Breakfast this morning we ate at Fairwood.
Along the way I took a couple of pictures.
Except that I'm not very sure what buildings they are or where exactly along the same stretch they are.
I think they might be the buildings in the zone where Fairwood is located, or they might be along the route in the alleyway leading to the Cha Chaan Teng, but very likely I might have snapped them whilst looking up from the back lane and alley where I had been making a shortcut through.
If there is one thing about Hong Kong, it is her architecture.
She is the kind of place where you never know what it is you're going to see, you never know what it is you're going to get.
Along a single short stretch there might be a structure with concrete walls and small little windows that either slide open or open out, but then right next to it there might be a glossy glass structure recently completed.
Perhaps it is this juxtaposition that refreshes the sights and feels of this tight knit cosmopolitan city.
And perhaps this is what keeps people staying here, coming back.
It grows on you- the sights, the sounds, the view.
This morning I decided to go Asian with a meal of instant noodles Gong Zai Min with egg and luncheon meat. I found myself liking the soup. In the meal set there was, of course, milk coffee.
On the way back we happened to pass by a bakery where the smells of freshly baked buns wafted out through the open entrance. So we stopped to take a look at the display, and because my colleague got intrigued by the size of the Char Siew Sou, we bought a pineapple Bo Luo Bun, and one of those Char Siew Sous back.
Later in the morning we took the MTR to Central, this time taking it from Tin Hau Station rather than Fortress Hill Station where we had been yesterday.
The walking route to Tin Hau Station was interesting.
Coming out from Hotel Purple we made a right, passing by the Wing Hing Refuse Collection Center. Across the road we then went, walking along Electric Road, passing by eateries (a roast goose place), shops offering household goods, a pharmacy or two, and then finally one of the entrances to the station.
The area was crowded with participants from the Standard Chartered Marathon all clad in colorful running gear, special goodie bags and number tags still on their shirts and vests.
I think the end point of the race might have been Tin Hau- I'm not sure.
When we got to Central MTR I suggested we take an alternate route to the AIA Carnival instead of using the bridge, which, as I soon discovered, we shouldn't have.
I had thought we might have a more scenic (and relaxed) walk along Lung Wo Road.
What I didn't realize that because of the marathon this morning, parts of the road had been cordoned off, and so, instead of being able to hop across the road over the traffic light towards the back of the carnival grounds, we found ourselves having to walk the entire route of Lung Wo Road.
Fortunately the weather was clear and fine and good and it was nice seeing the FDW all spread out on picnic mats in their jackets and coats enjoying the sun and early Spring winds.
When we finished, we decided to take a nice long walk back to Causeway Bay via the boardwalk.
What's funny about this route is that it didn't seem so long when we saw it on Google Maps but turned out to be longer than we thought.
Maybe because the route is curved.
Or maybe because there were so many sights to be seen along the way.
There was the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center sitting comfortably almost right upon the water, behind which was the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Before that, there was this little place called Tamar Park which I think had a sort of little garden for one's pets.
We passed by the Wan Chai Harbour Promenade, then maybe this little area called Kellet Island, which to me, looked like it was a lot of roundabout highways.
Into Percival Street we went, and then it was Hysan Place right near the Causeway Bay Times Square.
From here we made our way to Leighton Road to a brunch place that my friend said seemed interesting.
Again one got reminded of just how unique the streets in Hong Kong are, and how confusing Google's direction can sometimes be.
We might have walked along Percival Street and turned left into Leighton Road, but somehow we turned onto Lee Garden Road, then Pak Sha Road, then Yun Ping Road, and finally a right onto Leighton Road.
I'm glad that the food here at Brunch was good.
Right now I cannot remember the full menu but there was, I think, pasta, and definitely a whole lot of breakfast plates to choose from.
Ambience really does make a whole lot of difference.
I don't think I'd be in that much of a mood for Chicken & Waffles had we not been seated by the window up on the second floor overlooking the road, and some sort of a park beyond.
As it was, the environment was cozy, warm and quiet with lovely Italian-European style of furniture, decor on the walls, and, surprise of surprise, a small wooden vintage-style bookshelf with books of both fiction and non-fiction at one side of the wall.
We also took a plate of Steak & Eggs, which steak came medium rare- the way my friend preferred.
We hung around here at Brunch for a while until the early evening, then decided we'd make our way back on the MTR.
Enroute however we passed by a Uniqlo and went in.
My colleague needed a jacket.
No, he wanted one.
Style doesn't guarantee quality, and the jacket brought over- whilst stylish- seemed to be inept for Hong Kong's early Spring wintry kind of weather.
From Causeway Bay we took the MTR back to Tin Hau MTR.
Along the way we made a quick pit stop to buy a snack of siew mai and handmade meatballs from one of the nook-in-the-wall dim sum shops.
They weren't kidding when they said Hong Kong people are fast, efficient workers.
Fast worker she was, the lady hovering over the steaming baskets of dim sum at the counter. Swiftly she picked out what it was you wanted, dropping it quick and neat into a styrofoam box, swiftly she took cash payment from your outstretched hand, and swiftly too she handed you your food, plus your change, back.
Later in the evening we headed out to Fortress Hill on the upper side of Wing Hing Road for no purpose other than happy exploration, and a walk to experience the chill, cold air.
This side of Wing Hing Rod was quieter, with a more settled feeling.
It was the kind of feeling you got like in a residential neighborhood when everyone had headed home.
Most of the streetside shops had closed by then, even those on King's Road, but somewhere near the Fortress Hill MTR station entrance, above which was the North Point Alliance Church, by the way, we saw a Wellcome supermarket and went in.
I love visiting supermarkets when I travel, and it was fun seeing all the different produce and products they had.
A well stocked place it was, complete with all the grocery essentials one needed. There was variety too, in particular, the biscuits and snacks and nuts and drinks. They didn't seem that strong with the fresh produce- perhaps the locals got it elsewhere.
There wasn't much we bought, however, but we did get two unique and unusual desserts of pre-prepared fish maw in sweet red bean soup.
Heading back, we also saw a McDonalds- right by the station, and yes, it was 24 hours.