HK Trip '06

Monday, December 25, 2006

Finally back to blogging after such a long time =) But these days free got sick so couldn't do much about my HK pictures. But now I finally have gone through all the 400+ pictures and chosen those that I want to put on the blog! Around 60 pictures in total... So bear with the long loading time and then enjoy viewing the pictures!

It feels good to be back in HK =) It's especially shiok to go shopping there when everyone's treating you very nicely (really very different from the way customers are treated in Singapore) No wonder the recent survey Hong Kong's hospitality ranking is still so high and Singapore's went down (to me it's not shocking at all) and one more thing - no GST + good exchange rate = good time for shopping!

And HKish Mandarin and English really...cannot make it. Sometimes I also don't know what they are trying to say. They are trying quite hard but...it's just weird and difficult to comprehend.

Sat 161206 1300h
Beginning of the trip on SQ 866. Went to take some pictures of Changi Airport gates and it was really decorated nicely for Christmas.








Then on the plane you can see this island =) Who says you need Google Earth for this...




With good weather, you can see small islands on the way.








Sat 161206 1730h
Arrived at HK's Chek Lap Kok Airport. It was quite welcoming, to see people from the Tourism board distributing goodie bags.

But to my horror again, have to take a bus. As some may hear me say...you are just taking a 1 h journey, with 30min just looking at endless stretches of hills and hills...But besides the point, arrived at my 姑妈house at 1900 for dinner. Had 东东云吞面 which used to be my favourite when I was just 5...


Taking a photo with the family




Route :
Singapore -> Hong Kong -> Aunt's House at Lok Fu




Sun 171206 0700h
How early...but it's already rise & shine in HK. Dad pulled me up from the bed for early breakfast...or 早茶. Went to the nearby restaurant, but...
You can't get a place!
The whole place is filled with people...especially with those old people. And have to find a place on our own. So after the breakfast then went to Jordan to find Bear...

And meeting people in HK it's really very different from meeting them in Singapore...the MTR exits are everywhere and there are so many places where you can meet. But we eventually met and got some breakfast.

After that did some shopping at Prince Edward then went very quickly to Causeway Bay to my grandmother's place. Actually the place changed quite a bit. Somemore hotels and new buildings are built in the area. Had Chinese cuisine at a restaurant in Causeway Bay. After lunch dad and I hurried to go further sightseeing and shopping =)

Went to Ngong Ping 360 (a new tourist attraction) and the great buddha statue in Ngong Ping. It's totally different after 3 years. There are so many many Chinese tourists.


Short hair and big jacket don't come nicely together...





Had to wait for 30 min before able to board the cable car and go back to Tung Chung


At night did a massive round of shopping in Tung Chung town centre. Really a lot of shops there...and HK people really spend a lot more effort in decorating up for Xmas.


Decoration at Tung Chung Square

Route :
Lok Fu -> Jordan -> Causeway Bay -> Lok Fu -> Ngong Ping -> Tung Chung -> Lok Fu




Mon 181206 0700h
Again woke up by Dad to go and meet mum in Causeway Bay (we stay in different places) to make our ICs. Went to do some visitng before going to the Wan Chai office which opens at 9. I also went to post my Xmas cards from Wan Chai Post office =)

In the afternoon went to Causeway Bay to have dim sum lunch (again LOL) and then my parents went to their IC offices to do their ICs. I went alone to shop again =) and no problem I'm still very good at navigating and I went to shop for shoes...not bad cost HKD$200+


Main Rd in Causeway Bay on a Sunday

Then at the end send mum home. Continue with the evening schedule and went to a after dinner stroll at Tsim Sha Tsui East...over at the Stars Avenue. Things have really changed a lot and it took us quite a while to get there.


Bruce Lee Picture




Beautiful Xmas lighting in HK

Route :
Lok Fu -> Wan Chai -> Causeway Bay -> Tsim Sha Tsui -> Lok Fu


Tue 191206 0700h
Again this reville timing. Went to Kowloon Bay instead to have breakfast. The restaurant was really quite good and served good porridge =) then I finally found a nice traditional bakery which produces wife biscuits! Then went to find mum again to go and apply for 回乡证 at North Point. After a quick application then went to Disneyland!

~Disneyland HK 1030h~

Really went to almost all the rides and managed to catch all the nice shows (thanks to my good time planning skills). Actually the really scary one is the Flight of Space Mountain...and also Mickey Musical is a MUST WATCH. The 2 really memorable rides. BTW I'm quite horrified by how Chinese tourist grab the brochures. They really pulled one whole STACK of it.




Common sights in the central grand walk


Disneyland Rail Station


Beauty & the Beast at Dining Hall (Canteen)


Water Feature


Me in a shop with lots of soft toys

~Disneyland 1500h~

Time for the Disneyland daily dance parade! Lots of pictures for that too...




Big inflatable Mickey Mouse?


Disney Films


Little Mermaid!


Group Picture at the Entrance

~Disneyland 1600h~
Then went to the adventure land to watch Lion King Festival =) My favourite Disney cartoon (1993) movie. Featured a lot of nice singing and some fire performances.


AdventureLand Entrance


Taken from the boat ride in AdventureLand


Gift Shop!



Lion King looks like soft toy...



Came out and went to take more photos before waiting for Mickey Grand Awards show. It's a nice show featuring all the past Disney movies.


Really love this picture's effect. It seems like the Magician is passing through time & space, with all his surroundings warped...


This is how popular Pooh Bear can get...scary...50min.


Mickey Grand Awards!!




Hunchback Notre Dame


Mulan


Little Mermaid!

~Disneyland 1900h~
It's dark after the performance...the place is still so attractive...in a different way. Waited for the fireworks performance before the whole theme park closes.




Xmas Trees


Grand Street at night


Sleeping Beauty Castle at night...ready for the Fireworks...






Spectacular Fireworks....


Then went to dinner back at Admiralty for Peking Duck =) still as nice as ever...Great day with great dinner.

Route:
Lok Fu -> Causeway Bay -> North Point -> Disneyland -> Admiralty -> Lok Fu


Wed 201206 0700
Got woken up again...and same breakfast at Kowloon Bay and collected the wife biscuits. Only have the morning to do the last min shopping and visiting, but still went a lot of places!

Took 106 from North Point back to Wong Tai Sin. That's the bus that I used to take from my place to grandma's place, so it passes by all the places that are familiar to me...including Hung Hom (my old place) and Kai Tak (old airport)


Crossing the harbour~ and look at the traffic...it's Wednesday 10am after all...


Rather messy traffic but still it's smooth traffic


Taken on the bus...a park very near to where I used to stay

Then went to Wong Tai Sin to pray...and I must recommend everyone to go and pray... because my dad did strike 4D shortly after that lol =) then went to the new shopping mall in Kowloon Tong for last minute shopping...before proceeding to the airport.

Route:
Lok Fu -> Kowloon Bay -> North Point -> Wong Tai Sin -> Kowloon Tong -> Lok Fu -> Airport


HK Airport Checking-In


Departing...


Sunset from 10km above the ground...

Wed 201206 1940
And finally arrived in Singapore. Got slightly delayed due to the turbulant weather. Really nice trip, seen lots of people and bought lots of things =) HK is still a very nice place to go...