A Rainy Hong Kong Night and a Warm Bowl of Congee

As soon as I arrived in Hong Kong, the heavens opened and it poured as if there were a hole in the sky. Even with an umbrella, I got completely soaked, looking exactly like a drowned rat. After wandering around in the cold rain for a long time, I finally found a dim sum restaurant inside a subway station and went in. As soon as I sat down, steaming bamboo steamers, cheong fun drizzled with sweet and savory sauce, and warm tea were served.

As I put a piece of freshly steamed yellow dim sum into my mouth, the plumpness of the bursting shrimp meat and the warmth spread through my entire body. I felt the chill from the rain melt away in an instant. I happily gobbled down the dim sum, finishing my first meal in rainy Hong Kong on a very satisfying note.

An Encounter with a Cockroach, and a Race Through the Night Streets

As the night wore on, the rain showed no signs of stopping. To make matters worse, it was past 8:00 PM, and almost no restaurants were open. After wandering through the rain, I finally found a tiny, run-down cha chaan teng that was still open and ordered dinner. I was served a bowl of spicy instant noodles topped with a sausage, along with a fried egg and toast.

While happily eating my noodles, I happened to look down at the floor and saw a giant albino cockroach crawling past, so big I could hardly believe my eyes. It was a moment where anyone would normally scream in horror, but I was so hungry and in such an strangely detached state of mind that I just calmly finished my food, thinking, "Well, I guess I've now seen it all."

When I stepped outside after finishing my meal, the rain was still pouring relentlessly. Looking up at the glowing apartment buildings, I noticed some high-rises with large, hollow spaces designed right through the middle. Remembering the feng shui belief that buildings in Hong Kong leave these openings so they don't block the path of dragons coming down from the mountains, I stood there for a moment, taking in the skyscrapers in the rain.

Returning to the hotel, I took a seat at the first-floor pub. Although I was shivering from being out in the rain all day, a sense of cozy comfort washed over me as I paired a cold glass of craft beer with freshly fried, piping-hot fish and chips. I squeezed lemon juice over the crispy fried fish, dipped it in tartar sauce, and dried my wet clothes.

I stopped by a nearby shop to buy some snacks and an umbrella to keep the rain off. Checking the receipt after paying, I was surprised to find it was much more expensive than expected. It turned out to be a colorful Disney umbrella that projected Disney characters onto the clear vinyl. I chuckled to myself, wondering if the price was due to copyright royalties. I used it throughout the trip and brought it back to Korea, where I still use it to this day.

The Death of My Slippers and the Warmth of Michelin Oyster Congee

The next morning, the sky stubbornly continued to pour buckets of rain. The sky-blue Hermès slippers that I had excitedly debuted for this trip were completely submerged in the heavy street runoff and puddles, receiving a death sentence after just a single day. I headed out into the streets, dragging my soggy feet.

Passing through the heart of Wan Chai, I watched a double-decker tram covered in colorful advertisements roll past. The double-decker tram, running calmly over the glistening, wet streets, perfectly completed the poetic, rainy-day atmosphere unique to Hong Kong.

Shivering from the cold, the place I sought out was Trusty Congee King (靠得住), a congee specialist that has been featured in the Michelin Bib Gourmand multiple times. The Michelin red stickers plastered all over the glass window and the numerous plaques decorating the walls proved it was a verified culinary hotspot.

I ordered a hot congee generously loaded with plump oysters. The moment I took a deep spoonful of it like hot soup, I devoured the bowl in a flash, much like the character Giyoung crying tears of joy while eating a banana in that old cartoon. The rich flavor of the oysters filled with the scent of the sea and the comforting warmth of the thick congee were mind-blowingly delicious.

Hot Milk Tea, Ice Milk Tea, and Small Discoveries in the Alleys

You can't skip milk tea on a trip to Hong Kong. To soothe my tired body, I went into a cafe and ordered a hot milk tea and a cold iced milk tea at the same time. The rich flavor, combining the bitterness of black tea with heavy condensed milk, coated my mouth.

Along with the milk tea, I ordered a golden-baked pineapple bun and another bread drizzled with sweet condensed milk to enjoy a leisurely dessert time. The cold butter melting into the bread—crispy on the outside and soft on the inside—created a perfect sweet and salty harmony.

Leaving the cafe, I was walking down an alley when I spotted a plant shop beautifully draped with purple wisteria decorations. Since I can never just pass by a flower shop without taking a photo, my instincts kicked in and I stopped to capture it in my frame.

I also strolled through a luxurious plaza with a fountain, nestled right in the middle of a forest of towering skyscrapers. Watching the water spray quietly in the heart of the city, I took a moment to catch my breath and enjoy Hong Kong's unique, sophisticated architectural beauty.

While stopping by a supermarket, I spotted jars of stewed stinky tofu on the shelves. Even though they were sealed in glass jars, their intense, distinctive odor seemed to penetrate right through the glass, making their presence uniquely undeniable.

A Sky That Cleared Only Upon Leaving, and a Baby Duck

It had rained throughout the entire trip, but looking out the window of the car heading to the airport, the rain stopped like magic and the weather became wonderfully pleasant. Seeing the sky clear up just as I was leaving, I chuckled to myself and thought, "Well, that's life."

It rained the entire trip, and then it finally cleared up just as I was heading home... That is life...

Arriving at the airport, I was browsing the duty-free shops when I spotted a cute Donald Duck plush toy. Leaving behind the memories of soaked clothes and ruined slippers, I headed home cradling this hand-sized baby duck. It was a Hong Kong trip with plenty of struggles in the rain, but it left behind an equally powerful warmth and delicious flavors.