Confessions of a Corporate Shopaholic

CNNGo.com put up an article of “Life after dark:  10 things best done around midnight in Hong Kong“.   How appropriate.  One of the biggest reasons I still consider Hong Kong my most favorite place of abode is its ultimate accessibility.  Where else in the world could you find convenience stores, eateries, massage centers and karaoke boxes around the clock?  And you don’t even need to get on taxis if you don’t want to.  There are affordable enough buses and mini-vans to almost every corner of the territory, 24 hours a day.  I admit it, I am just spoiled, and I hope my fellow Hong Kongers could realize that they are amongst the luckiest ones on earth in terms of convenience and indulgence.  Of course, the price to pay is light, noise and crowdiness pollution.  There is just no way to escape it.

Alright, let’s see what 10 things CNNGo has in mind for us to do here past midnight.

1. Go squid fishing.  Well, I think the only time I ever did that was over 15 years ago, and I think you don’t need to wait till midnight to do that.  You can rent your own junk or join one of those packaged tours with fellow passengers you don’t know.  I only remember that I was so excited to catch my first squid that I yanked it a bit too hard and found myself and my friends splashed by black ink all over our clothes.  Actually, I also remember that the squid didn’t taste that good afterwards.  I blame it on the primitive cooking techniques on the boat.  My point is, unless you are under 20 years old, don’t do it.
2. Visit the “gwo laan”.  Gwo laan is the Chinese name for the wholesale fruit market in Yau Ma Tei.  I did that about 2 years ago around midnight and it was exciting to see fresh fruits arriving in boxes fresh from their source, and many of them come from Japan and the United States.  The fruits are fresh, and the prices are much cheaper than retail without the mark-ups.  The only draw back is that you have to buy in boxes, so be prepared to share it with your friends and family afterwards before they go bad.  Last but not least, have someone drive you.  It wasn’t much fun for me to carry a heavy box of Japanese peaches on the overnight bus that day.
3. Take a red minibus to MongKok.  Or, I should say, take one from MongKok to anywhere in Hong Kong.  MongKok is like the center of nightlife in Hong Kong, and it is ready to transport people to everywhere else after you take everything out of it.  You will see every layer of Hong Kong population you can imagine on the minibuses and around the waiting lines.  Teenagers, working class, suits, drunks, you name it.  Plus you will get the most exhilarating ride you can ever imagine.  7 minutes will get from MongKok to the New territories.  It’s much more exciting than any roller coaster ride since the latter is definitely more safety proven than the former.  Take it at your own risk, please.
4. Get lost on Cheung Chau.  Hmmm, this is something I never did at the wee hours at night since the last ferry back to the island departs around 11:00pm (or not? I don’t really know).  Cheung Chau to me is a bit too commercial within the many outlying islands of Hong Kong.  Though if you get to stay overnight there, the severely haunted holiday houses near the beach will surely make any scary movies ridiculously amateurish.
5. Watch a rooftop movie.  Oh sorry, I don’t even know this existed to be honest.  In Hong Kong’s humidity, I think only tourists will find this enjoyable.
6. Hang out at the beach.  Actually this is really a romantic thing, especially if you have a car, since it won’t be much fun to be stranded without return transportation.  But come on, it’s still only less than 30 minutes away from city center.  Where else can you find beaches that accessible on earth?  It’s a good place to chat, enjoy the silence and hear the soothing waves.  It can be a bit scary to stare at the dark waters, but isn’t it incredibly sweet to hold on to your companion’s hands to begin with? 
7. Eat at an all-night dai pai dong.  This is also an amazing experience, but I will advise you to let your partner know of this ahead of time rather than swinging it out of nowhere.  As long as expectations are managed, the experience is down to earth, casual and oh-so-much-fun.  If your partner has his or her clubbing attire on, the scene can be a little ridiculous.  However if this is the contrast you are looking for, who cares?
8. Get middle-of-the-night dim sum.  Well a lot of our midnight activities center around food, and I can’t find anything more applaudable  than the recent around the clock dim sum phenomenon.  There is nothing more satisfying than having freshly steamed dumplings, cheung-fan and beef balls when you have too much to drink.  I prefer that to the oily pizza slices, kebabs and hot dogs, any day.
9. Walk with the ghosts.  Again I didn’t know there is such a tour of Wanchai’s ghostly neighborhood, until now.  A tour guide will “explain the abundance of ghosts stems from Wanchai’s long history and high rate of casualties.”  Hmm, I also believe this is really designed for tourists.  In densely populated Hong Kong, everywhere is a ghostly neighborhood.  Come on.
10. Go for a bike ride.  Alright, at least there is some suggestion that is not food oriented.   I have a feeling however that this is also popular for someone aged under 25.  This is a subtle hint that I am nowhere qualified.

So, how many of the above have you done around midnight in this city?