Mission Wonton Noodle Soup

It shall be no secret that ever since I returned to Denmark, I suffer from Hong-Kong-withdrawals. The abrupt discontinuation of my Hong Kong lifestyle often have me craving dishes and snacks from the region, leaving me with a constant, lingering taste of siu mai, sushi, xia jiao, fishball on stick and whatnot. As such treats cannot be so easily uncovered in the streets of Copenhagen (at least not at a fair price for a student) it has serious implications for my Bachelor thesis-work in university, and such other small and trifling matters, when the cravings start running off with my head. It is due to such thought-meanderings that the boyfriend gets a ton of iMessage hints, a clear tactic of mine to induce him to dig up some traditional recipes and attempt perfection in a tiny kitchen, in a tiny city, in a tiny country.

The latest mission has been to secretly plant the idea in his head that homemade wonton noodle soup is a necessity for my well-being. This inception-like strategy paid off Sunday 21.04.2013.

-Krissy

For some reason unbeknown to me, I woke up one day with the urge to make wonton noodle soup for Krissy and myself. I had recently been sick, so I was really craving for this specific soup. Surely, that is what gave birth to this yearning. We both agreed that Sunday would be a good day to make dinner together. As she was busy with her thesis during the day, I made it my mission to get all the needed ingredients and commence preparations. The idea was to make the wontons together once she was home. Sunday romance at its best.

Ooh la la, Monsieur Swayze!

Imagine the pottery scene in Ghost. Sleeveless Demi enveloped in Swayze’s arms. Except less clay and more wonton. That’s pretty darn romantic. A relationship thrives when you can do the things you love together with the person you love. And boy do we love Asian food!

The recipe for this is all over the interwebs. There is simply no need to make yet another recipe blog, when others have already done so. Instead, we’ll just throw some pictures at you.

- Gideon

The ingredients

Mixy mashy

Krissy schooling me in wrapping

What what in the butt

Cool angle 3

Cool angle

Cool angle 2

Voila

Dinner and Silver Linings Playbook <3

A Merry Hua Hin Christmas

I have been fortunate enough to end my amazing exchange experience by celebrating Christmas with my family in Sam Roi Yod, Hua Hin – Thailand: and what a Christmas! It might not entail snow and your usual runny noses, but Hua Hin did offer 30 degrees Celsius, pool and shade under the palm trees. It was great to see my family again, especially my clown of a brother <3 Danish tradition is to celebrate Christmas on the 24^th of December, with a massive dinner table carrying roasted duck, pork, white and brown potatoes, red cabbage, gravy and ris a la mande. A tradition is a tradition. Thus, my tummy contained all such wonders on the 24^th, mixed with a good deal of red wine. Our Christmas tree was somewhat untraditional this year, yet the Christmas spirit was as high as ever.

It is not my first time in Thailand, and it is great to be back once again. If you know what touristy places to avoid, this country is simply wonderful. The Thai people are the most smiling and warm-hearted I’ve ever met, with a good dose of humor, always making fun of you, themselves or whatever comes to their mind. Thailand to me means laughter. Obviously Thai food contribute to the wonder of this country, and this Christmas season has offered many plates of pad thai, king prawns and spicy curry.

The 25^th of December was spent on a scooter cruising through Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, scouting for monkeys (for your information: not difficult to spot). There is nothing like experiencing the country-side from the back of a scooter, feeling the wind and the sun on your face, whilst the landscape opens up to you. The park contains dozens of mountainous limestone hills, which stand before you wherever you turn. As you cruise along you will find freshwater marshes and shrimp farms, with beautiful temples scattered around the park. My brother and I also worked off the duck-calories by climbing up to the Phraya Nakhon Cave. A sweaty journey, yet worth while every out-of-shape-breath that you will take. But beware of snakes! My brother nearly stepped on one and had a near-death-experience (read: not at all, but two Danish youngsters definitely got spooked, trying to remember what we have learned on Animal Planet).

