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7 Rules of Hong Kong Dining to Know Before You Go

September 15, 2019 //  by Lily Wu//  5 Comments

The first night I moved to Hong Kong, I ordered delivery Korean fried chicken and ate it in my room. I cowered inside the bedroom of my serviced apartment, brought a steaming bag of food to the bedroom, lifted the lid of my spicy Korean fried chicken, and ate my first meal of Hong Kong out of cardboard boxes sitting in my bed.

That’s right. I went through the effort of creating an account on Deliveroo in a city with one of the highest density of restaurants in the world, because I was too nervous to venture outside of my room. I was literally terror-struck at the idea of eating and not knowing how to order, how much to tip, or how to be alone.

That was over two and a half years ago.

There’s no feeling quite like the feeling of freezing up when your meal is about to come to an end in a foreign country. You just know things are different here than back at home.

Do they tip here? How much?

Do I ask for the check or pay at the register?

Are they going to come by and drop the check or do I have to ask? How do I ask? Should I air-mime “writing” for the check – that’s universal, right? Or, is that just something I do and everyone is too nice to tell me to my face that that’s not actually A Thing?

Hong Kong has a diverse and richly varied food scene. If you want, you can eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant (of which there are over 80 in Hong Kong!), complete with open kitchens or white tablecloths and tweezered rose petals. There are plenty of French and Italian restaurants – complete with French and Italian service etiquette.

But those aren’t the restaurants that I’m writing about right now. I’m writing about your local cha caan teng: an extremely localized and fast-paced type of Hong Kong diner, serving affordable and eclectic meals to the population en masse.

 

Ma Sa Restaurant in Hong Kong
Ma Sa Restaurant 孖沙茶餐廳 . Sheung Wan, Hong Kong; February 2019.

I’ve lived in Hong Kong for over two years, but eating at one can still intimidate me. This is almost definitely because I have been coddled by plenty of elbow space, toothy smiles, and chirpy greetings in the USA.

Offsetting the intimidation, however, is your Google know-how. You should (most of the time), know more or less what exactly you’ll be eating as you sit down to one. Each cha caan teng usually specializes in a certain type of food – whether that’s a fluffy and buttery pineapple bun, a bowl of fall-apart-tender beef brisket noodles, or a plate of roast duck over rice with paper-thin skin.  A quick glance at Google Reviews should show you exactly what you need to know.  And if you have a lot of dietary restrictions, this isn’t the place the rattle them off (and not the place to risk getting sick!).

There are, however, certain aspects of Hong Kong dining that should make your experience at one go more smoothly. Here’s the roundup:

Table of Contents

  • Prepare for a (Fairly Reasonable) Wait
  • Be Ready to Share
  • Wave Them Down
  • Soak the Utensils Before You Eat
  • Bring Your Own Napkins
  • Leave When You’re Done
  • Pay At the End

Prepare for a (Fairly Reasonable) Wait

People Lining Up Outside Australian Dairy Company
A common sight outside Australian Dairy Company. Jordan, Hong Kong; April 2019.

The most popular cha caan tengs (Australian Dairy Company and Kau Kee spring to mind) almost always have a line forming 30 minutes before they open. Even though they can look intimidating at best and absolutely hellish at worst, the business models of cha caan tengs are built upon pure function and efficiency, so they move pretty quickly. Once the line’s moved enough so that you begin to approach the entrance, you’ll be asked how many people are in your party (it’s a good idea to have everyone present – they most likely won’t seat you if you’re not). Hold up your fingers and then wait until they call you in.

Be Ready to Share

Tables, that is. In Hong Kong, you sit where there are seats. Remember when I said I was spoiled by space in America? Say goodbye to personal space.

Try not to recoil as the staff points you in the direction of a table of 6 seats already filled with 2 couples and a single dude, who scoot over politely to make room for you. One of my favorite amusements is dining alone and being seated at the designated singles’ table, where a round tabletop consisting only of solo diners showcase a series of people hunched over – heads in their phones – thumbs tapping away, heaps of rice and meat and bowls of hot soup steam wafting to their noses.

