The adrenaline rush from all those eating and shopping in HK didn't die down after the trip and it kept driving me to go back for a third time... soon.
I couldn't explain why I had the urge to go back this fast but it just felt good. Probably this trip was too short to satisfy all our craving to eat and shop. But we had certainly walked to our limit by being on the streets and on our foot all day long from 10am to 1am (we were awake from 8am to 3am).
We barely had time to sleep nor time to hunt for good food as all those walking and finding our way took too much time.
In short, there are simply too many things that I still wanted to do there:
More food -> pastries at Li Xiang Yuan Bing Ting, Mak's Noodle at Wellington street, Xing Ji restaurant at champagne tower, dim sum and more yummy desserts at Xu Liu Xiang
More things to try out -> catching the night scenery at the peak, taking the electric tram and mini-buses, clubbing at Lan Kwai Fong, walking on the longest travelator from mid-levels, staying at and visiting Disneyland
On top of all these, I wanted to brush up on my cantonese to communicate with the locals. Although HK is very much like Singapore, it has its own local flavour and character that you can't help but to feel that you are in HK!
Yes, I wanna go back to Hong Kong for the third time. Any time soon!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Final rush in HK
10 May 2009, 12.00pm
We were glad that we only had to depart at night but that means we had to check out at the hotel earlier and to leave our bags at the concierge. We spent the night before packing till 3am and was still doing our last-minute packing in the morning to make sure we have enough space in our hand-carry for more items - bearing in mind that we had our mums and aunties asking us to get boxes of wife biscuits back home.
I really couldn't bear to leave Hong Kong, this modern yet not so modern city, the streets bustling with people ranting and speaking in cantonese, the cha chum teng and my comfortable hotel bed with the large bedside window staring out at the roads and buildings. But we had to go. With less than 5 hours left for the day, we went out to the streets lugging our big hand-carry baggages. I made a point to find this wife biscuit shop recommended by my cousin. We got several boxes and continued our way down the shops for any last-minute shopping. Making sure we didn't forget to grab a bite at the famed dessert shop, Xu Liu Xiang; we had a delicious mango with glutinous ball dessert and some yummy spicy carrot cakes!
We went to the local CD shop and took a last look at Esprit and H & M to make sure we didn't miss out anything. It was only back in the streets with the small retail shops that I bagged another top from the same shop at Causeway Bay ( I even got their member's card). We thought we were really done with our shopping until we spotted a cosmetics shop near our hotel. LANEIGE!
When we had just got into the swing of the eating-and-shopping, we had to leave.
Even at the airport, we were so engrossed in our shopping that we almost missed our flight. I would say that we would have missed it if not for the airport check-in staff who noticed us running towards the gates. Gosh, we ran past 25 gates (one-by-one) to get our plane. It was definitely a nerve-wrecking exit from the shopping paradise.
The phrase "shop till you drop" definitely applies to us.
We were glad that we only had to depart at night but that means we had to check out at the hotel earlier and to leave our bags at the concierge. We spent the night before packing till 3am and was still doing our last-minute packing in the morning to make sure we have enough space in our hand-carry for more items - bearing in mind that we had our mums and aunties asking us to get boxes of wife biscuits back home.
I really couldn't bear to leave Hong Kong, this modern yet not so modern city, the streets bustling with people ranting and speaking in cantonese, the cha chum teng and my comfortable hotel bed with the large bedside window staring out at the roads and buildings. But we had to go. With less than 5 hours left for the day, we went out to the streets lugging our big hand-carry baggages. I made a point to find this wife biscuit shop recommended by my cousin. We got several boxes and continued our way down the shops for any last-minute shopping. Making sure we didn't forget to grab a bite at the famed dessert shop, Xu Liu Xiang; we had a delicious mango with glutinous ball dessert and some yummy spicy carrot cakes!
We went to the local CD shop and took a last look at Esprit and H & M to make sure we didn't miss out anything. It was only back in the streets with the small retail shops that I bagged another top from the same shop at Causeway Bay ( I even got their member's card). We thought we were really done with our shopping until we spotted a cosmetics shop near our hotel. LANEIGE!
When we had just got into the swing of the eating-and-shopping, we had to leave.
Even at the airport, we were so engrossed in our shopping that we almost missed our flight. I would say that we would have missed it if not for the airport check-in staff who noticed us running towards the gates. Gosh, we ran past 25 gates (one-by-one) to get our plane. It was definitely a nerve-wrecking exit from the shopping paradise.
The phrase "shop till you drop" definitely applies to us.
