People back home often ask me what the weather is like in Hong Kong. It is semi tropical and for the most part it is hot and humid. But it does have a cool "winter" season. By October the temperatures are in the mid to upper twenties and by November they are in the low twenties, finally by Christmas and the new year we should see temperatures in the mid teens and we may even have to put our heater on!
For me "winter" seems to seek up on my and catch me off guard. There isn't a brisk morning or faint change in the leaves to give you those subtle reminders that winter is not too far off. The only real indicator here is the not so pleasant increase in smog, due to increased coal burring in China and the very enjoyable increase in the number of butterflies (HK Butterflies) which are most active in the transition months between the summer and winter. It seems one day I am wearing shorts and the next it is time for jeans. Just this last week I wore jeans and a long sleeved shirt for the first time since May and the other day I found it necessary to wear a light sweater.
There is one thing though that is a sure sign that winter has arrived in Hong Kong and that is the chestnut cart!
These carts are all over the city in the cooler months. They are quite creative, basically a giant mobile BBQ with big wok. Here you will find a mouthwatering array of filling winter snacks to warm you up. Sweet potatoes and a pan of eggs (chicken and quail I think) nestle along side each other and in the giant wok are hot coals mixed with chestnuts roasting away. The smell is unmistakeable, smoky and comforting. This cart greeted my friend and I right as we got off the bus on our way to a movie, delighting both of us. Nothing can compare to the sweet, smokey goodness that is a chestnut right off the coals! It is winter at it's finest!
No comments:
Post a Comment