Noodlebowl

The Real Hong Kong.

The real Hong Kong. What is the real Hong Kong? After only 5 weeks living here, I don’t think I am qualified to answer that question. It is revealing itself to me slowly, with every meal, train ride and walk in the street. We have been crushed at the Victoria Park New Year flower markets, had dodgy foot massages in Wan Chai and had our fortune read at Temple St Markets. We’ve also hiked through beautiful mountain trails ending in almost impossibly good looking beaches and peaks. We have drunk Tsing Tao and struggled to order in small hole in the walls. I only know how to say ‘bill’, ‘thank you’, ’snow pea sprouts’, ‘fish’ , ‘chilli’ ‘ porridge’ in Cantonese - we’ve had a lot of fish porridge.  We’ve had gin and tonics in posh bars, burgers in Lan Kwai Fong and Toby’s Estate flat whites in Soho cafes. I’m not sure that these experiences is part of the ‘Real Hong Kong’ but they are making up part of the fabric which I am knowing Hong Kong by.As with any city, there are many conflicting and firm views on where one should live, eat and drink.  The real Hong Kong surely cannot be prescribed but discovered. I could not quantify what the real Sydney is to someone. I am certain it is different for everyone. It is not just beaches, the Opera Bar and a ferry to Manly.  To me, it is also the rounding the top of the Gladesville Bridge at sunset, the shops in Five Dock where I buy prosciutto and vietnamese chicken rolls and the sound of magpies in the morning.  But Sydney, like Hong Kong is so full of delight and surprise that to prescribe a capsule of experience would only be letting her down. I hope to discover more of the real Hong Kong as time goes on.

Australia Day In Hk

Australia Day at the Happy Valley races, originally uploaded by noodlebowl.

We spent Australia Day at work unlike you lucky buggers down under. (I already sound more Aussie here than I do at home, ya flaming dingos)

After work, we went to Australia Day celebrations at the Happy Valley race course organised by the Australian Association of Hong Kong. We watched the horses fly by on a floodlit green field surrounded by high rise apartment buildings whilst chugging alcohol and eating pavlova.

Hong Kong people really do like a flutter. The races are on every Wednesday night and seem to be well attended. Happy Valley racecourse also has sport fields in the centre of the race track - no space is wasted and you can also run around its perimeter.

Not a bad night, sheila, not bad at all.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Street in Mongkok, originally uploaded by noodlebowl.

Oh why, hello.

You be may wondering where I have been. I appear to have misplaced my life somewhere along the track. A big chunk of time was swallowed up a big black hole called my MBA and I have emerged somehow in another country.

We moved to Hong Kong in January 2011. It has been a fast 4 weeks so far. Working, moving from hotel to apartment, hiking, eating and drinking. I am discovering that Hong Kong is not all that it seems; the tall skyscrapers and crowds of people also hide the hidden pockets of nature just a bus ride away.

Let’s see where this adventure takes us! (you can come along for the ride too, if you want)

In The Garden

In the Garden, originally uploaded by snapperwolf*.

Project 52: Week 51

We had a Christmas breakfast after our regular aerobics session at the gym, sharing some healthy fruit and festive shortbread. It was odd talking to people I’ve only ever really seen exercising!Check out Jess’s day at FushMush