On a less-serious note, most of the time has been spend by the poolside, or on our rooftop soaking up some dangerous sunrays. A fair amount of Leo beers have also been consumed in the Jacuzzi overlooking the mountaintops as the sun was setting. It is peculiar how fast the days go by when you do absolutely nothing.

The most memorable moments, this time around, have undoubtedly been the many scooter cruising’s, with my brother as the driver, covering much of Thailand’s countryside. As must by now be known world-wide the Moeller-family is somewhat out of the ordinary, and my brother and I undoubtedly scared a Thai family or two, having covered all possible Christmas songs, “singing” at the top of our lungs in the heat as we drove around. Also late-night cruising at the coast of Sam Roi Yod beach, with only the moon as light will not be forgotten.

Our housing is located in the true Thai country-side, approximately 30 min. outside of Hua Hin, surrounded by beach + cows. Thus, there is always some excitement about “going to the city”. In Hua Hin, the necessary shopping is always done, finding some great bargains, and the city spree is always concluded at the night-market, eating burritos and sipping frozen margaritas at an excellent Mexican joint. Most importantly, the mandatory mango-and-sticky-rice dessert is brought with us home.

Our concluding days here will undoubtedly resemble the others, and I simply do not want them to end.

With the best wishes of a Merry Christmas and a fun and safe New Years Eve, I complete the ranting’s from Hua Hin.

/Krissy

Oriental Beach Pearl

my late birthday cake

Cows on the road

parentals on a scooter

before going on a hike

Temple in cave.

the death bridge

our crazy guide walking faster than the wind

descending.

pool or beach?

chasing dem cows

only the best burrito ever

brother at the Mexican joint

night market time.

food on counter

flags for the king

beach time

Christmas dinner

Unfinished Business.

The inevitable has happened. My exchange semester is officially coming to an end. I know my life back in Denmark is waiting patiently for me, and I am looking forward to see all my loved ones. Nonetheless, I am left with a bittersweet feeling. Leaving Hong Kong is not something I want to do. This city has spoiled me. The haze, the daily CO2 doses, the overrun MTR stations, taxi drivers refusing to go to New Territories, stinky tofu on the street, expensive milk, slow-walking pedestrians with a severe phone obsession. I will, from the bottom of my heart, and with the utmost, genuine sincerity miss every ‘not-so-perfect’ experience here in Hong Kong. This city has just proven amazing, and I am so grateful for having had the opportunity to enmesh myself in HKs urbanity. It is one of the most vibrant cities I’ve been too, with amazing treats on every corner. I am going to miss my 14hkdollar noodle soup, the pulsating streets on a Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday [insert any day], and my Sheung Wan dumplings. Heck, I am even going to miss all the signs, which I cannot read. Before this post turns into a sentimental memoir, I will relay some of my concluding adventures.

I have been fortunate enough to have two friends come visit me. Firstly, my old, fellow high-schooler came to visit me, as she was going to South of China anyways. Thus, there was no excuse for not coming to HK. I got to stay with her for a few days in Sheung Wan, one of my favorite areas in the city. We of course overtook The Peak, and this time I got to the amazing view via the old tram, which was a vertical experience to say the least. We also paid a visit to the famous Ocean Park, where the inner child was freed. Ocean Park has it all: big aquarium with mysterious sea creatures, cutest pandas doing absolutely nothing apart from sleeping, and fun roller coasters. We topped it all off with a dolphin show, where we also saw some amazing head accessorizing. Other fun shenanigans of course included shopping, some LKFing and eating dim sum at the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant in the world (Tim Ho Wan). I went to Macau for the second time, and enjoyed a fancy evening inside of the largest casino in the world – The Venetian, Macao. A friend back from primary school also popped by on her way to the Philippines, and we of course also stuffed ourselves at Tim Ho Wan concluding the evening with buying funky iphone cover.

