You know, it's kind of funny. I've been living in Happy Valley for over three years now, but apart from talking about the apartment or making a casual reference to my frequent visits to the nearby racetrack, I haven't really told you much about the neighborhood I call home. That's ironic, because although it took some getting used to after those first two years living in the heart of Wan Chai, I've really come to adore Happy Valley.
And since I've gotten Fredric—almost six weeks ago—I've been spending even more time in the Valley than before. Instead of finding something fun and crazy to amuse myself with in town after work, I've been rushing home to see what books, shoes and knickknacks he's chosen to destroy during the day!
Now that he walks nicely on a leash and is capable of scaling stairs, I'm even able to take him on walks around our 'hood to release some of his puppy energy! And it's been great reminding myself how wonderful a place it is.
These days, Happy Valley is best known for its race track. Even the sidewalks near the tram terminus have galloping horses configured out of dark-colored paving stones. And as you know, I hardly miss a meeting during the season.
When racing isn't on, you can walk or run around the track, with an incredible view of the nearby skyscrapers and the high rises that overlook the vast green oval. It's mind-boggling to imagine how much the land would be worth if the Jockey Club ever put it up for sale, because the encroaching city is right at its fringes!
Then, in the late 1840s, Hong Kong's British residents decided they needed a spot to indulge in their passion for horse racing, but there were few appropriate locales in the rugged, mountainous colony. A low, flat expanse nestled between the hills, Happy Valley was the only place to construct such a venue. Soon the rice paddies vanishes, the marshland was filled in and one of the world's great racetracks was born.
One of many wonderful Wednesdays at Happy Valley Racetrack
But there is so much more to Happy Valley than horse racing!
Since we don't have an MTR station, the best way to get in and out is by tram. The tram line was extended in 1922, and since then, an additional terminus has been located here, meaning I can usually snag a front row seat on the way to work each morning!
Happy Valley is also home to a flock of wild cockatoos. You always hear their squawking as they fly about overhead. A local legend says they are the descendants of birds released during the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong, by owners who gave them a chance at survival in the wild as opposed to certain death in an untended cage. They look like the kind of birds you'd spot in an aviary or the Enchanted Tiki Room, so it's quite a surprise when one perches itself on my rooftop while I'm taking the morning sun!
At the bottom of the Valley, just steps away from the tram terminus, are two great local watering holes, the Jockey and the Happy Valley Bar and Grill. Both offer outdoor seating, tasty beer and hearty pub grub. And sitting outside with other residents on a summer night is a favorite Happy Valley pastime.
Since we don't have an MTR station, the best way to get in and out is by tram. The tram line was extended in 1922, and since then, an additional terminus has been located here, meaning I can usually snag a front row seat on the way to work each morning!
Happy Valley is also home to a flock of wild cockatoos. You always hear their squawking as they fly about overhead. A local legend says they are the descendants of birds released during the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong, by owners who gave them a chance at survival in the wild as opposed to certain death in an untended cage. They look like the kind of birds you'd spot in an aviary or the Enchanted Tiki Room, so it's quite a surprise when one perches itself on my rooftop while I'm taking the morning sun!
At the bottom of the Valley, just steps away from the tram terminus, are two great local watering holes, the Jockey and the Happy Valley Bar and Grill. Both offer outdoor seating, tasty beer and hearty pub grub. And sitting outside with other residents on a summer night is a favorite Happy Valley pastime.
I live on Blue Pool Road, a street that slopes upward from these pubs. At first the ascent is gradual but soon it becomes steep, ultimately reaching the neighborhood's upper boundary. Luckily, I live towards the lower end, so it's not much of an effort to get to my apartment from the tram stop and bars. (Once inside, however, six flights of stairs more than compensate.)
Blue Pool Road is mostly residential, especially the higher up you go. And nestled on both sides are some beautiful old buildings, included perhaps my favorite tong lau in all of Hong Kong.
Just across the street from my apartment is a quaint little temple dedicated to Kam Tung. A staircase leads up from the street to the main altar, and it's probably the best vantage point to get a view of the exterior of our building.
Ventris Road is a nice place for a stroll. It's a quiet, leafy, one-way street beginning at Kam Tung Temple and extending towards venerable Saint Margaret's Church, lined all the way through with upscale apartment buildings.
Sing Woo Road is Happy Valley's main thoroughfare. Some great restaurants can be found here, like my local char siu joint. Char siu is a honey-roasted pork, sliced and served over rice. It's a time-tested Hong Kong favorite, and in my book, the city's best char siu is to be had for HKD 40 in this nondescript shop that you can see from my living room window. I'd walked by for years before my friend Louise opened my eyes (and taste buds) to how amazing it is.
Further up Sing Woo Road, at number sixty-three, is one of Hong Kong's dim sum gems, an old world, Art Deco tea house with whirring fans and amazing dumplings. The English name (The Art of Chinese Tid Bits) isn't prominently displayed outside, but you'll recognize it by the neon sign with the words "dim sum" clearly spelled out. It's one of my favorite places to take out of town visitors to give them a slice of the bygone Hong Kong of old.
The small grid of streets extending west from Sing Woo Road—Yik Yam Street, King Kwong Street, Yuk Sau Street and Village Road—house apartment buildings, a smattering of great local and international restaurants, mom-and-pop shops, some beautiful old mansions (including my Hong Kong dream house) and even a DVD rental store.
And there are plenty of other hidden gems—bakeries, butchers, boutiques, noodle joints and coffee shops—nestled in the Valley, making it a truly a great place to live.
We have the luxury of being slightly removed from the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, and although some complain that not having an MTR station makes Happy Valley harder to access than the neighborhoods along the Island Line, I actually love the degree of peacefulness that accompanies this 'inconvenience.'
So cheers to you, Happy Valley. Thanks for adopting me, housing me and winning me over with your subtle charms. I hope our future together is long and prosperous.
Old colonial Blue Pool Road street sign
Blue Pool Road is mostly residential, especially the higher up you go. And nestled on both sides are some beautiful old buildings, included perhaps my favorite tong lau in all of Hong Kong.
Just across the street from my apartment is a quaint little temple dedicated to Kam Tung. A staircase leads up from the street to the main altar, and it's probably the best vantage point to get a view of the exterior of our building.
Home, Sweet Home
Ventris Road is a nice place for a stroll. It's a quiet, leafy, one-way street beginning at Kam Tung Temple and extending towards venerable Saint Margaret's Church, lined all the way through with upscale apartment buildings.
Ventris Road
Sing Woo Road is Happy Valley's main thoroughfare. Some great restaurants can be found here, like my local char siu joint. Char siu is a honey-roasted pork, sliced and served over rice. It's a time-tested Hong Kong favorite, and in my book, the city's best char siu is to be had for HKD 40 in this nondescript shop that you can see from my living room window. I'd walked by for years before my friend Louise opened my eyes (and taste buds) to how amazing it is.
The best char siu joint in Hong Kong
Further up Sing Woo Road, at number sixty-three, is one of Hong Kong's dim sum gems, an old world, Art Deco tea house with whirring fans and amazing dumplings. The English name (The Art of Chinese Tid Bits) isn't prominently displayed outside, but you'll recognize it by the neon sign with the words "dim sum" clearly spelled out. It's one of my favorite places to take out of town visitors to give them a slice of the bygone Hong Kong of old.
The small grid of streets extending west from Sing Woo Road—Yik Yam Street, King Kwong Street, Yuk Sau Street and Village Road—house apartment buildings, a smattering of great local and international restaurants, mom-and-pop shops, some beautiful old mansions (including my Hong Kong dream house) and even a DVD rental store.
And there are plenty of other hidden gems—bakeries, butchers, boutiques, noodle joints and coffee shops—nestled in the Valley, making it a truly a great place to live.
We have the luxury of being slightly removed from the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, and although some complain that not having an MTR station makes Happy Valley harder to access than the neighborhoods along the Island Line, I actually love the degree of peacefulness that accompanies this 'inconvenience.'
Fredric and a new friend playing in the local dog park
So cheers to you, Happy Valley. Thanks for adopting me, housing me and winning me over with your subtle charms. I hope our future together is long and prosperous.
