Monday, October 25, 2010

Going Dark

I'm going to China tomorrow for 6 days. I am not bringing my iPhone or laptop. The reason being last month the iPhone 4 was released in China and people have been going apeshit trying to buy it. So much so that many Chinese have resorted to importing from Hong Kong to skip the wait/pay less. So the gov have started to tax all "i" products going into China from Hong Kong (and from some reports, taxing in general).

People on the internet have been saying they have been taxing even iPhones/iPads/MacBooks that look clearly used. Normally it wouldn't be a problem for Americans but since I am flying in from Hong Kong, it's a different matter. And well, it's just not worth the risk/hassle when dealing with China. Yes, (Dapo) there is a difference between Hong Kong and China.

The tax on the iPhone is like $100 or something. I think it's more for a laptop if they choose to tax you. It seems like the customs officials will enforce this law if they feel like it (from what I am understanding). My mom is telling me not to bring anything. So I will be without a phone or laptop for 6 days. Which means I won't have any music or internet connection.

For. Six. Days.

I can't even remember the last time I went 6 days without going on the internet. Might have been never. I'm going to have to do some really creative juggling with my camera memory cards. I don't think I will fill them up in 6 days though. Let's hope.

I'll be back to the civilized world Oct 31/Nov 1st.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Hong Kong Day 2 of Passing out between the 3rd and 4th course

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Went to the wedding of a couple I barely know. It was a 6 hour affair. We got there at 5pm. By 7pm I was passing out at my seat because of jetlag. Here are some notable dishes of the evening.


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Barbecued whole suckling pig
48 tables at this wedding = 48 baby pigs sacrificed for our eating enjoyment. Pretty sure baby pigs are illegal for consumption in the U.S. (It's tasty!)


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Braised shark's fin with assorted seafood in lobster bisque
A waste of perfectly good shark's fin and lobster. Why mess with a perfectly fine shark's fin soup by making it a lobster bisque? The taste of the shark's fin gets drowned out by the lobster bisque. Lobster bisque is also a waste of lobster IMO.


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Braised sliced abolone with Chinese mushrooms and vegetables
Pretty good abolone, not too chewy.


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Baked mini egg tarts with bird's nest and deep fried sesame dumplings with lotus paste
A waste of bird's nest! Ahhh! This egg tart is very showy but it's a a waste of bird's nest. The tart itself was not very good- I like the crust to be flaky and this one was too hard and compressed. The deep fried sesame dumpling was good. I'm not usually into then enough to order them at dim sum in the states.

Notes:
-This was a 13 course dinner (3 were dessert). By the 7th or 8th I was already really full (and taking naps between courses)

-The east and west truly do everything opposite. All the wedding activities were done backwards as compared to a typical Chinese wedding in America. What I mean to say is, they did photos on the stage first (for like the first 3 hours!), then they had the sappy slide show of the bride and groom (usually reserved for near the end at most American weddings), then the bridesmaid and best man made there speeches, then the couple came and said a few words. Then we started eating.

-The waitstaff proportion every course at a side table. In America, a big plate would just be put on the table and everyone would serve themselves. (more differences!).

-There was no open bar which made me highly not want to be there about 2 seconds after I found out. Just a lot of low quality red wine, which I drank (but not too much).

-Just realized the majority of my posts in Hong Kong will be about food. Which reminds me, I should go pick up some mango Tic Tacs.

-Sorry for the crappy iPhone photos!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Hong Kong Day 2

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Finally made it. The flight was not bad, at first. But after about 12 hours of sitting, I got restless. Was sitting for way too long. The weather here is low 80s. Totally extending my summer into November!

I'm still jetlagged and couldn't really sleep last night. My parents and I got up and went to a congee shop for breakfast. We went here the last time we visited Hong Kong.

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The menus are all in Chinese- no English at all. Not at out of the way places like this. Most of the places in Central Hong Kong will have English.

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My bowl of congee. I don't even like congee but I had it anyway. The coffee I got (left) tasted terrible. I had one this morning and knew the taste but couldn't put my finger on it. Then I ordered this iced one and they topped it off with coffee powder and I knew right away- it was Folgers instant coffee. Ugh. No one here brews coffee. I don't know what the rice thing on top is called in English so don't ask me. Yup, this is a typical Chinese breakfast.

Tonight, we're going to a wedding in Tsim Sha Sui, Kowloon. I'm very excited, it better be as traditional as fuck or I'm going to be disappointed. Kowloon is north of Hong Kong island. It is sort of like Hong Kong's Brooklyn (if Hong Kong island was Manhattan). It's more hip and gritty.

Random thoughs:
-Hong Kong itself is pretty boring as a subject to photograph. I'm way more interested in China proper so I'm not even carrying my DSLR around. iPhone photos will be sufficient.

-Buns here are MAD CHEAP. This place I went to this morning was selling any bun for 2 HKD which is equivalent to 25 cents USD.

-We are leaving for China on Tuesday. Staying for 6 days sight seeing. I am trying to refrain from running off to MUJI tomorrow and buying a bunch of crap. I should wait til I come back to Hong Kong from China.

Monday, October 18, 2010

South China moon, I'm coming back to you

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Beijing, China, April 2009

I'm going to be in Hong Kong and China for 3 weeks. I will be updating this blog again when I am abroad. Check back for more this weekend when I arrive. Hopefully I'll have a good connection there.

I'm really nervous and excited. I don't know why I'm nervous, I've been to Hong Kong before. I am going to refrain from posting in detail while I am abroad. I can tell you all about it in person when I get back, but expect regular updates while I am there.

In the meantime, fee free to look at the photos from my last trip to Beijing and Hong Kong at my Flickr page.