Arriving in Hong Kong at night after a 16 hour flight from Dallas, walking around felt great. After buying tickets and visiting the ATM, we boarded the train knowing glimpses of the famed Hong Kong skyline would have to wait until morning. Transferring to a subway line nearer our hotel, finding the correct exit of the 8 or so was no easy task. Looking back, wanting out of the climate controlled station was a mistake as the heat and humidity hit like a brick wall. The 10 minute walk to our hotel seemed much longer in the humid city, pulling our wheeled luggage over narrow, dark sidewalks full of people.
The Dorsett Hotel Mong Kok was an oasis of cool, in both looks and feel. The right sized rooms (for Hong Kong) were efficient and full of amenities, like slippers, tea service and bottled water. Exhausted and meal confused, we opted for a quick snack at McDonald’s across the street. Culinary delights would have to wait. We settled in for a good night’s sleep in an air conditioned room and comfortable bed.
Waking refreshed the next morning, we headed to Tim Ho, an inexpensive, Michelin rated dim sum restaurant in the Olympian City shopping complex. Arriving before opening, we toured through the mall, viewing the M&M 75th anniversary celebration. Finally the small restaurant opened and we beat the crowd. The limited menu had many treats, especially the hum bow with a slightly crispy crust and flavorful filling. The shrimp dumplings and shu mai were tasty, fresh and served hot. A bargain at HK$99, (about US$13), the 6 items including tea service, were a great way to start our day.
Filled with tasty bites, our next stop was the Hong Kong Ferris wheel. Wanting to add Hong Kong to the list of Ferris wheels visited, which includes Las Vegas and London, the wheel gave a great opportunity to marvel at the size of the city and its buildings while surveying the harbor traffic.
After 3 rounds on the wheel, we rode on the iconic Star Ferry. These 2 story green boats have transported people across Hong Kong Harbor since 1888. At HK$2.50 (US$0.35) this was the best bargain activity of the trip. We even bought an extra token as a souvenir. Floating across the water, viewing the city and busy harbor from another perspective, we were impressed at the density of buildings. Everything seemed to be built on a grand scale.
Ready for another snack, we walked in the heat of the day to a shopping mall in search of Din Tai Fung, another dim sum restaurant. The food here was visually stunning with dumplings painstakingly folded. They held tasty morsels of meat and veg with a bit of broth inside which popped in your mouth. Other dishes such as green beans, a fish and watermelon juice were all yummy. The food was much more expensive than Tim Ho, (tea service alone was HK$9 each) but for us, worth the price. We loved experiencing 2 distinctly differing dim sum restaurants in the same day.
After dark, we went back to the Kowloon waterfront to attend a laser light show. More impressive were the lights of Hong Kong. The buildings, already impressive in size, were lit up in a rainbow of colors. Some even changed colors and patterns. The harbor was filled with many people enjoying the beautiful sights in the warm night air. A light breeze off the harbor made this a perfect evening activity.
Still suffering a bit of jet lag, we called it an early night.
Next, boarding the cruise and heading to Taiwan.