Tags
American Restaurant, Asia, Durian, Hong Kong, incense, Peking food, Photography, The Peak, Travel, Wan Chai, Wan Chai Market, Won Tai Sin Temple
You could spend two weeks in Hong Kong and not run out of things to do but we had exactly 12 hours before heading into China. It is always wonderful to go back and yet strange to be hit with so many memories triggered by the places, smells, and tastes of my most formative years. No matter how long since my last visit or how short my stay, Hong Kong will always feel like home.
While living there, the thought of being mistaken for a tourist was distasteful (except maybe when wanting to use the lobby restroom in a fancy hotel – Is that terrible to admit?). This time, however, I brought along my good camera and shamelessly snapped whatever photos struck my fancy:
Wong Tai Sin Temple:
The Peak
Wan Chai Market
The American Restaurant – Despite the name this is a Peking Style old school Chinese restaurant. It was the first place I ever tried Chinese food (at the age of 11), where I learned to use chopsticks, and a place where the servers watched my siblings and I grow up over years of Sunday after-church lunches. If it hadn’t been on the agenda for this trip I may have had to mutiny.
Dried Chili Beef rolled into a Chinese pancake with plum sauce and Chicken and Cashews. The servers laughed at us for years but eventually gave up trying to convince us that the Chicken and Cashews were not “supposed” to be placed in the pancakes. Our “Chinese Burrito” will always be a family favorite…
…and it was greatly enjoyed!
In the haze of a nostalgic food coma (perhaps enhanced by 30 hours without sleep) I neglected to take any more Hong Kong photos. After lunch we headed to Stanley Market and took the high school students to see Hong Kong International School. Then it was off to China on a high speed ferry…
sarahsjoys 
Wonderful! You indeed brought a good camera, and the good photographer I must add. That chili beef looks stunning and you had great light for your time on the peak. Thank you so much for your visit to my blog and for documenting this amazing 12 hours.
Where do you live now?
Thank you for visiting, for your kind words, and for signing up to follow! I have lived many places since moving back to the states but am in Utah now. Andy and I joke that growing up in Hong Kong prepared us for living here since we’re not part of the local culture. 😉 It’s been a great experience though and is such a beautiful state! Thanks so much for stopping by!
We are neighbors! We live in Denver. We were supposed to be in Moab last weekend but the weather just was not right for photos. It must be unreal almost going from HK to Utah..wow! I want to hear more about this 🙂
Came here from the link on Michael’s blog. Your photographs are superb as is the commentary. I enjoyed this immensely.
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad you popped by and thanks for signing up to follow too!! 🙂
Maybe it was that I just finished my last long run but I could just smell the food from your photos…the photos are that good! I often wonder how it would feel to go back and your blog brought me there again and it was wonderful. Thank you.
Well…we’ll just have to plan a family trip back when the girls get a little older then! Are you up for some cycling in China too? It can be arranged… 🙂
Wow! I’m so hungry for that wonderful American Restaurant food! You missed my favorite seaweed and bamboo though. And I woudn’t mind an onion cake either. 🙂
Haha! The onion cakes were devoured before I was able to get a good photo of them! I’ve decided it’s time to start experimenting with making a few of these things. What’s the worst that could happen? It doesn’t turn out and we are no worse off than we were when we couldn’t get it in the States to begin with. Nothing will be exactly the same but best case scenario: I manage to find some recipes that can stave our cravings between trips!
Great, great photos. Made me feel “home” sick for Taipei.
Thanks! One of the teachers on our trip used to live in Taipei and I think he said the same thing. I hope you get to go back now and then!
Thanks for sharing the pictures and memories! Sizzling prawns, pigeon in lettuce wrap, runner beans, seaweed and bamboo . . . we had a vitual feast!
Indeed we did! I couldn’t have ordered better myself!
Oh I how I miss HK. My mouth was watering when I saw the dried beef. My family always called it a Chinese Hamburger because we put it in those sesame pocket bread things. Oh and the onion cake…Beautiful pictures Sarah!
Thanks Meghan! If I ever find even remote success in making any of these things I’ll be sure to pass along the recipes!