Wong Tai Sin temple decorated with flowers and ornaments for Lunar New Year celebrations

My penultimate full day in 🇭🇰 HK. Today I visited the Taoist temple of Wong Tai Sin, where many Hongkongers were lighting incense and various other combustible offerings that could be purchased from stalls around the temple, in advance of the lunar new year. If I believed in such things, I could have also availed myself of a reading from many of the fortune tellers also located in the arcades of the temple!

People making devotions with incense at Wong Tai Sin temple

Wong Tai Sin temple architecture with colorful traditional Chinese design elements

Worshippers performing religious rituals at Wong Tai Sin temple

I then travelled on the MTR (Hong Kong metro) to the bustling neighbourhood of Mong Kok, home of many watch dealers, where I may have treated myself to a little something following some reasonably extensive internet research as to the more trustworthy vendors. I was offered a seat as I tried on various watches and received several advices including “buying a watch is a tiring business” and “you can’t be a real Hongkonger without a proper watch”.

Two people having casual conversation on Hong Kong street

I also visited one of Mong Kok’s cha chaan teng cafés to experience fusion food in the opposite direction. Years of British influence here have led to these fine establishments offering a wide variety of caff-style food but with a definite Cantonese bent - my “combo sandwich” of spam and scrambled egg being a fine example of this, providing vital fuel for an afternoon’s Kowloon wandering. I might start a campaign to get these introduced in my favourite British greasy spoons.

Spam and scrambled egg sandwich from Hong Kong cha chaan teng cafe

I’m now out for evening bunkers (that phrase again) and making plans for my final full day!

Yellow and red Hong Kong taxi on street

Look Left warning sign at Canal Road intersection

Welcome sign at Hong Kong location

Jubilant Medicine Shop storefront selling traditional Chinese medicine products

Elevated Canal Road flyover highway structure against urban skyline

Wan Chai neighborhood at dusk with evening lighting and street activity

Hennessy Road evening view with building lights and street atmosphere

I dined at Hay Hay Kitchen, 11 Luard Road in Wan Chai where I enjoyed a cold beer with my barbecue pork and fried egg.

Hay Hay Roasted Meat shop with roasted meats displayed in window