About two weeks ago we had a National Holiday here in China, and because of this, school was closed, as was almost everything else, for a week. I booked a trip to Thailand, my first escape from the mainland here.
On Saturday morning, September 27th, I took the bus from the Dongcheng International Hotel around the corner from my apartment to Hong Kong. I'd only just stopped at the airport in Hong Kong when I first arrived in Asia, so I wanted to check things out. The bus ride was an easy one, even though at the border between mainland China and HK you have to get off the bus, take your luggage and go through a checkpoint, then do that a second time not five minutes after you've reboarded. It wasn't too awful, but if I had more than my Longchamp duffle, I'd have been struggling a little. I did leave my NCPA water bottle sitting next to the stack of departure cards, so that bummed me out a little bit.
Once I arrived in Hong Kong, I knew I was to get off the bus and then take the train to Central, the area of town where I'd be spending the next two days. I had never been before, as I said, so when the bus got stuck in traffic and I was told to depart in the middle of the street rather than at the station, I looked to two other passengers and had them point me in the right direction. I immediately felt like I was in China, which is funny, because I wasn't, but it was what I had been expecting all along when I came to Asia...overly crowded streets and chaos. It was much more "China" than Dongguan is, or at least that's my opinion.
I walked first to the currency exchange which I just so happened to pass, then around the block looking for the train station. I convenitnetly stumbled upon a Starbucks, and went inside to grab a cold beverage/free wifi. Getting my bearings and sending a few messages to contacts in Hong Kong, I figured out the "plan" for the day.
I walked around the block back in the direction of where I thought the train station might be. I took a few quick photographs because I couldn't get over the number of people in the streets. Dongguan is big, the 37th largest city in the world, but it's not overly crowded in the streets like it is in Hong Kong.
I asked a few people to direct me and luckily I found the train station, a huge underground terminal. I got my one way ticket after purchasing a water from a convenience store to make change (the ticket machine wouldn't break anything above a 20) and I boarded the train for Central.
Getting off the train a few stops later, I changed lines and then got back on for just another couple of minutes. I came up out of the MTR station, a really easy one to navigate because everything is in English as well as Chinese, and set out looking for my hotel. I popped in 7-Eleven type of shop and grabbed another water (it was HOT) and continued walking. I wasn't quite sure where I was going, but the screenshot of the Google map I had looked easy enough to follow, and the clerk in the shop pointed me onwards. Keep in mind, my cell phone lost all data when I crossed the border from China into HK, so I was going solely on the picture I had, no live map.
I luckily had no trouble at all walking straight on and my hotel, the iClub Sheung Wan, was on the left just a short distance away. It was a super modern facility and a great base for my two nights in Hong Kong.
After a quick freshening up, I set out walking in search of my number one mission, a set of highlights and a trim for my hair! I had been given a few suggestions, but the salons were SOOO expensive I just couldn't justify it. I wandered around Soho and found some great markets where I bought Halloween decorations and stickers, then I saw an Aveeda Salon, so I thought I'd look into having my hair done there. I climbed something like 7 flights of stairs to realize it was only the fire exit, so I made my way back down to the ground floor and found the elevator to go back up. Sticky from sweat and exhausted from my trek, I went into the salon and apologized repeatedly for my condition. I explained that I wanted highlights and then a trim, and as there were some English and Chinese speakers, they sat me down so that they could all examine my head. I had three men and one woman standing over me looking carefully through the strands of blonde and roots. After talking for quite a while about what they could do for me and what it would cost if I chose the senior stylist versus the rookie, I chose to go forward and have my hair done. I was reluctant of course, for many reasons, but a "blonde" like me can't go on forever without touch ups!!
I had my hair done by four different men, one for the coloring, one for the washing, one for the trimming and one for the drying. After two cups of tea and a water, the process was complete and I paid the equivalent of $250 USD before heading back out onto the streets of HK. I am very nervous about the next time, because I just don't think I can allow myself (mentally) to pay that much for hair!!
I shopped a little and then found an adorable little French place so I popped in to grab dinner. I was put at a back table in front of the kitchen, a tiny space with a window cut out so that you could watch the chefs. The owner of the restaurant was a Frenchman and was very polite, but very busy. I had a glass of white and took his suggestion for the fish special. I was a bit disappointed when it came out bones, head and all. I don't know how to each such a thing! I only started eating fish about three years ago, and I haven't graduated to getting it off the bone yet. I picked at it and ate the side, a really nice cup of salty lentils, but sent the plate back after I did what damage I could. The poor chef looked out the window and in his very strong French accent asked, "You didn't like?" I felt terrible! I simply responded, "I don't like bones." Ugh. Embarrassing too, but the staff was so nice. They sent me a complementary slice of chocolate cake with salted caramel to drizzle over the top. That made up for it.
I went on back to the hotel after buying a little bottle of red in a convenience store. I ended the night with my wine and some scary television show about hauntings. Surprisingly, I slept well!
The next day was amazing as I toured Soho, the antique markets, and a bit of the waterfront. I walked all day, had lunch in an Italian place that had a great view for people watching, then had "dinner" at another precious little French place. I had passed it the night before, and thought it was a perfect spot to end the evening. La Cabane is a tiny space with maybe four or five tables made of wine barrels. I sat at the bar so as to not take up any of those, but I also like sitting at the bar because it gives you a great chance to talk with the bartenders.
The guy who served me, another Frenchman, helped me choose a crisp white and a cheese board. It came with a lovely baguette. I also ordered the warm olives. The whole thing was perfect. After another glass of wine and a glass of prune liquor to serve as a night cap, I headed on back to the hotel. The next day would take me to Thailand, but that's for another blog...stay tuned!!
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