Roaming Brit
  • Blog
  • The Story Of Us
  • Other Blogs
    • Forever Enduring Cycles Blog 2015 >
      • Forever Enduring Cycles
      • Bipolarcoaster
      • Books For Sale
  • Gallery
  • Spain
    • First Month
    • Three Months
    • Six Months
    • One Year
    • 2 Year Anniversary
    • Spanish Views
    • Gran Alacant >
      • GA Advertiser
      • Gran Alacant News
      • LoungeD
      • No Wives Club
  • About
    • New Life
    • Wedding
    • 21 Years
    • Timeline
    • My Story
    • Australia 2016/17
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Penelope Wren
    • Debra Rufini
    • Claire Coe
    • Richard Guy
    • Optimistic Mummy
    • Julie Rawlinson
    • Letters Of Hope
  • Links
  • Contact
  • My Writing
    • Short Stories From My Youth
    • Verruca Almond
    • The Streets

From a new life in spain, to an old life in britain, 'roaming brit' documents uncertain times!

Picture

On 31st January 2016, my partner and I left Southampton to start a new life as Expats in Gran Alacant, on the Costa Blanca. This blog will document our journey, as we navigate the Spanish system, travelling a path untried and untested. With Brexit looming, political turmoil in Europe and an unpredictable future, harsh decisions have to be made. Illness, family bonds and a Change of heart all make for challenging times in a life of a 'Roaming Brit!'

Picture

Asian Adventure - The Streets, 4 May 2019

2/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Breakfast at the Dorsett Mongkok was exceptional, just like the Light Hotel in Hanoi. I have always considered standards to be higher in Asia - the hotels, service and of course the breakfast. The amount of different types of food on offer was large, certainly not the miserable displays I have consumed in continental Europe; this was a banquet fit for a king. You may well take the boy out of England, but you can't take England out of the boy - naturally I chose English fayre, or rather the Hong Kong equivalent, which was pretty good. We ate as much as we could before the day ahead, by now standard practice. Navigating the streets of Hong Kong on a full stomach was preferable to a rumbling belly. The restaurant on the second floor was busy, as an early start beckoned, a walk through the famous streets of Kowloon was the plan, nothing too strenuous on our second day in this large thriving city, the pearl of the orient!

It must have taken us an hour to walk to Nathan Road. Rain was spitting ever so slightly and I know we were all glad to see the bright lights of Hong Kong's famous shopping district. People were gathering on corners taking photographs, laden with heavy shopping bags full of designer clothes and bargains from one of the many department stores, that patronise the area!

We decided to find somewhere to eat in one of the many Cāntīng Houses at the top of a shopping mall on the periphery of Hong Kong's famous district. After much deliberation we settled on a restaurant over looking the shops and bustling road below and sat down waiting to be served. We ordered a beer to start, which we were informed wasn't possible. This was rather confusing, since we were sat right next to a bar, advertising alcohol for sale, draft Hong Kong beer on tap and bottles of wine on display. Maybe it was just tourists who couldn't drink? Maybe we just weren't allowed to drink before midday? We just had no idea. Bewildered, we got up and left, leaving the poor waiter looking dumbfounded! It became blatantly obvious that we wouldn't be able to purchase an alcoholic beverage before 6pm, at least in this part of Hong Kong.

It was strange walking around the streets with all the food on display, freshly cooked to order, yet not a glass of wine or bottle of beer in site, in complete contrast to Europe, which would be full of holiday makers and tourists alike, having an afternoon aperitif before lunch!

We spent the next few hours walking around shops and markets, buying some souvenirs, haggling with vendors and soaking up the lively atmosphere. To be honest as much as I was enjoying my experience in downtown Kowloon, it wasn't particularly different from any other city I have ever been to. Overpriced gear, tourist tat and a population on the move, without a care for anyone but themselves. Pushed and shoved, hit by umbrellas, we stopped in a local restaurant for a bite to eat, without the much needed alcohol!

The food in this small cafe right next door to KFC, which we had considered going in first, was lovely. I chose some of my now favourite Dim Sum and a rather hot rice and beef dish which was tasty, well cooked and filled a hole, at least in the food department. I was still rather miffed we couldn't get a beer, but accepted that wasn't going to happen until we returned to the hotel. The price was rather good too, costing about twenty pounds for three of us to eat. Considering we were in Nathan Road, the Oxford Street of Hong Kong, prices were more than reasonable. Looking over my shoulder outside, I was content to sit and watch the people outside, rushing to their destination, popping out for a bite to eat in their lunch break, or like us admiring the great expanse before them. This was a city like no other and it was a World away from the UK.
The walk back to the hotel was long, having got lost on a number of occasions. Once again I was delighted to observe, contemplate and appreciate the culture on display. Despite Hong Kong's western feel, there was still much about the place that oozed the far east. The way people live and work, buildings so tall they made me shiver inside. Live fish and other aquatic life for sale, consumed fresh from the stalls. Colours and smells unlike anything I have experienced before, all temping the senses, as we eventually found our way home.