I also found my inner hostel patriotism during my last weeks in HK. The past few months I have lived in an all-girls dormitory, better known as Wen Chi Tang. We are three exchange students living in this bloc, so together we have explored hostel life, with the help from some sweet-hearted local Wen Chi Tang’ers. Hong Kong dormitory life is nothing like my previous experiences of gloomy dormitory existence. In HK there are so many activities going on within your own home that you do not even need to join the activities offered at the University level. It has also been very difficult to say goodbye to my home-girls-exchange-crew :(( Lately we have been spending most of our time together, whether it be in the library or at an amazing Vietnamese restaurant or in a basement for an underground party.  My roommate also had to leave me prematurely on her own adventures, and a tearful parting was unavoidable. It is always so hard to say goodbye!

Exam period was stressful as I had five of them, with various hand-ins as a side-activity. But I don’t even want to dwell on it or waste blog-space on such a boring subject. Pretend the last two lines never happened.

If there is one thing you got to know about me, it is the fact that I am a sucker for Christmas. The whole charade. Glitter, decorations, lights, snowmen, Santa, Christmas bakeries, movies, carols, jingle bells – I eat the whole season up. Though Christmas may not be on the top of the list in seasonal celebrations in China, I was still surprised at the many decorations to be found around the city. It really warmed my Christmas heart. I also have two considerate friends back home, who as a surprise send me a humongous package, containing all what a Christmas heart can desire. From the content of such mentioned package, along with a loving mommy who also contributed to the festivities, some friends and I were able to put together a JULE-HYGGE DAY (I apologize, but in this SINGULAR, one-off case, the English language is void of words with same inherent meaning as HYGGE). My Finish sister had outdone herself on this occasion making ginger bread and glög. Christmas therefore came early to Hong Kong.

Shenzhen was also visited which essentially makes a good campfire story. My friend and I effectively got deported from China. Yes. Deported. You would think having travelled around Asia for so many months would have made me into a pro, but sadly not. Turns out I forgot to check my double-entry visa expiration date, and voila: Chinese border-control-man asks me to step aside in a not so friendly tone. However, after being escorted back across the border, several sweaty moments on the Hong Kong side with no passport, and a big fat stamp saying CANCELED on a fresh passport page, I finally got to purchase a one-day visa and commence my shopping spree.

Conclusively, I’d like to think that the 17^th of December is a magical day, as this is the day I was born. Despite exam stress and empty wallets as the exchange experience is coming to an abrupt end, I was celebrated by some beautiful people who made my day very special. Especially because a special lady plastered up posters all over 2nd floor in my hostel, making sure everybody knew this was my day.

On such a happy note, I will end my blogging from Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong and I have unfinished business, and I will without a doubt be back, so who knows – maybe a new Hong Kong post awaits in the near future.

fro-yo love

The Venetian

I dig it.

panda snooze

dim-to-the-sum.

Oh, I love tacky Asian Christmas decorations <3

Macau rest.

the Wen Chi Tang’ers

Shenzhen

Shenzhen spree

Julle-hygge

Potsticker madness

There is less than 2 months before Krissy is back in Copenhagen, and I am definitely becoming more and more giddy from excitement. During her stay in Asia, she has tasted an impressive palette of street–as well as in door–cuisine. From the get-go, a love that we share has been Asian cuisine. However, having the opportunity to delight herself with such food on a day-to-day basis, it has only strengthened her appreciation for it. As such, dim sum is slowly becoming the center of her universe…literally.

Being the amazing boyfriend that I am, I have taken it upon myself to read more about these various bite-sized, bundles of joy, with the goal of learning how to make them. This way, Krissy will not miss her delicious meals in Hong Kong (as much), and I become a better cook. I have always been into cooking, and I certainly developed culinary skills growing up under the tutelage of my step father, an adept French chef. And so I cannot say that I am diving into this gastronomic escapade blindfolded. I have my kitchen instruments and I have my senses. Time to cook up a symphony. ♫
I embark on my dim sum journey with a dish that I believe almost everyone has heard of: the dumpling. Specifically, pan-fried dumplings, or as they’re normally called, guotie, for which the literal translation is “pot stick,” hence the title. The choice was made based on several things: my eagerness to learn (high), my general laziness (low), my budget (low), much I wanted to impress Krissy (sky high), and how much I drool at the pictures I see (for this one, the droolage level was definitely high). The recipe I follow is from Rasa Malaysia. This blog features some great recipes and mouth-watering food photography. I urge you to have a looksies, if you’re into Asian cuisine. She has a recipe for-it seems-the best dishes Asia has to offer.

