If I'm not mistaken, my first time out of the country was for a trip to Hong Kong. That was with my dad, my brother and my dad's friend, Tito Art. I think I was fourteen or fifteen and I have two distinct memories from that trip. The first was that I was amazed that there were malls right under our hotel, and that they were connected to adjacent hotel/malls such that you could walk miles through shops and not have to step out into the street.

The second was that we ate at this amazing restaurant called the Golden Deer. I actually don't remember what we ate. I just remember that it was on the second floor of a rundown building and that we had to enter through the kitchen. The small dining room was full of expats drinking San Miguel Pale Pilsen, and busboys were pouring used glasses of water on our table to clean it.

Since then I've been to Hong Kong for a number of times, usually on quick weekend trips. I go with friends who know the place pretty well so shopping is executed with surgical precision. I like Hong Kong mostly for the food. I can live on Chinese food, especially Cantonese food with it's roast goose, fresh seafood, and dumplings. I was there again last weekend, this time with my brother who hasn't been back since that first trip fifteen years ago.

And for the first time since I've been visiting, I considered Hong Kong as one of my favorite cities. Favorite enough to half seriously consider living there for awhile. It's fast-paced and modern yet it has a patina of something old like most Asian places. The city is small in size yet there are tons of things to do and places to see, and with an awesome public transport system, it's easy to get around. Also they have ferries! I also like Hong Kong because, unlike Singapore, Hong Kong isn't ultra clean and sterilized. You can smell the harbor, the streets have "texture," and things can go wrong.

Like when I brought my brother to this row of eateries along a back street. I go there with my friends and we usually pick the last eatery because there's a Filipina waitress there who we can order fresh shrimps in garlic, taosi clams, and Tsingtao beer from. Well, she wasn't there this time. So I had to make do by pointing at the photos on the menu. Still instead of getting two cups or steamed rice, I managed to order two platefuls of stir fried noodles (which were good anyway).

Anyway, the thought to live in Hong Kong occurred one night while we were hanging at the beach at Discover Bay. It was a cool night, my feet were in the sand, and we were drinking beer. Well, everyone else was drinking beer. I was having a sundae. Anyway, I felt at peace and content. And I realized that if I could feel that way in a place as crazy as Hong Kong, then this place was special. I'll be back.