Oolaa - Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

The city is full of sexy cafes, and here is one of them. Cafe Oolaa, has some serious o-la-la! 

The setup is cute and high-end, and they make the prettiest Cappuccino in the city. 

And a pretty good Iced Latte as well.

They have all sorts of easy eats, lighter for breakfast, more substantial for later on. Muesli fares well with blackberries and razz, like a bowl of fluffier cereal. 

Fruit Salad with Greek yogurt and a super bloom of all-pulp mangoes, sweet-no-sour pineapple, juicy peaches, and the first strawberries of the season.

This is a chill place that makes you want to linger, and it’s the perfect morning cup of coffee or a midday meal/snack. It’s conveniently right behind the Man Mo Temple, and it’s definitely a detour you might want to take when mapping your morning.

Hong Kong - Day 7 - Man Mo Temple - Sheung Wan

Before I went to Hong Kong, I heard a lot of things about it. Most things were positive, describing it as "cool", "fun", "delicious". Some things I heard were a lot less positive, the SMH comments, “It’s just another city” or “It’s a very small city so there's not much to do.” 

I can't help by wonder if the haters went to a different city or if they just didn't bother to explore. Hong Kong may not be a sprawling metropolis, and it may not be home to the Forbidden City, but it’s big enough and bad-ass enough to ahve a little something for everyone. There’s so much diversity, and it's not just any city, it's every city. 

One unique aspect of Hong Kong is its open juxtaposition of cosmopolitan-modern and old-China tradition. Western ideals have gone uncensored for centuries, and it's a port of information exchange. And between the sleek skyscrapers and trendy eateries, there are glimpses of tradition and belief systems like Man Mo Temple.. 

It’s small on the outside, stunning within. 

Dedicated to the literature and martial gods, its popularity with those seeking to better themselves amongst a backdrop of cut-throat competition explains why it's so well maintained.

I love the altars, the statues, all the hanging lights.

It’s smoky from all the incense, but the cloud creates something almost like sensory deprivation, and it insulates as much as it isolates, allowing you to stay more present. 

I love this temple. In a city that's always moving, it's a place to stand still and appreciate it all.