Our 2nd Annual Mega 5s Tournament

This weekend was the annual Mega 5s hockey tournament in Hong Kong. Sam arrived on Wednesday to coach his Bangkok Warriors team in the Youth Division and I landed on Friday to catch him play in the Adult division with a team called the Tokyo Canadians (picture several Japanese adult men, most of whom attended boarding school or exchange programs in the US/Canada and one half Japanese/half Russian man with lots of energy).

Have you ever noticed the beauty of stacked airport trolleys?

Looking up from my seat in the waiting area.

My flight ended up being quite delayed Friday night but I had a fine time at the airport with my $10USD courtesy coupon from the airline (hah!) and my camera. It doesn't take much to keep me entertained, I guess.

Tonkatsu sandwich:
so unhealthy and delicious.
Perfect airport food.

I ended up arriving at our hotel at 5am Saturday and caught a few hours of beauty rest before waking up for Sam's 9:30am game. Only then did I realize the extreme tininess of our hotel room. Even if I did have a picture, it wouldn't fully convey the unbelievably cramped but well-utilized space we had reserved for $60USD/night. Hong Kong has always impressed me with its efficient use of space and this room was a particularly excellent example. Picture a Hong Kong double bed (yes, it's its own size and smaller than a standard Ikea one) wedged into a perfectly carved nook on the left, a 10-inch aisle between the edge of the bed and the opposite wall to the bathroom and a tiny desk/refrigerator nook on the right side of the room at the head of the bed (just enough to make you feel like you had space while laying your head down for the night).

Typical HK buildings.

After drowsily shuffling around the room (one of us had to sit on the bed so the other could walk past), we took a few slices of stale bread from the breakfast buffet and made our way to the rink. Located on the 10th floor of the Mega Box mall on the Kowloon side (opposite side of harbour from Central downtown districts), this hockey rink has the most beautiful backdrop I've ever seen for the sport.

The mall parking lot turned into a hockey locker room.

Upper level view through the net.

Scoreboard before the game: Tokyo v Abu Dhabi.

There's my guy! Red jersey, blue shorts, yellow socks.

Lovely view of the harbour behind the bench.

I got to watch Sam score a beautiful goal in the Saturday morning game and we stayed afterward to drink beer, chat and people-watch. These international hockey tournaments in Asia attract a very interesting crowd, so it's endlessly enjoyable to just sit back and observe the happenings around the rink. Following a day of hockey and a much-needed nap, we went to meet Sam's Tokyo teammates around 9pm for a night out on the town.

The streets in the main bar area,
Lan Kwai Fong a.k.a. LKF. PACKED!

Remember the hills of HK?
My legs sure do!

Out with Toni, our friend and former roomie in HK,
and one of the Tokyo players behind.

A trip to Hong Kong wouldn't be complete without having some of my favorite foods. First up - Paisano's New York style pizza. We don't have any pizza by the slice places quite like this in Bangkok and it was such a treat to get a taste of this simple deliciousness. 

One of my favorite HK sights.

Speaking of delicious: xiao long bao (soupy pork dumplings) are also an important item for any itinerary in Hong Kong. We squeezed ours in at the airport on Sunday along with some chili oil wontons and soup. While I'm not the biggest fan of some traditional Hong Kong foods, there are some absolute standouts and these are at the top for me.

Xiao long bao - YUM.

Now that I'm finished drooling, here are some photos from my quick adventures around town.

Seen in Central, Hong Kong.

Sundays in HK:
domestic helpers take to public spaces to gather with friends.
On rainy days, they find what shelter is available.

My view from the double decker public bus.
My favorite way to get around.

Oddly comforting, homey feeling to see Chinese characters.

And of course, no trip to China is complete without taking note of the signs. First, baby formula. In case this news didn't make it across the globe, there is a serious issue in HK of people smuggling baby powder across the border into mainland China where consumers aren't confident in domestic formula brands.

Warning about baby formula quantities.

Now for a classic sign. Directed towards mainlanders who are generally accustomed to squat toilets, these signs are found in many tourist places throughout HK. This one brought to you by the mall that hosted the hockey tournament. Yes, malls are tourist destinations, especially in Asia.

