COMMUNITY

Have Your Say – Bert Bulthuis

Author/ Being Neighbourly
12 August 2024

Bert Bulthuis is a Dutchman in Hong Kong, as well as being a veteran architect and practicing Buddhist. He is a member of Buy Nothing, Mid-levels Central & The Peak.

How long have you been living here and can you see yourself living elsewhere?

I’ve been living in Hong Kong for 12 years. When I first came to Hong Kong, I lived for a little while in Sai Ying Pun. I then moved with my then-girlfriend to Mosque Street. Later, we moved to a place on Robinson Road, got married and then moved to another address on the same road with our child.

I can see myself living in different places like The Netherlands or London, but in Hong Kong? No. I like this district!

Why did you move here?

It wasn’t planned. I was travelling around Japan and South East Asia. I stayed in Hong Kong for a few weeks and met my future wife.

So what’s so great about your neighbourhood?

I think Mid-levels is very accessible. Everything is very close by: the waterfront, the ferries, the hustle and bustle of Central, nature, the Peak. It’s a place where everything is at your doorstep.

Best places to eat breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner and to grab a drink?

I usually like to have my breakfast at home with my family at the table. But otherwise, I like to go to the FCC [Foreign Correspondents Club] where we are members. I like to have simple food. It doesn’t need to be fancy — so something like an egg white omelette.

For lunch, I tend to eat around my office in Sheung Wan. I go to places like Bread, where they have really good salads. Or sometimes, I’ll get a bento box or order a vegetarian sandwich from Subway. I also really like ramen noodles like from the place at the top of IFC. Before we had our daughter, we used to eat out a lot, around Central or along Queen’s

Road East. We had a list that we worked through. These days, health is more important and I try to follow a plant-based diet as much as possible.

For dinner, I like Oolaa on Stanley Street and I also like to eat in the neighbourhood: South Lane, Feather & Bone, Elephant Grounds. Those are places where you can sit comfortably and have nice and healthy food.

We seldom go out for dinner, but I do like Sen-Ryo at either IFC or Century Square Plaza. I used to enjoy Indonesian Nasi Goreng at 1968, before it moved from the L Place [It’s now along the escalator near Queen’s Road Central]. I like Indian food a lot and we’ve had amazing meals at The New Punjab Club and Jashan via Deliveroo. For Chinese food, Crystal Jade, Shanghai Lane, Sang Kee and, when invited, The Shanghai Fraternity Club; or The Summer Palace of the Shangri-La Hotel!

Best places to drink?

My coffee machine makes great coffee so I prefer to drink my cup of Joe at home and I don’t really drink alcohol anymore, though enjoy the social side. I am happy to join where others decide to go.

Best unknown little gems?

I think there are lots of small cosy places, like cafe The Nest next to St. John’s Cathedral. The Tram View Cafe along the Peak Tram line is good too.

Other hangouts are Tamar Park where I am most Saturdays, giving free meditations. I like that the park is used for so many different things: There are kids parties, people doing yoga, us doing meditation classes, helpers sitting and eating. That kind of mix is interesting.

What’s true/not true about your neighbourhood?

I think on the surface it’s not close knit, but because of the membership of Being Neighbourly and Buy Nothing, I think this is changing. We now meet people from lots of different personal and professional backgrounds and I really like that. I like the fact that when you walk along Robinson Road, you see people you know and say hi — that kind of social fabric, I really value. This is how it is in Holland. We value social interaction.

You need to look a little bit beyond the surface for the friendliness… you need to put energy in close proximity.