The Lunch Belle's Pearl of the Orient
Sometimes - after returning from holiday - you need a good, solid week to collect all of your thoughts, recount new adventures, and, in my case, recover from a serious bout of jet lag. I've been home from Hong Kong now for about 11 days and, supposedly, I should be feeling fully rejuvenated by tomorrow. They (Who knows who "they" are, anyways - "travel experts," I suppose?) say that for each hour of time difference, it takes one day to recover. So, with twelve-hours of separation between New York and Hong Kong, I'm only one-day away from normalcy. Let's see how I feel tomorrow, shall we?
Hong Kong was everything - and nothing - that I had expected or anticipated. From its efficiency, infrastructure, and sophistication - to its people, culture, and regional cuisine - my first experience in Asia was an abundant feast for each of my five senses. I fell in love with, and left a small piece of my heart in, the glamorous Pearl of the Orient.
Here are some tidbits that I learned along the way, plus a couple of tips for any of you future travelers:
The good ol' U.S. of A. is hardly the center of the universe. In many aspects, America is falling rapidly and dramatically behind.
Not once did I see a single cigarette butt, wad of chewing gum, or item of trash on the busy streets of Hong Kong proper or Macao. Visitors, take note and follow suit.
Subway stations and the trains, themselves, are spotless.
With digital time tables, riders know when the next subway is approaching the station - in every station.
At the Airport Express train station - in the middle of Hong Kong's Central District - travelers can check-in for outbound flights and drop their luggage at assigned airline counters before ever arriving at the airport! Trust me when I say that this is so much cheaper and more efficient than hopping in to a cab.
I know that I'm going to get crap for this, but Portuguese food really sucks.
...however, the Macao Ferry Terminal has better Portuguese egg tarts (the only Portuguese food worth eating) than any free-standing restaurant in Macao.
Speaking of Macao: if you plan to visit, bring your passport.
At meals, tea - not water - is served. If you want water, you have to order it.
If you don't know how to use chopsticks, you're screwed - unless, of course, you bring your own silverware.
Shopping malls abound, literally. You can get your shop-on everywhere from subway stations, tourist attractions, and bank buildings.
I have never seen so many 7-11 convenience stores in my life
....nor have I seen so many apartment building masses - outside of the Bronx - ever.
Row after row - mass after mass - of apartment buildings in Lantau (near the HK airport)
Burping and loogey-hocking is perfectly acceptable in public. Men, you will be in heaven.
On that note: while I love Purell just as much as the next guy, hand-sanitizer towlettes are great for many things beyond just hand cleansing: use them to wipe down tray tables, hotel room remote controls, toilet seats, etc.
Hong Kong has quite the expat singles scene. Ladies, if you're in to the investment banker set, this is your city!
Prior to your departure, find out which bank's ATMs are compatible/won't charge service fees to the debit card that you plan to use overseas.
And these, dear readers, were a few of my most favorite Hong Kong/Macao things:
The view of Hong Kong & Kowloon's twinkling, urban landscape - as seen from Victoria Harbour
Street food/drink, namely bubble tea and warm waffles lathered with margarine, sugar, and peanut butter
All of the glorious, life-changing meals that I ate at Din Tai Fung
Xiaolongbao / soup dumplings
Ultra-luxe designer resale handbags at Milan Station. Think: Chanel, Hermes (Birkin and Kelly bags galore!), Louis Vuitton, Prada, Balenciaga, Bottega Venetta, etc. *Bargaining welcome: I talked the price wayyy down on my fabulous new Chanel.
Gondola ride, over mountains and water, to the Tian Tan Buddha
Experiencing the Tian Tan Buddha up close and personal
Chinese architecture
The people of China
High-tea at The Peninsula Hotel
Macao: truly, the anti-Vegas "Las Vegas of Asia." Imagine a gaming town free of Nascar t-shirts, mullet hair cuts, tattoos, and really bad blonde die jobs.
Salvador Dali sculpture adorning the entrance to the MGM Grand Macao (hotel)
The Venetian Hotel, Macao
The grand hall inside of The Venetian Hotel, Macao
The plaza at the MGM Grand Macao
(Doctor) fish spas: the very fact that this is allowed/considered hygenic blows my mind. But hey, when in Rome!
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Until we eat again,
Lindsay, The Lunch Belle