Day 33 - Mishaps in Hong Kong and meeting a local for tea and dessert

Hong Kong's 'Times Square'

Day 33 - 26th July

So I decided 'When in Rome,' or Hong Kong as it were, that I'd meet a local to see how they found life in the maze that is Hong Kong.

Enter Cleo, a local business account banker who does her work in the HSBC building (noted for its architecture and design around the world.) I was impressed. 

My attempt to meet her outside exit B of Causeway Bay station ended up in a mishap (of course it did, I'm involved) in which I waited an hour and a half for her to show, yet no appearance was made by my new Hong Kong friend. The Friends quote 'Do you think she came, saw you and left,' ran through my mind as I headed back to Kowloon. Well there were no free crab cakes but there was a lot of laughing to myself.

When I got back to my hostel, my Whatsapp buzzed and a reel of messages ensued in which Cleo had been asking where I was, how I was getting on with getting to exit B, that she was now going for a coffee and eventually where was I again.

It turns out, I was standing at exit D all along. EPIC FAIL! Having to explain we must have missed each other was not washing but she was a good sport, heading over to Kowloon to meet me. What a berk!

It's much better than it looks, especially cold.

We ended up having a great night, wandering Temple Street Market, where I picked up one of those note books for $60 HK, a steal thanks to Cleo. We went for tea and headed to a traditional Chinese dessert place. The red bean dish I had with sesame balls was great.

I was intrigued to know how life in Hong Kong was different to England. She told me about growing up, working in the bank and what movies and books she liked. She told me how mainland China was very different in its ways compared to Hong Kong, and told me I'd been say Xie Xie wrongly when saying thanks. EPIC FAIL TWO.

After walking around, we parted ways and I felt like I understood Hong Kong, and China a little more than I would have done had I been on my own. It was a fascinating insight that almost didn't happen because I couldn't read the difference between B and D, so thanks Cleo!

I was due to head to Lantau and the Giant Buddha the next day, if the rain held off. I was hoping for too much!

Day 31 - The Space Museum and Temple Street Market

What a prat!

Day 31 - 24th July

So they day began as most gave in China - with rain lashing down from the sky. Terrific!

I thought my best tact would be to go somewhere that was predominantly indoors. At the bottom of Nathan Road was my answer. The Hong Kong Space Museum. Now anyone that knows me will know how much a geek I am for space. I love everything about it from the stars to black holes and beyond (if there is!)

More crystal domes!

I met an old couple from Melbourne, Australia who told me I should go to Oz to experience it. They told me I could fruit pick, work in bars etc and warned me about scams. I was grateful for their advice and bid them farewell as we went to explore the museum. I was pleased that they shared their info with me and I will definitely consider it. The museum was awesome, as expected and I lost myself for two hours just wandering around and learning about space. Great times.

The foggy pier, again!

I then moved to the pier to get some good shots of Hong Kong Island from Kowloon side. Again, I was  left thinking how small I am in such a big city! It was incredible.

The famous pineapple bun!

The rain lashed down further so I had to retreat for my hostel (looking back at pictures of my habitat here you'll know how desperate I was!) but not before I picked up a pineapple bun, a specialty in Hong Kong, I'd been told. It was pretty tasty, despite me hating pineapples and butter which was smothered inside. It had a crumbly top and soft bottom - insert your own joke here!

I caught up on some reading which was great, that Alice Peterson is a genius, and waited for the rain to pass.

The ever electric Temple Street Market.

My Dutch contingent, John (who has Chinese descendants so confuses people when they speak Chinese at him and he tells them he doesn't know any Chinese - a lasting memory from Hong Kong) and I agreed to head up to Temple Street to have a look around and possibly catch some dinner. We were met with stall after stall of electronics, books, clothes, trinkets, jewellery, lighters and the finest sellers you could hope to meet. The spectrum of price literally went end to end, as I was offered a 'good deal' of $80 HK for a leather bound notebook at the far end of the market to $210 HK at the other. I left it in pursuit of food.

Ah, those flat noodles were good!

We settled for San Miguels and flat noodles with meat at an alfresco place on a street corner (classy I know, but everywhere in China has a decent eatery on a street corner.) Safe to say, the pork in mine was amazing and left me more than full. John struggled on the way back and we sat for half an hour or so and let the food digest whilst we talked the world away. 

I crashed shortly after, full and dreaming of becoming a spaceman (a cool notion, I tell you!)