Night in Central
9 May 2009, 8.00pm
Taking the train back to Central, we found our way to IFC mall which we had thought to be a good place for bargains. Well, it turned out to be like another Times Square or Harbour City where we could hardly find anything.
To pamper ourselves after those days of walking, we took a cab down to Lan Kwai Fong - this time, with a not so nice cabbie uncle. Lan Kwai Fong is known for its bars and clubbing scene. Unfortunately or not, we were terribly exhuasted and couldn't afford the energy to club. We ended up walking past the bars, down the streets and back to Central station. All those walking was a remarkable feat itself. We missed the night life at Lan Kwai Fong, the night scene in So Ho and the long travalator from Mid-Levels. All these account for another reason to go back to HK.
Being our last night in HK, we stood by our "never say die" motto. We returned to the streets and settled for a sumpotuous Mapo Tofu dinner at one of the cha chum teng. Hard to believe but these eating places only close at midnight.
P.S. : Back at our hotel, we were always buying HK magazines at the 7-11 that we were even qualified to purchase a cute puppy or kitten mug after completing a sticker card. Do as the Hong Kongers do, we say!
Taking the train back to Central, we found our way to IFC mall which we had thought to be a good place for bargains. Well, it turned out to be like another Times Square or Harbour City where we could hardly find anything.
To pamper ourselves after those days of walking, we took a cab down to Lan Kwai Fong - this time, with a not so nice cabbie uncle. Lan Kwai Fong is known for its bars and clubbing scene. Unfortunately or not, we were terribly exhuasted and couldn't afford the energy to club. We ended up walking past the bars, down the streets and back to Central station. All those walking was a remarkable feat itself. We missed the night life at Lan Kwai Fong, the night scene in So Ho and the long travalator from Mid-Levels. All these account for another reason to go back to HK.
Being our last night in HK, we stood by our "never say die" motto. We returned to the streets and settled for a sumpotuous Mapo Tofu dinner at one of the cha chum teng. Hard to believe but these eating places only close at midnight.
P.S. : Back at our hotel, we were always buying HK magazines at the 7-11 that we were even qualified to purchase a cute puppy or kitten mug after completing a sticker card. Do as the Hong Kongers do, we say!
Bargain hunting at Causeway Bay
9 May 2009, 3.00pm
We thought after two days of getting-lost and finding-our-way would get us smarter with the streets but we were wrong. We studied our bible and decided to return to Central station to take the train to Causeway Bay. Instead of walking to Central, we ended up walking uphill to we-don't-know-where. It was quite a secluded park where we encountered a strange looking white-haired lady in black sitting on a bench and staring at us. It took us quite some time to realise we were walking the wrong way. All those time and energy to back track to the peak station got us so tired that we hopped on a cab finally.
Luckily, it was not as hard to communicate with the driver as it would have for us to find our way. It was also not very expensive to take a cab there. In a matter of 15 minutes, we were arriving at Times Square and began our next shopping mission.
Time Square was like the Harbour City, huge but mainly expensive brands. After some quick browse at Juicy Coulture and Fossil, we decided it was just not the place for us. Except for the fact that we made use of the washroom and had a delicious Ben & Jerry ice cream cone there, there was nothing I could mention about our trip there.
Besides having a good grasp of Cantonese, you should also have a photographic memory not only to remember the directions but also to remember the shops that caught our eye while we were making our way to another mall. We spotted Uniqlo, Sasa and Laneige. The Singaporean in us acted up and we began to check out the stores, or rather the prices. It appeared that they were not very much different, except for a few items.
We wanted to do as the locals do by taking the electric trams but we could not figure where and how to go about it. We eventually gave up the idea and continue our bargain hunting on the streets. We returned with shopping bags of new clothes and facial masks.
We thought after two days of getting-lost and finding-our-way would get us smarter with the streets but we were wrong. We studied our bible and decided to return to Central station to take the train to Causeway Bay. Instead of walking to Central, we ended up walking uphill to we-don't-know-where. It was quite a secluded park where we encountered a strange looking white-haired lady in black sitting on a bench and staring at us. It took us quite some time to realise we were walking the wrong way. All those time and energy to back track to the peak station got us so tired that we hopped on a cab finally.
Luckily, it was not as hard to communicate with the driver as it would have for us to find our way. It was also not very expensive to take a cab there. In a matter of 15 minutes, we were arriving at Times Square and began our next shopping mission.
Time Square was like the Harbour City, huge but mainly expensive brands. After some quick browse at Juicy Coulture and Fossil, we decided it was just not the place for us. Except for the fact that we made use of the washroom and had a delicious Ben & Jerry ice cream cone there, there was nothing I could mention about our trip there.
