Lotus in Hong Kong

Do you know that lotus is edible?

From petals to leaves, from rhizome to seeds; almost every single part of lotus can be turned into food.

In Hong Kong, lotus-related dishes are actually pretty common.

The petals can be used to brew tea; the leaves can be used to warped food; the rhizome can be cooked into either savory dishes or sweetened snacks; while lotus seeds are usually used for desserts: lotus seed paste buns, moon cakes, lotus seed soup…

Sometimes, Hong Kong people simply forget that all these things they put into their mouth comes only from a flower.

How about you? You can also give them a try.

All you have to do, is to visit a “Dim Sum House” (茶樓, basically a Cantonese restaurant where you can eat “dim sum”, or snack) and you can order all you want.

I recommend lotus seed paste buns.

Country Park in Hong Kong

Do you know that 40% of Hong Kong land is preserved as country parks and nature reserves?

This figure is probably pretty surprising to those who think Hong Kong is nothing more than just a concrete jungle, but Hong Kong really does have that much green space!

If you are not persuaded, you are free to visit on your own. May I suggest Tai Mo Shan Country Park, with Hong Kong’s tallest peak? Or maybe famous Mai Po Wetland Park, where its mangrove boardwalk and bird hideouts will fill you with nothing but awe? And you just can’t miss the Lion Rock Country Park, which holds the symbolic Lion Rock Mountain of Hong Kong, and is also popular for its story and hiking trail.

Does this sound like some kind of eco-tour ads to you?

Well, maybe. But they obviously worth being advertised. Can’t believe some government dude actually suggest “let’s ditch these lands and build some houses here instead”.

So that the land developers could build some over-priced housing by sacrificing such valuable land of pristineness? Yeah, that’s a wise idea, Mr. shortsighted-government-official.