Categories
Hong Kong Where to Eat/Drink

Yum Cha restaurant: the traditional way

Just found that the Metropol Restaurant (名都酒樓）in Admiralty is a good place for Yum Cha.

The delightful surprise was that it still uses dim sum carts for selling dim sum.

  
You like what you see and just wave at the cart driver (always a woman) and get the dim sum right away. The modern way  – ticking against the dim sum choices on a piece of paper and then waiting for your order, is clearly boring. I am glad that I have found a restaurant that still sells dim sum in the old way.

What is more, the restaurant has a big area where they make dim sum / food to your order. It is all under your eyes and the sight and smell are so alluring and pleasing.

The restaurant is most famous for shrimp dumplings （蝦餃） and they are indeed good. The other dim sum I like is steamed rice rolls (腸粉). Something I have not tried but would love to try next time is cantonese-style congee with an array of ingredients you can choose from and the staff will prepare for you right away. They even have the offering of pork trotters in ginger and sweetened vinegar, the food/drink women have after they give birth and whose family will share with their friends and relatives.

 The restaurant, very spacious,  occupies the whole floor of the building (United Centre). It is a comfortable place for yum cha, another reason I like the restaurant.

I went there on a Sunday before noon. Many tables were available. By 1pm, all the tables had been filled up. So if you go there before noon during the weekend, you will rest assured that you will get a table without waiting. Restaurants in Admiralty, like Central, are busy during weekdays not weekends, as it is an office area. In other words, restaurants in the area are good for yum cha during weekends.

Address: 4/F, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty

Categories
Hiking

Hike from the Peak to Reservoir

The peak is probably the most known sight seeing spot in HK. If you are first time in Hong Kong, you can combine visiting the Peak with hiking.IMG_0096The hiking route is from the Peak to Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, which is about 2-hour walk. This route is actually a section of the so-called “Hong Kong Trail” and therefore all the way you will be guided by the “Hong Kong Trail” sign and will not get lost. IMG_0122The walk is easy too, good for family with kids. The “hardest” part is probably the last part comprising gentle downhill. All in all, it is an easy walk and you can have a bird’s eye view of the Victoria harbour and city during the first part of the walk.

Starting point: Find “Lugard Road” which is at your right side once you leave the Peak Tower, and the “Hong Kong Trail” sign also appears.IMG_0092The walk is indeed very leisurely. The road is paved and shady, flanked by trees, and the city simply unfolds underneath as you saunter.IMG_0114 IMG_0104IMG_0118IMG_0099There is an intersection after about 1 hour. Please turn right here into the Harlech Road towards Pok Fu Lam Reservoir. The walk from now on is mostly downhill and it is more fun as it is a dirt / stone path instead of a paved road, feeling like hiking in the woods.  IMG_0127Towards the end, after a long flight of stairs you will reach the small Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, which was the first reservoir in Hong Kong, dating back to 1863. IMG_0145Once you reach the reservoir, Pok Fu Lam Road is just around the corner (just turn right if you face the reservoir and it will lead to Pok Fu Lam Road) and there you can find buses in all sorts of direction including going to Central.

The hints about HK’s political realities are everywhere along the route, if you care to look. A slogan was painted by hand on a stand, which says “Downfall with CY”. CY is HK’s very unpopular Chief Executive, who was late for a function in London earlier because he said he was so moved by the Chinese national flag he saw he had to get off the car and show respect, leading to the delay. IMG_0128And you know what, the city’s main government contractors making big money are now all mainland companies, including the contractor for prevention of landslides in the Peak. This sign says it is “China Geo-engineering Corporation”. IMG_0105

Categories
City Scene

Occupy Lion Rock

Photo by Apple Daily
Photo by Apple Daily

The spirit of Lion Rock, a famous hill in Hong Kong, has been equivalent to the spirit of Hong Kong. So when a group of climbers managed to hang a big, very big, banner from the top of the hill, which reads “I want real universal suffrage”, it is extremely inspiring for the pro-democracy protesters and those supporting the umbrella movement. It rocks the city.

The climbers have given immense positive energy to Hong Kong when the city is in desperate need of it. Hats off to them. They are truly creative and courageous, and have used their skills to do a very meaningful thing for Hong Kong. It is such a clever way to fight for the democracy of Hong Kong. And it is no small feat to climb down the steep edge to hang the giant banner, which measures six metres wide and 28 metres long – Lion Rock is no stranger to climbing accidents. What is more, they may face charge from the government for putting up a banner in a country park area.

Their action has touched the hearts of many. Must watch! It makes you cry.

 

Categories
Hong Kong As It Is

HK police acts like mainland police

A few Hong Kong police officers arrested a protester, brought him to a dark corner, and then beat him up in turn for four minutes last night.

In today’s Hong Kong, the triads are used to attack peaceful protesters and obstruct press freedom (blocking the Apple Daily from publication), and the police acts like and colludes with triads. Hong Kong police has become as notorious as the police in mainland China in its brutality in dealing with the masses.

The protester who was beat up is actually a social worker, who is even a representative in the social welfare sector to elect the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.

How badly was he injured? Here’s the photo showing.
photo

This video shows another protester was suppressed by police brutally:

This video shows police spraying a protester with pepper at very short distance:

http://www.scmp.com/video?movideo_m=997293

Shame on those, especially those with privilege, siding with the CY Leung government and Beijing government to make HK sink deeper into the abyss!

Categories
Hong Kong As It Is

Newspaper is blocked from reaching city

What do you think these protesters are doing? Whatever you think, it is reasonable to assume that they are not proud of what they are doing right? Otherwise they would not have covered their faces or turned away from camera, especially if they are protesters.

Photo: Apple Daily
Photo: Apple Daily

Yes, they have every reason to be ashamed of what they do, because they knew they were bribed (from HK$200 to HK$600) to block the entrance to the building of Apple Daily, the newspaper that is openly hostile to Chinese and HK government and supports pro-democracy movement. (Apple Daily is probably the only newspaper that has not kowtowed to Beijing, and its owner is the only businessman in town openly in support of democrats.). Some 100 to 200 people turned up at the complex of Apple Daily, and blocked its main entrance, leading to the newspaper not being able to reach the city until 10am on 13 Oct. At the time of writing, the newspaper’s complex entrance is still blocked.

One of those participating in the blockage admitted that he answered the call from an association that has links to an area in Guangdong province. And another woman interviewed is from Shenzhen, China.

This is how bad things are in Hong Kong: pro-Beijing forces are resorting to violence and shameful ways to create conflict among people, and destroy the rule of law and the values entrenched in the society. This time they try to curtail the press freedom by stopping Apple Daily from reaching Hongkongers. I don’t want to call them evil but they are indeed evil.

Partly because of evil tactics like this, there is the umbrella movement unfurling, going strong as ever, despite varied threats from pro-Beijing forces and attacks by triads. More suppression, more resistance. That is the rule.