Besides having a good grasp of Cantonese, you should also have a photographic memory not only to remember the directions but also to remember the shops that caught our eye while we were making our way to another mall. We spotted Uniqlo, Sasa and Laneige. The Singaporean in us acted up and we began to check out the stores, or rather the prices. It appeared that they were not very much different, except for a few items.
We wanted to do as the locals do by taking the electric trams but we could not figure where and how to go about it. We eventually gave up the idea and continue our bargain hunting on the streets. We returned with shopping bags of new clothes and facial masks.
The Peak and the wax museum
9 May 2009, 12.00pm
If anything could help save time for this trip, it would be the ability to speak and understand Cantonese. Probably, not to speak but it would certainly have helped to understand the locals. This would have otherwise saved us the time lining up in the wrong queue! The staff also made us pose for a picture against the peak tram background. Of course, we didn't realise they were just trying to sell us more souvenirs. We couldn't be more like tourists, could we? But indeed, we were so I gave in to temptations.
We got on the tram which was moving against gravity and shook us with each backward jerk it made. The scenery was not particularly breathtaking but the child-like amusement ride reminded me that I was on an excursion.
When we reached the station, we found ourselves in the middle of a shopping mall. I spotted a Disneyland minature and made a mental note to return.
We were at Madam Tassauds for a gathering with the rich and famous. We were greeted by Bruce Lee and Cecilia Cheung at the entrance. Immediately, the staff stopped us to pose for a photograph beside we-don't-know-who-at-that-point-in-time (he turned out to be Mr Obama which we found out later while browsing at the photos the staff had taken of us in the museum - we were still mystified that we had a photo with Obama until we remembered the mystery man in tuxedo at the beginning).
It still baffled me how my friend could get so startled when we passed by dozens of "reporters" snapping photos of us. Then we met Jay Chou, the Brad Pitt-Angelina couple, Aaron Kwok, some other famous faces and politicians including Mr LKY from our homeland. We spent time figuring who were the personalities and tried to imitate their expressions and postures. It was an interesting tour as we made silly poses beside the figurines. Our pictures could attest to the crazy side of us that our closest friends would not know. This was one tourist attraction that I could say I pretty much enjoyed myself. One thing that I had missed: the chiller tour inside the museum which needed at least 4 persons to start the tour - my friend swore that she would not do it so I guess there will be another time, yeah? Any takers?
To make up for the Disneyland trip that I couldn't go, I went on a hunt for 6 Mickey themed signs in the mall to exchange for a Mickey gift. I only managed to find 5 of the signs and so we gave up and went shopping for souvenirs in the shops and took some photos against the peak skyline. Time was never on our side as we had to made our exit and took the tram back to the station.
If anything could help save time for this trip, it would be the ability to speak and understand Cantonese. Probably, not to speak but it would certainly have helped to understand the locals. This would have otherwise saved us the time lining up in the wrong queue! The staff also made us pose for a picture against the peak tram background. Of course, we didn't realise they were just trying to sell us more souvenirs. We couldn't be more like tourists, could we? But indeed, we were so I gave in to temptations.
We got on the tram which was moving against gravity and shook us with each backward jerk it made. The scenery was not particularly breathtaking but the child-like amusement ride reminded me that I was on an excursion.
When we reached the station, we found ourselves in the middle of a shopping mall. I spotted a Disneyland minature and made a mental note to return.
We were at Madam Tassauds for a gathering with the rich and famous. We were greeted by Bruce Lee and Cecilia Cheung at the entrance. Immediately, the staff stopped us to pose for a photograph beside we-don't-know-who-at-that-point-in-time (he turned out to be Mr Obama which we found out later while browsing at the photos the staff had taken of us in the museum - we were still mystified that we had a photo with Obama until we remembered the mystery man in tuxedo at the beginning).
It still baffled me how my friend could get so startled when we passed by dozens of "reporters" snapping photos of us. Then we met Jay Chou, the Brad Pitt-Angelina couple, Aaron Kwok, some other famous faces and politicians including Mr LKY from our homeland. We spent time figuring who were the personalities and tried to imitate their expressions and postures. It was an interesting tour as we made silly poses beside the figurines. Our pictures could attest to the crazy side of us that our closest friends would not know. This was one tourist attraction that I could say I pretty much enjoyed myself. One thing that I had missed: the chiller tour inside the museum which needed at least 4 persons to start the tour - my friend swore that she would not do it so I guess there will be another time, yeah? Any takers?