Sister Wah in Hong Kong
Here is a photo of food at the top of the photo that did not belong to me because I was sharing tables at Sister Wah. Tin Hau, Hong Kong; April 2019.

The protocol? You certainly can make friends, but I haven’t seen it done. Sit down and ignore your tablemates.

Wave Them Down

The unavoidably obvious thing is the sheer activity in a cha caan teng – the lines snake around corners, people shout orders out loud across the room, cleavers slam through bone and gristle with loud THWACKs. The staff have no time for you and they won’t come over unless you make firm eye contact with a wave. Water? Wave and ask. Menu? Wave and ask. Bill? Wave and ask (that is, sometimes. I get to this at a later point on this list). No one will come over with an overly gratuitous smile and ask “And how are we doing over here? Still working on that?”

If it looks like you’re done, they might whisk away your plate before you’re even ready – in which case, good luck getting your food to stay on the table.

Soak the Utensils Before You Eat

At some local cha caan tengs, you’ll be provided with a plastic jug of tea and a big empty bowl.

Rinse all of your utensils – the chopsticks, the spoon, the plate, the bowl, using the tea. There’s no real method to doing this, but you can watch others doing it around you if you’re not sure about doing it “right” (there is no right).

It may be kind of a hygiene thing (I mean, I’d personally still eat out of that bowl without rinsing it, but then again, I am also the person whom an ex boyfriend told me long ago that I “needed to up my hygiene standards” Needless to say that person is no longer in my life), but personally, it seems more of a cultural “it’s just what you do” thing for Hong Kong dining in cha caan tengs.

Bring Your Own Napkins

The more divey the spot, the less likely it will be that they’ll provide napkins free of charge. In Hong Kong, little packs of Tempo napkins are sold everywhere – in convenience stores like 7-Eleven, in grocery stores, and in some cha caan tengs (at a small extra charge of 50 cents or so). You won’t find neatly folded napkins at any of these tables. Bring your own to wipe your hands after sinking your teeth into a saucey soy-sauce chicken wing.

Tempo Napkins
Tempo Napkins.

Leave When You’re Done

Eat and get out. Hong Kong is a city of long office hours, shops open until midnight, and instant gratification. You got your food in 5 minutes. Now leave as soon as you’re finished. Cha caan tengs are not places to have 2-hour conversations about Sean who now has a baby or Jessica who looks so different now.

Most have the social awareness to let the environment tell them what to do and leave even when they don’t know this implicit Hong Kong rule. Those that don’t – get glared out by the staff. I’ve personally never been told to leave by a staff member, but the line of hungry people outside should do more to get your butt of the stool and your feet moving towards the door.

Pay At the End

Right after you place your order, you might notice a staff member making several illegible scribbles and slam it on your table. This is your order. Usually it’s just a series of numbers (the prices).

At the end of your meal, take the slip of paper with your cash – cha caan tengs are almost always cash-only – and bring it to the cashier who sits near the front door. This is how you pay. Leave a tip of a few dollars if you want to, but it certainly isn’t common or expected.

If you’d like to know exactly what to eat when visiting Hong Kong for the first time, have I got just the post for you! Here’s my article on 25 local must-try foods in Hong Kong.

 

Hong Kong Dining Rules to Know Before You Go - This is all you'll ever need to learn to eat like a local in Hong Kong without all the culture faux pas. #hongkong #hongkongfood #hongkongtravel #travelhongkong #travelasia
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Category: Asia, Food, Hong Kong, Travel Guides and TipsTag: cha caan teng, dining tips, hong kong, hong kong food

