Hong Kong in June - Oh The Humidity!!

Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 08:57 PM
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Hong Kong in June - Oh The Humidity!!

Hi all! I’m just back from a quick work trip to Hong Kong, so I thought I would take the opportunity to write down my experiences and thoughts since experience proves I’m too lazy to keep a diary ☺. Admittedly I’m the kind of person to try to squeeze in as much as possible on a work trip when not working, so that’s really what this report is about. Condolences for anyone who was hoping for a corporate rundown of meetings ☺ I had a full work schedule on Monday through Thursday, and tacked on a day for leisure on Friday before catching a flight back on Saturday. In hindsight, I feel like I was able to see much of the city and get a feel for it, despite spending most of my waking hours at work!

SUNDAY

I took Amtrak down to NYC on the Friday night before my flight, since I couldn’t get a direct flight to HK from Boston. I’m not a great flyer, so I wanted to minimize the day’s hassle, which was the right move. I flew on Cathay Pacific, which I have to admit I was looking forward to. I had heard tales of their comfortable seats, splendid service, and good food and I must admit – all of it is true! I’m not one to enjoy 15+ hours on an airplane, but to the extent it is possible to enjoy such a thing, I did! The excellent food and free wine get them big points in my book ☺

My flight left NYC at approximately 2 PM on Saturday and arrived at 7 pm on Sunday in Asia! I know we’re crossing the international date line, but what a crazy concept!

When I stepped off the plane and cleared customs, I could not believe the humidity in Hong Kong! I had heard tell that June, July and August are the months to be avoided, but woah! They aren’t kidding!! ☺ It was a roughly 50 foot walk from the terminal to the taxi line and I was already glistening! Yuck. With very limited exceptions, the whole week would be this way, which, coupled with severe jet-lag, led to yours truly not being at her best. I hope you’ll forgive me ☺

In any event, when in a strange city, I am not one to waste time. After checking into my room at the JW Marriott in Central, I promptly went out to Maxim’s City Hall Palace in search of delicious dim sum. When I found the restaurant, I was disappointed to learn that dim sum ended at 3 PM each day. Still, I stayed for Chinese food dinner, which was really clean tasting, MSG free, and delicious. Two thumbs up! The crab and corn chowder was out of this world!!

MONDAY

Talk about jet-lag. Up and at them at 4 a.m. ☹ At the least the gym at the Marriott was 24 hours, so I managed to work off some of the post-flight malaise and felt pretty good as I shipped off to Kowloon for a day of meetings.

I have to say that my favorite thing about Hong Kong (apart from the food) is their subway – the MTR. It is clean, efficient and punctual. No one pushes. You get wifi reception – good reception! It’s a great experience and to my knowledge, no city in the USA can even come close to offering such a great riding experience. (Although I’m sure someone will correct me if I am wrong!)

Kowloon is a pretty weird place. Right across the water from Central, it is home to many office buildings, one of which swallowed up my whole morning and afternoon.

When I left at 5 pm, I headed back to Central with the idea of taking the tram up to The Peak (the highest mountain in Hong Kong) for its spectacular views of the city. But it was terribly humid out and the line was terribly long, so I elected to change course and head over to the Mid-Levels.

The Mid-Levels are a really neat area of Hong Kong where a series of escalators saves you the trouble of walking up hills. This was particularly a treat, since I wear heels everywhere and it was a zillion degrees out! ☺ I decided to eat at a place that had been recommended to me by a work colleague called Mak’s Noodles. Best Wontons I had ever had! (Little did I know that their supremacy would soon be challenged!) . . .
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 09:06 PM
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How much was the crab and corn chowder?
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Old Jul 26th, 2014, 11:36 PM
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Hi Bostonblondie, I'll be staying at the JW Marriott in August. How did you like it? Would love to hear more food recommendations!
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Old Jul 29th, 2014, 11:50 PM
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Yeah, sweaty but will not accept complaints of sore feet.
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 04:45 AM
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I just stayed at that JW last week for 4 nights on points, executive level room right next to the lounge. What a great hotel and staff! I can't give them enough kudos for running a superb hotel (other than the room being very smsll). Tulips, if you have status with Marriott and can get in the lounge, eat there! The offerings are excellent at breakfast and dinner.
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 05:02 AM
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I've never stayed at a Marriott before, but have booked the executive floor. Glad to hear it's a good hotel.
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Old Jul 30th, 2014, 09:12 AM
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Carol, we are considering a Hong Kong/Bangkok combo for Nov 2015 and plan to stay at the JW. I've heard such good things about it - and I'm glad to hear your endorsement.
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Old Aug 2nd, 2014, 08:08 AM
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I had no idea how lucky we were with the weather when we were in HK last November - it either rained or was warm and sunny - no humidity at all!

