A Belly Full of Chicken Feet

I found myself staring at the pink little shrimp in front of me. Only to be confronted by its little head and scales staring back at me. I had been briefed, rather CIA like, on how the proper way to consume him was after all to bite his head off and gently drop it back on the plate. Coordinating this, whilst meeting a contingent of 5-12 relatives at my equivalent of three in the morning, well that's where I found myself.

The flight to Hong Kong wasn't as long as it would sound. 15 hours seemsinterminable, but after catching up on 5 feature films and a few naps I was ready to go. Hong Kong is beautiful. I've rarely seen a prettier city. It's painstakingly clean, even in the more improverished sections, patrons still seem to keep track of sweeping and dusting. Even the elevator to pohh's apartment has a sign indicating cleaning every 4 hours. Quite spic and span really.

C's grandmother pohh is into her 80s and about 4 and a half feet tall. We spent the first evening having her point out characters on a wall and I would spout out the name of the character or a confused look in lieu of success. I would infer that grandma is diminutive but really this entire country was built on the concept that no human being could really be over 6 feet tall. Car doors, but ceilings, chairs, everything makes me feel slightly Gulliver like. My shoes are monsters lurking in the pack of tiny slippers by the door.

The day was spent in deference to C's family. Two sides both well represented with a regiment each of aunties and uncles, children of each. We started the day with dim sum: pork rolls, soup, cold chicken, dumplings, tea of course. Naturally I'm testing on my Cantonese, and I mostly fail - with the occasional success and a cheer. Really it's my willing consumption of the chicken feet that sets me apart as the loveable gwai-lo (white guy) that I am.

Think of a chicken foot like a buffalo wing. Now add twice as much skin, three times as many bones, and almost no meat - and there ya go. Pretty tasty once you get over yourself.

Hong Kong's beautiful harbor is flanked on both sides with onlooking skyscrapers. Land is of such high value here that nearly everyone seems to live above 10 stories up. Signs and lights flank all corners and above the collections of exciting and unique buildings loom the green mountains peaking each island of the archipelago of Hong Kong. It really is a sight to see. Dense urbanization chasing itself toward verdant hills looming over the mile wide Victoria Harbor.

Today we're off to explore Kowloon (Nine Dragons - named after the hills, all nine of them, where the dragons live). Love ya.