Closed For Half A Week.

I had forgotten from the previous year, that Hong Kong shuts down during lunar Chinese New Year. This is the equivalent to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and our New Years. For four to five days all our shops were closed. The restaurants around us that remained open were Thai or Korean. As an event designer trying to plan a party at the end of the week, I was a little stressed with not knowing where to purchase the craft supplies I needed. On each closed shop door, the establishment was very kind to inform their customers when they would reopen, but as an expat who does not read Chinese characters, I was unable to read their signs. 

Cultural Faux Pas.

We have enjoyed eating at Michelin star restaurants here in Hong Kong, and we recently found the list for Michelin star street food. After compiling a list, we set off to try some local cuisine. At a shop in Sham Shui Po, we ordered the recommended food item, and then my husband spotted an item covered in sesame seeds. Being a fan of sesame seeds, he ordered it and I noticed that the shop owner hesitated for a very brief second before she put it in the bag. We stood on the street by the shop to eat our recently purchased food items and saved the sesame seed treat for last. As my husband and daughter tried to take a bite out of it, the noticed that it was extremely hard and lacked any flavor. A woman standing next to us passing out pamphlets let us know that the sesame treat was really an treat you set on a shrine and offer to Buddha and was not intended for human consumption! We made sure to discreetly dispose of it soon after. 

Transporting Ducks.

Another random single picture for today's blog post... A street scene of a man transporting roasted ducks through an open market in Sham Shui Po. Swarms of people walking within inches of this food that they will be serving to restaurant patrons. Sometimes you need a stomach of steel when you eat out here in Hong Kong.

An Old Man.

An old man in Sham Shui Po sitting on street, selling what appears to be junk but someone could find them to be their treasures. I had to stop and take a picture. I love his style.

The Street Markets Of Sham Shui Po.

Hong Kong seems to be full of markets. Specific borough's have a street market unique unto its own. While my family was at school, I ventured off to discover the market at Sham Shui Po on my own. Streets and streets full of stalls selling clothing. There was plenty of clothing for men, women, and children.

Then I hit the flea market. It was not unlike the flea markets I've been to in the United States. I saw plenty of used electronic equipment as well as home decor items, but since we're living in such a small space, I can only purchase items I feel are necessities.

I found the street with a stall selling books. The next street is known as the toy street in Sham Shui Po, and an excellent source for party favors. The parent and party planner in me was excited to discover what it had to offer, but I was a little disappointed when I discovered it mainly offered cheap plastic toys. I was not able to find what I needed for my daughter's upcoming Hello Kitty themed birthday party, so I ended up walking away empty handed.

Finally I discovered the fabric and the pom-pom trim that I am a huge fan of. It brought back fond memories of my craft room and my extensive supply of materials that I either sold in a yard sale or gave away before we moved out here. I'll admit, I got a little nostalgic.

I am so glad I went to this market on a week day without my family. We came back on a weekend and the crowd had tripled in size which made it that much harder to find what I was looking for. I will definitely be back on my own... perhaps today I'll venture back there!

The Jade Market.

Saturday we went to Sham Shui Po in search of the Jade Market. There were signs for the Jade Market as soon as we exited the Sham Shui Po MTR station. Looking back now, we actually did not find it. We found a lot of jade, but we also seemed to find the flea market mixed in as well.

Here in Hong Kong, jade is one of the more popular stones. There is a lot of superstition surrounding this gemstone. It is believed to ward off evil spirits or bad luck. Those who wear it are supposed to be protected from illness as well and a sign for good health as well as long life.

Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum.

This past weekend, I had my first dim sum experience in Hong Kong. After a morning of exploring our neighborhood, playing with a new set of Legos and princess toys, we loaded our family into a taxi cab with the directions to the restaurant in Sham Shui Po pulled up on my husband's laptop. 

The one star Michelin restaurant was definitely nothing fancy. We chose to arrive between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. hoping to avoid a long line with other customers waiting to eat. It was a good time frame for a Saturday afternoon. We sat outside for ten minutes on cheap blue plastic stools with no back until the hostess ushered us into the restaurant using hand gestures. 

We were seated at a small table for four underneath bright yellow florescent lighting. Armed with a carefully researched list of recommended dishes, we checked off what we wanted to order and the quantities of each dish.

We chose a couple orders of the prawn dumplings and the glutinous rice with meat wrapped in a lotus leaf. We thought we'd be daring and branch away from what was just familiar to us, so we ordered the pork liver rice noodle roll and a dish of the steamed chicken feet with a fermented soy bean paste. We also tried to accommodate the palates of our children, so we ordered a dish with rice and cuttle fish since our daughter loves the fish balls you can purchase off the street. Our favorite was definitely the famous baked barbequed pork bun.