That brings me to the end of our trip, where Hong Kong Airlines didn't really redeem itself in the timely departure category (though they were only 2 hours late this time, instead of 3.5). They did, however, do us a wonderful favor of upgrading us to business class - without us even asking! Before we knew about the upgrade (given to us as we walked through the gate to the plane), I took some more airport photos to pass the time while reflecting on a whirlwind, fun trip back to one of my favorite cities in the world!

Glow from the setting sun hits the terminal.

A beautiful take-off over the hills.

Looking up.

A Return to Hong Kong

Almost exactly one year from the day I made the move to Hong Kong (May 14), Sam and I went back on a work trip. Sam had a hockey tournament there, our Thai visas were set to expire and we have been wanting to visit our school branches in HK for some time. So, we killed three birds with one stone and made a trip of it!

It was 6 days of gray skies, heavy rain and temperature highs that are Bangkok's low. Days were filled with visits to the Royal Thai Consulate and meeting the Hong Kong staff and getting to know how they operate. Some nights were filled with hockey, others with sleep and still others with visiting our old favorite spots and reuniting with friends.

Overall a great trip, though I was happy to return to the warmth and sunshine of Bangkok. It helped that I was upgraded to business class on the way :)

Remember the small living spaces in HK?
Tight squeeze for 2 people + a hockey bag.

High-rises in the hills.

Chinese dinner with old friends and new.

The tram 'ding-dings' its way right through
the North Point wet market.

Camping in Sai Kung

This post is long overdue, but the interruption in my blogging from quality time with family was a happy one. I did want to share some photos from our last big excursion in Hong Kong before my departure. To preface, I have wanted to go camping in the Sai Kung region of Hong Kong ever since Sam told me about his adventures there during his time abroad. In my previous visits to Hong Kong, we either didn't have the time or we were too sick to make the journey, so we made a point to check this one off the list over the summer - and I'm so glad we did!

High Island Reservoir, Sai Kung East Country Park. 7 July 2013

Summer in Hong Kong

Spending May to July in Hong Kong is a great idea. I suggest it to anyone who can handle the "90/90" weather as I like to think of it. 90 degrees and 90% humidity. All the time. The pollution has been extremely mild compared to what I saw in the winter. The sun has shone a majority of the time. 

You can enjoy the busy city life. The outdoor seating areas of the pubs and restaurants. You can "hike" up the street and find yourself in a residential neighborhood that turns out to be a great place to run because it happens to be flat. A gem in Hong Kong. You can take a short trip to the beach. You can rent a surfboard for $8USD (Sam taught me to surf this week!). You can sweat all of the moisture out of your body on any number of hikes. You can take the bus to the other side of the mountains and enjoy dinner on the bay. You can go to the "dark side" (Kowloon) and immerse yourself in local life and souvenir markets. You can take the ferry to an outlying island to get away from it all. There's so much to do, even play ice hockey if that's what you're in to.

Market in Wan Chai. 30 June 2013

Crossing the Border

Last weekend, Sam and I went into mainland China during the holiday (July 1) which marks the anniversary of Hong Kong being handed over to China. Seems it was a good idea for us to get out of HK as thousands of people gathered to demonstrate their growing disappointment in the current governance of Hong Kong - despite a level 3 typhoon signal. That level of typhoon signal really just means heavy rain and winds, nothing too severe. At level 8, people are told to stay indoors.

While Hong Kong citizens were advocating for their democratic rights, Sam and I went to Shenzhen (the closest border city in mainland China - see the map) to get massages (often pronounced "massah-jee"). Apparently, the southern regions in China have a long history of bathhouses/massage which has led to the current situation of huge spa complexes on every block. Sam bought us a Groupon for $20USD each which covered a 100-minute body massage, 50-minute foot massage, and 24-hour access to the facilities: saunas, pools, showers, lounging area. The 24-hour access means you can treat the place like your hotel and sleep in the lounging area in big, comfy LazyBoy-esque chairs. Accommodation, massages all for $20USD. This is why I love China.

Shenzhen Central Park. 30 June 2013

Everyday Things

Here's a bit about our neighborhood and getting around town - and my favorite snacks.

