Hong Kong - September 2021

It's September so hoping for cooler weather but it's still very hot. Life is pretty normal here now. One of my favourite lunches at Yum Yum in Sheung Wan. Pork leg with rice.

Drinks at Bella Lee in Peel Street. It's a regular for me and my colleague Julie...

Walking through Tai Kwun on my way to work one morning. Lovely sky...

Friday night drinks at Faye in California Tower (used to be C'est la Vie)...

Order a magnum of Moet and they put a sparkler in it. Pretentious !

Walking though Lan Kwai Fong feels almost (but not quite) like the old days...

Drinks another night in LockCha Tea House in Tai Kwun...

One of my coffee places...

Headed back to Lamma one Sunday night for a quick walk around Yung Shue Wan and dinner.

The eggplant and minced pork was great...

One day I had brunch at Uma Nota which is Japanese / Brazillian fusion and had been on my list for a while. It was great. Started with the Dadinhos which is Brazilian tapioca and cheese dices, and chicken satay..

Roasted cauliflower skewers...

The steak was great...

Walking through Sheung Wan one day I came across this coffin shop. I love how in Hong Kong you can walk down the street and there'll be a chaan chaan teng, a western style cafe, an art gallery, a mechanic and a coffin shop all in a row !

This is my other favourite lunch meal at Yum Yum which is minced pork. I had iced milk tea (dong lai tsa) this time as it was so hot outside...

Central Market finally opened after many years of renovation. It's quite a nice space, with bars and takeaway food places.

One Saturday night I headed to 208 Duecentro Otto on Hollywood Road for dinner. I was early so sat at the bar and had a wine.

The entree's were very good. Beef tartare and Buffalo Mozzarella. For main I had Boston Lobster which was just okay.

One day I met a friend for lunch and went to a very local place near the office and had noodles with pork belly. Super cheap and very local...

Another day I went back to Wang Fu for dumplings...

Each month at work we arrange a monthly treat. This month was mango pancake and rice balls. The mango pancake was too sweet (contains cream) but the rice ball was really good.

Lamma Island hike - September 2021

It's still hot and steamy and I felt like a beach day. Thought I'd go to the beach I found in March and hang out.

Caught the ferry to Sok Kwu Wan and as it was lunchtime, had some lunch at one of the seafood restaurants there. That's tea, not beer :-)

Although I always get the ferry from Central, it is possible to get it from Aberdeen. This is where the Aberdeen ferry docks.

Just outside Sok Kwu Wan village is a trail which climbs over the mountain. Lots of steps but it's not too far. Then descended to the other side. At the bottom of the hill I turned right and walked a bit further to Sham Wan  Beach, also known as Turtle Beach. 

It is the only regular nesting site for the Green Turtle. However, as it is nesting season, the beach was closed.

So headed back to Shek Pai Wan and had a swim there. 

Was tired so then fell asleep on the beach.

About 5pm I headed back the way I had come to Sok Kwu Wan and then joined the Family Trail to Yung Shue Wan. This is looking back at Sok Kwu Wan...

And a bit further along the track...

Looking forwards towards Yung Shue Wan...

Sunset over the power station...

Had a beer at the end and then caught the 7pm ferry back to Central.

Nice day.

 

Hong Kong - August 2021

Got out of quarantine on Saturday morning and met a friend for an iced-coffee at a relatively new cafe in Aberdeen Street. Then went and had a haircut.

That night I met another friend for drinks at the Chinese Library in Tai Kwun.

I have to have four COVID tests in my first week, so headed to Shek Tong Tsui for my first one on day 9. Found a new cafe for brunch...

I'm working from home this week while I self-monitor. So I did a couple of hikes up The Peak. Weather is rainy and steamy...

The week I was self-monitoring, I worked from home. I did this jigsaw of Kyoto again and bought a frame and hung on my bedroom wall...

The next Saturday I met my friend for a quick pre-dinner cocktail in Soho at The Daily Tot on Hollywood Road...

Then we had dinner at Aaharn, a famous David Thompson Michelin starred Thai restaurant. 

Walking home on a Friday night, Hong Kong feels busy and normal !

More than a year now of compulsory mask wearing...

On one of my walks on the Lugard Road circuit...

At my favourite Chinese restaurant, Monogamous Chinese. From left to right: Beijing minced pork, tofu with preserved egg, deep-fried eggplant, and Dan Dan Mian which is a Sichuan noodle dish...

This is the first time I have seen this at a bar...

Back to weekend routine. Coffee, gym, lunch. Found a new place in Aberdeen Street. Thai influenced beef brisket...

Another day I had free-flow brunch at a Spanish place in Sai Ying Pun, La Paloma... 

It's unlimited food. The paella was okay but a bit dry...

I'm always looking for new places for weekday lunch. Recently found a very local chaan chaan teng in Sheung Wan which didn't even have an English menu. This is one of my favourites, rice noodles with beef...

One Sunday with a colleague, I did one of my favourite walks from Discovery Bay to Mui Wo. It's a tough climb from Discovery Bay, especially as it is very humid. 

Coming down the many steps into Mui Wo is beautiful...

We stopped for a coffee in Mui Wo and then continued on to Chi Ma Wan. Saw many water buffalos and these ones were cooling off in a creek...

Then caught the inter-island ferry from Chi Ma Wan to Cheung Chau for an early dinner.

Then caught the ferry back to Central...

One night I walked up the Peak. Hadn't been up at night for ages...

Saw many boar this time and even a porcupine (he was too quick to get a photo of)...

One weekend walking through Tai Kwun on a gorgeous day...

Evening drinks at Pong on the terrace of IFC. Nice view to TST...

Hong Hong quarantine - August 2021

I left Sydney on 31 July. Due to the lockdown, there was nothing open at Sydney airport - not even duty free! Flight was fine, again not many people on it. I slept a bit and had whole row to myself in economy. Watched a movie because it had Michelle Pfeiffer in it - French Exit. It was terrible !

Had a nice sunset somewhere en-route...

Arriving at HKIA involved a lot of walking, a lot of forms and checkpoints. Had my test and waited with some water and crackers (aka dinner)...

After getting test results, I cleared customs, pick up my bag and headed to the bus area. Got to the Kerry about 3am. I chose this hotel again for three main reasons - the view, food and the service. I took this photo the day I got out...

My treadmill was waiting for me when I arrived...

Got a nice gift from the hotel...

My friend dropped off a coffee and some flowers...

Did another jigsaw. They are a great time-killer !

One of the fruits we were given...

Made it ! That's now a total of 2 months hotel quarantine within a year !

Waiting in the lobby for my friend to pick me up...