Ok, now I've seen it all! (Day 1)

This past week has been a whirlwind of sightseeing & exploration of Hong Kong and the surrounding areas. Dan's (and now my) cousin Adam visited from New York and we spent the week hanging out and basically conquered all of Hong Kong. We did all of Hong Kong Island before lunch time on the first day!

The first day we checked out Hong Kong Park, took the tram to Victoria Peak, climbed all the way back down the mountain, got dim sum for lunch, checked out a wine shop, tons of markets, and basically any other neighborhood we could think of by the end of the day. :-)

Dim Sum was an experience. The restaurant, well known among locals & in the guidebooks, was packed during lunchtime. We were lucky to get a table and had to squeeze in with some other people. Wild animals or a rowdy group of kids must have been at the table before us because if was covered in half eaten chicken, bones, and broth. The waiter lightly wiped it down with a dirty dish rag and we were ready to go. Then, they brought us dishes which we had to wash ourselves at the table. I would have thought the hot water was to make tea so luckily we were able to follow the example of others. The food though makes up for the less than pristine surroundings. Beef & ginger, steamed buns, a tofu soup, and a noodle dish are what I can remember off the top of my head.

Highlights of the day included the peak, dim sum lunch, and the markets. Hong Kong park was just ok and was incredibly difficult to get to. The one plus though is that they have a tea museum with a great gift shop. Adam and I probably spent an hour or so sniffing tea. Which I think is legal!

Here is a view from the peak...