Nam Sang Wai: Wetlands Calling

I visited Nam Sang Wai around one year ago and it's still etched in my memory as one of the most romantic spots in Hong Kong. Disclosure: I went with a bunch of elementary school students and volunteers, but any place that can make you feel sentimental and carefree even while surrounded by screaming children is a romantic gem by my standards...

Nam Sang Wai is a wetland area in the New Territories, and the only way to get to the trail is to cross the river through a cheap, slow and ghetto looking boat. It's not a bad way to start a rustic adventure though:

Waiting for the boat (only one!)

On a side note, whenever I think about river crossing for some reason I always think about the Greek myth of some old man ferrying people across the river to the underworld, so maybe that's why this felt quite magical to me, and I really bought the whole "getting transported into a different time and place" narrative (or most likely I'm just a city girl who's too easily impressed). 

One of the landmarks is this beautiful path of eucalyptus trees. This is the stuff of romantic dramas and nostalgic childhood montages. I ran along part of the trail with these kids (think the boys were trying to run away from the girls), but if anyone wants to recreate a cheesy Korean drama scene next time I'm all up for it:

Another breathtaking view--think this spot is very popular for wedding pictures and filming for local Cantonese dramas. But we had a few minutes to ourselves that day:

At the end of the trail is a large field where people picnic, play guitar, fly kites, draw and just hang out. It's great to be reminded of the fact that grass does exist in Hong Kong...even if you really have to look for it and there are probably lots of ants. 

The Hidden Ramen Factory

A Visit to Kakurega Ramen Factory

Of course Kowloon would have a shopping mall named Dragon Centre. And of course any place called Dragon Centre would have a tiny ramen stall hidden in the corner of the 7th floor, sandwiched between stores selling Pokemon plushies and cheap hair accessories. To make it even more surreal, this man exists:

The first thing you see while waiting in line at Kakurega Ramen Factory is this lonely man operating the noodle-making machine in a tiny space next door. He never turned his head back once so I couldn't tell if he loved or hated his job (more likely hate), but thanks to him I now know that this place makes its own noodles everyday. I can totally see this mysterious guy in some Cantonese thriller about a silent and meticulous ramen maker who is actually a hitman/undercover cop or something. 

Main entrance of Kakurega Ramen Factory

 I actually came here by myself after watching Fruitvale Station. It was a great movie but so devastating that it intensified my carb craving as it made me feel so empty inside. Nothing like noodles for a quick emotional fix. Anyway it's probably better to visit by yourself or a very small group since the place is tiny:

It's also blocked off by flimsy-looking wooden panels...which adds to the intrigue I guess

There are only three options at Kakurega--white (regular tonkotsu broth), black (garlic) and red (spicy). The style is tsukemen, in which the noodles are served separately and you dip them into the rich broth. I loved the noodles as they were al dente and thick enough to absorb all the soup flavor. The half-boiled egg was also delicious and just right. When you finish your noodles, the waiter will add plain broth into your bowl to dilute the soup, and you are encouraged to drink not with a spoon but directly from the bowl to get the full burst of flavor (they actually have illustrated instructions for this, which I followed 100%).

Tsukemen in White

There's something soothing about the near ritualistic act of repeatedly dipping your noodles, slurping them up and appreciating how much the broth and noodles complement each other. Never really thought much about it when I was eating with other people, but I can see why they say the Japanese can turn anything into an art. Or maybe I just think too much when I eat alone...either way, I would totally come back again, not just for the good food but to escape, if only for a half hour, into my own ramen Narnia, surrounded only by a few other hungry people and the smell of steamy tonkotsu broth.

Kakurega Ramen Factory
Room 7083, 7F, Dragon Centre
37 Yen Chow Street
Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
+852 3487 0989

Chapter 1: The Expat Rut

While I'm not an expert in long-term relationships, I like to think that my years of watching chick flicks have taught me how to spot a couple going through a rut (this is sadly not an endorsable skill on LinkedIn). And so it struck me sometime within my first year in Hong Kong, after another Friday night of drinks in Lan Kwai Fong and Saturday late lunch in Soho, that the honeymoon period between Hong Kong and I had transitioned into a boring routine.

How predictable did our relationship become? For the visual learners, I present you Exhibit 1--a mental map of Hong Kong for a stereotypical expat like myself. Yes, very typical-Asian-working-in-finance life:

I'm afraid of taking the dating analogy too far that it becomes creepy, but I guess this blog is partly for looking at Hong Kong like it's the first time again--rediscovering the spark, the mystery, the many dimensions. I'll be posting some places/activities that are off the beaten path so feel free to check in once in a while if you are curious. If I don't update then you can either assume that I'm a lazy bum or I've really given up on this city.

Well, here goes nothing....