HK humidity, culture, mango

Just bought a dehumidifier. It is hot and humid here. Also got a water filter, so I don't have to carry bottles of BonAqua from the 7/11 at the corner anymore - waste of plastic, really.

Last weekend, I had lunch with Jack (whom I know from London). His wife now works with my ex-colleague Philip - small world... After a goooood lunch, I strolled back to the Star Ferry terminal. On the way, I dropped into the HK Cultural Center. They have a free performance every Saturday afternoon, it turns out - I still haven't quite figured out how the HK economy works (however, apparently a third of tax revenues come from the financial sector - my colleagues, in other words). This week, there was a Mexican Mariachi band. It was fun - so far, I had only seen them on markets and streets in, well, Mexico. They play very rhythmic and passionate music, and in Latin America, will immediately have everyone dancing, or at least twitching. Here, in HK, nobody of the (predominantly elderly Chinese) audience was moving or swaying in the least. A classical clash of cultures moment. However, next a pretty Mexican couple appeared on stage and danced, and soon everyone was clapping and getting into the swing of things.

Just opposite the ferry terminal, there's my favourite Chinese sweet/dessert spot: 許留山 (Xu Liu Shan - little remember mountain?). Wonderful mango/coconut/aloe/grapefruit pudding-drinks. I had two. Internationally, they're known as Creation Dessert, and Xiaochen introduced me to it in the (significant) China town in Milpitas, California. I suggest to skip the items containing "Crystal Snow" (seems to be a mix of frog fat and frog ovaries, extracted from the whole reproductive tract...) and "Bird's nest" (an actual bird's nest, composed of "interwoven strands of salivary laminae cement", that is bird's spit).

This Friday, Thai dinner with Bjoern - his girl friend is moving here this weekend, so we bid farewell to his bacholorhood. Saturday, dinner at Enoteca on my street, then dessert (Tiramisu) at Peccato - the best Tiramisu in HK I've encountered so far (it still falls short of the one Almudena prepares though).

Back in HK

Monday had Thai/Malaysian food and then drinks in LKF with Ling and a couch surfer, including some fun live music by a South African band.
Tuesday, I finally met Neil - we had been playing telephone ping-pong for a while. We ended up in the Gecko just under the escalator - great live jazz, really enjoyable, and this rather unique Irish Whiskey, Connemara. It's peated (that is, the malt is dried over a peat (Torf) fire), and as such somewhat of a hybrid between Irish and Scotch. Now, I'm a big fan of pure pot still (that's what a year in Ireland does to you), but this Connemara is really rather intriguing. (Ironically, the only distillery in Ireland that produces "Scotch" type Whiskey is the only one that's actually Irish owned. Go figure.) A very pleasant evening. Wednesday went to the grand opening of Q bar in LKF with Paul - swish club, then pizza close to home.
Thursday some random hedge fund function in the Dragon-I ("Overrated, bad drinks and lots of people with attitude (bankers and too-skinny models)" - indeed. The next quote captures the spirit of the place perfectly - I think the irony is not intended: "People always say they don't like Dragon-I and that it's superficial and full of vapid people, but I always seem to have fun there!"). Then, however, great simple dinner with Ling and Neil in the Enoteca. To top it off, we had a quick drink at home: some Calvados and some 1994 Middleton Very Rare - now we're talking pot still (mostly). And from there, it went all downhill... :-)

Notes in passing:

1. One hour after I landed in Paris CDG recently, I was still at the luggage belt waiting for my, well, luggage. One hour after I landed in HKG on Sunday, I was at home (with my luggage).
   To get home, I had taken the Airport Express (around EUR 10) and then a cab (around EUR 2).


2. In the week since arriving from the airport, doing all of the above and working full time, I haven't had to use any form of transport at all (except walking and the escalator). No cars, busses, nothing. It's all just around the corner. Another reason I like HK.

Friday, then, was dedicated to work and sleep. Saturday a junk trip with some colleagues (including my excellent ex-colleague Philip) and friends. Visibility was rather bad, but jumping from the boat and (attempts at) wakeboarding were great fun nevertheless. Afterwards with Ling to the FCC ball - black tie, cocktails, dinner, and fantastic live music with Sérgio Mendes . He played his classic hits, and some newer stuff ("Bossa-Hop"). The keyboard did collapse on his knees at one point, and lamentably he walked out during the encore, leaving the (great) band to finish the song. 5am the guys had to catch a plane back. A fun night. Then to Hardys in LKF, where Ling's uncle Rudy performed on stage. And from there, it went all downhill... :-)