Hong Kong - June 2022

I spent the first week of June at home in isolation. My colleague dropped off some groceries and I ordered a bit of Deliveroo. Watched a lot of Netflix! Season 1 of the Lincoln Lawyer was good, and continued with Better Call Saul.

First week back in the office was busy with lots of lunches and drinks. Took one team to lunch at Yum Cha, which is dim sum fusion. These cute pastries contained pineapple.

Another day I had lunch with a mate at a vegan place.

I was surprised to see BBQ pork on the menu. Turns out it is tofu! The "rice" is cauliflower.

One Saturday I went to the China Club for dim sum with some friends. The China Club had been on my list for some time. It's very traditional Chinese with some great art. I really liked the ambience.

This is the dining room...

And the library...

It is on the roof of the old Bank of China Building and has a nice terrace...

On Sunday I caught the ferry to Peng Chau with a mate and then caught the inter-island ferry to Chi Ma Wan. We wanted to go to Pui O, but took a wrong turn and ended up here at Shap Long Irrigation Reservoir...

We then back tracked and made our way to Pui O. We sat at a beach bar and watched the windsurfers. It was low tide so the beach didn't look that great. After that, we hiked back to Chi Ma Wan and caught the ferry back to Mui Wo where we had dinner. Then ferry back to Central.

One night I met my colleague for drinks at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC). I've been here many times and it's more relaxed than the Hong Kong Club.

Floods again in NSW. These ones are higher than the ones earlier this year, but my house was still okay.

I have learned how to put photos on my Apple Watch!

Japanese one day at FUMI in California Tower...

I did the hike from Central to Deepwater Bay again and then on to Stanley. This is Li Ka Shing's house in Deepwater Bay. Love the gates!

Brunch at Elephant Grounds. Corned beef. A bit heavy for breakfast actually...

Walking up the Green Trail one afternoon, saw these baby boar. I think they are getting tamer as this was actually in a very residential area.

It was dark by the time I was coming down...

I hadn't been to Shek O for ages so one day I spent the afternoon on the beach. It was very busy. Later I had thai food and a beer before heading back home.

After the crowds had left...

Chicken rice, Hong Kong style. I much prefer Singapore style.

Found a new place for lunch in Aberdeen Street. This is popcorn chicken with noodles.

 

Hong Kong - May 2022

Elephant Grounds is a reliable brunch place. There are several, and I quite like the one in Sheung Wan. Crab Cake Eggs Benedict...

One of  my regular brunch places is Blend & Grind. The avocado toast is great...

I took the team to dim sum at Social Place where I have been many times. It's not traditional dim sum - they call it fusion dim sum and the locals don't consider it authentic, although we all enjoyed it!

This used to be one of my favourite lunch places but I hadn't been for a couple of years. Wonton noodles...

Tried a newly opened Thai place - Tommy Yummy. Not bad and I have acquired a taste for Thai Milk Tea...

Another day I went to Lee Gardens in IFC for lunch with a colleague. Their speciality is claypot fried rice.

Found a new restaurant with a good lunch set, right near my gym...

Finally we can exercise again without masks...

And back to one of my favourite bars, Iron Fairies...

Did a new hike from Ap Lei Chai to Ap Lei Pai via Mount Johnston. It was short but very steep. It starts from Lei Tung MTR Station. We had a very local lunch at Lei Tung before heading up.

Lovely views across to Lamma Island...

View from Mount Johnston to Ap Lei Pai...

Looking over to Ocean Park...

Going down was actually quite treacherous. This is looking back up and doesn't really give the scale...

I didn't want to go back the same way, so we skirted around the coast. It was scary in places with ropes to help you down quite steep rock-faces...

After more than two years, and lots of travel to high risk places (Sydney and Singapore), covid finally got me. So I spent a week at home in isolation. Still better than hotel quarantine!