Jumbo

On Sunday we took Kyoko to 'Jumbo'.   This floating restaurant in Aberdeen harbour has been a Hong Kong institution since 1971.  It has a well-deserved global reputation for the magnificence of its decoration and the mediocrity of its cuisine.

Jumbo is reached by a short boat ride across the harbour.  It daylight it seems rather dowdy and  hemmed in by the luxury yachts of the Aberdeen marina club.

This sign seems to be from an earlier and more innocent age.   (I wondered how long before the 'Irrashaimase!' will be replaced with 'The Daioyu islands are Chinese!').

We had a pleasant enough meal at Dynasty Court.  The decoration, service and bill were all first-rate, while the food was pleasant enough, but struggled to rise to the occasion.  

When I asked about the price of the lobster, the waitress said 'too much for you'.  At the time this seemed helpfully and accurate rather than rude.

By the time we we departed night had fallen.   And, rather like 'Spirited Away', the lights had been lit,  and a magical transformation had taken place. 

I could almost feel ghosts and folk-gods stepping off the boat...

Video:  Jumbo entrance at night

This time the trip across the water seemed like a journey from a fairytale world.

Video:  returning from Jumbo at night

The Jumbo Floating Restaurant appears in Jackie Chan's The Protector (1985),[2] The God of Cookery (1996)[7] and Infernal Affairs II.[7] The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant was featured in the 1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing and the 1973 Enter the Dragon. The Sea Palace, another floating restaurant located in the same area, was featured in the 1960 The World of Suzie Wong and in Enter the Dragon.  (Wiki)