A day with jet lag...

When Katherine and I returned to Hong Kong on Saturday night, we were both exhausted and slept in excess of 11 hours each. Yesterday, we just couldn't sleep at a natural time, so we stayed up all night (allowing me to get a jump on my Monday work). At 6AM, we decided to head out and participate in something I have long been interested in: early morning dim sum! Before exiting our apartment, though, we had to adorn an extra accessory...

This is a standard procedure that our Hall (among others) is using to help slow the spread of influenza. All residents and visitors who have recently returned from foreign countries are asked to wear surgical masks for the week following their arrival (at least, on Hall grounds). We are no exception, so on went the masks!

Back to the plan: For some time now I've wanted to enjoy a very traditional dim sum experience at the Lin Heung Tea House in Central (which has been featured on Tony Bourdain's No Reservations). Today we fulfilled that wish...

Barely a soul at the main entrance...

...but the inside was packed, even at this early hour

Clockwise from the upper right: steamed rice rolls filled with chicken and taro, beef balls atop tofu skin, and siu mai.

Clockwise from the lower right: Shrimp dumplings, steamed rice rolls filled with BBQ pork, and fried sesame balls filled with lotus seed paste

The wait staff places a "chop" on your bill for the category/price of each item you order

A blurry look at steamers stacked in the kitchen as we quickly hustle to pay our bill

Afterwards, we went to a bakery to get some goodies for later and found a furry friend instead!

Another friend was waiting outside for us (along with a number of others much like him)

After dim sum, we went back to the apartment to finish up work and then went to a 10:15AM showing of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, followed by lunch at a great shrimp noodle soup shop. It's amazing what you can do in a day by or before noon if you just don't sleep the previous night! ;> Now we'll try to stay awake until a reasonable slumber time...and then pass out.