It’s Friday, and because Norway does not observe the Lunar New Year holidays, Norwegian homework still needs to be submitted, as the deadline is every Sunday. Téa zooms through hers and Maylin submits both of her tasks, so we are able to head across to Hong Kong Island for lunch today. I have a destination in mind, and it takes us no less than three subways to get there from here.
First we walk down the hill to the subway, we have discovered that it actually saves us both time and almost HK$20, so we have begun walking down to Wong Tai Sin. After three different subway lines, we arrive at a stop called HKU, and find the correct exit. It is STEEP over here, and we emerge from the subway in the middle of a confusing intersection. I take charge, and cross my fingers that I’m right. I’d really strongly dislike having to walk back down and up a different route, this is a workout and a half! But lo and behold, to the right at the end of this dead end alley, we see Big Bite.
The first thing we see before even entering the venue, is the Canadian flag. Téa looks at me and her eyes go WIDE. We head inside, and find a table for four. It’s a small place, with plaid couches along one wall, and Canadiana represented in all decor. Do you like the wall of “taxidermy” above? Joe asks and finds out that the owner is a HK local who spent time at Queens University (all Queens alumni get a discount!), who wanted to bring some Canadian atmosphere (and food options) home to Hong Kong.
The girls order a cheeseburger to share, with an upgraded side of poutine. Joe and I do the same, but with regular fries. Both burger combos come with a starter, so Joe gets the onion soup, and I get the salad. By the time the food comes out, we are starving, and completely forget to take pictures! Some days, I’m just not the blogger I should be, and for that, I am sorry.
After a delicious burger and fries and poutine and salad and soup, we head back out into the very hazy Friday afternoon. First we head back down the very steep slope where we found Big Bite, and then we head across towards the harbour promenade, and the many playgrounds that can be found there.
The girls set off, exploring every apparatus and structure to play on. It’s hot in the sun, and they’re soon running out of water. Luckily, there are water fountains available, so we can refill as needed. The girls are high and low for a good hour, walking and playing along the waterfront promenade.
There’s a Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Garden in Vancouver as well, and I’m just reading that he is the founder and first president of the Republic of China. I keep seeing his name pop up in all sorts of places, so it was about time I read some more about him! To be perfectly honest, I may have once upon a time known this, but I’m choosing to blame baby brain for forgetting most of the things I used to know…
When we decide we’ve had enough of playgrounds, and that the kids have had enough of running around in the sunshine, we hop on a bus along the shore of Hong Kong Island. On our way, we see the largest Apple store I’ve ever seen, and I remember being blown away by it back in 2013 when Joe’s cousin told us that the mainland Chinese come over in droves to buy international brands in Hong Kong that may not be as easily available on the mainland. Like Apple, for example. But again, that was 13 years ago, much may have changed since then!
On the bus, Maylin says “I don’t feel good” and starts wanting to lean and cuddle. She’s hot and she’s tired, but we think it’s the aftermath of an hour running around on the playground in the sun. We get off the bus on the other side of town, just on the hunt for an afternoon snack, and sit down in a tea restaurant for a treat. Maylin is now pretending to want to nap on top of me, and says she doesn’t want anything. Joe orders a tea set with yin yang for himself and two egg tarts for him and Téa to share, while I order a kaya toast set with my milk tea. At the last possible moment, Joe decides the pineapple buns look good as well, and he orders one, without the traditional slab of butter in the middle.
Kaya toast is funny to us, because the girls have not one, but TWO cousins by the name Kaia (female, in Norway) and Kaiya (male, in Canada), and so I order this so that the girls can taste the kaya, or coconut jam if you wish. On the menu, it looked like the toast would come with butter, but a dish full of kaya on the side, and when it arrives, I see it has a thin layer of kaya on either side, and what feels like an extra large serving of butter in the middle. I take one bite to evaluate, and leave 3/4 of the butter on the plate…
We end up taking the bus home. It’s essentially door to door from this corner of Hong Kong Island, and at this point, I just want to get Maylin comfortable for the ride, and then home. Rushing through subway systems and potentially standing in a crowd full of people the entire way home does not sound ideal right now.
We get home, and Joe makes some simple food for dinner. We eat, and Maylin goes to bed early. She has decided that she needs to sleep in Mom and Dad’s bed tonight, so Joe is relegated to her bottom bunk instead. Joe, Téa and I enjoy some of the New Year’s cookies again, and we all head to bed not long after Maylin. Here’s hoping tomorrow is a better day!
Side note: Maylin is the only one in the family that keeps touching EVERYTHING she sees along her day, and we often catch her with her fingers in her mouth. Who knows what she picked up along the way today, especially with the time spent at the different play structures we went to. Here’s hoping whatever it is passes quickly, and is not all that serious!
Not cookie.
Stab me straight into the heart, Sandra? I thought for sure you’d be on my side!