we loved the mid-levels and the escalators too.
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Old Aug 2nd, 2014, 08:21 AM
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November is a great month weather-wise for Hong Kong.
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Old Aug 2nd, 2014, 08:26 AM
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@annhig - November is the start of winter in Hong Kong. July and August is when the humidity is very high as well as the heat!

@Kathie - take a look at The Upper House. Next door to the JW in Pacific Place and if there's a special offer for your intended date - GRAB IT! We stayed in the corner suite of the JW and even though the room is bigger than the one Carol stayed at I thought the room was a bit dated but still nice.
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Old Aug 6th, 2014, 01:51 AM
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If you are staying in the area of Upper House try Café Grey Deluxe on the 49th floor.

Book a table near the floor to ceiling window and enjoy the food and the view.
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Old Aug 6th, 2014, 03:50 PM
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Hi Tulips - sorry for my late reply. I really liked the Marriott. Exactly what you would expect from this class of hotel - spotlessly clean, well located and a good staff. Would totally go back!
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Old Aug 6th, 2014, 04:26 PM
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The JW will be my hotel of choice in future trips to Hong Kong. The staff there were excellent in every way.
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Old Aug 6th, 2014, 04:28 PM
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TUESDAY

Up at 4 a.m. again! Jet-lag was being very stubborn this time around! But I felt better and refreshed after a morning run and then headed out to meetings in Kowloon once more in the unbelievable 100% humidity that only Hong Kong can produce!

After my meetings, I decided to make my way up Nathan Road to the Temple Street Night Market. At my core, I am a shopper and a huge fan of markets. I can’t say though, that I loved the Temple Street market. Most of the merchants seemed to be selling the same bric-a-brac – chopsticks sets, teapots, talismans, etc. I guess if you need to bring back tourist gifts for someone, then it’s not a bad place to go, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you enjoy soaking up local color. In that case, it is worth a trip. I mean, where else can you see shirtless middle aged men slurping down bowls of noodles, while seasoned vendors relieve gullible tourists of their hard earned Hong Kong dollars under an electric glow? ☺

After seeing the market in an hour or so, I decided to walk back down Nathan Road. I had thought about continuing north to Mong Kok, but it just seemed frenetic, was too hot out, and was hours until the main attraction, the fruit sellers would appear.

Apart from the horrible humidity, I found walking in Hong Kong (outside of the Admiralty District) to be an easy and pleasant proposition. Here was no different under the bright, commercial lights of Nathan Road. So I made my way all the way down until I reached the Peninsula Hotel.

I am a big fan of “Grand Old Dame” type hotels and the Peninsula has a huge amount of history. I liked the place immediately when, upon walking up, the front door was flanked by two monumental lions and a uniformed driver was sitting in a Rolls Royce. ☺ The lobby of the hotel did not disappoint either – uniformed staff, high, high ceilings and plenty of marble! I made my way up to Felix, the Hotel Bar on the 28th Floor and had a martini looking out over the lights of Hong Kong – what a view! ☺ If you go, know that, at least during the week, it’s mostly business types, so dress the part – I felt right at home in a black shirt dress and heels.

I think the jet-lag was catching up with me, because after an hour at Felix, I was ready to sleep. I had read, however, that the Star Ferry from Kowloon to Central is one of the must see sights in Hong Kong, and they are right, it is! I made my way over to the Ferry Pier and took the boat across the water. It is a very short trip, under 5 minutes or so, but the lights at night are fantastic! And from there it was just a cheap, cheap cab ride home from Central to the Marriott where I was tucked in and asleep by 10 pm! If anyone can explain how cabbies in Hong Kong are able to get by with what they charge, I’ve love to know!

WEDNESDAY

Finally a good night’s sleep! Up at 6 a.m. and off to meetings, this time in Central.

