On our first morning we headed into central HK to Kowloon via a rather nice bakery with pork dumplings. We wandered along Nathan Road and the Avenue of Stars and looked across to HK Island through the smog. It was crazy hot and sticky - apparently the hottest day in HK so far this year at 34.9degC. We took the Star ferry across to HK island but the views weren't great because of the pollution:
We got the mid-levels escalator up into Soho and walked back via the Man Mo Temple where we nearly sufforcated from incense inhalation.
We had a random takeaway of roast duck and rice which was cheap cheap for lunch - very pleasing. In the afternoon, we went to the Kowloon Park and watched the marital arts show. I was getting rather tired and hot and we desperately searched for somewhere with aircon which upsettingly was McDonalds! After ice creams and cooling we walked around the Chinese Garden and observed hoards of women sitting all over the floor in groups eating lunch and chatting - very strange! We then made it around the aviary before we had to stop again for a rest. We played cards in the shade for a while and then walked the backstreets to find something to eat. Eventually we found noodle soup but it was so damn hot it made us both cry - we ate it all though! 
It finally got to 8pm, which we had been waiting for, so we could see the Symphony of Light across the harbour. It was quite good despite the smog. 
It took us so long to get home and we were so shattered from walking around and the heat - thank god for our aircon!We started our second day with a trip to the visa office so I could get my Chinese visa. It was a pleasingly efficient process. From there we walked to central and got the Peak Tram up Victoria peak. When you arrive at the summit you get directed into a shopping centre which is really expensive and touristy and generally annoying because you can only get glimpses of the view you have come to see. It literally took us near on 1/2hr to escape the impossible place and get outside and enjoy the fab view. Luckily it was a really clear day!
We decided to treat ourselves to a proper dim sum lunch because it oringinates from HK and it is a bit of a family tradition of mine to have dim sum. We ordered all the ones I like in Cantonese which was funny! It was a great meal and would have been quite cheap if they hadn't charged us a ridiculous amount for our ice teas!! Oh well.
We walked back down Victoria Peak into Soho again and kinda followed the walking tour from the LP around the area but we quickly got bored of walking and headed back home. We bought a variety of things for dinner including sushi, beer, Chinese pot noodles and fruit and went back for a lazy evening in front of the t.v. 
View from our bedroom window:
After a more leisurely beginning to the day we got the MTR out to Lantau Island to go and see the Tian Tan Big Budda and Po Lin Monastery. Unfortunately the cable car was out of action because of typhoon warnings so we had to get a bus up but it was a beautiful ride. They have some lovely scenery and beaches there. The Big Budda was cool although it started to rain as we went up and we got well and truely soaked - at least we were warm!
Afterwards we went to the monastery where we got some snacks for lunch. We met a very enthusiastic America girl called Diana.
We did the journey back and decided to stop off at the hotel for a while. We did intend to go swimming in our rather large pool:
except apparently swimming in the rain is not the done thing in HK and we were quite tired. In the evening we headed out for food around Temple Street and ended up in this cute little restaurant with the sweetest waitress ever! It was called Yu Man Yuan restaurant. We went to Temple St Night Market and Alexa bought various items but the stall owners weren't overly good at the bargaining thing. We headed back and played our last gin rummy match....!
We decided to treat ourselves to a proper dim sum lunch because it oringinates from HK and it is a bit of a family tradition of mine to have dim sum. We ordered all the ones I like in Cantonese which was funny! It was a great meal and would have been quite cheap if they hadn't charged us a ridiculous amount for our ice teas!! Oh well.
We walked back down Victoria Peak into Soho again and kinda followed the walking tour from the LP around the area but we quickly got bored of walking and headed back home. We bought a variety of things for dinner including sushi, beer, Chinese pot noodles and fruit and went back for a lazy evening in front of the t.v. 