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna

    August 29, 2020 at 4:48 am

    I chuckled throughout reading your post cuz there are so many funnies and I couldn’t agree with you more on the culture in dining in cha caan teng or HK diners in everything you talked about.
    It’s well known people don’t go there for ambience, good service, or lengthy stays.. and how people are willing to sacrifice cleanliness for good, cheap food hence the utensil rinsing which I grew up watching my mom and nanny practicing this at all dim sum and HK diners throughout my childhood..everything is quick and snappy and there’s a level of expectation that customers comply in the same way. Don’t be chit chatting away when seated. You better know what you want when the waiter comes to your table..and don’t be too picky and want things overly customized it’s frowned upon in a busy setting that demands quick transactions..
    My american hubby experienced the table sharing for the first time when we were at a busy dim sum place in Seattle. If one has not been around this culture, it’d seem rude to be like the HK-nese who has mastered the skill of ignoring their table mates.. I had to keep reminding myself to focus on the food and not the faces. That’s my way of doing my share on offering my table mates some privacy.
    Since I grew up in HK (til 9 y.o.), I noticed I adopted the HK way in Chinatown food establishments. I have to be more aggressive and voice out more in order to Get minimally decent service. It’s in no way being rude. If you don’t flag people down or shout out for help, you will be surely ignored. Tip or no tip, it doesn’t matter.
    Thank you for your fun article and the cool pic of the Temple tissue packet! It’s all about the tissue packet in HK! In the US it’s Kleenex brand and in HK it’s all about Temple. So classic!

    Reply
    • Lily Wu

      August 30, 2020 at 10:50 am

      Hi Anna! Thank you so so much for sharing your experiences – this is something that I didn’t really understand when I moved here – when people who aren’t familiar with the food culture complain that there isn’t any service – well, it’s just a different culture, isnt it? These more fast-food establishments are all about in-and-out, and with the rent in Hong Kong being so high as it is nowadays, there really isn’t time or capacity for friend-making! Just in, and out, and go.

      SO true on knowing exactly what you want. As soon as you sit down, usually someone is already at the table trying to impatiently take your order! No time for browsing the menu leisurely, haha!

      Reply
  2. Kimberley

    November 15, 2019 at 10:42 pm

    I enjoyed reading this. I had to it was about food and travel also thanks for the heads up. Never know when I might find myself in Hong Kong. Not knowing I’ll have to wave down a waiter being as shy as I am I’d probably just sit there waiting lol.

    Reply
  3. Ayishia

    October 12, 2019 at 8:26 am

    I literally died laughing at “there is no right”. Not sure if that was meant to be funny or not but I desperately needed that laugh as my anxiety went all the way up reading the first part. Ordering in another country scares the crap out of me! So does the idea of being sat a table with other people. I truly had no idea. Great post!

    Reply
    • Lily Wu

      October 12, 2019 at 9:15 am

      I feel like it’s these little things – the small customs – that give the most anxiety about traveling abroad, since we so often want to “blend in” (even if we know it’s impossible), haha. Thanks so much for reading Ayishia!

      Reply

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A girl in Boston Common
Boston Common. Boston, MA. November 2019.

Hi, I’m Lily!

I’m a Boston-raised, Hong Kong-based writer, traveler, and content creator.

My site is about sharing stories relating to millennial travel, travel blogging, Asian diasporic identity, and Hong Kong living.

