Hong Kong Day 1

Here's the view from our room.

Hong Kong is DENSE.  With 8 million people, on just over 400 sq miles, they've had to build up.  As I mentioned, it's also steep, and there are mountains where you can't build.  I can try to relate it to an ant hill, but until you've been here, you've really no idea.
The people are on average 5'5" and well under 100 lbs, but not anorexic- just wiry.  Of course there are the tiny grandmas, who come up to my shoulder if that.  And there are some portly people too.  EVERYONE is on phone just about non stop, texting and watching videos and gaming.  Lots of chatter - mostly Cantonese, though occasionally Mandarin- I can tell the tones apart, that's all.

Back to our day - headed out and rode Escalator to find dim sum.  BTW escalator has saved my knees!

 Loren had done recon, and we went to Lin Hueng for dim sum. We found a seat at the power table - notable for the deference given to Mr. Big - and proceeded to slurp tea and eat some pretty good dim sum.  So crowded that you go to the carts, rather than having them come to you.  For those of you who don't know dim sum, it's lots and lots of steamed foods served 2-3 pieces in a bamboo steamer.  Loren thought it didn't live up to hype, but that's partly because dim sum is best enjoyed with a large party, where everyone gets tastes.  The shrimp dishes were very good - and very shrimp taste forward.

Then we wandered through Central District- an amazing mix of streets with ultra high end shops and galleries connected by alleys with street stalls selling tourist knickknacks, fruit, jewelry, etc.  Almost always, you are within 3-5 feet of burning incense- either in a niche in a wall. Or in a tin can

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Two businesses to highlight - a man with a tiny printing press is the very entrepreneurial essence of making money.

 And new way god.com.hk, a great shop.

So, the weather.  At this point, temperature was 95, and humidity was 100%, meaning heat index approached 109.  I was wilting in body, but my hair was rivaling Diana Ross.  Back to hotel for much needed shower and nap.  Not sure if it was the nap or the temperature really did drop, but going out again was fine.

We took the MRT to Times Square, one of the many shopping areas.  A literal sea of people - fun fact, the crosswalks are for the whole intersection so that a mob can cross and you can get to any corner.  Streets are crowded, and from British influence, they drive on left side.

We went to the Times Square Tower, which had a De Beers store, as well as Fendi, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, etc. Not a lot of people shopping, so we went out to the street.  The HK Times Square makes New York's look like a graveyard by comparison.  Big promotion for new movie Pan, with life size Jolly Roger ship in middle of square.  Heading out to the streets was amazing - shops everywhere with high end goods, zillions of watches for sale, everything from Swatch to Glashutte.  We saw at least 6 Rolex stores.  And yes, everyone wears watches. I tend to say "everyone" a lot I've noticed- it is a generalization but mostly true.

Anyhow, we grabbed a cab to Seventh Son, a high end restaurant seventhson.hk
So swanky that you are met at the street door, and escorted up in elevator, then seated by the same person.  Very nice.  We were both baffled by set of double chopsticks and had to ask the waiter.  The black ones are for serving, he informed us; the white ones are for hygiene (eating).

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 Again, very nice.
And the food ..... To use Loren's words,"surprisingly attentive service, and food was sublime.
Quality ingredients with the natural flavors  coming through."

If you don't know, Chinese food has many, many, many styles and influences.  We were eating traditional Cantonese cooking.  Pork belly braised, with a crispy skin; birds nest soup, and their special chicken - with skin crisped like Peking duck.  Also, shrimp dumplings that tasted like the essence of shrimp, and gai lon (a style of broccoli) with crab sauce.  We were of course escorted down the elevator and back to the street.


The cab ride back to the hotel took us past several high end car dealerships - Mercedes and Ferraris.

Great day - sooooo looking forward to seeing Isabel tomorrow.