Destination Singapore

We were so excited to learn our good friends had relocated to Singapore, a short flight away from Hong Kong. Gina had fond memories of Singapore from 2004, where she spent a 9 hour layover trying an airport shower, walking along Orchard Road and having a Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel.

We had three days to explore a very walkable city, eat delicious Malay food al fresco (think curry crab and sweet coconut juice) and trying Sindi (Indian) cuisine, and doting on their beautiful daughter. We also explored the Arab and Indian neighborhoods and purchased a few Bollywood remixes. While Darryl took a few meetings, Gina went to her favorite Takashimaya, sadly the New York retail location closed earlier this year. Singapore did not disappoint us with its clean air, open green spaces, diversity (both people and food) and lovely warm weather, compared to Hong Kong. And we can never turn down the opportunity to fly Singapore Airlines.

Ever the modern city, Singapore has impressive new architechture, as seen in the recent erection of The Marina Bay Sands Resort and Casino. But I enjoyed the variety of architecture from art deco buildings to the vividly colorful windows and buildings on Haji Lane and beyond.

Art Deco building

Vividly painted homes

Battered tiles and building facades

View from our hotel room
Chijmes (center bottom)

View from our hotel room

Return to Sanya

I felt incredibly lucky to return to my Tropical China, Hainan Island. Enjoying the company of my colleagues, the beauty of the island, the warm weather and swimming pools bordered with fragrant plumeria flowers were a perfect way to celebrate the end of my time in Hong Kong, and a wonderful reward for all the hard work and preparation for this meeting.

Not to mention the Ritz Carlton makes one amazing salad. Check out the property photos below:

Courtesy of Michelle Tsang

Beautifying the trash can with a shell
Courtesy of Michelle Tsang

Fragrant Plumeria flowers
Courtsey of Michelle Tsang

Nature Adventures

Our last weekends in Hong Kong were spent in nature. Despite being a concrete jungle Hong Kong is well known for beautiful green parks and hiking trails. Post hike, we visited Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden, a center for conservation and education.

Staircase carved into rock

Darryl and Gina

Still lake created perfect reflective pools

View of the valley and village below

Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, Hong Kong

Terraces

Flamingoes donated from The Commonweath of the Bahamas

This one is for Shazzers

Mmm pork belly

Modern Toilet

In Fifth Grade, my teacher wouldn't let me use the bathroom until I came up with the "right" word. I asked permission to use the bathroom, ladies room and so on. Finally someone whispered "lavatory", I repeated, and was free. Lavatory. Seriously. And for some reason I still associate the word with laboratory.

There is a lot to be said about Hong Kong bathrooms. I'm self-censoring the disgusting bits. I can safely say you don't really have to know Canto to find the bathrooms here. Signs display "WC" and people most commonly say "wash room" which I've quickly adopted, though I still defer to my native "bath room".

Like everything else in Hong Kong, there are layers of exclusivity that are beyond me (both figuratively and literally.) I don't yet have the key to the executive wash room yet, and I'm OK with that.

But there's one "wash room" I can share with you, Modern Toilet. Anthony Bourdain would frown upon this kitschy cafe, but I enjoyed what is frankly the cleanest bathroom in Hong Kong.

Right this way...

Sign upon entering

Table and seats

Faux sinks under glass plate

Clever dishes

Wall of lids

Warning: Do not tinkle here

Mmm delicious

Fast Food in HK

Street food is the traditional "fast food" in HK and so last weekend Darryl and I walked around Mong Kok and sampled a few items. Darryl tried the bacon wrapped mushrooms, and I had the less daring rice pancake.

But I am obsessed with the American style fast food here. I think its because they are obsessed with promotions here. (Currently there's a Hello Kitty promotion at McDonald's that's out of control. Photos coming soon.) So there's also a few photos here of the gimicks that are supposed to attract you and pull you into the restaurant.

And lastly, it wouldn't be summer without the ice cream truck...

Inoki mushrooms wrapped with bacon

Mochi type pancakes stuffed with red bean or peanut

Octopus

Pigs intestine

Reminds me of the jelly Starbucks I had in Singapore

McDonald's promotion: Shake Shake Fries...

basically fries with furukake

HK ice cream truck