80+ story high rises vs. 3 story high rises
Wow! For a city, Hong Kong blew me away. The quantity of high rises and skyscrapers, condo blocks and apartment buildings seemed never-ending. The skyline was unbelievable! And no matter which way you looked the skyline continues. In comparison, North Bay has some tall-ish buildings. Bob’s IG office building has 3 floors. There are a few apartment buildings and condominiums that are several floors but I think I would be hard-pressed to find anything higher than 15 floors.(that might even be a stretch, I’m betting)..? If you know any, let me know. And to compare skylines, we were out in the boat on Lake Nipissing on the Victoria long weekend, and the city of North Bay looked pretty too; albeit in a less shockingly spectacular way.
Smog vs. Clean Air
You would think that smog is a bad thing but for a seasonal allergy sufferer like myself, smog can actually make one more comfortable. This last week in the not so fresh and sweltering, slightly polluted air as can be expected of a city of 8 million, my allergies all but disappeared. We arrived home last night and almost immediately I could have played the part in a Reactine or Claritin commercial. As I write this, Bob sneezes.
Dried Fish Bladders vs. Dried Apricots
You can easily find fresh and dried produce in Hong Kong. Walk any of the side streets or go to a market and you are bound to find all kinds of interesting, wonderful and smelly things. My favourites would be the mass bins of dried fish parts, mostly bladders, which are said to be high in collagen and thus good for your skin. Simply, rehydrate them for a couple of days and add to your soup (this recipe from Casey, our guide in Ngong Ping). Or how about dried duck intestine? All this and much more hang from the ceiling of vendors’ shops to give you the best vantage point. Similarly, our local Independent Grocer in North Bay has a fresh produce section and carries PC dried apricots and dried prunes in handy re-sealable bags also hanging, though at the end of a grocery aisle.
93% Humidity vs. 48% Humidity
There is enough humidity in Hong Kong, to give you an entirely new hairstyle as to the one you have in North Bay. Needless to say, the flat iron was a handy tool. If you didn’t already know, my flat iron blew up on my first night in Hong Kong. Sparks flew while it was still in contact with my hair. Our converter didn’t seem to work very well. So at our first opportunity, I had to drag Bob to the Fortress store to pick up a new one. And seeing as my new one won’t work in North Bay because of the different plug/voltage I’ll have to plan a trip back.
The Bests and the Worst
Best wontons I’ve ever had.
Best sweet and sour pork I’ve ever had.
Best green curry with prawns I’ve ever had.
Best new vegetable I tried – Morning Glory – wow!
Best carrot and ginger soup I’ve ever had.
Worst shrimp salad I’ve ever had (cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberries, shrimp and mayo-style dressing).....Seriously......(Actually, I just realized that I didn’t even have it...it was on my plate and I couldn’t bring myself to eat any of it).
All in all, a great experience in Hong Kong.