View from our bedroom window:
After a more leisurely beginning to the day we got the MTR out to Lantau Island to go and see the Tian Tan Big Budda and Po Lin Monastery. Unfortunately the cable car was out of action because of typhoon warnings so we had to get a bus up but it was a beautiful ride. They have some lovely scenery and beaches there. The Big Budda was cool although it started to rain as we went up and we got well and truely soaked - at least we were warm!
Afterwards we went to the monastery where we got some snacks for lunch. We met a very enthusiastic America girl called Diana.
We did the journey back and decided to stop off at the hotel for a while. We did intend to go swimming in our rather large pool:
except apparently swimming in the rain is not the done thing in HK and we were quite tired. In the evening we headed out for food around Temple Street and ended up in this cute little restaurant with the sweetest waitress ever! It was called Yu Man Yuan restaurant. We went to Temple St Night Market and Alexa bought various items but the stall owners weren't overly good at the bargaining thing. We headed back and played our last gin rummy match....!We packed up all our stuff and checked out then headed into Kowloon. We found me a new place to stay in Mirador Mansions which was not nearly as nice as what we had but the same price. In fact it was pretty gross in comparison and so small we couldn't fit in the room together really:
Once I was sorted we went to the Art Museum because it was free. To be honest, I found it quite dull but we did meet some fun American guys who we then went out for lunch with. They were learning Mandarin so they gave me some useful phrases and taught me my numbers etc... We all went to the Culture and History Museum together but soon split off because we were in a bit of a rush. I wanted to see how the British had come to be in control of the HK area but discovered the Chinese officials recount of the story to be rather embarrassing for the British. We left soon after we'd watched that video but mainly so that we could get across the harbour to HK Park for our tea appreciation class.
Once I was sorted we went to the Art Museum because it was free. To be honest, I found it quite dull but we did meet some fun American guys who we then went out for lunch with. They were learning Mandarin so they gave me some useful phrases and taught me my numbers etc... We all went to the Culture and History Museum together but soon split off because we were in a bit of a rush. I wanted to see how the British had come to be in control of the HK area but discovered the Chinese officials recount of the story to be rather embarrassing for the British. We left soon after we'd watched that video but mainly so that we could get across the harbour to HK Park for our tea appreciation class. Mr Ip, the main tea man, was not around and so one of his staff took the class. This boy knew considerably less about tea but was very funny in his odd ways. It was a fun class, we had a good group, and it was cool to see how the tea ceremony is conducted. We tried various teas and at the end all bought the flower tea because it was the cheapest!!
The evening was depressing to say the least. Alexa and I went to the pub and had an over priced drink and sat there not really knowing what to do or say to each other. A random Ozzy guy came over, Justin, and introduced himself and so we engaged in conversation with him for a while. Eventually we left and collected Alexa's bags and went and stood in the MTR station and cried. It was so sad. Alexa left for the airport and I went and sat in my room and felt very sorry for myself. 
The evening was depressing to say the least. Alexa and I went to the pub and had an over priced drink and sat there not really knowing what to do or say to each other. A random Ozzy guy came over, Justin, and introduced himself and so we engaged in conversation with him for a while. Eventually we left and collected Alexa's bags and went and stood in the MTR station and cried. It was so sad. Alexa left for the airport and I went and sat in my room and felt very sorry for myself.6th June - first day on my own again! I went and collected my visa which cost more then I thought it would and then I walked around the HK Conference and Exhibition Centre. It has the largest glass curtain in the world I think. I was sitting on a bench outside and it started to rain so hard. Eventually I braved the rain wearing my very attractive purple poncho and purple crocs. I went to the Exhibition of Infrastructure & Development because I wanted to see what the British has done in terms of building in HK but it was pretty rubbish. Eventually I ended up in St Paul's Cathedral which looked about as out of place as I felt. HK is a fast pace, good looking city. I felt very alone, slow, badly dressed and generally aimless. I decided to leave the next day.
I got the ferry back across bought some sushi and went back to my room for a while and watched a film. It didn't even occur to me later that I ate on my own, I just wandered into a restaurant and ordered and after a while realised I was eating alone for the first time in 6 months. It was fine!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment