Showing Off the City

This past weekend, friends of my Aunt Paulette were passing through Hong Kong. Seasoned travelers, they had just enjoyed a fourteen day cruise from Singapore to the SAR, with port calls in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China. With Hong Kong as their final stop, they disembarked and spent a few days here before flying home. My aunt put us in touch awhile back, and I’d been looking forward to spending some time with them for weeks. It turned out to be an utterly delightful weekend, and it was entirely my pleasure to show Pat, Arne, Jill and Dave around town!

The group was staying at the Intercontinental Hotel in TST, right on the Avenue of Stars. It’s one of the most stylish hotels in the city, and it features a bevy of first-rate restaurants, so on Friday night, I caught the ferry across the harbor to meet them there for dinner. The last time I saw Pat was by my aunt’s pool in Brooklyn when I was four or five years old, so I’m lucky she recognized me when I walked into the lobby!

The lobby of the hotel features floor-to-ceiling windows with a great view of the skyline.

Pat and her husband Arne live near the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and their travel buddies Jill and Dave live near Lake Tahoe. I think one of the reasons we hit it off so fast was because I shared their passion for travel. They have gone on many trips together and were full of wonderful stories, and I loved hearing all about their adventures. They also had a ton of questions about all aspects of my Hong Kong life. You see, they had all been to Hong Kong several times in the past, but their last visits were all back in the days of British colonial rule. So much has changed since then, and they were fascinated by all the developments that have taken place since they last laid eyes on the city. (It was also very interesting for me to hear their tales of what Hong Kong was like long before I’d been here!)

View of the skyline of Hong Kong

Over a few Tanqueray and tonics in the Lobby Lounge, I got to know everybody, and before long it was nearly 8pm and time for dinner. One of the city’s most popular steakhouses (simply called The Steak House) is located in the hotel, as is Alain Ducasse’s Michelin-starred French favorite Spoon. Even Hong Kong’s branch of upscale sushi hotspot Nobu is there, but I opted to steer the group towards Yan Toh Heen, the hotel’s Cantonese establishment. They were in Hong Kong, after all, and it’s one of the city’s most acclaimed Chinese restaurants. What could possibly be a better fit? It has a Michelin star, $1000 jade table settings, peerless service and a lovely view of the skyline, so the name—translated as "breathtaking view elegant dining establishment"—couldn’t be more apt.

From the walkway leading to the entrance to their hotel

I reserved the table a couple days before and also decided to go ahead and pre-book a whole Peking duck, which has to be ordered at least twenty-four hours in advance. We then ordered crispy shrimp dumplings, wok-fried prawns with white asparagus in black bean sauce, sweet and sour pork, Singapore-fried noodles and several other dishes! Needless to say, it was a delicious dinner, and the Peking duck was especially memorable. A complimentary dessert tray capped off a wonderful evening.

Me and the Peking duck

At the Star Ferry Pier in Central at 10am the following morning, we all convened so the gang could do some shopping in Stanley. At the market, Jill managed to do all of her Christmas shopping, Dave bought a tripod and case for his iPhone, Pat got toys for her grandchildren and Arne got himself a remote-control helicopter complete with video camera! After all that shopping, we had worked up an appetite!

Stanley Market

And, lucky for us, the noonday sun was just starting to shine through the clouds. We grabbed an outdoor table at the Pickled Pelican, enjoyed a few British beers, and snacked on fish and chips as we watched the passersby on the promenade and gazed at the sea beyond. Stanley is such a special place, and it’s such a pleasant escape from the hectic city that it’s hard to believe it’s located on the same island!

Interesting clothes items in Stanely Market

Stanley Waterfront Promenade

Back at the Intercontinental, we sat down for a few more drinks... and wound up ordering more food as part of the hotel's afternoon tea! Having just eaten lunch in Stanley, it was crazy to order more food, but it was so darn delicious that I forgot how full I was and kept on gorging on scones, cookies and cakes. I could hardly walk afterwards I had eaten so much!

The ladies decided to rest in their rooms afterwards while the gentlemen were keen to explore TST’s electronic shops, so I took them to Ocean Terminal to visit the camera stores. After another successful purchase, a celebration was in order, so we headed to BLT Steak, a waterfront restaurant with an outdoor deck. Under the shadow of their still-berthed cruise ship, the Oceania Nautica, we had a few more beers as day turned to night.

TST and the bow of the Oceania Nautica, from BLT Steak

Walking back towards the Star Ferry, we reunited with Pat and Jill, and I said my goodbyes to the group. I only wish we had more time together and I could have taken them to more sights. They were so gracious and kept thanking me for showing them around, but the pleasure was entirely mine, believe me! All four of them were so friendly and full of energy, and I really hope I can take them up on their offers to visit them in Arizona and Northern California to see the Grand Canyon and Lake Tahoe.

Dave, Jill, Pat and Arne in front of their cruise ship

Safe travels everybody, and I look forward to meeting you all again! And who knows? Maybe you're glowing review will convince my aunt to make the trip out herself!

Hope you guys had as much fun as I did!