To make up for the Disneyland trip that I couldn't go, I went on a hunt for 6 Mickey themed signs in the mall to exchange for a Mickey gift. I only managed to find 5 of the signs and so we gave up and went shopping for souvenirs in the shops and took some photos against the peak skyline. Time was never on our side as we had to made our exit and took the tram back to the station.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Breakfast at Wellington's Street
9 May 2009, 10.00am
Our food hunting in HK was practically a treasure hunt. We were searching road by road, street by street to get to Wellington's Street at Central. We found the street but didn't find the place - Mak's Noodle. Instead, it got us noticing several signs to Lan Kwai Fong, the longest escalator and to the peak tram station. We also spotted this Pottinger Street with very steep but small stone steps leading up. It caught our attention when we saw a wedding couple taking photographs there but having the very thought of climbing up the steep steps made us rerouted and continue our hunt down Wellington's street. We didn't manage to find the noodle place and succumbed to any cha chum teng that looked equally good (packed with customers at that hour). We went in to this Fei Cui or Tai Wah restaurant (we discovered later that this was the same restaurant near our hotel) for shrimp and spinach dumpling noodles. The shrimps were fresh and succulent but having 4 huge dumplings in a bowl were too much for my stomach.
Our heavy breakfast and exhuastion must have taken a toll on us as we walked blindly along the road signs to the peak tram station, forgetting that we had set to go there in the evening to catch the night scenery from the peak. It took at least another 15 to 20-minute walk up and down the government house making several turns before we saw "Peak Tram Station". The best thing was, we could bypass the directions (I could say that this was clearly not our fault but the misplacement of the signboard) until we asked for directions from the local policeman.
Our food hunting in HK was practically a treasure hunt. We were searching road by road, street by street to get to Wellington's Street at Central. We found the street but didn't find the place - Mak's Noodle. Instead, it got us noticing several signs to Lan Kwai Fong, the longest escalator and to the peak tram station. We also spotted this Pottinger Street with very steep but small stone steps leading up. It caught our attention when we saw a wedding couple taking photographs there but having the very thought of climbing up the steep steps made us rerouted and continue our hunt down Wellington's street. We didn't manage to find the noodle place and succumbed to any cha chum teng that looked equally good (packed with customers at that hour). We went in to this Fei Cui or Tai Wah restaurant (we discovered later that this was the same restaurant near our hotel) for shrimp and spinach dumpling noodles. The shrimps were fresh and succulent but having 4 huge dumplings in a bowl were too much for my stomach.
Our heavy breakfast and exhuastion must have taken a toll on us as we walked blindly along the road signs to the peak tram station, forgetting that we had set to go there in the evening to catch the night scenery from the peak. It took at least another 15 to 20-minute walk up and down the government house making several turns before we saw "Peak Tram Station". The best thing was, we could bypass the directions (I could say that this was clearly not our fault but the misplacement of the signboard) until we asked for directions from the local policeman.
the food and street market
8 May 2009, 10.00pm
It was meant to be "eating, shopping, eating, shopping". For us, it became a "walking and getting lost" trip but I guessed that was also the interesting and fun bit of it.
Yes, and so we had our fair share of shopping in HK but we ourselves too wondered where did the eating part go? I was guilty of foregoing lunch or dinner where possible to gain time, leaving my poor buddy deprived of her food indulgences. There, my third reason to go back to HK.
We had planned our full programme to be in Lantau this day but we couldn't help but to think that we have not spent enough. And so, we made our way to Mongkok again to "rediscover" the Ladies Market, hoping to find some good bargains by getting there earlier than the night before. If anything was to be blamed, put the blame on the already well-stocked Bugis street in Singapore where we could find similar items at the same or if not, better prices. So, we ended up walking back empty-handed the second night after a dinner at a cha chum teng along the Ladies Market: gong zai mian with Ham, salad and hot lemon tea.
P.S. : Being our second night in Mongkok, we thought we had figured out the way back already but we found ourselves in Yuen Long along the way. How the hell did we get there? It was not even somewhere on our map.
It was meant to be "eating, shopping, eating, shopping". For us, it became a "walking and getting lost" trip but I guessed that was also the interesting and fun bit of it.
Yes, and so we had our fair share of shopping in HK but we ourselves too wondered where did the eating part go? I was guilty of foregoing lunch or dinner where possible to gain time, leaving my poor buddy deprived of her food indulgences. There, my third reason to go back to HK.
We had planned our full programme to be in Lantau this day but we couldn't help but to think that we have not spent enough. And so, we made our way to Mongkok again to "rediscover" the Ladies Market, hoping to find some good bargains by getting there earlier than the night before. If anything was to be blamed, put the blame on the already well-stocked Bugis street in Singapore where we could find similar items at the same or if not, better prices. So, we ended up walking back empty-handed the second night after a dinner at a cha chum teng along the Ladies Market: gong zai mian with Ham, salad and hot lemon tea.