📍Malibu, California, USA 🇺🇸 I kind of w 📍Malibu, California, USA 🇺🇸 I kind of wanted to not like LA. I wanted to not like it because I was jealous of the weather and could hear the crows of “west coast, best coast!!” from some of my friends I met in college. I had just escaped Boston’s second big snowstorm of the season and below freezing temperatures. Instead, I liked it. I was only here for a hot minute but loved the birria tacos 🌮 and the weather and even the grassy scent that hung in the air (wonder what that was? 😁). Even though I was reeling from an unexpected travel delay, being with a friend whom I hadn’t seen for 3 years for a few hours was amazing!! Thank you @prepeateaten for driving me around, loved every second. And I definitely want to come back (and eat wayyyy more tacos). Have you ever changed your mind about a place?? #usaroadtrip #malibucalifornia #ilovecalifornia #californiausa #westcoast_exposures #westcoastlife #pointdume #pointdumalibu #hkbloggers #travelgirldiary #travelgirlsdiary #westcoasttrail #westcoastliving #californiacoast #californialiving #californiadreamin #californiavacation #bostonbloggers #californiadreams #travelgirlscollective #travelgirlsvibe #cathaycreators #malibubeach #californiahiking #hikingphotography #hikingtheglobe #hikingadventure #hikingviews #hikingvibes
📍Los Angeles, CA, USA 🇺🇸 Lol this photo 📍Los Angeles, CA, USA 🇺🇸 Lol this photo was taken during one of the most arduous and expensive trips of my life - trying to make it back from the USA to HK is no joke. My flight was cancelled last minute and I had to reroute with three new flights....then at the last minute I was turned away at the gate because my COVID test had my middle initial instead of my full middle name! HK doesn’t mess around. Hundreds and hundreds spent on hotels and a new COVID test notwithstanding...I got to spend time with a dear friend of mine on the west coast and it was so, so, nice. The air smelled of weed and the air was salty and sandy and amazing and nice. And the tacos!!!! Ugh. Just a few hours of an almost-vacation....here I am sitting at Venice Beach eating the Fairfax sandwich from Eggslut. Ugh. So good. I’d love to come back and do a more proper trip next time - any recs for the LA/SoCal area?? #losangeles_city #losangeles_la #losangelescalifornia #bostonbloggers #losangelesbloggers #travelgirlshub #venicebeachcalifornia #venicebeachskatepark #journeysofgirls #damestravel #lifeofadventure #alwaysgo #wanderfolk #letsgosomewhere #exploreeverywhere #visualwanderlust #welivetoexplore #adventurethatislife #adventurevisuals #californiadreamin #californiablogger #californiavacation #westcoastblogger #hkbloggers #hongkongblogger #ilovecalifornia #californiacoast #californiaroadtrip #westcoast_exposures #westcoastlife
📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 I was laughing to a f 📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 I was laughing to a friend last week about how cold it is here in New England, but how much better I am actually dealing with the cold even though I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 4 years now! When I go out NOW, I’m wearing at least 4 layers of clothing and a thick coat on top, and always, always 2 layers of pants. If I run I’ll put on leggings and joggers on top of those, OR two pairs of leggings, one on top of the other. I don’t know if I thought I was too cool for dressing warmly or what - but I’d shiver through countless snowy days in Boston waiting for the bus to get to school, refuse to wear a hat - and even sometimes wore skirts. This did not, I am sad to report, make me cool. It just made me very cold. Here’s a photo of the moon at sunset, a few miles from my parents’ house. #bostonbloggers #newengland #ilovemassachusetts #massachusettsnature #massachusettsphotography #bostonphotographers #cathaycreators #hongkongblogger #bluehillreservation #bluehillsreservation #newengland_igers #newenglandliving #newenglandlife #newenglandphotography #newenglandoutdoors #newenglandwinter #travelgirlsgo #journeysofgirls #newenglandsunsets #sunsetgram #sunsets_oftheworld #sunsetoftheday #sunsetcolors #sunsetlove #massachusettslife #massachusettsoutdoors #bostonliving #bostonweather #bostonphotography #bostongram
📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ I loveee the New E 📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ I loveee the New England vibes in this photo so much! This was taken during a short run I did with my brother - I always always always avoided running because I was obsessed with “maintaining gains” when I began weightlifting 6-7 years ago. I’m surprisingly really loving it - I love just putting on a new album in whatever genre (so far have listened to Kanye, the Beatles, Linkin Park, and a LOT of Bach) and listening to it all the way through with no interruptions. ⁣ I can only really go 3-5km at a time right now without feeling like I want to stop (and I won’t be running any marathons soon) but I’m really happy I’ve found something else meditate and good-for-me to do! ⁣ Do any of you run and have any tips for a novice like me?? ⁣ ⁣ #newenglandwinter #newenglandoutdoors #newenglandfall #randolphma #newenglandblogger #newenglandpictures #bostonblogger #bostonbloggers #hkbloggers #newenglander #newenglandnature #newenglandtravel #newengland_photography #ilovemassachusetts #iloveboston #beantown #newenglandigers #bostonian #bostonlife #travelgirls #travelgirldiary #travelgirlscollective #damestravel #dametravelers #runningstyle #runningviews #winterrun #winterrunning #winterruns #belcherpark
📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ Since I’ve been 📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ Since I’ve been here, I’ve been going on walks with my parents a few times a week. My dad always ALWAYS wants to catch the sunset (he’s an avid photographer!) so here’s one that we caught a few weeks ago. ⁣ Life here is, as one of my friends described, so wholesome here. I’m still working remotely, but without a social scene all of my free time has been spent listening to new music, reading new books, practicing yoga, and moving my body. I honestly don’t miss the hectic life at all and I always wondered if I could ever live outside of a huge metro urban setting (and whether I’d get bored). I honestly think I could do it, I love living the way I have been! ⁣ For those of you who live in cities and love it, do you think you’d give up the go-go-go lifestyle for something more simple? ⁣ ⁣ #ilovemassachusetts #bluehillreservation #bluehillsreservation #cantonma #newenglandphotography #newenglandsunsets #newenglansphotography #iloveboston #beantown #bostonsunsets #bostonbloggers #travelgirlsdiary #journeysofgirls #journeyofgirls #randolphma #sunsetsofinstagram #sunsetsgram #hongkongbloggers #hongkongblogger #hongkong_ig #sunsetscape #massachusettsoutdoors #massachusetts_igers #massachusettsmade #naturalmassachusetts #sheisfromhk #agameoftones #girlswhotravel #massachusettsgirl #bostongirl ⁣
📍USA 🇺🇸 (Massachusetts) ⁣ It snowed a 📍USA 🇺🇸 (Massachusetts) ⁣ It snowed a huge snow last week! ❄️ We had a proper “nor’easter” - which, according to Wikipedia, is “a macro-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean.” After having missed snow for many years living in Hong Kong, I honestly can’t tell you how much I’ve missed even the meter-high walls of snow we’d get, without fail, every winter in New England. ⁣ My family is driving down the Cape (Cape Cod) for Christmas! What are your plans?? ⁣ ⁣ #massachusettssnow #ilovenewengland #newenglandsnow #noreaster #bluehillreservation #newenglandphotography #newenglandphotographer #bostonbloggers #bostonblogger #cathaycreators #newenglandliving #newenglandlife #ilovemassachusetts #snowsnowsnow #snowmountain #snowlove #snowhike #snowscape #snowcovered #journeyofgirls #journeysofgirls #travelgirlsgo #snowfilter #snowseason #massachusettsoutdoors #massachusetts_igers #massachusettslife #travelgirldiary #travelgirlsofficial #travelgirlscommunity
