Hong Kong Trip - Day I

Now everyone can fly!

This is our first trip abroad and CM really put in effort to plan the itinerary for this trip. We travelled from Singapore to KL by bus on Jan 7. Despite only 4 passengers (an Indonesian couple and us) on board, the bus departed on the clock to KL and the entire trip was pleasant and comfortable. A good start. We reached KL at about 1pm and took the LRT to Sri Petaling to meet my little sis, hence this post. After a delicious curry mee feast, ST dropped us off at One Utama where we would meet up with CM's sis, who offerred us a place to stay overnight.

Ocean of clouds.

We took the 7am flight next morning, managed to salvage a couple of hours sleep. CM got excited when she saw the sun rose over the clouds, unveiling a sea of cotton and started snapping with my D60. We arrived at Hong Kong International Airport at 11.05am and easily made our way to our hotel via the airport express train and MTR. Incense Harbour, here we come!

We stayed here - small, cheap, clean, strategic.

After we checked in and a quick bath to freshen up, we proceed to a nearby eatery for lunch and headed north towards Mongkok. Hong Kong is a city of people - I was amazed at the mass walking along the walkways, the influx of people crossing the roads in haste, the throng of commuters in the MTR. And thus I am all the more impressed by the efficiency of the MTR system.

People mountain people sea.

I think Hong Kong is the most backpacker-friendly place to travel as throughout our stay there, we managed to find and reach each and every destination with ease, guided by a map, a tour guide book and the signboards. If everything fails, a brief conversation with almost anyone on the road would just make it. In the past, you probably need to speak in accurate Cantonese intonation and accent, but after 1997, most of the Hongkies have picked up mandarin pretty well.

Leng lui I met at Jordan MTR.

Ladies Market on Tung Choi Street is very much like our Petaling Street or Pasar Malam. We took a brisk walk through the market, browsing the merchandises displayed. Half an hour later we were off to Goldfish Market and spent relatively longer time there as both CM and I are animal lovers. We were mesmerized by the colourful guppies, palm-size goldfishes, and the wide variations of pets available on the same street. As a fish fanatic since young, it was an ethereal sight for me!

Ladies Market.

A cobbler making an earnest living at Goldfish Market.

We reached the Avenue of Stars at Tsim Sha Shui at about 7pm and waited for the laser show. It was freaking cold at night despite the fact that the weather is similar to Genting Highlands’ climate. But when the wind starts to blow and drains the heat from your body, you’d better wish that you’re comfortably clad in a winter coat or windbreaker.

Met the same leng lui at Avenue of Stars. Affinity?

The laser show starts at 8pm daily and lasted for approximately half an hour – it is not as fabulous as I’d expected and I wouldn’t return for the second time because of it, but I would definitely come back for the endearing night view. With the vibrant neon-lit buildings across the sea, pleasurable ambience settings and the correct weather, it is by all odds a great place for dates and a holy place to fall in love:) ~Love is in the air by John Paul Young playing in the background.

Night view of Hong Kong Island from Tsim Sha Tsui.

Food:

• Hui Lao Shan (许留山) with its famous mango desserts. A chain shop which you can find almost anywhere. We also tried their latest creation - Bird nest stewed in coconut juice with hasma - and trust me, it's worth a try. ~slurp

Mango Hors d'oeuvre (芒果拼盘).

Bird nest stewed in coconut juice with hasma (燕窝椰皇燉雪蛤).

• There are lots of shops selling curry fishball, but to be frank, it's not worth the drumming. Imagine chewing a miniature squash ball covered with curry powder. But usually the same shop will sell braised cow's haslet which is sinfully delicious on the contrary, albeit not recommended for those with high levels of LDL cholesterol.

Braised cow's haslet (卤牛杂).

• Fu Kee Porridge (福记粥品) at Fa Yuen Street (花园街) offers a variety of porridge/congee at reasonable price. We tried the famous Kap Dai Zuk (及第粥) for supper to warm up our stomach for all the good food that is bound to be savored for the following days:p

Kap Dai Zuk (及第粥).

• Da Liang Ba Ji (大良八记) - sesame paste, walnut paste, peanut paste, coconut paste, egg stew (炖蛋), milk stew (炖奶), you name it, they have it
  

Egg stew (炖蛋).

Walnut paste (核桃糊).

Memorabilia:

• CM met Lawrence Cheng at the MTR, unknowing that we will run into 2 superstars the very next day;)
• Bought my first Next Magazine (壹周刊) with Zhang Ziyi's juicy nude sunbathing story on the cover.
• Mongkok's night is forever young.