Hong Kong

I left Bangkok for a two hour 2am flight to Hong Kong. My final flight to Vancouver was not until 4:30pm. The original plan was to see if I could sleep somewhere in the Hong Kong airport and then head out downtown for a few hours. But when I arrived at 6am Hong Kong time I was jazzed and keen to explore. By 9:30am I was wandering around Hong Kong in a coffee craving coma because I hadn't really slept yet and my body clock was set at 3:30am. 

It's scary how much Hong Kong looks like Vancouver and not just in the wide shots. Some of the intersections and even the main pier where all the ferries are looks a lot like it. Same same but different. (I had to use that one last time)

I began in central Hong Kong with a horribly bland breakfast that did not look at all like the splashy advertised photo. My main quest for the day was to find a memorable place to have one last tasty meal on my holiday and finish on a high note. Next I went for a ride up the touristy cable car and was surprised to enjoy it. It's very steep at certain points. It's like a San Francisco cable car that climbs up a roller coaster on a formerly British tropical island, if you can imagine that one. By foot I explored the trendy nightlife areas of Central called Lan Kwai Fong and Soho pausing to refuel on coffee, enjoy the city flow, and take more photos. I had my restaurant in Soho cased out and waited nearby for it to open at noon. It was a classic French bistro on Elgin Street called Bouchon. For about $45 Canadian (including a good tip) I had one of the best meals of my life. For the set lunch menu there was a choice of one main course and one appetizer or desert. I picked the lamb stew and the chocolate mousse with a glass of Côtes du Rhône. After being served the excellent glass of wine I got a basket with a freshly baked oven-warmed sour dough baguette and farm butter. I could of ate just than and been happy. The stew was the best I've ever had and you could tell they cooked it with at least two glasses of wine. The five star waiter said the chef used both white and red wine in it. It also came with some creamy and rich mashed potatoes. The chocolate mousse was very light and tasted more of  whipping cream than of chocolate. When I scooped to the bottom I discovered soft and warm salted caramel. Sublime. When I arrived to the restaurant at twelve sharp there were already two or three tables, by 12:15 the tiny and charming Parisian bistro was full; A sign of a good restaurant in my books. I would be frightened to know the price of a meal at dinner time but highly recommend the place if you're ever lucky enough to have time for a fine lunch in Hong Kong. They're part of a group of restaurants called Dining Concepts so there's more tasty places to try.

Oddly enough I did not have a real sleep on my eleven hour flight home from Hong Kong to Vancouver. I walked into my apartment just after 2pm. The first thing I did was check myself in the bathroom mirror. I thought I'd look darker but liked the beard. I still wasn't tired and picked up some groceries and the obligatory sushi take-out meal. I crashed at 4:30pm and woke up at midnight craving a snack. I took the handful of left-over rice from my take-out and invented an egg fried rice dish with bacon and basil. I thought my holiday was over once I opened my apartment door? I guess the journey doesn't end once you get home.