Following the footsteps of Bourdain

Before coming to Hong Kong, I inundated myself with food show episodes and travel-sodes.  Thankfully, with the Olympics quickly approaching, American television had no shortage of ‘Explore CHINA’ or ‘Food in CHINA,’ and the like.  No Reservations, with Anthony Bourdain, did a particularly good job of exciting me about the food of Hong Kong.  However, I figured that he went to impossible to get into locales, obscure venues accessible only by car and chauffeur, or expensive digs that would make my wallet cringe.  I figured my chances of experiencing the Hong Kong he viewed were slim.

However, Tai Po isn’t THAT big, so I quickly found Yat Lok – the BBQ place he visited.  It is small, tucked away in the avalanche of selling and shops in the Tai Po Old Market. When you get inside, chairs and tables are crapped, and you wonder where is the open space Bourdain found?  Three westerners in Tai Po often gets a few looks, mostly for the “who is going to talk to these kids who obviously don’t know Chinese” problem. Through pointing, lots of smiles, and sheer luck – we managed to secure pork, goose, bok choy [the only vegetable I knew at the time] and a tomato/beef stew.  The pork was heaven, launching my taste buds into a chorus of angels.  The stew was a surprising gem.  As I paused for a breath, I realized none of us had spoken since we started eating – the sign of a great meal.

On Monday, I ventured to the Cooked Food Centre [Bourdain calls it a food court - which is an apt description] to get myself some hand made noodles.  I had been to the Cooked Foods Centre before, a location where street venders have moved indoors – and the food is amazing.  Sometimes you get a dud, but definitely go here if you get the chance.  Finding seats can often be a problem.  The noodle resturant is open from 7 to 3, and right there out front is the guy who makes the noodles with the bamboo pole. If you haven’t seen the episode by Bourdain, Part 2 will give you a glimpse into what this guy does everyday to make his food.

The most amazing noodle of my life.  I believe in pastafarianism, for only a Flying Spaghetti Monster divinity could pack so much enlightenment into a little dish.  The waitress and the guy were really friendly, talking to us in Cantonese, suggesting to eat the noodles with vinegar – just a delightful experience.  They asked where we were from, if we had seen the show, and if we would come back.  As one of the other ETA’s said, ‘I feel like I just ate a plate of love.’  We all got second plates.  The price for this moment of bliss?  130 HK for 6 plates [about 17 USD].

So, Bourdain’s Hong Kong is totally accessible. Shu Lan even ran into the lady street vender in Mong Kok [PT1 about 6:20]. She asked her about Anthony Bourdain and the show.  The lady apparently blushed, waved her hand and said, ‘I have been here for 30 years, I have been photographed with everyone.’  Shu Lan said she wasn’t nearly as mean as she seemed in the show.

I’m providing links to the show, so you can see it too.  You tube links  Part 1;   Part 2

Next post – pictures.

Fung Yuen Pictures

It is hard to believe so much greenery is in Hong Kong.  This is definitely not what first comes to mind when you think ‘Hong Kong,’ but that’s what makes this city so amazing – vibrant city life butted up against a vibrant natural world.  I wonder where the butterfly equivalent of LKF is…

Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve

Today, I finally travelled to teh Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve in Tai Po.  I have been wanting to visit since around August, but I just haven’t been able to fully locate where they were at.  It turned out, they are just down the street.  It seems that is often how life works, some of the coolest places are so close you miss them.

Ironically located very close to Tai Po’s Industrial Park [I'm sure the butterflies love a smoggy flower], the reserve is a surprisingly peaceful and wonderful.  The first thing I noticed as I walked closer to the reserve is how much cleaner and sweeter the air was.   Each breath was a joy.  I noticed a lot more birds and flowers in the area than anywhere else I have been in Hong Kong.  Turns out, butterflies might be the key to a wonderful and peaceful environment?

Admission was fairly cheap (20 HK for a day pass).  I walked into the open park, which resembled more of an overgrown grove.  Small walk way paths were noticible, but the plant growth was barely contained.  Immediately, a large black and blue butterfly, seriously as large as my hand, fluttered past me and up into the sky.  In fact, too often, I forgot to take a picture as I just stared dumbly at the butterflies and they fluttered away before I even thought to shutterbug myself.  This has been the only place I heard bees and the only grasshoppers I have seen in Hong Kong.  It was a wonderland of insect wildlife.

Unfortunately, this splender was occasionally broken up by the photographer who bounded past me trying to get a snapshot of a butterfly.  Often, he would yell loudly in Cantonese for his comrades, who would also run in this direction to glimpse the tiny flier of butter (oddly, only the men seemed to be yelling).  I captured these two pictures of photographers, simply because their comical scene was even more engrossing than the two butterflies they were after.