The day’s work was done by 6 PM, so I made my way down to Causeway Bay. What a fascinating part of town! Shopping malls – brand new – as far as the eye could see! I must have walked through seven different food courts before finally settling down a bit later at a noodle shop called Chee Kei that a friend had recommended. If you are in this part of town, you simply MUST stop in! Tremendous noodles and congee dishes! If I were a local, I would eat here on at least a weekly basis!

For the first time in the week, there was a little less humidity in the air, so after dinner, I decided to walk a little bit back towards the hotel through the part of town called through Wan Chai. What I didn’t realize is that this is the red light district and frankly, unless you are an 18 year old boy, it’s pretty seedy! So I got in a cab and enjoyed a $4 (in HKD but USD equivalent, of course) ride back to the Marriott and hit the sack early. What a treat!

THURSDAY

After another splendid jet-lagged morning and a full day of work, I had my business finished up by 4 PM and made my way over to the IFC mall. I was planning to meeting my friend Holly, a half American – Half-HongKongese “expat” who has returned to her roots after years in the USA – for Happy Hour at The American Club at 6 PM and had a few hours to kill.

If, like me, you are a shopper, IFC is a must visit! The mall is brand new feeling and absolutely beautiful and the views from the Apple store have to be some of the very best in Hong Kong. Cheap or discounted, the mall is not, but there is quite a line up of stores, including some local brands, including one wonderful shop devoted completely to tea! Yours truly was one happy fashionista ☺

Holly was running late, so I met her at 6:30 in the lobby at Exchange Square and we went up to the 47th floor where the club is located. OMG – If I ever live in Hong Kong I am applying to join this place! From the faded American Flag hanging at the entrance, to the wood paneling, to well-dressed clientele, it was love at first sight! I can’t tell you how blown away I was to see a dress code not just in place, but actually enforced, when a gentleman wearing stylish (and no doubt, expensive) jeans was asked to relocate from the club up to the bar one floor up for violating the strict no jeans policy! I can’t tell you how delightfully at home this preppy princess felt in her khaki skirt, crisp button-up white shirt, tan skinny belt and heels! ☺

The only thing that put a damper on the occasion was that Holly seemed to have completely forgotten about my morbid fear of heights and booked us a table on the outside roof deck! We were sitting right, close to the edge and I could feel my knees literally knocking together! Fortunately, the only thing stiffer than the breeze at altitude was the gin martini that I ordered. I don’t know if it was the jet lag or if it was a particularly strong drink, but I was definitely feeling the alcohol after a few sips and my usual tipsy tickle had settled in under my shirt collar as we ordered a second round. Needless to say that by the time we finished our second round a short while later, Holly was taking great pleasure in pointing out gleefully that although she’s the Asian, I was the one with the pastel colored cheeks. Yep, it turned into a very giggly evening ☺ #Drunkflush

We debated where to go and wound up going to Lan Kwai Fong (which I kept calling Lan Kwai Fun in my pleasantly tipsy state). Holly had wanted to go to a rooftop bar called Sevva, but I had had enough of heights and wanted to see the street life during my limited time in the city.

We should have gone to Sevva. Lan Kwai Fong was populated mostly by backpackers and just wasn’t a very refined scene. While I’m glad I saw it, as it was once the City’s first and original foray into nightlife, I wouldn’t need to go back. To give you a sense of the quality, I’m a wine girl, but ended up sticking with San Miguel beer during our three pub crawl stops based on the divey nature of the bars we visited. Yuck. Speaking of dinner, we stopped at a restaurant called Wagyu when we were done with our brief foray into the area’s bars. The food was ok – we shared a steak, which though generous in size, wasn’t one of the best meals of my life. No need to run back there or to Lan Kwai Fong in general.

Stay tuned for the exciting finale - my day off on Friday -- soon!
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Old Aug 11th, 2014, 03:04 PM
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FRIDAY

Please remind me never to drink 2 martinis and 3 pints of beer while I am jet-lagged! I was feeling a touch hungover the next morning, but as they say, there’s nothing like an early start to get things going again. Like my state of mind, the day outside was also off to a fogyish start and by 9 a.m. I was in a cab on my way up to The Peak – the mountain that overlooks Hong Kong. The mountain-top had looked fogged in from my room window which faced it, but I had decided to chance it anyway, relying on my mom’s age-old wisdom that overcast skies typically burn off by late morning anyway.