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📍Massachusetts (USA) 🇺🇸 ⁣ What’s th 📍Massachusetts (USA) 🇺🇸 ⁣ What’s the coldest place you’ve ever been to? ⁣ Can you smell how crisp the air is? It was also bone-shatteringly cold - 🥶 30 F (just below 0 C) feels just as fresh and stingy on my face as I remember! There are ZERO “Instagram spots” in the classical sense here - so you’ve got to get creative with Mother Nature! ⁣ Life has been funny lately. I’ve been in the USA for about 2.5 weeks now and I’ve finally settled into a rhythm and a routine. Part of that routine involves 3-4x weekly walks with my parents in a nearby “reservation” - big swathes of land with hiking trails, ponds, and lakes. I’m wearing leggings underneath jeans here, and could STILL feel the sharpness of cold air penetrating all the way through to my skin. ⁣ I’ve traded skyscrapers and haze for lakes and sunsets, and right now, feel super content. ⁣ ⁣ #ilovenengland #houghtonspond #newenglandsunsets #bostonbloggers #bostonblogger #newenglandphotographer #newenglandphotography #newenglandliving #newenglandlife #newengland_igers #newenglandfall #newenglandblogger #sheisnotlost #travelgirlshub #damestravel #dametraveler #sheisfromhk #agameoftones #cathaycreators #newenglandpictures #newenglander #ilovemassachusetts #masachusettsphotographer #massachusettsoutdoors #bluehillsreservation #hikingboston #newenglandhikes #massachusettslife #massachusettsmade #naturalmassachusetts
📍Boston, MA (USA) 🇺🇸 ⁣ This photo was 📍Boston, MA (USA) 🇺🇸 ⁣ This photo was taken last year in one of my favorite places in Boston, the Boston Public Library (where my dad still works!). ⁣ If I get my negative COVID result today, I’m finally out of my self-imposed quarantine! It won’t bring me much freedom, but I’m excited to meet the two new cats in the house and to finally be able to make and serve my own meals. Hope everyone is having a good week! ⁣ ⁣ #iloveboston #bostonpubliclibrary #beantown #newenglandphotographer #newenglandphotography #bostonma #bostonblogger #bostonbloggers #lifeofadventure #alwaysgo #wanderfolk #letsgosomewhere #exploreeverywhere #tasteintravel #instatravel #stayandwander #welivetoexplore #neverstopexploring #visualwanderlust #femmetravel #girlslovetravel #dametraveler #wearetravelgirls #ladiesgoneglobal #sheexplores #girlsborntotravel #theglobewanderer #traveldiary #travelphotography #bostonphotography
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📍Malibu, California, USA 🇺🇸 I kind of w 📍Malibu, California, USA 🇺🇸 I kind of wanted to not like LA. I wanted to not like it because I was jealous of the weather and could hear the crows of “west coast, best coast!!” from some of my friends I met in college. I had just escaped Boston’s second big snowstorm of the season and below freezing temperatures. Instead, I liked it. I was only here for a hot minute but loved the birria tacos 🌮 and the weather and even the grassy scent that hung in the air (wonder what that was? 😁). Even though I was reeling from an unexpected travel delay, being with a friend whom I hadn’t seen for 3 years for a few hours was amazing!! Thank you @prepeateaten for driving me around, loved every second. And I definitely want to come back (and eat wayyyy more tacos). Have you ever changed your mind about a place?? #usaroadtrip #malibucalifornia #ilovecalifornia #californiausa #westcoast_exposures #westcoastlife #pointdume #pointdumalibu #hkbloggers #travelgirldiary #travelgirlsdiary #westcoasttrail #westcoastliving #californiacoast #californialiving #californiadreamin #californiavacation #bostonbloggers #californiadreams #travelgirlscollective #travelgirlsvibe #cathaycreators #malibubeach #californiahiking #hikingphotography #hikingtheglobe #hikingadventure #hikingviews #hikingvibes
📍Los Angeles, CA, USA 🇺🇸 Lol this photo 📍Los Angeles, CA, USA 🇺🇸 Lol this photo was taken during one of the most arduous and expensive trips of my life - trying to make it back from the USA to HK is no joke. My flight was cancelled last minute and I had to reroute with three new flights....then at the last minute I was turned away at the gate because my COVID test had my middle initial instead of my full middle name! HK doesn’t mess around. Hundreds and hundreds spent on hotels and a new COVID test notwithstanding...I got to spend time with a dear friend of mine on the west coast and it was so, so, nice. The air smelled of weed and the air was salty and sandy and amazing and nice. And the tacos!!!! Ugh. Just a few hours of an almost-vacation....here I am sitting at Venice Beach eating the Fairfax sandwich from Eggslut. Ugh. So good. I’d love to come back and do a more proper trip next time - any recs for the LA/SoCal area?? #losangeles_city #losangeles_la #losangelescalifornia #bostonbloggers #losangelesbloggers #travelgirlshub #venicebeachcalifornia #venicebeachskatepark #journeysofgirls #damestravel #lifeofadventure #alwaysgo #wanderfolk #letsgosomewhere #exploreeverywhere #visualwanderlust #welivetoexplore #adventurethatislife #adventurevisuals #californiadreamin #californiablogger #californiavacation #westcoastblogger #hkbloggers #hongkongblogger #ilovecalifornia #californiacoast #californiaroadtrip #westcoast_exposures #westcoastlife
📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 I was laughing to a f 📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 I was laughing to a friend last week about how cold it is here in New England, but how much better I am actually dealing with the cold even though I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 4 years now! When I go out NOW, I’m wearing at least 4 layers of clothing and a thick coat on top, and always, always 2 layers of pants. If I run I’ll put on leggings and joggers on top of those, OR two pairs of leggings, one on top of the other. I don’t know if I thought I was too cool for dressing warmly or what - but I’d shiver through countless snowy days in Boston waiting for the bus to get to school, refuse to wear a hat - and even sometimes wore skirts. This did not, I am sad to report, make me cool. It just made me very cold. Here’s a photo of the moon at sunset, a few miles from my parents’ house. #bostonbloggers #newengland #ilovemassachusetts #massachusettsnature #massachusettsphotography #bostonphotographers #cathaycreators #hongkongblogger #bluehillreservation #bluehillsreservation #newengland_igers #newenglandliving #newenglandlife #newenglandphotography #newenglandoutdoors #newenglandwinter #travelgirlsgo #journeysofgirls #newenglandsunsets #sunsetgram #sunsets_oftheworld #sunsetoftheday #sunsetcolors #sunsetlove #massachusettslife #massachusettsoutdoors #bostonliving #bostonweather #bostonphotography #bostongram
📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ I loveee the New E 📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ I loveee the New England vibes in this photo so much! This was taken during a short run I did with my brother - I always always always avoided running because I was obsessed with “maintaining gains” when I began weightlifting 6-7 years ago. I’m surprisingly really loving it - I love just putting on a new album in whatever genre (so far have listened to Kanye, the Beatles, Linkin Park, and a LOT of Bach) and listening to it all the way through with no interruptions. ⁣ I can only really go 3-5km at a time right now without feeling like I want to stop (and I won’t be running any marathons soon) but I’m really happy I’ve found something else meditate and good-for-me to do! ⁣ Do any of you run and have any tips for a novice like me?? ⁣ ⁣ #newenglandwinter #newenglandoutdoors #newenglandfall #randolphma #newenglandblogger #newenglandpictures #bostonblogger #bostonbloggers #hkbloggers #newenglander #newenglandnature #newenglandtravel #newengland_photography #ilovemassachusetts #iloveboston #beantown #newenglandigers #bostonian #bostonlife #travelgirls #travelgirldiary #travelgirlscollective #damestravel #dametravelers #runningstyle #runningviews #winterrun #winterrunning #winterruns #belcherpark
📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ Since I’ve been 📍Massachusetts 🇺🇸 ⁣ Since I’ve been here, I’ve been going on walks with my parents a few times a week. My dad always ALWAYS wants to catch the sunset (he’s an avid photographer!) so here’s one that we caught a few weeks ago. ⁣ Life here is, as one of my friends described, so wholesome here. I’m still working remotely, but without a social scene all of my free time has been spent listening to new music, reading new books, practicing yoga, and moving my body. I honestly don’t miss the hectic life at all and I always wondered if I could ever live outside of a huge metro urban setting (and whether I’d get bored). I honestly think I could do it, I love living the way I have been! ⁣ For those of you who live in cities and love it, do you think you’d give up the go-go-go lifestyle for something more simple? ⁣ ⁣ #ilovemassachusetts #bluehillreservation #bluehillsreservation #cantonma #newenglandphotography #newenglandsunsets #newenglansphotography #iloveboston #beantown #bostonsunsets #bostonbloggers #travelgirlsdiary #journeysofgirls #journeyofgirls #randolphma #sunsetsofinstagram #sunsetsgram #hongkongbloggers #hongkongblogger #hongkong_ig #sunsetscape #massachusettsoutdoors #massachusetts_igers #massachusettsmade #naturalmassachusetts #sheisfromhk #agameoftones #girlswhotravel #massachusettsgirl #bostongirl ⁣
