Hong Kong's New Covid-19 Normal

Another beautiful sunset today that constantly changed colours

Hong Kong's new social-distancing measures kicked in today and I can't tell how it went during the day as I was working from home, but I did receive a slew of emails from restaurant groups saying their restaurants are open from noon until 6pm and have takeaway menus for dinner.

If restaurants are open all afternoon, then customers could ostensibly have a long lunch or very early dinner -- is this what Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her cabinet had in mind when they tried to limit the amount of time people spent mask-less in restaurants?

Lam unveiled stricter measures on Monday night

Many restaurant groups immediately pivoted today, announcing their new opening hours -- and even a speakeasy bar converted into a "cafe" serving hamburgers, gourmet chicken nuggets, and truffle mac and cheese with cocktails. Are people actually working too?

It's as if the catering industry is thumbing its nose at the government for creating such weird restrictions (dine in for breakfast and lunch, but not dinner), but at the same time trying to stay alive.

I went out for a walk at 6pm, and a number of restaurants nearby closed for the day, or had hand written signs saying they had takeaway available, or displayed a chalkboard listing dine out dishes.

When I walked by the Central ferry piers, there were lots of people, mostly expats, sitting outside on the stairs drinking bottles of beer and having a bite to eat. Again, is this what Lam & Co had in mind? They assumed people would be good boys and girls and go home for dinner -- not.

A bar that is now a cafe offering chicken nuggets

Meanwhile as I walked along the waterfront, lots of runners without masks were breathing heavily as they passed by, thanks to all the gyms closed in the city for at least a week. While my mask was on, it wasn't that much comfort having these sweaty people in very close proximity.

The one good thing about being out walking? Enjoying more sunsets that are so different everyday. I have many pictures of them on my phone!