Only in Hong Kong

Some years back I went to Government House for a Wine Tasting and silent Auction.  I helped out during the day in setting up the event.  It was a real treat for me to go into this place with hardly anyone around and have a feel for such an historical home.

 

The most interesting thing about it was that this place was so similar to buildings in my hometown Melbourne.  It has the flavour of old Treasury House in Melbourne, and a déjà vu of the Windsor Hotel. The Governors home in Sydney is somewhat similar.  In any event the architect of the house must have had the same influences of many of those old ‘British’ style buildings.

 

It’s quite different influence than say Macau where you get déjà vu for say Spain.  Let us not forget Hanoi where you think of Paris.

 

In any event it was lovely night and the elegance of the room will stay with me for a long time. 

 

The pleasant surprise for me was to taste to wines from home I did not know about – one from Tasmania an excellent Riesling.  I also tasted a wine from the Frankland River area in WA.  I tend to stick to Australian wines and am quite partial to Sonoma and South African.  I feel I have less knowledge of French and Italian.  And it seems all those Friday night dinners with my ex flat mate Rob of Beef and Burgundy Fame are paying off. 

 

Now only in Hong Kong can I boast I bought a silent auction package for half its value and sold one of the Pashmina shawls that night thereby reducing my expenses!!  After the entire package had too many shawls and I didn’t need three but I do need the facial and the personal trainer!!