Hong Kong, the financial capital of Asia, the real concrete jungle, and the place Simon’s family calls home.

We started our Asia trip here, at a place of political unrest that has deterred visitors for months. Although the timing wasn’t great, I was excited for my first visit to the home of pineapple buns.

We were so fortunate to start our day, after a long multi-day redeye flight, in Lingnan Garden and Lai Chi Kok Park. In the mornings, this beautiful Cantonese-style garden is home to the elderly who gather to do tai chi, sword dancing, and whatever style of outdoor group fitness that’s trending at the moment. I loved this neighborhood, where colorful apartment buildings share a huge park and nicely maintained recreation areas. Neighbors know one another, enjoy breakfast at the neighborhood McDonald’s, and send their kids off to the neighborhood school. It was so much nicer than being in the center of the big city.

The next day I was ready to conquer the hustle and bustle of it all. We rode the subway, which was surprisingly orderly, punctual, and easy to navigate. We wandered Tung Choi street, and found goldfish, flowers, birds, textiles, flooring, and so much more. It seems as if all shops selling specific types of items congregate onto the same street. Whatever you need, you find the street for it. And the options were endless. We then hopped onto the Star Ferry, crossed Victoria Harbor, and found ourselves on Hong Kong Island.

You can’t be a tourist in Hong Kong without going up to The Peak. We took the rickety tram all the way up to the top. As much as I love panoramic views of skylines, the mall we found ourselves stuck inside after arriving was uncomfortably gaudy and commercial. Thankfully, after we found our way out, we got to enjoy a short hike with a gorgeous view of the urban concrete jungle down below.

Hong Kong Island is also home to Causeway Bay, aka big city shopping galore. Big international retailers, designer brands, and department stores congregate in this high-density shopping district. On the last day of our trip, we shopped for snacks and souvenirs, and stopped by Lady M (my fave!) for glorious crêpe cake.

A note on the photo above: We spotted Pepe the Frog everywhere, from graffiti to posters to merch. It’s funny how this meme became a symbol of liberty and resistance in Hong Kong.

One of the unexpected highlights of my time in Hong Kong was visiting (what’s left of) Kowloon Walled City. Learning about the urban history of this lawless city within a city was fascinating as we found ourselves exploring the remaining yamen building and the exhibit inside. It’s unbelievable to see the crime and corruption that existed in such a small space just decades ago, and how much has changed since then. As we read more about the difficult living conditions, the (what I think is really cool) passageways between densely populated buildings, I was mystified by the eccentric history of this glitch in the urban fabric of Hong Kong. It’s straight out of a dystopian novel.

The best part of this photo is most definitely the lady in the corner.

What is a trip without a magical rainbow Instagram cult-favorite location? After walking around in circles, we found the famous Choi Hung Estate basketball courts, which were located on top of a parking garage. It was in the middle of the a very local housing district where kids were practicing layups and the elderly were hanging sheets out to dry. Definitely not the gentrified hipster Instagram location I expected to find. The walls of the surrounded apartment buildings were painted pastel rainbow colors, which matched the equally vibrant basketball courts. A color theory dream! Not long after we arrived, foreigners started showing up and setting up their tripods. It was time to go. Off to McDonald’s!

You guys. The food.

Before visiting Hong Kong, all I really knew about the culture was through food. Hong Kong cuisine is so unique because it tells the story of British rule and European influence. The fusion of Western and Eastern tastes come together to create unexpected combinations of food that I, a person of Western and Eastern tastes, enjoy greatly.

Black tea + condensed milk
Warm sweet bun + cold butter
Instant noodles + sausage
Red bean + ice
Macaroni + pork chop
French toast + peanut butter
Egg custard + pastry

Strange right? But so good!

Fast food is also prevalent in Hong Kong culture as fast-casual restaurants like Maxim’s and Cafe de Coral offered cheap and easy options for us to grab a bite after all the urban walking. We also had lots of dim sum (we really enjoyed Prestige Dim Sum Restaurant), afternoon tea (aka dessert!), and delicious traditional Hong Kong-style breakfasts at whatever cha chaan teng we could find nearby. Simon also took me to some spots that sold fresh coconut juice and sugar cane juice. So refreshing.

Luckily, protests had just died down the week prior, and we didn’t come across any unsafe crowds during our few days exploring Hong Kong in the daytime. Many streets, sidewalks, and MTR stations were vandalized, and entrances to some restaurants were boarded up with “we’re still open” signs posted. Unfortunately, many shopping malls have also turned into ghost towns. Shops stayed vacant after violent political unrest just a month prior, deeply affected by lack of interest in shopping and tourism. Simon excitedly took me to some of his favorite places to shop, only to find nothing to be open. But the emptiness was a blessing in disguise, as we got to visit one of the large cities in the world and immerse ourselves in the local culture without being overwhelmed by crowds. Thank you, boo, for taking me around! ❤️

Off to the second leg of this trip - Japan!