Thankfully, I had most of the ingredients at home. All I needed to buy was Napa cabbage and some dumpling wrappers.  Consequently, this would bring me to Chinatown. The trip would normally not be anything out of the ordinary for me. This time, however, my hunger got the best of me, and I swear everything in my path turned into a dumpling. Yikes.

When hunger is at its worst (best?)

With the goods in my inventory, I continued to read through the recipe.

“Right. Seems easy enough,” I thought to myself, having only the slightest bit of conviction in my tone. I mixed the ingredients in a bowl and set it aside. Normally, this would be the step where I take a small test piece from the mix and fry it. This would enable me to determine whether the mix is fine as-is, or if it needs more adjustments.

Normally.

This blob actually smelled so delicious

I put a spoonful of the mix onto the wrapper and stood there staring. The eerie silence was only broken by the surrendering sigh I let out. “How would I be able to create such a thing of beauty?” I thought to myself, “Dumpling? More like…Dump-King”

Heh.

Nevertheless, I figured that since I have always been good with papercraft, this task could not be that much different. All I had to do was try.

:D

Above is my very first dumpling pleat – colour me impressed. Looks good, doesn’t it? After approximately 8 hours, I finally covered the pan with dumplings (yes, there is already oil in the pan.)

Gather around, little children

“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Dumpling.”
“Dumpling, who?”
…

I fried the little guys until the bottoms are golden and crisp. At this point I was so hungry that I could have shoved the whole pan in my mouth. Without the lid of course.

The crispy bottom creates a beautiful texture together with the soft, almost fluffy upper layer, that only steaming can provide.

The final part of the cooking involves some steaming. Then simply serve with a dipping sauce to your liking. I had mine with soya sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and some Guilin chili sauce.

NOM NOM NOM.

This is for you, baby ♥

And so there it is. I think it turned out pretty good. I did not follow the recipe perfectly, though. For example, I did not use cilantro leaves, but I did add black fungus. Sadly, I only had a few shrimps left in my freezer – I could really taste that it needed a few more pieces. Just to give it that extra oomph!

The recipe needs:

• 50 tablespoons of patience
• 3 dashes of courage
• 2 set of delicate fingers

Surely, the batch I make for Krissy will be perfect. When she comes back home, I know that she will long for the scrumptious food that she was able to treat herself with while in Hong Kong. My dream is to one day take her on a round-trip in Asia. For now, however, I’ll bring Asia to her — through food.

Thanks for reading. Look forward to more of my adventures in the kitchen.

Gideon

Monkey Business

Before I let my new Hong Kong rants unravel, I must make an announcement. As for those who follow my blog, you may well remember that in my previous post on Hong Kong I promised to search for the monkey, which is rumored to be on campus. I must disappoint in saying that my wilderness skills are non-existent, and I have therefore not been able to gain up on the creature yet. However, my dear, dear friend from Finland clearly knows a thing or two on how to search for this climbing beast. On her way to class a cat-like noise caught her attention (ironically the same class I go to, had I not been in the Philippines). Only, the noise came from a big, fat monkey indulging in human trash. By courtesy of Karoliina, I hereby give you proof of her encounter, which also satisfy my need for settling the “rumor”.

Just as in my last post, my taste buds have once again been catered to. One experience worth reporting on – which I am admittedly late at trying out – was a visit at Mr. Wong’s. From the outside, this restaurant looks like your average Chinese restaurant found on any side street of this city. Yet, the personality of the owner differentiates this joint from all the other eateries. For 50hkd, Mr. Wong will provide you with enough food and drinks to last you a week, whilst telling you life stories and other fun anecdotes. I cannot guarantee that all of these stories will be understood; as I am yet to uncover what language he is truly speaking. However, the English that I do understand brings a huge smile to my face, and a night here guarantees you a lot of fun – well worth your money. Also, dim sum is slowly becoming the center of my universe. It is without a doubt the best Sunday pastime I can think of, and luckily I have an obliging roomie who willingly takes me to the local hotspot near campus so I can get my dim sum fix. It is no joke that Hong Kong is famous for its food. If you know where to go, you will not be disappointed. Even if you don’t know where to go (like me), behind my veil of ignorance, I have still not been disappointed.

