Around The World: Heading For Home

Posted at 6:36 pm by Patrick under Around the World

This is my first of two flights today, as I begin the long trek home.

The view here is from the Air France lounge, which my Crown Room Club membership gets me in to. As far as lounges go, I’ve certainly been in better. But having unlimited access to strong coffee and little French breakfast tarts is always a good thing!

Peace out, Hong Kong, and mad props go out to the crew of Northwest flight 002, for taking me to Tokyo this morning.

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Around The World: PBR Me in HKG!

Posted at 3:59 am by Patrick under Around the World

I’m not sure this needs much explanation, but slacker hipsters who happen to make it to Hong Kong will be able to push their über-street cred to the limit. The price is about $2 US for a 1 liter bottle, almost the same as back home.

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Around the World: Longest Escalator Ever

Posted at 3:06 am by Patrick under Around the World

Hong Kong Island has distinct geographies, defined not only by neighborhood names, but also by relative height above the coast.

Here, I am riding the Mid-Level escalators, a system of multiple moving sidewalks and escalators that move tourists and locals alike from about 1,000 feet above sea level to the main drag (Queen’s Road Central). Taken as a single unit, this is the world’s longest escalator! Cool thing is it rolls downhill in the morning commute, then heads uphil for the rest of the day. You can choose to walk back dow, or take a HK $5 ($.70) bus back to the bottom.

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Around The World: East End Brewery

Posted at 12:06 am by Patrick under Around the World

Another country, another brewery.

This one is East End Brewery, a muli-location (well, two actually) venture here in Hong Kong. they have two beers of their own hand on tap: Aldrich Pale Ale, and Too Soo Brew, a light lager. The Aldrich is pictured here. It would be a somewhat bland, unoffensive pale, if it wasn’t for the cidery aroma and aftertaste. The Too Soo has an amber color, ala Sam Adams, but only about a fourth of the hops. It’s cleanly made (no obvious flavor flaws), but it lacks personality.

I think it’s odd that both house beers are so unmemorable, as the rest of the beer list is quite commendable. Clearly designed for the expat crowd, it’s heavy on English, Belgian and even American offerings. The servers are wearing Brooklyn Brewery aprons (??!!?!?), and the walls sport London Pride, Chimay and Anderson Valley neon and signage. If I were stuck for a place in Hong Kong to grab a beer (other than their house brews), I’d definitely consider this one again.

But the best part is the 80s hairband/metal soundtrack in the background. I mean really…can you ever get *too much* Winger?

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