The gamble paid off and by 10 o’clock, the sun was shining over the lookout points and lovely wooded walking trails that weave in different directions around the mountain top. My timing was also good, as earlyish in the morning on a day that had begun with a lot of fog, there weren’t hordes of people around – just some super fitness types and dog-lovers taking fido out for a stroll.

It had turned into a nice, sunny, hot day – not too humid, so I walked down from the Peak to the Mid-Levels. I had thought, looking at a map, that this would be a nice, easy walk. But it was REALLY long! Buyer beware! I would do it again, as it’s neat to see the winding streets of Hong Kong’s hillsides unfold, but take the tram if you are in a hurry.

After arriving in the Midlevels, I made my way over to the Man Mo temple.
What a neat place! Lots of incense and candles! Very atmospheric. I wish I understood more about it, but made sure to minimize my dopey Americanness by not taking any pictures while inside even though you are allowed to. This place is definitely worth a stop if you find yourself in HK with some time to spare.

After my temple visit, I continued my walk and made my way down to Des Voeux Road to see the dried fish markets. This was another long walk, but I pride myself on covering a lot of ground. The dried fish market was absolutely amazing and I think that more tourists should see it. (It was mentioned, but not featured, in the various guide books I looked at). If you can name a varietal of seafood, no matter how obscure, you’ll see it there – sprawled out in its dried out glory. Gross – yet amazing!

Even in ballet flats, my feet hurt from all of the walking, so I reached into my pocket and took out change for a trolley ride. This is a great experience, one which shouldn’t be missed in Hong Kong. The trolleys run right through the thick of the city and sitting on the upper deck, you can catch your breath and watch the city cinematically unfold before you. Which I did until I reached City Hall – determined to stop at Maxim’s for Dim Sum lunch!

There may be better Dim Sum places in this world (or in Hong Kong), but if there are, I haven’t found them. Maxim’s at City Hall is where it is at! The place is massive and so is the selection of dumplings, rice noodles, and other delectable dishes which roll by you in bamboo steamers, ready to be served at just the waive of a hand. Soon a stack of 3 or 4 steamers were resting emptily in front of me and as I sat there with a very full tummy.

I was feeling very satisfied after lunch and decided to walk it off with some shopping at the IFC Mall. I don’t know if it was the whirlwind week, the large lunch or what, but before I knew it the afternoon had passed and I was dropping off my souvenir bags back at the Marriott.

I am ashamed to say it, but after all of my adventures packed into a week, for my final dinner I craved none other than . . . pizza! I had passed the HK branch of a place called “Motorino” in the Mid-Levels that my New Yorker friends rave about and it was here that I had my final real meal in HK. Which goes to show you, you can make a darn fine New York pizza outside the 5-boros or on the complete opposite other side of the world!

Then it was a cab to the hotel. A bag packed. A decent night’s sleep. A long flight home.

And that’s my visit! Hope you enjoyed it ☺
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Old Aug 11th, 2014, 03:21 PM
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Fabulous! Now I know what places to add to my next HKG trip! I'm also a shopper but I overlooked IFC somehow. And it would appear that you missed my favorite Stanley Market!

Thanks for the excellent report.
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Old Aug 11th, 2014, 03:57 PM
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So funny!! So many people recommended Stanley Market to me, but I just couldn't squeeze it in. But next time I'm there, when I'm not rushing around, I plan on having myself a nice, leisurely shopping stroll at the Stanley Market as well!

Seriously though, IFC is amazing. And there's a great Dim Sum place in the basement - Tim Ho Wan - the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in the world - but the line was too long for me to wait for it. Looked amazing though
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Old Aug 11th, 2014, 04:57 PM
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It sounds like a fine trip! Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Old Aug 17th, 2014, 12:28 AM
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Thank you Bostonblondie, lots of great tips for our trip next week!
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 03:33 PM
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Hi Tulips - I'd love to hear about your trip! Anything good that I missed last time? I'll probably have to go again for work this fall. Also, I've been reading about all the tension between HK and Beijing recently. Did you feel any of it while you were there?
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