P.S. : Being our second night in Mongkok, we thought we had figured out the way back already but we found ourselves in Yuen Long along the way. How the hell did we get there? It was not even somewhere on our map.
Spender splendour
8 May 2009, 2.00pm
This was not the place I thought I would get my buys from, but never say never, for I ended up with several shopping bags from Citygate. Well, brands and outlet shopping never caught my fancy until I spotted Esprit amongst Adidas, Nike, Timberland, Club 21, Levi's, Giordano. The prices weren't exactly attractive but affordable enough to make you think twice. And think twice, I did as I almost settled with one jacket less until the salesperson convinced me to get another item to enjoy bigger savings. I say, with bigger savings come bigger spending.
After some more touring and shopping with my travel companion, we headed to Disneyland station. You heard it right, Disneyland station and not Disneyland Park. It was right in a way that we didn't make it to Disneyland as we were really racing against time. It was already past 7pm when we arrived at Disney.
It was worth the trip to outside of the park despite the rush as we get to take the Disney train and see the musical fountain playing my favourite tune from Little Mermaid. As we made our way out, there were also fireworks lighting up the night sky. It made me wonder how beautiful it would be to view the fireworks inside the park against the castles. Another reason to go back there.
This was not the place I thought I would get my buys from, but never say never, for I ended up with several shopping bags from Citygate. Well, brands and outlet shopping never caught my fancy until I spotted Esprit amongst Adidas, Nike, Timberland, Club 21, Levi's, Giordano. The prices weren't exactly attractive but affordable enough to make you think twice. And think twice, I did as I almost settled with one jacket less until the salesperson convinced me to get another item to enjoy bigger savings. I say, with bigger savings come bigger spending.
After some more touring and shopping with my travel companion, we headed to Disneyland station. You heard it right, Disneyland station and not Disneyland Park. It was right in a way that we didn't make it to Disneyland as we were really racing against time. It was already past 7pm when we arrived at Disney.
It was worth the trip to outside of the park despite the rush as we get to take the Disney train and see the musical fountain playing my favourite tune from Little Mermaid. As we made our way out, there were also fireworks lighting up the night sky. It made me wonder how beautiful it would be to view the fireworks inside the park against the castles. Another reason to go back there.
Exploring Lantau in a cabin
8 May 2009, 11.30am
As we arrived in Tung Chung, we immediately caught sight of the Citygate shopping outlets. This was the very shopping mall that was featured in a programme introducing affordable shopping for good brands. We made a mental note before crossing over to the cable car station.
Since we had made it this far, we didn't hesitate to try out the crystal cabin which has a crystal clear bottom in the cabin which allows you to view the scenery right under your feet. We were in the cabin with a Thai or maybe Filippino family and a HK couple. I seriously questioned the thrill of a crystal cabin ride when they don't allow you to stand in the cabin. Maybe we should have tested the limit? It was not as exciting as we had thought but cable car rides weren't meant to be any thrilling anyway. It was slow and probably a good choice for the elderly. All of us were getting bored and started taking pictures in the cabin. The Filippino family was an amusing bunch who kept narrating and video-taping themselves during the ride.
After the 20 to 30-minute ride, we spotted the Buddha statue on the peak of the island. Having walked and expecting to walk longer over the several hours, we decided to give up the walk up to the Buddha status to save energy and time. We did a quick tour in the village and had a nice mango ice and mango dumpling at Honeymoon Desserts.
Very soon, we headed back to Tung Chung on the cable car. This time, with a very quiet Caucasian couple and a caucasian man. I also started taking pictures in the cabin, just hoping time would pass a little faster in the cable car.
As we arrived in Tung Chung, we immediately caught sight of the Citygate shopping outlets. This was the very shopping mall that was featured in a programme introducing affordable shopping for good brands. We made a mental note before crossing over to the cable car station.
Since we had made it this far, we didn't hesitate to try out the crystal cabin which has a crystal clear bottom in the cabin which allows you to view the scenery right under your feet. We were in the cabin with a Thai or maybe Filippino family and a HK couple. I seriously questioned the thrill of a crystal cabin ride when they don't allow you to stand in the cabin. Maybe we should have tested the limit? It was not as exciting as we had thought but cable car rides weren't meant to be any thrilling anyway. It was slow and probably a good choice for the elderly. All of us were getting bored and started taking pictures in the cabin. The Filippino family was an amusing bunch who kept narrating and video-taping themselves during the ride.
