再見 香港 - Goodbye Hong Kong!

After two relaxing days in this amazing city, we are now heading back from Hong Kong to Incheon...

A display in one of the MTR passages, and that has important financial lessons...

The BMW ahead of us has a license plate "THE CEO"...

And there it goes...

We chase the CEO through the streets of Central...

These vanity license plates are quite a rage in Hong Kong and are often auctioned off to the highest bidder after a wait period, which could be incredibly long!

Checking out the 1881 Heritage in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon...

The 1881 Heritage was the headquarters of the Hong Kong Marine Police from 1884 to 1996. The site has since been restored and besides several buildings and artefacts of historical interest that have been preserved and restored, and the site also features a shopping mall, a heritage hotel and an exhibition hall...

The 1881 Heritage is a combination of Victorian colonial and neo-classical architectural designs...

At the airport and ready to depart, I must say, it's always a treat to visit Hong Kong!

The Culinary Pilgrimage...

We're in Hong Kong, we love being here for many, many reasons. The vibe and energy of Hong Kong is instantly energizing. The frenetic pace of the city reminds me that no matter what, life has a purpose...

And today we had a purpose, a larger than life, an irresistible urge, at least for the moment to visit Din Tai Fung again. And we made a dash for the MTR to head to Causeway Bay...

Water spinach with garlic...

Waiting for our xiaolongbaos...

Don't get me wrong - I was so hungry that when xiaolongbaos finally came I gulped them down without even taking a pic...

And Din Tai Fung is quite my idea of an ideal Michelin-starred restaurant - simple yet flavourful, focused and unpretentious...

The story of Din Tai Fung...

And thankfully, there was no kimchi today!

And the prophecy for a delectable 2017 seems to be coming true, the juggernaut rolls on with this culinary pilgrimage...

Hong Kong, Here We Come!

Today we are heading out to Hong Kong to meet and bless our new born nephew...

And as we left Songdo, the sun was setting on Incheon, making for a wonderful view...

This will be a short trip to Hong Kong - we will be leaving Hong Kong on Sunday night to get back to Incheon on Monday morning. And we will be travelling on Korean Air Boeing 747-8i - the newest version of the Jumbo Jet! This is my third flight on the Boeing 747-8i and is Neeti's first and are eagerly waiting for that!

Hong Kong, here we come!

ありがとうございます, 東京 - Arigatou Gozaimasu, Tokyo!

From Andhra Dining, we headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags. And imagine the convenience - we ordered an Uber taxi. We had been using Uber in Mumbai, and always found it super useful, but little did we imagine that the app would be of use to us in this alien land, where the language barrier makes communicating with taxi drivers really hard...

After a 30 minute Uber ride, we reached Haneda airport and had to wait a while for the Peach check-in counters to open...

As we waited, we reflected on our trip to Tokyo. We were pleased we finally made it to Tokyo and enjoyed Japanese hospitality to the fullest. We got to experience the peace and calm that Fuji-san and its surroundings had to offer. And not to mention, the incredible and diverse culinary experiences we had in Tokyo, including the spicy tastes of home...

As we get ready to board our Peach Airbus A320 flight into Incheon, all we can say ありがとうございます, 東京 - Arigatou Gozaimasu, Tokyo, or Thank You, Tokyo!

Andhra Dining - A Surprise In Ginza!

Roaming around Ginza, we were left with a massive appetite and what we discovered next was quite a surprise, something that we did not expect to find!

While we have developed a deep love for Japanese food - curries, ramen, sushi and tempura, but nothing can compare the way we get drawn to Indian cuisine, especially since we moved out of India. And finding a place that serves South Indian food was quite really the icing on the cake - we could not really believe our luck!!!

And Andhra Dining was rated as the best restaurant in 2014...

Scanning the options...

What a pleasure to see Japanese office-goers going crazy over spicy South Indian food - truly our cuisine is a potent weapon of Indian soft power...

I could not resist ordering vada sambhar...

...and masala dosa!

...followed by cold payasam...

...and filter coffee!

Our last meal in Tokyo was indeed satisfying, a pleasurable end to this trip to Tokyo! And now we will head out to Haneda...

Glitzy Ginza...

Back in Ginza, it was time to soak in the vibe of the glitzy and vibrant district...

Ginza looks amazing at dusk...

A store called Madras!!!

A stationary store...

Passing by one of the most recognisable landmarks of Ginza - the Wako clocktower. From 1894 to 1921, the Hattori Clock Tower stood on the site that Wako occupies today. In 1921, the Hattori Clock Tower was demolished to rebuild a new one. The reconstruction was delayed due to the earthquake of September 1, 1923. The new tower was completed in 1932 as the K. Hattori Building. In homage to its predecessor, the new store was also fitted with a clock...

As dusk descends on Ginza, the lights start to come up...

Ginza is well known for shopping, drawing hordes of Chinese tourists, especially to the duty free stores...

At Wako again...

And Ginza is known for designer stores as well!

Everywhere you look around in Ginza, you find a designer store...

Yoga studio...

And with all the walking, we are famished. We have to find a good place for a hearty meal before we leave for Haneda...