Bridget arranged a lovely birthday treat for me. We met at the Wanchai Pier and caught the ferry across the harbour to Kowloon. Our first stop was for a spot of Christmas shopping at the Chinese Arts and Crafts centre. A couple of hours later, laden with packages we headed to the Peninsula Hotel where we were to have high tea. Nothing is more evocative of the olden days of Hong Kong than Afternoon Tea beneath the neo classical arches of the Peninsula Lobby, a living example of history that takes you back to a more gracious world when there was always time for tea. The Hotel was opened in 1928 and at that time was known as 'the finest hotel east of Suez'. Passengers arriving in Hong Kong by ocean liner disembarked onto the quays of Kowloon plus, it was the last stop on the trans Siberian rail link that brought travelers from Europe. As such, the Peninsula hotel was ideally situated to take advantage of the increasing number of wealthy visitors to the area.
Today it is still a very prestigious hotel in line with the likes of Raffles in Singapore. The wings at the front of the hotel are home to Tiffanies and Prada, and within the hotel the best luxury brands converge under one roof to satisfy even the most avid shopper, including haute couture, jewellery and fine tailoring. Here you will find Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Cartier... need I go on, though obviously a little out of my price range. Beautifully uniformed men in white gloves hold open the door to entice you into the opulent foyer. There is a huge Christmas tree as you enter the lobby, surrounded by tables in what has become the legendary meeting place for the rich and famous, where those who want to be seen sit and dine with a string quartet for musical company.
Today it is still a very prestigious hotel in line with the likes of Raffles in Singapore. The wings at the front of the hotel are home to Tiffanies and Prada, and within the hotel the best luxury brands converge under one roof to satisfy even the most avid shopper, including haute couture, jewellery and fine tailoring. Here you will find Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Cartier... need I go on, though obviously a little out of my price range. Beautifully uniformed men in white gloves hold open the door to entice you into the opulent foyer. There is a huge Christmas tree as you enter the lobby, surrounded by tables in what has become the legendary meeting place for the rich and famous, where those who want to be seen sit and dine with a string quartet for musical company.
We queue a few minutes for a table and then prepared to indulge ourselves. Obviously tea arrives in silver teapots and is poured into fine bone china, I chose Jasmine tea. The knives and forks are of antique silver, the serviettes, obviously made of fine linen. High Tea arrives on a triple tiered silver platter, laden with scones, delicate crustless sandwiches including of course the typical cuecumber sandwich eaten by the British, and delicious sweet goodies. Here we spend a couple of hours nibbling, sipping unlimited cups of tea and watching the way the other half live. Everyone who walks by seems to be toting a carry bag from one of the high end boutiques, no one seems to be carrying the China Arts and Craft bags that we have!! After copious cups of tea I am all awash with fluid and desperately need the facilities. I am escorted to the toilet by a beautifully dressed young lady and even the toilet is extravagant. We end our tea by being given a wishing bauble, a Christmas bauble on which we were to write our Christmas wishes and then hang it on the Christmas tree.