After the 20 to 30-minute ride, we spotted the Buddha statue on the peak of the island. Having walked and expecting to walk longer over the several hours, we decided to give up the walk up to the Buddha status to save energy and time. We did a quick tour in the village and had a nice mango ice and mango dumpling at Honeymoon Desserts.
Very soon, we headed back to Tung Chung on the cable car. This time, with a very quiet Caucasian couple and a caucasian man. I also started taking pictures in the cabin, just hoping time would pass a little faster in the cable car.
On the streets and in the trains
8 May 2009, 10.00am
I really wished we could get up earlier to catch the little time we had in HK. Our first mission in the morning was to hunt for this recommended food outlet known as the Xing Ji Chan Ting at Kimberly Road. We went searching high and low and ended up searching aimlessly at Kimberly Street (Jin Ba Li Jie) instead of Kimberly Road (Jin Ba Li Dao). By the time we realised we were in the wrong street, we went to and fro looking for Xiang Bin Da Sha or Champagne Tower as it was called. We did finally find the restaurant but failed to realise it is not opened until 12 noon. All those finding of food places earned us another precious advice: note the opening hours!
We gave up finally and had a quick (well not so quick if you are comparing us to the fellow Hong Kongers) breakfast: bo luo bao, butter and milk toasts plus milk tea! All those bread made quick a heavy breakfast that needless to say, we skipped our lunch altogether (that was not totally the reason, it was because we didn't really have time to eat!).
Our rat race in Hong Kong was a real challenge as we took so much time walking and travelling on the trains. To make it to Ngong Ping at Lantau Island, we had to take a train to Central and take a 10-min walk to Hong Kong station (it is connected internally with travelators). At Hong Kong station, we had to hunt for the connecting train to Tung Chung. I lost track of the time taken to get to Ngong Ping. It was certainly not a short one. Even in the train, we met many other tourists who were on the way to Ngong Ping to Disneyland. This beats having a strange local uncle sitting next to me and ranting loudly on the phone which caught everyone's attention. And it was not really uncommon to see people yelling from what we had observed in the streets the night before.
I really wished we could get up earlier to catch the little time we had in HK. Our first mission in the morning was to hunt for this recommended food outlet known as the Xing Ji Chan Ting at Kimberly Road. We went searching high and low and ended up searching aimlessly at Kimberly Street (Jin Ba Li Jie) instead of Kimberly Road (Jin Ba Li Dao). By the time we realised we were in the wrong street, we went to and fro looking for Xiang Bin Da Sha or Champagne Tower as it was called. We did finally find the restaurant but failed to realise it is not opened until 12 noon. All those finding of food places earned us another precious advice: note the opening hours!
We gave up finally and had a quick (well not so quick if you are comparing us to the fellow Hong Kongers) breakfast: bo luo bao, butter and milk toasts plus milk tea! All those bread made quick a heavy breakfast that needless to say, we skipped our lunch altogether (that was not totally the reason, it was because we didn't really have time to eat!).
Our rat race in Hong Kong was a real challenge as we took so much time walking and travelling on the trains. To make it to Ngong Ping at Lantau Island, we had to take a train to Central and take a 10-min walk to Hong Kong station (it is connected internally with travelators). At Hong Kong station, we had to hunt for the connecting train to Tung Chung. I lost track of the time taken to get to Ngong Ping. It was certainly not a short one. Even in the train, we met many other tourists who were on the way to Ngong Ping to Disneyland. This beats having a strange local uncle sitting next to me and ranting loudly on the phone which caught everyone's attention. And it was not really uncommon to see people yelling from what we had observed in the streets the night before.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The stars and the harbour
7 May 2009, 6.00pm
From Harbour City, we walked to the Victoria Harbour via the clock tower at the pier.
It was cool, if not cold along the harbour; like what I had experienced the first time I was in Macau and Hong Kong. From the harbour, you could see the skycrapers across the other side of the island, the Hong Kong Island. It was not as fascinating as watching the local ferries or the ancient-time ships floating past with their red sails.
The stretch along the harbour was a long walk and the sky had turned darker by the time we reached the Avenue of Stars.
Frankly, I do feel like a typical tourist taking photos of the "must-see" landmarks, just to leave a "I've been here" stamp. To me, there was nothing really wowed about the scenery nor the spectacular that people have been telling me about.
Not forgetting that there are dozens of vendors parking by the harbour for you to take photos against the harbour for HKD 10. In all, I wasn't impressed by the handprints on the floor nor the laser lighting across the nightsky.