The next post, I will share the photos I managed to get.

Horse racing (or how I became an addict and penniless)…

I apologize for the long delay in posts.  Sucked up in the whirlwind of Hong Kong, weeks have gone by and I have awoken, a la Rip Van, to an out of date blog and many stories to tell.  So, it seems fitting to restart with the fastest part of Hong Kong, the horse races at Happy Valley.

I never really thought I would be a fan of horse racing.  I’ve seen it in detective movies (they always seem to meet an informant or damsel at the races) and occasionally it has appeared on television.  Although having some romantic associations, I didn’t really know what to expect when I went.   Who knew a horse pounding grass can cause so much adrenaline to course through your own veins?

When we arrived, beer gardens and food stalls greeted us.  Wading through people to get to the betting kiosk, I looked up at a screen filled with numbers resembling the algebraic matrices in the nightmares of  my youth. Attempts to explain betting (to win, to place, split, etc) simply added to the formulas and equations.  So, I decided to just plunge in.  And, I did – $10 HK, Horse #1, Race #1, to win.  A really complicated bet.

Out to the races.  Beautiful and powerful horses thundered by. I had already resigned to losing the money, so I was mostly impressed by the sheer majesty of the animals, quietly soaking in the race. Friends were comparing tickets and one turned and said, ‘Bryan, did you win?’  I look up and #1 (Bulb Treasure) had won. A grin crept across my face as I said, ‘Um..yeah.’  The odds were 13 to 1, so – I now theoretically had 130 new found HK (the actual pay out was 154 HK).  Pictures were taken and my little heart jumped (who doesn’t like winning stuff?).

I did not win another race that evening, but the tiny gambler in me was emboldened and unleashed by the first victory.   I bet on every race.  I mastered ‘both ways,’ figuring odds, and always picked a horse that was so close.  In race #4, I picked #12 randomly – a horse that was assured to lose.   The odds and payout on the horse were ridiculous, like 30 to 1.  So, I bet both ways – maybe the goofy thing would place at least. The race came, and he was in #4, then #2, then #3, then no where.  I expected it, just good fun and money lost.  Around the bend – what horse has taken off to FIRST PLACE pounding it’s beautiful legs?  #12 #12 #12!!!  A yelp of joy slipped out and I cheered!  Had my faith in this beautiful equine paid off?  Would I soon be rolling in the HK dollars, retiring from my ETA position to live in the lap of HK luxury life?  Sipping pina colodas surrounded by people who only loved me for the money?

So, at the races I found I have the heart of a gambler – eager to set itself up for disappointment, hopes ready to be crushed, but ever striving for that one big fix.  I’m not really becoming and addict, but I think I will revisit the track.  Alas, #12 failed me in the last two seconds of the race – falling completely out of ranking.  Not that a win of 300 HK would actually enable me to retire, but, those moments were pure adrenaline bliss. Who knows, maybe #5 or #3 will give me that thrill I need to throw away some more HK$.   The beer was great; the food was delightful. The next time I go, I’ll be sure to bring the camera.

That is one big Buddha…

Visiting the Big Buddha on Lantau is like taking a trip to Buddhaland.   Short of getting a Buddha hat and a sweet bumper sticker (‘I SAW THE BIG BUDDHA!’), you might be able to get anything else commercial you desire – just yards away from our favorite religious icon.  As you arrive at the top of the mountain, you are greeted with a faux-village complete with Starbucks and a 7-11.  Located a short MTR and cable car away from Hong Kong Disneyland, it is mildly fitting that a site hosting a religious icon has been overrun by commercialism.   When I first arrived, I was extremely disappointed.  A majestic and inspiring statue overlooking Western decadence and capitalism was hardly why I trekked hours from the New Territories.  Though, I did get a great picture with the lady.

To be fair, the Big Buddha is impressive.  Once you get past the bustling faux-village, you enter a part that is more serene and inspiring.  Opposite of the statue lies a small temple, with elegant carvings and paintings, which houses several gardens and lily ponds.  Signs with meat crossed out, like the ever present non-smoking signs, are littered throughout the area.  A reportedly great vegetarian restaurant is located here, though I didn’t get a chance to sample it.  The Buddha itself is immensely large, imposing a silence near its base. As I left, I felt like I had seen one of the wonders of the world.  Taking the bus down to Mui Wo, we were able to catch a ferry back to Central.

All around the mountain are several hiking trails, which I want to check out when the weather becomes a little cooler.  Lantau also has several fishing villages and trails – so look forward to a few Hong Kong hiking posts and some fish pics. If you want to see some pictures of this visit, I have them uploaded to Facebook.