At 6pm we went to the Executive Lounge at our hotel, where guests were given complimentary wine and food to consume at leisure. This was something we opted for when booking this friendly hotel and we weren't disappointed. For an hour and a half we sat comfortably, watching the sun go down outside, as Kowloon took on another persona. This was an ever changing neighbourhood of Hong Kong that I liked. It wasn't in the flashy business district with no soul or personality, it was the centre of normal life for most residents of this part of China. The Dorsett Mongkok hotel was the perfect stop for us on our Asian Adventure, centrally situated and within walking distance of bars, shops and eating houses. The Executive Lounge was an added bonus, beautiful serene, comfortable and very much appreciated after a busy day walking.

We managed to get through a good few bottles of wine before leaving our hotel and  exploring the local area, enjoying a few well earned beers along the way. Chillworks, just a few blocks up, was a local bar run by by Kenny Mok, who made all of us feel at home, as we sat talking to an Australian couple, also travelling across Asia. This was the evening I felt finally relaxed, despite having a nine pound pint of Stella spilled on me; an accident effectuated by our new Ozzie friend, rather drunk after copious amounts of alcohol. Still it didn't put a damper on the evening and we all chatted the night away. Hong Kong is an amazing place, full of encounters one couldn't find anywhere else, so it was heartening to find this little bar, tucked away in a side street. Chillworks felt like a home from home; do try and make time for a visit, should you find yourself in the area. Hong Kong does seem rather different from the bottom of a glass, sometime alcohol can be an amazing tonic!
Picture
Picture
Picture


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    51-year-old Author and professional blogger. Expat formerly living in Gran Alacant on the Costa Blanca! Currently, residing in my adopted home of Perth, Western Australia.

    Picture

      Contact Luke.

    Submit
    Picture
    Click me & email for more information!
    Picture
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Asia-2019
    Australia
    Australia-202223
    Bettys-revenge
    Bipolar
    Bipolarcoaster
    Britain
    Bullying
    Business
    Cancer-research
    Cats
    Characters-i-have-known
    Charity
    Charlatan-or-confidant
    Christmas-thoughts
    Claybornes World
    Coming-out-stories
    Cooking
    Coronavirus
    Croatia 2022
    Current Affairs Politics
    Darrell In The Uk
    Death Of Queen Elizabeth
    Dunbars
    Easy Horse Care
    Events
    Events That Shaped My World
    Family
    Fascinating Facts
    Friends & Colleagues
    Gran Alacant
    Guest Bloggers
    Ibs
    Immigration
    Information
    Inspirational People
    Interviews
    Japan And Thailand 2020
    Jersey-2019
    Lifestyle Break
    Lockdown-life-in-photos
    London 2022
    Lounge-d
    Luke-martin-jones-awards
    Marmite Watch
    Memories Of Fareham
    Memories-of-home
    Memories-of-southampton
    Memories Of Spain
    Me-too-oxfam
    Milestones
    Moving
    My Life
    My Writing
    Non Touch Toast
    Oxfam Sociopathy
    Penelope Wren
    Photographs-of-hope
    Pippa
    Platinum Jubilee
    Postcards From Home
    Quotes
    Rabs-world
    Remembering Gran Alacant
    Reviewing Gran Alacant
    Santa-pola
    Self-isolation
    Shopping
    Short Stories From My Youth
    Southampton
    Spiritual
    Teaching Jamie
    Thailand 2022
    The-darkness
    The-streets
    The Two Of Us
    Travel
    Verruca-almond
    Villa In The Sun
    Visits From Friends
    War In Europe
    Weight Loss & Health
    Year In Review 2015
    Year In Review 2016
    Year In Review 2017
    Year In Review 2018
    Year In Review 2019
    Year In Review 2020
    Year In Review 2021
    Year In Review 2022
    Zest

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Tweets by realtruthblog
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture


    Instagram
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    A place to call home
    Finally, a place we can call home.  A community of like minded individuals, who used to call Britain home.  Now Spain is our choice, an altogether gentler, happier, sunnier and safer experience!
            Luke Feb 16
    Picture
Picture
Picture

Telephone

+447999663360

Email

lukemartin.jones@gmail.com
  • Blog
  • The Story Of Us
  • Other Blogs
    • Forever Enduring Cycles Blog 2015 >
      • Forever Enduring Cycles
      • Bipolarcoaster
      • Books For Sale
  • Gallery
  • Spain
    • First Month
    • Three Months
    • Six Months
    • One Year
    • 2 Year Anniversary
    • Spanish Views
    • Gran Alacant >
      • GA Advertiser
      • Gran Alacant News
      • LoungeD
      • No Wives Club
  • About
    • New Life
    • Wedding
    • 21 Years
    • Timeline
    • My Story
    • Australia 2016/17
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Penelope Wren
    • Debra Rufini
    • Claire Coe
    • Richard Guy
    • Optimistic Mummy
    • Julie Rawlinson
    • Letters Of Hope
  • Links
  • Contact
  • My Writing
    • Short Stories From My Youth
    • Verruca Almond
    • The Streets