As a classic demonstration of how Hong Kong island is really a mountain in the sea, all the streets that intersect Wellington, an original street not built on reclaimed land, are on a slope.

The first real landmark on it is Yung Kee, the master goose-roaster / gourmet dining hall for the rich and important in the city. A few steps down is the only south east Asian outlet for KitChoAn, the traditional Japanese confectionery maker where you can buy a cup of puristic fruit ice cream ($20) on your central street hike or indulge in a perfectly skinned and poached peach half encased in peach jelly for $80. Before the end of the block is Tai Yip Art Books where you can bring all your questions for art-related publications. The staffs are all knowledgeable and helpful.

Going west onto the next block at Pottinger Street, one is faced with a string of choices for a "quick bite" such as Taiwanese noodles, Japanese curries. Across the street from each other is the eternal enigma about wonton, as in Mak's, which boasts a recipe passed down the family from Ching dynasty, with a petite portion; and Jim-Jai-Kee which boasts a simple menu of 3 toppings, all of them humongous: wontons, fish balls, and beef slices.

Beyond that block at Cochrane Street, one will find very much pictures of local living in a part of a city where people have been carrying on business for a long, long time: dignified habits and gestures, no matter the ticket.