After the harbour spectacular, we spent another good 20 minutes figuring our way to the nearest MTR. By then, we were already so tired that we made a stop at our hotel to rest our feet before heading to the Ladies Market on foot. It was already a quarter past 11pm when we reached there and the stalls were preparing to close. Instead of getting bargains, we met a rude auntie who refused to cut prices and said that we were in the way of her closing the stall. And so, we ended up leaving the place empty handed. Speaking of getting lost in HK, we couldn't be more lost than walking in the wrong direction all the time in Mongkok when there was only one road leading back to Jordan.
After getting some Ribena and magazine at the 7-11 near the hotel, we were back in the room near 1am. I was still wide awake till 3am.
From Harbour City, we walked to the Victoria Harbour via the clock tower at the pier.
It was cool, if not cold along the harbour; like what I had experienced the first time I was in Macau and Hong Kong. From the harbour, you could see the skycrapers across the other side of the island, the Hong Kong Island. It was not as fascinating as watching the local ferries or the ancient-time ships floating past with their red sails.
The stretch along the harbour was a long walk and the sky had turned darker by the time we reached the Avenue of Stars.
Frankly, I do feel like a typical tourist taking photos of the "must-see" landmarks, just to leave a "I've been here" stamp. To me, there was nothing really wowed about the scenery nor the spectacular that people have been telling me about.
Not forgetting that there are dozens of vendors parking by the harbour for you to take photos against the harbour for HKD 10. In all, I wasn't impressed by the handprints on the floor nor the laser lighting across the nightsky.
After the harbour spectacular, we spent another good 20 minutes figuring our way to the nearest MTR. By then, we were already so tired that we made a stop at our hotel to rest our feet before heading to the Ladies Market on foot. It was already a quarter past 11pm when we reached there and the stalls were preparing to close. Instead of getting bargains, we met a rude auntie who refused to cut prices and said that we were in the way of her closing the stall. And so, we ended up leaving the place empty handed. Speaking of getting lost in HK, we couldn't be more lost than walking in the wrong direction all the time in Mongkok when there was only one road leading back to Jordan.
After getting some Ribena and magazine at the 7-11 near the hotel, we were back in the room near 1am. I was still wide awake till 3am.
Let the shopping begins!
7 May 2009, 3.00pm
Our bible for this trip is a map that I brought with scribblings of the eating and shopping places that we must visit.
Our first shopping stop: Harbour City
We took the train to Tsim Sha Tsui and we slowly found our way there, with the help of a Caucasian who offered help. Instead of getting our buys from Harbour City, we got our stuff from one stop earlier - H & M @ Central. I heard so much about H & M from my sister who told me it's a must-go place to shop, or at least to help her get some stuff there. So we went, and I quickly succumbed to my shopping impulses, just to help me get into the momentum of shopping: once you start, you can't stop.
My buys from H & M
Our bible for this trip is a map that I brought with scribblings of the eating and shopping places that we must visit.
Our first shopping stop: Harbour City
We took the train to Tsim Sha Tsui and we slowly found our way there, with the help of a Caucasian who offered help. Instead of getting our buys from Harbour City, we got our stuff from one stop earlier - H & M @ Central. I heard so much about H & M from my sister who told me it's a must-go place to shop, or at least to help her get some stuff there. So we went, and I quickly succumbed to my shopping impulses, just to help me get into the momentum of shopping: once you start, you can't stop.
My buys from H & M
Our first brunch @ cha chum teng
7 May 2009, 10.20am
Arriving at the HK airport, we were separated from the rest of the passengers very soon as most were transiting and we were busy snapping away once we touched ground. It took us some time to eventually find the customs but the wait in the queue was so long that a Taiwanese passenger got frustrated and started yelling at the airport staff. Thanks to him, we got redirected to a shorter queue. We managed to get out in time to meet our HK guide for the transfer to hotel.
After some time waiting for the rest to assemble, we were finally on the way to our hotel - crossing from Lantau to Kowloon.
As we got to the lobby, the sense of familiarity from my last stay at the hotel settled in. Instead of a cute guide, we had a good-looking hotel receptionist. It wasn't that bad at all. Being an hour earlier than the check-in time, we went out for a quick brunch cum our very first finding-our-way and getting-lost episode. After some searching and back-tracking, with the aid of a fruit-seller auntie, we managed to find the place. The hunt also got us walking through a local marketplace... selling mangos, durians and odd-looking veggies.
First eating place: Li Xiang Yuan Bing Ting @ Recalmation Street
Comments: Obviously, people only speak cantonese here but the staff are pretty helpful over here. There are set lunches from HKD 24 comprising of Gong Zai Mian with Wu Xiang Rou Ding, fish fillet with egg, toasts and milk tea. All that gives 4/5 for me.
