Happy Hongiversary!

 Yesterday was my 12-year Hongiversary! It’s crazy to think that I have lived in Hong Kong for that long (although not continuously). I choose September 1 to celebrate since it is when I came back for my longest stint and also because it is the easiest to remember. 

I usually try to celebrate by eating an egg tart, so when I had a break in the afternoon, I hit the streets trying to source an egg tart. Unlike previous workplaces, I do not have a go-to egg tart place, so I consulted Google. There was a bakery/CCT chain nearby that was full of diners, so that seemed like a good bet. The lady at the bakery counter convinced me to buy a set (why not sit down and have a milk tea with it?) and soon I found myself sharing a tiny booth with an older lady who was eating stir-fried noodles. When my set came, my first surprise was that there were two egg tarts. Not having read the menu, I didn’t realize that was a thing. Well, two is better than one, right? Wrong. 

When I bit into the egg tart, I realized that in that case, two was much worse than one. Because that was a very bad egg tart. I didn’t even realize that you could get bad egg tarts. They are pretty standard, right? How do you mess them up? But this one was incredibly bland. It was also barely sweet. I understand not wanting it to be TOO sweet, but this was flirting with quiche territory. And worse, the crust (flaky) was undercooked! So the sides were a bit flaky but the bottom was soggy and did not taste good. 

I made a valiant effort and finished one. I felt bad leaving the second so started eating it, but I gave up after a few bites. Sometimes quitting is the best answer. On the bright side, the milk tea was not bad. 

Afterward I went to a language exchange (I learned the word for “steering wheel”) and then got drinks with friends to celebrate. Despite the less than stellar egg tarts, the day was a success. Cantonese and good company can turn any day around. But for my next Hongiversary, I hope to get better egg tarts as well as good company. In 364 days, please send your best recs!