It’s been a while since I’ve been in Hong Kong, the last time I traveled here was 13 years ago and it was my first time in China. My mother lived in Shenhzen teaching English in a primary school, knew the spots and showed us around over a week. I’ve got fond memories of visiting Lantau Island, eating dumplings for the first time and learning the MTR.
This time, (and now a mother myself) we took a two day stopover on our way to Vietnam. Being short and sweet I had to make the goals and own it.
Wanting my family to experience Chinese culture in a pretty modern Chinese city I booked a hotel in Kowloon. Kowloon is part of Hong Kong but a bit grittier than the central island. It was also pretty close to the flower and plant market, the main one where everyone goes. (of course!)
The market is on Flower market road, in Mong Kok. Pretty easy to get there from anywhere in HK via the MTR. You can buy an octopus card or pay as you go, so inexpensive and easy. Promising my boys a swim in said rooftop pool once I’d had my fix, we navigated our way there, and after a short walk from the train station started to see shops FULL OF PLANTS. It was insane, it was like every plant you could ever want, I got kinda overwhelmed and forgot to take enough photos. Everything grows super well there given it’s warm and humid all of the time. Hundreds of orchids, bamboo cuttings, cacti, philodendron, succulents and there seems to be a thing here for variegated leaves.
I couldn’t help myself so purchased a little ceramic pot, as well as tons of flowers to make a bouquet which I’ll be sharing on Together Journal soon.
Another place we visited was Kowloon park. It’s got nothing on the Winter gardens in Auckland but was a leafy oasis in 34 degree heat. Lots of varieties of vines, variegated stromanthe, banana palms and if you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen my story about a wild garden of salvia featuring the biggest gnarliest looking bumblebees I’ve ever seen. If you go to Hong Kong make sure you head here for cheap Michelin star Yum Cha and here for chilli crab (and order lots of tsing tao beer to go with).
I’ll be sharing blooms of the week for Together Journal HK version soon so until then… x