Plus, I spotted some good-looking pastries on our way out but didn't manage to go back for it - a must-try for me the next time I visit HK.
Our room in Eaton Hotel - 0727
Arriving at the HK airport, we were separated from the rest of the passengers very soon as most were transiting and we were busy snapping away once we touched ground. It took us some time to eventually find the customs but the wait in the queue was so long that a Taiwanese passenger got frustrated and started yelling at the airport staff. Thanks to him, we got redirected to a shorter queue. We managed to get out in time to meet our HK guide for the transfer to hotel.
After some time waiting for the rest to assemble, we were finally on the way to our hotel - crossing from Lantau to Kowloon.
As we got to the lobby, the sense of familiarity from my last stay at the hotel settled in. Instead of a cute guide, we had a good-looking hotel receptionist. It wasn't that bad at all. Being an hour earlier than the check-in time, we went out for a quick brunch cum our very first finding-our-way and getting-lost episode. After some searching and back-tracking, with the aid of a fruit-seller auntie, we managed to find the place. The hunt also got us walking through a local marketplace... selling mangos, durians and odd-looking veggies.
First eating place: Li Xiang Yuan Bing Ting @ Recalmation Street
Comments: Obviously, people only speak cantonese here but the staff are pretty helpful over here. There are set lunches from HKD 24 comprising of Gong Zai Mian with Wu Xiang Rou Ding, fish fillet with egg, toasts and milk tea. All that gives 4/5 for me.
Plus, I spotted some good-looking pastries on our way out but didn't manage to go back for it - a must-try for me the next time I visit HK.
Our room in Eaton Hotel - 0727
Off we go to Hong Kong!
7 May 2009, 4.00am
Finally, I made it to Hong Kong.
A one-night stay in HK 4 years ago had always left me with a craving to go back to explore and complete what I couldn't in that 2 days 1 night. It was a long wait but I made it any way.
It was a first for me to fly and travel with a buddy. Both of us being rather new to travelling, I was pretty sure that this was going to be a trip with slips and bumps. In other words, it was going to be an interesting trip.
To maximise to the best of our 4 days 3 nights, we decided to take the earliest flight out. We woke up near 2.30am (which means a mere 4-hour sleep, or do you call that a nap?) and left for the airport around 4am.
Upon reaching the airline counter, we were told to register our particulars with the local immigration before we even proceeded for check-in. All those redirections led us lining up for the wrong flight. And little did we know that we were on a flight to Chicago transiting at Hong Kong. Can we stay in the plane, please?
It was not as bad as we thought to set off this early but we were left idling in the new terminal as most shops were closed, or rather not opened at that hour. So we parked ourselves at the internet kiosks before we headed in for the security checks.
Flying off on UA 896.
----------------------------
It was my first time travelling on UA and I was quite curious what it would be like travelling on UA.
Comments: Leg room and seats are pretty standard. Multi-national staff - all looking rather mature. Plus point: HK papers is provided. Minus point: limited in-flight entertainment, food is served cold, service is pretty much free and easy too.
The verdict: I would pretty much like to be pampered on CX for the same price.
Our breakfast on UA: muffin, croissant and fruit slices
Finally, I made it to Hong Kong.
A one-night stay in HK 4 years ago had always left me with a craving to go back to explore and complete what I couldn't in that 2 days 1 night. It was a long wait but I made it any way.
It was a first for me to fly and travel with a buddy. Both of us being rather new to travelling, I was pretty sure that this was going to be a trip with slips and bumps. In other words, it was going to be an interesting trip.
To maximise to the best of our 4 days 3 nights, we decided to take the earliest flight out. We woke up near 2.30am (which means a mere 4-hour sleep, or do you call that a nap?) and left for the airport around 4am.
Upon reaching the airline counter, we were told to register our particulars with the local immigration before we even proceeded for check-in. All those redirections led us lining up for the wrong flight. And little did we know that we were on a flight to Chicago transiting at Hong Kong. Can we stay in the plane, please?
It was not as bad as we thought to set off this early but we were left idling in the new terminal as most shops were closed, or rather not opened at that hour. So we parked ourselves at the internet kiosks before we headed in for the security checks.
Flying off on UA 896.
----------------------------
It was my first time travelling on UA and I was quite curious what it would be like travelling on UA.
Comments: Leg room and seats are pretty standard. Multi-national staff - all looking rather mature. Plus point: HK papers is provided. Minus point: limited in-flight entertainment, food is served cold, service is pretty much free and easy too.
The verdict: I would pretty much like to be pampered on CX for the same price.
Our breakfast on UA: muffin, croissant and fruit slices
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