I also started attending regular dance classes at a dance studio near Tsim Sha Tsui (Infinity Dance Studio). I have danced for some time now, without ever claiming to be good at it, but having always loved it. However, for some time back in little Denmark, I’ve felt like I lost the joy in dance, lost the fun in it all. Luckily, the classes in Hong Kong have proven amazing. The level is better than at home, with teachers and students who all move with such breathtaking accuracy that my eyes hurt a little. My lack of skills becomes even more apparent – BUT: I have rediscovered the fun – and it feels great. One Sunday the studio even had a workshop with one of my favorite female choreographers from the US, which was an amazing opportunity. I always leave that place with a smile.

More sights have also been uncovered. Along with a good friend, I managed to explore more of Central, in particular the trendy area of SoHo (South of Hollywood Road). Here you can find the Central-Mid-Levels escalator, which according to the ‘oh so’ reliable source of Wikipedia is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. In this area you will find bars upon bars, offering happy hours and tapas deals and the offerings keep on meeting you as you move up the escalator. Nearby I also stumbled upon Man Mo Temple, a small delight of Chinese worship. The mix of darkness and incent and the noise from the city outside is a strange but amusing mixture. It really exemplifies the contrasts, which you will find in Hong Kong, the modernity with a touch of longing for the ancient. Hong Kong Park also proved a highlight for me. It is somewhat of a strange mixture of your usual park-like elements such as trees and flowers, but also contains a museum of tea ware and experimental playgrounds. Nonetheless, the fact that skyscrapers are surrounding this spot truly makes it seem like a little oasis where one can escape. I will definitely come back here before immigration kicks me out.

Classes at the university are still interesting and “entertaining”, in particular my literature class. It is greatly amusing to have a Chinese professor teaching you 20^th Century, English literature. Not that that is not perfectly doable, but it does add a whole other dimension to the learning and the way a text is approached. Clear culture differences become apparent in this class. Generally it has proven hard to sufficiently balance exchange amusing’s and serious learning. I never quite seem to find the right balance, some days amusement is winning, and on others the inner nerd.

My exchange semester is fleeing me and I desperately try to make the fleeting and momentary experiences last. I wish I could hit pause on the remote so as to prolong some wonderful moments here in Hong Kong. The city never ceases to amaze me, and I wish I could put my finger on why. Partly, I think, my fascination manifests itself in the eternal vibrancy and vitality. There is always something to do, somewhere to be, something to see.  This constant opportunity of uncovering new adventures is so stimulating and makes you feel like you are in the center of the happenings.

I will hopefully be able to post once more from this center, before departing for ……… Thailand.

A perfect night at Mr. Wongs

great turn-out and horse races

US elections hit HK

view from a boat-party

live in an awesome hostel where we dance

outside class on a rainy day

a stuffed fridge

you never know what will happen in HK, you might just find yourself in a tv-series

dim sum friends

one b-day brunch

the creature

Nasi Goreng vs. Mooncakes

Only a few weeks into the semester, and the first mini-holiday presented itself. The Mid-Autumn Festival / Mooncake Festival / Chinese Lantern Festival provided me with an extended weekend, and I of course had to use that opportunity to see more of Asia.

I thus left behind Hong Kong and all the mooncakes, and instead headed off to Jakarta – Indonesia – with my travel companion, Mette.

Travelling by plane was the oddest thing! After so many weeks of travelling by train with Mette through China, it was strange to once again feel the comforts of a plane seat. Flying with Garouda Air, and having the dilemma of choosing what movies to indulge in on the 5 hour journey from Hong Kong was a luxury.