Our apartment is located on the border of the Central and Sheung Wan neighborhoods near the corner of Gough and Aberdeen Streets. Gough St and the Sheung Wan neighborhood are an up and coming part of Hong Kong. Even since Sam moved in 9 months ago, he's seen one of his favorite dinner spots close down because the rent is increasing like crazy. This seems to be happening to several smaller shops in the area while high-end boutiques and name-brands like Ralph Lauren Kids move in. Our Sheung Wan stop on the MTR (public light rail) is currently the last stop on the west end. Work is underway on two more stops after ours, so the area is growing pretty quickly right now.

Our apartment building. 14 June 2013

Dragon's Back

After spotting a clear day in the forecast, Sam and I made a plan to take advantage after having quite a few rainy days last week. Yesterday, we hiked Dragon's Back, one of Hong Kong's most popular trails. A relatively easy trail, with beautiful 360-degree views and an end at the beach was impossible to pass up on such a gorgeous day.

We took the MTR over to Shau Kei Wan, then took a light bus to the beginning of the trail. We were greeted immediately by some large spiders (about 5" diameter with their legs) in their webs for a reminder to always be on the lookout. As usual, it was 90 degrees and about 90% humidity, but we did our best to protect against the sun and were fairly successful. At the end, I resorted to using the umbrella for cover which I have always thought a silly idea, but completely understand now.

Dragon's Back Hiking Trail + Sam. 19 June 2013

Rainy Days

I've been in Hong Kong for just over 4 weeks now and realize that I was very lucky in that first month. Aside from the obvious - being able to live in Hong Kong - the weather was gorgeous. It was generally sunny with very little rain and several days that felt like the sun was bobbing alongside me as I walked down the street instead of 93 million miles away. That changed this week and I'm reminded what this region of the world can be like. You guessed it - rainy!

The first downpour we got caught in was on Monday night with another couchsurfer friend, Mario. Sam and I were showing him our favorite bars and upon leaving Le Boudoir, we were met with a rain that stops you in your tracks if you were previously planning a move outside. After attempting to stealthily move from doorway to doorway to avoid the rain, we realized it was useless and just ran around in the rain - which is pretty enjoyable when it's 85 degrees and you don't have to worry about looking nice at your destination (in this case, home).

Rain seen from Le Boudoir's doorway. Central, Hong Kong. 10 June 2013

Victoria Peak

With Sam's schedule having Tuesday/Wednesday off work, we are currently enjoying our weekend. We took advantage of the beautiful weather we've been having and hiked up to Victoria Peak which is probably the biggest tourist attraction in Hong Kong. At a humid 90 degrees, we worked up a very real sweat climbing straight up the mountain but were rewarded with one of the most beautiful views of the city. If you look closely, you can see the rubber duck! Just in case that doesn't work - I took a photo through the telescope for you.

Hong Kong as seen from Victoria Peak. 4 June 2013

The Biggest Rubber Duck EVER

Well, I feel like I've seen all I need to see in Hong Kong. The 54-foot rubber duck that has been to several cities around the world is currently in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour and I got to see it in person (with hundreds of my closest friends). Yay!

Rubber Duck, Victoria Harbour near the Star Fery Pier at Tsim  Sha Tsui.  26 May 2013

We have Wi-Fi!

Since posting about the difficulty of finding wifi in this wonderful city, I have discovered my new "office." The Hong Kong Central Library. A beautifully maintained building in Causeway Bay, the library is the perfect place for me to connect not only to the internet, but also to electricity. These people are smart.

Hong Kong Central Library. Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island.  20 May 2013

你好 (Hello) from Hong Kong!

After sleeping for 13 hours last night, I am hopeful that the jetlag has run its course. With such an accomplishment, I begin settling into my new life in Hong Kong for the next couple of months. I will attempt to update this blog as a way to keep in touch with those in faraway lands (hi, mom and dad!) and also to remember the adventures of this place.

Since arriving 4 days ago, Sam and I have spent a lot of time outside - enjoying the warmth and humidity that is just getting started for this Hong Kong summer. My legs have received special attention thanks to the 97-step climb to the apartment, the overall hilly landscape of the city and yesterday's hike up Pottinger Peak.

Big Wave Bay, Shek O, Hong Kong Island. 18 May 2013