I just got home from work and have now sat down to enjoy some food and Netflix and I look at the clock – 10:35pm. What? My first thought? I think I am becoming a local.
Coming from the U.S.A. my family and most people I knew would eat dinner between 5:30-7:30. My dorm at university served it from 5-7. My sorority had dinner from 5:30-6:15. Heck, most restaurants close by 9 or 10pm back home! That isn’t to say later meals didn’t take place, but they were not the norm. Here in Hong Kong it is a much different story.
Hong Kong is a fast-paced, busy city. The people here love to work hard and play hard (boy do they play hard!). Most people work extremely long hours – 10, 11, 12 maybe more a day (hence the work hard). Even the kids work hard – after school they go to swimming lessons, math lessons, extra English lessons, nuclear physics and string theory lessons – you name it! Did I mention, that was all in one day? Because Hong Kongers are living such busy lives, it leaves little time for normal meal times, hence why when I come home at 10:30, I see loads of locals carrying take-out bags and restaurants packed to the brim with customers and people waiting outside for take-way. It is quite mind blowing to me actually. And this doesn’t stop at 10:30. I have seen entire families up until 12:30 eating noodles and dumplings at little stalls on the street. I am quietly crying inside that I am out and awake at 12:30 when I need to work the next day and these children are just eating their meals?! Insane.
Hong Kong, like most of Asia, is know for its bustling night markets, as featured above. The most famous one being the Temple Street Night Market. It is a great place to get kockoffs quality items, and what’s even better is the food! There are loads of places on the street to just plop down, get yelled at to order quickly, and eat some delicious food and enjoy a few cold ones. While the market tends to come down (they literally take down the stalls and put them back up the next day, every day) at 11:30, the food party keeps happening, until people want to leave basically. This is MUCH different compared to when I lived in Lyon when you couldn’t find anything open after 3am 10pm.
You can find little stalls and eateries around Hong Kong at almost any time – so if you are a late night foodie, HK is your place!
Are you a fan of eating late? Let me know in the comments below!
Definitely. Wished the Western countries had more of this vibe!
To be honest, I am getting quite used to it and don’t mind! However, there is that “myth” that if you eat too late, you will gain weight…I hope that isn’t true. I can’t afford that 😛
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