Now, what made this five-day holiday great was undoubtedly the open arms we were met with. Family friends of my parents opened their door to us, and not only provided us with the best accommodation one could wish for, but enlightened us with insider-information and secrets of this wild capital, catered to our taste buds, provided excellent company and late-night talks. It is also because of them that I finally got to watch “The Painted Veil”. It is not the first time I have drawn on their hospitality, and I do hope it will not be the last time, either. Experiencing Jakarta would not have been the same without the Hejl-family.

Jakarta served as an interesting contrast to the rest of our journey through Russia, Mongolia and China. The vibe and the dynamics that prevail here differed immensely, and I loved every contrast.

This capital is the most populous city in Southeast Asia, which clearly shows once you try to get trapped in the infamous traffic jams. These macro-jams won’t get any better any time soon. According to the Economist, traffic gridlock will occur by 2014, unless the government makes drastic changes to the infrastructure. Because of urban migration, more and more vehicles are added to the existing roads, putting pressure on the whole setup. Hopefully the future will provide a solution, so as to facilitate and ignite the country and its economy.

The people of Jakarta proved to be absolutely wonderful. Everywhere we turned we were met with the biggest smiles and by joyful laughter. I often feel quite uncomfortable taking pictures of locals, as I feel I am invading a space where I am genuinely not allowed. However, several times we experienced how the Indonesians were the ones contacting us, asking if they could pose for a picture. They found it so amusing. Also, several encounters with children gave us another great insight into Indonesian culture: there is an all-prevailing curiosity, which helped to eliminate all barriers of contact. It was great to have these direct-encounters, even though we could only visit the city for such a short period.

Taman Mini was visited, which is a recreational park displaying the Indonesian culture. I was astonished by the beautiful and detailed architecture you could find here, as local pavilions and houses had been set up to demonstrate just how different such are in the various provinces of Indonesia. We also enjoyed a few hours at the Indonesian Museum, and visited the bird park here – activities which all exceeded my expectations. However, watching Indonesian traditional dances performed by local children hit home run with me. The hand movements are so intricate, and you easily lose all sense of time and space if you keep watching these mesmerizing moves.

Sunday unfolded itself at Thousand Island in the waters of Jakarta Bay. I would not mind spending every Sunday like this. Turquoise waters, sandy beaches and snorkeling opportunities. What more could one ask for?

Experiencing the beautiful Jakarta Cathedral and Istiqlal Mosque also gave me a great insight into this capital. What resonates with me very deeply is when several religions can unfold themselves within the same borders, and I find Indonesia – and also Malaysia – as great examples of such. These two great, religious buildings are not only equally respected, but are also built right next to each other. You only have to cross the main street to move from one sacred building to the other. Mutual respect and understanding is something the rest of the world should take a note of.

Bogor Botanical Gardens also proved worth a visit. Situated some 60 km outside of Jakarta, the park consists of more than 15,000 plants and trees. It is said to be Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who initiated the building of the gardens, so a thick history of colonialism hangs over the place. The trees were gigantic, and it was a great feeling walking around so much greenery after having spent a few days in in a city choked with poverty and pollution.

Yummy in my tummy!

Whilst Jakarta features on many black lists, such as the ugliest city, the most hated city, etc., I certainly found a charm here. Perhaps the Indonesian language gave me positive connotations to my travels in Malaysia, which then may have fogged my judgment. Perhaps, the comforts of staying with family friends blurred reality. However, I came to really enjoy my stay. I ate a lot of Nasi Goreng, was overjoyed by the friendly people I met, and found a beauty in the rough streets. Clouded judgment or not, I wish and hope to come back one day, to explore the rest of Indonesia.

/Krissy

Dim Sum-ing it in Hong Kong

I am no longer on the road. I have planted my feet on Hong Kong ground and I am here to stay for the coming semester at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. As much as I love to travel over extensive periods, unpacking was a soulful relief.