📍USA 🇺🇸 (Massachusetts) ⁣ It snowed a 📍USA 🇺🇸 (Massachusetts) ⁣ It snowed a huge snow last week! ❄️ We had a proper “nor’easter” - which, according to Wikipedia, is “a macro-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean.” After having missed snow for many years living in Hong Kong, I honestly can’t tell you how much I’ve missed even the meter-high walls of snow we’d get, without fail, every winter in New England. ⁣ My family is driving down the Cape (Cape Cod) for Christmas! What are your plans?? ⁣ ⁣ #massachusettssnow #ilovenewengland #newenglandsnow #noreaster #bluehillreservation #newenglandphotography #newenglandphotographer #bostonbloggers #bostonblogger #cathaycreators #newenglandliving #newenglandlife #ilovemassachusetts #snowsnowsnow #snowmountain #snowlove #snowhike #snowscape #snowcovered #journeyofgirls #journeysofgirls #travelgirlsgo #snowfilter #snowseason #massachusettsoutdoors #massachusetts_igers #massachusettslife #travelgirldiary #travelgirlsofficial #travelgirlscommunity
📍Hong Kong 🇭🇰 (Lion Rock) ⁣ This was t 📍Hong Kong 🇭🇰 (Lion Rock) ⁣ This was the second time I’ve hiked to Lion Rock in Kowloon (the first time being over 3 years ago), and I still love the little Lego-pieces of HK’s buildings as far as the eye can see! ⁣ I’m not jn Hong Kong at the moment, but I’ve been telling my family here in the US that it isn’t all dense concrete and gray cityscapes, a huge amount of HK is literally just lush tropical wilderness. ⁣ Hope everyone is having a lovely start to their holidays! My family has never been big holiday people (don’t think they place a lot of emphasis or value on atmosphere), but we still got a little cat-proof tree tree at my insistence to spruce it up a bit. ⁣ ⁣ #ilovehongkong #homekong #hongkongphotography #hongkongphotographer #cathaycreators #hikinginhongkong #hongkonghiking #hkhikes #hongkonghikes #sheisfromhk #sheisnotlost #lionrockhike #lionsrock #hk_iger #travelgirlsgo #livetoexplore #hongkonglife #hongkonginsta #hongkongig #explorehongkong #discoverhongkong #awesomehongkong #bostonbloggers #bostonblogger #hongkongblogger #damestravel #traveldames #thedreamytravel #girlsvsglobe #girlsborntravel
📍Massachusetts (USA) 🇺🇸 ⁣ What’s th 📍Massachusetts (USA) 🇺🇸 ⁣ What’s the coldest place you’ve ever been to? ⁣ Can you smell how crisp the air is? It was also bone-shatteringly cold - 🥶 30 F (just below 0 C) feels just as fresh and stingy on my face as I remember! There are ZERO “Instagram spots” in the classical sense here - so you’ve got to get creative with Mother Nature! ⁣ Life has been funny lately. I’ve been in the USA for about 2.5 weeks now and I’ve finally settled into a rhythm and a routine. Part of that routine involves 3-4x weekly walks with my parents in a nearby “reservation” - big swathes of land with hiking trails, ponds, and lakes. I’m wearing leggings underneath jeans here, and could STILL feel the sharpness of cold air penetrating all the way through to my skin. ⁣ I’ve traded skyscrapers and haze for lakes and sunsets, and right now, feel super content. ⁣ ⁣ #ilovenengland #houghtonspond #newenglandsunsets #bostonbloggers #bostonblogger #newenglandphotographer #newenglandphotography #newenglandliving #newenglandlife #newengland_igers #newenglandfall #newenglandblogger #sheisnotlost #travelgirlshub #damestravel #dametraveler #sheisfromhk #agameoftones #cathaycreators #newenglandpictures #newenglander #ilovemassachusetts #masachusettsphotographer #massachusettsoutdoors #bluehillsreservation #hikingboston #newenglandhikes #massachusettslife #massachusettsmade #naturalmassachusetts
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