Tuesday part 3: Quarry Bay and Causeway Bay

After my re-fuel and foot soak, I headed back out and aimed to go East, to Quarry Bay. Somehow I keep ending up on the subway during rush hour, which is 9am and 4pm here.

A crosswalk during rush hour. It's manageable madness.

I had a lovely moment on that subway ride, when it appeared that I'd suddenly stepped into a Hayao Miyazaki movie. Fans of his stuff *ahem Sam and Sheila* will know what this means in the following pics.

This woman on the subway had a dress made of constellation fabric. It was so freaking awesome, I had to take a covert pic.

My stop was Tai Koo. Everything just looks cooler in Chinese characters.

I wandered around Quarry bay, checking out shops and parks. It was raining hard so staying indoors just kind of happened. So much of this city is connected either underground or via 2nd floor walkways.

I realised part of my sleep issue is I did not have a book to read. This has been my modus operandi for falling asleep since I was a kid. And I found myself outside a wicked great bookstore, that carried books in a variety of languages. 

If the Kotex ad hadn't made me wish I understood an Asian language, these books sure as shit did. I had to really talk myself out of buying them, using the logic that I'd never understand them no matter how much I wished I could.

I bought myself this great read. I've read a number of books and heard podcasts on life in North Korea, and I was happy to discover a title I hadn't read already.

One of my goals on this outing was to find a particular cafe in Causeway Bay. When I'd seen all I could in Quarry Bay I hopped back on the Subway and headed East. I wandered a single city block for 30 minutes, trying to find this one spot. I was in what's called Times Square HK (for good reason) and so was inundated with blaring neon signs and videos for Forever 21 etc. Google just kept teling me I was right on top of where I wanted to go, but I couldn't see anything that confirmed this in reality. But I refused to give up. Finally, after finding these instructions in a Trip Advisor review "find the Po Ming building and tell the doorman you're looking for the Club on the 3rd floor" I made it to my destination. And I was rewarded with this guy:

His name is Pineapple Baby. He has abnormally short legs which makes him look really clumsy, and unfuckingbelieveably adorable! His write up in their 'cat menu' of the felines who live in the Cat Cafe.

Eventually this guy "Ball Ball" ventured over.  (Their names are just more of this quirky culture).

People stop by this place just to play with the cats. As I sat there in my demure, Canadian fashion, young 20 somethings came in and just got down on the floor to try to engage these furry guys. There were 8 cats there altogether. It was surreal. And then my food came.

You had to order something, anything to justify getting time to visit with these cats. I went for the seemingly safe lime soda and fried potato basket. Pop and small fries. Easy and cheap. I did not account for the cultural angle. My gluten-free self was appalled, but my kids would freaking love it.

It's not French fries, it's deep fried Mac & Cheese triangles. SO odd! I didn't finish them.

Mom I know you think I should get my sore feet pampered, but I'm just not adventurous enough to take that plunge here. But I knew you were sending me these messages.

Again with the cultural thing (and macaroni is big here, oddly enough) here's Noodle & Dog: mix & match comfort food. Noodles, hotdogs and chicken wings. Okay then.

By 8pm I was beat and needed to get to bed. Walking home in the dark, but feeling more at ease in this city, I noticed things in my hood that I hadn't seen the night before.

Little Bao, a well-known spot among foodies. So my cheap, gluten-free self will be staying home thanks.

Not sure what this place is, a bar maybe? Whatever, they get points for bringing that Hogwarts feeling to HK  without going overboard.

And that was my first full day (really full!) in HK. It's now 7am Wednesday morning, I've been up since 4am and I've accepted these as my new hours during my stay. Leaves time for blogging and watching Orphan Black on Netflix. Today's forecast is for rain and thunder so I won't be hitting the Peak mountain view or rising the gondola to the Buddha. Maybe take a ferry to the mainland and check out the Goldfish Market and the Bird Market. Good thing I can't bring any pets home with me. 

xoxo

C