Hong Kong New Territories Sai Kung ~ China Travel

Wong Shek Pier Sai Kung New Teritories

This photo of the Wong Shek Pier on an early November Sunday afternoon shows the overcast and smog that hung heavy over the entire region.
Sunday is a busy day at this popular spot, since Sunday is often a day off work. As great fans of fresh foods and seafood, many locals come for its great dining and waterfront location.

Chung Tai Seafood Restaurant in Sai Kung NT

As I was walking along the restaurant strip from Chuen Kee to the pier, I stopped to take this photo of the outdoor dining area of the Chung Tai restaurant. What had caught my eye were the slipcovers on the chairs; these are the same style I have seen in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Toronto, Canada. For me, this is yet another example of how people have more similarities than differences.

Seafood Tanks at Chuen Kee Restaurant

These tanks were brimmming with all manner of foods from the sea, and I took many photos of the colorful display they offered. Pumps and filters kept the tank water appealingly pristine. Our server took us to make our selections from the various tanks, then discussed with my guide how we would prefer to have them prepared.

Close Look at the Fresh Seafood Tanks at  Chuen Kee

From my notes on our lunch meal:
Lobster Shell blue-gray in color, chopped into smaller pieces before being cooked and served in a clear, thick, gel-like broth. Being an East Coast lobster purist, this dish missed the mark for me.
Scallops with Vegetables Shell opened, top half removed and discarded, bottom shell and all contents cooked and served with glass noodles, finely minced garlic and dark soy sauce.
Shrimps Large, meaty, with much chewier flesh than those served in North America.

Unique Homes in ong Kong New Territories

Not far from Sai Kung, towards Tai Po village past Hong Kong university, we passed that Hong Kong rarity, a single family home. As you can see in the photo, the colors are vibrant, and the style more Macau Portuguese than China.

Hong Kong New Territories Apartments

In the same area as the single family home, above, we passed several condo-style low-rise buildings. This area attracts those looking for less-expensive real estate than in the city. Some residents work in this area, while others can easily commute by train.

Hong Kong Heritage Museum Near Sha Tin

On the way back to Tsim Sha Tsui, we stopped at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum near Sha Tin to see the current display of ceramic art. Each artist (there were about eight represented) created a version of table, chairs, place settings and decorations. (Multi-site passes to museums are available at the local Hong Kong tourism offices.)

Ceramic Art exhibition at Hong Kong Heritage Museum

Another of the artists' creations at the museum. The building itself is fairly new, with many galleries.

For more information, go to Discover Hong Kong :: Heritage Museum.

Antique Chinese Opera Gown display Heritage Museum

A day earlier, I had taken a short class on Chinese Opera, also at the Heritage Museum. This Opera class is just one of several Hong Kong Tourism Board free cultural courses. The Opera appreciation involved a half hour overview of the main components before heading into the small on-site theatre to watch another half-hour of the on-going live performance.

With just this brief overview, we found we were able to follow the performance despite not knowing one word of Cantonese. After that, we toured the opera museum and the display of gorgeous antique opera costumes and shoes.

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