Hong Kong isn't quite China, but I couldn't resist touching down on the former British outpost en route to Sydney to visit my niece, Hayley, and her beau, Jay, both whom are doing the obligatory stint for a multinational bank in the former British colony as part of their climb up the career ladder. As expected, Honkers was not as exotically 'foreign' as the China mainland, but it was exciting and vibrant nonetheless. Here follows retrospectively a smorgasbord of experiences, climaxing with our last night together when we decided on five-star dining at a recommended eatery, Hutong. What a disappointing, disastrous idea that proved to be! FIVE STAR DINING? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT 'HUTONG' PROVED TO BE!Our booking was for 8.30pm, so our ferry ride was perfectly timed to catch the nightly laser light show that sweeps the sky at 8pm. Hong Kong sparkles at night like a jewel and it's exciting to feel part of it. Then we glided up the escalator at One Peking Road and soared to the 28th floor where a retro Chinese ambience awaited us - "hutong" in Chinese refers to the old-style neighbourhoods of days gone by - and floor to ceiling windows letting in Honkers' super glamorous skyline beckoned as we were seated with a ringside view. Aaaaah, sit back, relax, feel like a rock star!
We ordered the Michelin tasting menu of five dishes and relished the first two - delicate tastings of scallops and seafood salad; asparagus dipped in sesame seed (I think); and other titbits. Then, a fish dish that melted in our mouths - we were starting to get excited and settled back into that warm glow of good food and good company. The menu, alas, went downhill after there, with a disappointing sampling of fried pork (!!) with pancakes and sauce; then a pathetic serving of chilli greens; and then, finally, a serve of ginger icecream with apple fritters and a sweet sauce.
Oh please! They had to be kidding - this awful stuff for a small fortune????? Luckily, we were nonplussed and satisfied with the wine (Cloudy Bay Sav Blanc, followed by a fulsome Australian red the name of which I cannot for the life of me remember now). The bill came, I felt completely ripped off, and we promptly jumped in a taxi and hit Lan Kwai Fong, the hot nightspot alley behind the central business district. It was hopping!!! The first round Brazil vs Portuguese World Cup soccer match had the young bankers and wankers glued to the screens again while gorgeous young girls, blonde and black-haired and everything inbetween, strolled the streets in search of a good time.
Here is a photo of me with some gals on Lamma island, which is a 25-minute ferry ride from the central quay in HK CBD. It's a pleasant trip over, and scenic to behold, as the waters surrounding HK are dotted with islands. Lamma is very laid-back without a skyscraper in sight, whew, and has a reputation for great seafood. I kicked back at a waterfront cafe and decided to get risque: I ordered crab and it arrived in a delicious butter sauce with fresh salad and yummy dressing, and it was a delight. A lot of foreigners live on this accessible-by-boat-only neck of the woods: I even bumped into a couple of Setheffricans and Australians! Who would have thought? 
Lamma really couldn't be more different from the hard and fast commercial splendour of the main island, and that's its chief attraction. Pity it doesn't have great beaches, though it does provide the opportunity for leisurely hikes.And here (below) is one of my photographs of the town of Stanley which is way more attractive than the city of Aberdeen which you reach after hiking from Hong Kong island's peak. Stanley is like the Mosman of Hong Kong Island, while A is just plain commercial in a grotty way, and pretty much devoid of charm. Still, Stanley is not especially exciting, interesting or unexpected, just pretty and relaxing after the madness of HK island. I heard birds chirruping there, and could stroll along the beachside boulevard without hordes surrounding me. And it was a relief!
Below is Hayley on one of her many HK hikes, this one from the peak of HK island to that infamous town of Aberdeen, best avoided except for a rest before wending one's way homewards once more. Aberdeen not as ghastly as Shenzhen on the mainland, however. This is one of CHina's fastest-growing "Special Economic ZOnes" with a population already of 14 million that has sprung up in the past decade since HK lost its status as a British sovereignty. Once a sleepy fishing village, it is now the second busiest port in China after Shanghai and its main raison d'etre is business which typically doesn't augur well if you're a tourist looking for rustic simplicity or historical charm. Visit Macau instead if you want mainland distraction: at least there's vestiges of the region's Portuguese-ruled history, and a Las Vegas style casino culture that some revellers may enjoy.
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