Seasons Greetings!

Another year has gone by quickly, and I found myself in a family Christmas dinner last night. There were about twenty people plus at the dinner party.
They are mostly family members of in-laws. Their ages ranges from mid sixties to an eight months old baby girl.

I like to draw a parallel about family dinners between Hong Kong people and Vancouverites.

I had dinner out with my families on the 18th of December in Tsuen Wan, Kowloon. Jonson – my brother in law booked a table for seven. That’s it, Hong Kong, because of its severe lack of space; the kitchen area in any average sized apartment is just not big enough to accommodate more than four or five people to dine together, let alone cooking up a storm. Averaged size – by that I mean 400 to 500 sq.ft.

So, it is always eating out, if you live alone, don’t feel like cooking, you eat out, if you want to get together with some friends whom you have not seen for awhile, you eat out.

To tell you the truth, towards the end of this trip, I dreaded eating out, with the exception of one evening, my two sisters and I ate at a curry place in Causeway Bay area. It was called Aladdin Restaurant, a third floor walk up. About fifteen tables, the service was fast, food was delicious, delightfully, and it did not charge the customary ten percent on the final bill. Oh, yes, the bathroom was actually clean!

Coming back to the night of 18th, the food was Cantonese Chinese style, with beverage and beer; the eight dishes meal came to just slightly over one thousand something Hong Kong dollars. (About one hundred Canadian)

Straightly speaking, one thousand is not much these days in a city like Hong Kong. Then again, you can have a hearty lunch in a s neighborhood place for about 60 dollars, and you will be full.

Eating out is definitely cheaper in HK than in Vancouver, besides, pot luck does not always work; it just is not a local custom. By the time you cooked your dish, put it in a container for transport. Your tiny four by eight (ft) kitchen would be all cluttered with utensils that needed cleaning. Hence why bother, let us eat out!

Bona petite! And Merry Christmas!

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2 Responses to Seasons Greetings!

  1. Mr. McDonald says:

    Your web site looks very interesting. Have only read a little ’cause had more important things to do – had to take the dog out to pee! Very disappointed you didn’t mention the highlight of Xmas dinner was the time you spent with your daughter-in-law’s important and famous uncle. The planning document we were discussing is called My Voice Advance Care Plan and is probably available @ fraserhealth.ca

  2. Sid says:

    Hey, thanks, Mr. Mac. and appreciate your info. Keep on reading.. i will keep writing down whatever flash backs and memory came back to me. Sid

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