Cutting straight to some necessary propaganda, I simply just love the campus of CUHK. The University is the second oldest in HK, and is multilingual – ensuring that various sound bits of English, Cantonese and Mandarin reach my ears every day.  Campus is situated in New Territories, a somewhat far journey from your downtown Hong Kong entertainment. Luckily, CUHK is the only university with its own MTR station, meaning that the quest for enjoyments has been successfully eased. However, being in New Territories mean that I am effectively studying in a jungle. Campus constitutes a good 137 hectares of land, which means that we have to share this space with wildlife of all sorts and shapes. Rumour has it that monkeys can be spotted – I will of course be on the lookout and report back if I can confirm such whispers. Whilst I am thoroughly enjoying to be enmeshed in this greenery, I curse the uphill hikes when I have to make it to my political classes at the very top of the campus – You guessed it: New Territories is nothing but jungle and hills.

Orientation week was a blast. Met so many new people with amazing backgrounds and stories to tell. It is just like backpacking, meeting new people with the same adventurous requests as you and you feel an immediate bond. Whilst I’ve met all sorts of nationalities, I somehow manage to spend my majority of my time in a group of mostly Dutch (however, I must acknowledge some French and some American blood in this little group as well). It is almost like I am flying KLM every day.

Wednesday and Thursday nights are to be spent in LKF (Lan Kwai Fong), a district in central, where music from all the bars and clubs reach the main streets in a haze. It is on such days that the infamous LADIES NIGHT unfolds, meaning free drinks to the female species. If I don’t go on these days, my bank account would be nonexistent on my return home. Whilst HK certainly is an expensive city, it does not feel so bad when your home is Denmark – except for the drinks: drinking hurts in HK, not just the head.

After the initial stress of trying to enroll in my desired subjects at CUHK (read: most redundant enrollment system in the entire world), I can finally say I got courses I can approve of: One 20^th C. literature class, an anthropology course on ‘Political Violence and Human Rights’, and three political classes: Global Environmental Politics, Ethics & International Affairs and Asian Comparative Politics. The workload is great, my home institution, CBS, seriously made a mistake when they calculated the amount of credits I would have to take abroad. Or maybe I am still on holiday?

What other shenanigans have I been up to in the first few weeks? For starters my roomie took me out, along with a friend of hers, to a delicious, nearby dim sum restaurant for some Sunday-brunch-fun. Probably the best I ever had. And I LOVE dim sum. There was an insane queue going out of the restaurant when we arrived, and we therefore had to wait around for a good half an hour or so – but it was worth it. You settle in at gigantic white-clothed, round tables and intake your food with other families or hungry folks. It is such a lovely way to spend your Sunday, in company of good people and delicious food. Also, food in Hong Kong is simply just GOOD. People who say otherwise obviously went to the wrong part of the world. Unless I increase my sporting activities here, extra kilos will be a given on my journey home – and here I am not referring to my luggage.

Beaches have also been visited, and it is not the worst thing to “study” with your toes dipped in the sand, listening to the sound of waves and admiring the islands scattered out at sea.

I went on a lovely hiking trip, with Per, a fellow student from CBS. Apart from the fact that his legs are made for running up hill it was quite an enjoyable trip. We went from Park view to Stanley, which is said to be the 4^th best hiking trip around Hong Kong. It involves 1000 steps and various forms of increasing gradients but the view is stunning. Luckily (or unfortunately for the photos) we went on a cloudy, cool day so the trip was very manageable.

One weekend was also used to go to Macau, which went above and beyond my expectations. Seeing as it is a former Portuguese colony, the architecture there becomes a mix of Chinese and Southern Europe – very curious indeed. Before I blabber on about how much I loved the architecture, Macau is obviously not known for this, but rather its gambling and Casino offerings. Gambling has been legal since 1850, and is today their biggest source of revenue – in fact Macau has officially overtaken the Las Vegas gambling income. Seeing mostly Chinese men and women playing everywhere at the gaming tables on a late Sunday night, puts this into perspective: Customers are plentiful on all days of the week. However, because I only got to visit the “smaller” casinos when I was there, I will have to go back later to pay “The Venetian” a visit – the largest casino in the world, and a sister casino to the one in Vegas.

Whilst I have so many stories to tell, I think I will conclude this post. I am so excited for my stay here in beautiful Hong Kong, so stay tuned for more campus and city rants.

View from my accommodation on campus

Campus gardens

Obligatory Macau tarts