April 1
I had a reasonable night’s sleep so felt almost healthy by the morning. Waking early, I played with my new toy and failed to accomplish some adjustments. I will have to seek help in the UK.
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The reviews on the WWW said that the rooms in the Kowloon Hotel were small. This was definitely the case but mine was spotless, comfortable and very well equipped. The view from my window was minimal in the extreme.
The coffee bar downstairs offered tea and a sandwich – and free wi fi. I gave them my room number, however, and they told me that I had already paid for breakfast in the main breakfast room. I will have to investigate tomorrow, when I could have a free breakfast and then pay $15 to use the internet at the YMCA.
Having completed my preparations for a day out, I walked to the harbour, looked at the mist and boarded the ferry.
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On the other side, the land reclamation was showing distinct signs of progress and there were even signs of a green initiative. It’s just a shame that there wasn’t any wind to drive the turbines.
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The Exchange Square bus station was as grim as ever but the bus was waiting and pulled out a couple of minutes after I boarded. I have tried on many occasions to take photos of the spectacular bus trip to Stanley but the violent lurches caused by the steep hills, regular changes of direction and frequent stops and starts make photography well nigh impossible. Suffice it to say, it is a great ride for those not of a nervous disposition or prone to travel sickness.
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Stanley on a Sunday morning is busy. The crowds were descending into the village centre bent on eating, drinking and shopping. I headed straight for Lucy’s shop, where I was greeted as a friend – I was wearing one of their shirts – but not offered any discounts. The shirts are of good quality but no longer cheap, so I only bought a couple. Lucy, the spaniel, looked well but, as ever, hid from the camera. It seems that she is only ten and that when she looked old and ill a few years ago, she was actually quite young.
I perused lots of other stalls but didn’t feel the urge to purchase anything. After yesterday, that was just as well. The main street was filling up and the restaurant staff were clearing the decks for the anticipated onslaught.
The sun (what wasn’t hiding behind the clouds) being almost within sight of the yard arm, I had my customary glass of Tsing Tao at the Smugglers Inn. As ever, it was cool and dark inside, with views of the bright sunshine outside through the door and windows offering a huge contrast.
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Just around the corner is Shu Zhai, my chosen lunch stop. On my last visit, not being too knowledgeable about dim sum, I wildly over ordered. This time, I got the portions about right but was full by the end. The room is almost underground with dark wood panelling and some ornate carving. Everything is elegant and it offers a very pleasant eating experience.
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After an hour of eating, I strolled along the promenade, watched the people, visited a small temple and enjoyed the sunshine, which was beginning to appear.
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In all my visits to Stanley, I had never visited the main beach so I plucked up my courage, walked past the bus stop and entered new territory, a whole five minutes walk away.
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On a warm Sunday afternoon, it was busy, with lots of people and lots of boats. It was too noisy to be particularly relaxing but a nice spot at which to while away the afternoon. It was actually quite breezy, although nothing by Wellington standards. For a huge city like Hong Kong, this is an idyllic place to have less than an hour’s bus ride away from the city centre.
I joined the queue at the bus station and grabbed the first one into town that appeared. This was supposedly the Express but, whilst it went a different way to the normal service, didn’t really seem to be any quicker. Alighting at Wan Chai, I realised that I was very close to the tailor so went in and ordered a shirt. It has to be said that the guy knows his business as he noted that I wear my watch on my right wrist and he adjusted the diameter of that cuff accordingly. He asked me lots of questions about the design that I required but soon realised that he was dealing with a fool and agreed to make it very ordinary. I suspect that the price will be far from that!
My hip was holding up quite well but I decided to take the train one stop to Causeway Bay to investigate the restaurant that I had marked down for dinner.
When I reached the correct address on Lockhart Rd I was a trifle confused as the restaurant seemed to be next door but it was obviously the right one.Their business card made things still worse by stating that they were at both addresses – as well as another one near the hotel I used to stay at in Wan Chai. When I entered, they tried to give me a table on the spot but I think I managed to explain that I really wanted a table for one at 7 pm. I will find out when I get there! |
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Over the road was a stall selling live fish including several crabs. As the restaurant specialises in chilli crab, it will probably be a near relative of this one that I will be eating. Not a happy thought for either of us!
Jardine’s Crescent is a very narrow alleyway containing a very busy street market. I fought my way through the Sunday crowds – even worse than the normal ones – and examined lots of stuff that I didn’t want and very little that I did. There was a watch stall but I don’t really need any more of them – even at £3 a time. Most of the stalls seemed to be accessories for the female of the species, something that I don’t remember from previous visits. |
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Back on the main road I found the shop where I bought my main watch a few years ago. They were still selling them at very good prices but my comment above still applies. I visited an IT mall and discovered that I had got my new toy at a reasonable price. Not requiring anything else on the electronic front, I didn’t linger, failed to find a new card wallet at another stall I have often visited, and caught the train home for a much needed shower and rest.
Having achieved my aim of a good rest, I left the hotel, caught a couple of trains, admired the pretty lights on Lockhart Rd and announced myself at the restaurant. Whether they connected me with the man who had made a reservation in the afternoon, I will never know. I did solve the address problem. There is a back door, possibly the original address, which now seems to serve as a service entrance.
I was escorted up a long flight of stairs, given a seat and then a menu to read. Crab was the obvious choice but when I was told that it would cost HK$480 (about £40), I chickened out and ordered shrimps instead. Most of the dishes claimed to be very spicy, a good sign for me. There was a man at the next table, probably Australian, who was wrestling with one of the crabs. It looked to be far too big for me to have handled on my own.
Tea and peanuts arrived almost immediately, closely followed by a large bottle of Tsing Tao. The seasonal vegetables were crisp, with lots of garlic. I really must do a Chinese cookery class to find out how to cook them as well as this. The shrimps, when they arrived, were HUGE, probably langoustine sized. I would hate to see the size of a prawn! They were buried in a mound of salt, chillies and garlic chives. They were definitely spicy, near the limits of my tolerance level, which is higher than most, and amazingly moist and tender. |
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They were also very difficult to eat so that my brand new shirt was soon splattered with salt and prawn juice. It was just as well that it was a polo shirt from the home of Lucy the spaniel and not my wildly expensive tailor-made one. I’m not sure if trying to wash it in the hotel will make things better or worse. The final bill wasn’t too bad at all, about £20, and I felt full as I walked back to the station.
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I had noticed some wifi and internet signs with a few screens attached at some of the stations. I took the opportunity to try one, got a good connection and was able to check my emails. I can’t imagine such a facility being provided in either the UK or New Zealand. It would be stolen or vandalized within minutes.
After all of this excitement, I returned to the hotel, tried to wash the marks from my shirt and went to bed.