For our last day in Hong Kong, Tom and I met my friends Erica and Jacqueline to tour the Western District. This is another area we didn’t see on our trip to Hong Kong two years ago. We took a short tram ride from Central to Western Market.
Street art.
Once we started walking, we set our sights on a famous bamboo store on Western Street. On the way, we visited a wet market.
Although this area is gentrifying, there are still some great sights.
And some colorful streets and signs.
The bamboo store did not disappoint! I bought trivets, mini bamboo steamers, and mooncake presses. Erica and Jacqueline purchased things there, too!
We enjoyed a leisurely walk back to the IFC, where Tom and I were to meet some friends for lunch.
Coincidentally, our lunch venue was adjacent to Dymock’s, one of Hong Kong’s largest bookstores. Jacqueline and Erica asked the store if they had Good Chinese Wife–and they did! So I signed all six copies, which were later put on a special display with an “Autographed by Author” sticker! It was so much fun to do this impromptu book signing.
That evening Tom and I headed to Prince’s Building for the final book event–the launch party for an anthology I contributed to: How Does One Dress to Buy Dragonfruit? True Stories of Expat Women in Asia (Signal 8 Press, 2014), edited by Shannon Young. It was held at Bookazine.
I even sold all these copies of Good Chinese Wife!
The post-party moved up to Sevva, the restaurant/bar on the rooftop of Prince’s Building. Check out these stunning views!
Tom and I took a tram home–the first time that was possible during our trip thanks to the removal of some blockades at Occupy–and packed for the next day.
We would leave Hong Kong 12 hours later.
I was lucky enough to pick up one of the autographed copies of Good Chinese Wife. The storytelling was excellent and I become so engrossed that I finished in one day! Some questions were left unanswered (the Japanese father relationship…?) so I googled your name and found this blog. Coincidentally, I recognized almost every single photo posted above- right down to my own apartment building! It seems you had a nice tour of Sheung Wan. Look forward to reading your second book soon 🙂
Thank you so much, Jason! I’m so thrilled you were able to buy a signed copy and that you read the book so quickly! I have no idea what happened with Japanese Father. I asked, but never got a reply. Very cool that I inadvertently took a photo of your apartment! Love your comment!