and demonstrated how to better hold my chopsticks for maximum grip, reducing my struggles to lift the cruciferous forms to my face. After satisfying himself that he'd helped this poor girl feed herself properly, he gave me a wink and dropped a pair of the restaurant's chopsticks into my shopping bags, a finger pressed to his lip ensuring this was our secret. 

Thanks, kind stranger! Funny how throughout an entire year and a half in Japan not one person ever critiqued my chopstick skills, which weren't abysmal but certainly not as dexterous as someone who'd been using them since childhood. In fact, many of my Japanese friends had at some point positively remarked on my ability to use chopsticks, perhaps artificially inflating my sense of skill. I sincerely doubt it was done with malicious intent; more so a way of making small talk during a meal. Still, I wonder how they'd feel if Americans perpetually pointed out their prowess with a fork during meals. :P Sometimes it's the little things, you know?

After a lovely and informative meal, I made my way back to the hotel to rest and prepare for the next day!

More photos after the cut.

Hong Kong: Day 2 Tsim Sha Tsui pub craw and dinner

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.

Hong Kong: Day 2 Downtown & Star Ferry

One of the most striking things about Hong Kong is the architecture, and Victoria Bay is absolutely stunning at night. The people of Hong Kong are fully aware of this and at night both sides of the bay, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island celebrate by illuminating at night with synchronised choreography. At the magical hour of the night music blares from speakers on either side of the bay and the light show begins! 

I had a few hours yet before that began, so I opted to explore the inner areas of Hong Kong proper. After exiting an incredibly crowded train station I found myself in the heart of the sky scrapers, looking up  to find myself surrounded by the monolithic structures. At the top of it all is the Peak, a landmark of Hong Kong known for unrivalled views of the city and it's nightly light show from high altitude. Initially hoping to find my way to the cable cars that provide a shortcut for tourists, I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that the wait was hours long and I would surely miss the show if I attempted to wait it out. Stubbornly I hoofed it back down the hill and made it to the bay, where I was able to catch the infamous Star Ferry, which has been in operation since 1888. Let that sink in for a minute. 1888!