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Dim sum and then some in Hong Kong
Dim sum and then some in Hong Kong
With 48 hours in this town, it's best to let yourself get carried away in the chaos
Hong Kong is a glorious fusion of the foreign and familiar, Western and Eastern, bargains and splurges, fine dining with starched linens and street food served on plastic tables. It's a gleaming metropolis with a lush tropical backdrop, with something for everyone. Getting around is easy: There's a ferry between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, and cabs and public transit are cheap and efficient. Here's how to make the best use of 48 hours.
DAY 1
8 a.m. You'll find any number of coffee shops and Chinese bakeries in the Tsim Sha Tsui neighbourhood. Kee Wah Bakery (Shop A1, 25-29 Hankow Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui; 852-2199-7606) is just a few blocks from the Intercontinental, where I stayed, and they offer traditional sweet and savoury buns for cheap. I didn't have the nerve to try the Cream of Chicken with Mushroom bun (HK$5.50), but maybe you will.
9 a.m. The Peak Tram (33 Garden Rd., Central; 852-2522-0922), a slow crawl to the best viewing platform of Hong Kong's glistening skyscrapers, bustling harbours and forested hills is a must-do on a nice day. At the top, you'll have your pick of Western vendors such as Starbucks.
11 a.m. Man Mo Temple (Hollywood Road and Ladder Street, Western District; 852-2803-2916) reveres the gods of war and literature. Duck inside to catch a glimpse of fruit-and flower-laden shrines and giant incense coils bringing luck to local families. There are also several rituals involving luck or prognostication, such as fortune-telling and the writing of a letter to your birth god, that are fun. Continue down Hollywood Road to browse the mix of high and low antiques and tchotchkes. (Chairman Mao bookends, anyone?)
1 p.m. On your way to the Soho neighbourhood, stop at Kung Lee Sugar Cane (60 Hollywood Rd., Central; 852-2544-3571) for fresh sugarcane juice, then wander through the Graham Street wet market for eels thrashing in buckets and plenty of unrecognizable produce. Lunch at one of the small streetside establishments that serve up cheap Cantonese fare to locals. Have a herbal tea at Good Spring Co. Chinese Pharmacy (8 Cochrane St., Central; 852-2544-3518.
2 p.m. Soho's streets are lined with quirky boutiques, and you'll find plenty of unusual styles. (I came away with a pair of high-heeled brown shearling boots for HK$650 ($84). Hard to picture? That's because they're completely ridiculous.) Fang Fong Projects (Shop 1, 69 Peel St., Central; 852-3105-5557) has fun leather purses and asymmetrical dresses. Message Fashion Shop (Shop A, 34 Staunton St., Central; 852-3101-8123) has girlish tops and lovely boots and shoes. To satisfy more conventional tastes, head down the world's largest outdoor escalator for shiny malls, expensive brand-name boutiques and old favourites like Marks & Spencers (28 Queens Rd., Central; 852-2921-8059). And then head back to Soho to join expats with generous expense accounts as they spill out of bars for happy hour.
8 p.m. Enoteca (47 Elgin St., Central; 852-2525-9944) for a round of tapas. The flash-fried lemon squid with harissa aioli, Moroccan spiced-lamb cutlets with coriander humus, and marinated goat cheese are delicious. Another great option for dinner is Branto (9-11 Lock Rd., Tsim Tsa Sui; 852-2366-8171), which serves no frills but delicious vegetarian Indian fare.
10:30 p.m. Finish off the night with drinks at the colonial Foreign Correspondents Club (2 Lower Albert Rd., Central; 852-2521-1511, call ahead if you're not a member) or hit Dragon-I (The Centrium, 60 Wyndham St., Central; 852-3110-1222), one of HK's hottest clubs, for a night of dancing, fancy cocktails and (probably) feeling unhip. |
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發表於 2010-11-26 08:26
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