Hong Kong

[Mondo]

Got home last night from a week in Hong Kong and thought I write something to remember the week by.

First of all, it wasn't a holiday, I moved here about 17 years ago and this was the first time i've been back. First time to see cousins that were just born when i left and some were born after i left. Most of all to see my grandmothers who are both in their 80's, so most of the trip were actually spending time with them but i did get to do some touristy stuff and some stuff that tourist will never see because they simply won't go to or know where to do or scared to go.

I have over 900 pics over the week and these are just some of them.

So we left at 2:30 English time, didn't really do a direct straight line flight, more a little curve and missing India and coming in from China so flew over the Himalayas at 37k feet.




Drove to my nan's (mun's mother) who lives in a little strip of land between Hong Kong and China that is the size of most city centers kinda like no man's land (think Guards on both sides and you need special ID to pass which took an hour to get at a police station, only people get to get the ID's are people who lives there or relatives living there) and then practically head straight to dinner, the uncle owns a restaurant so he went a bit OTT with the food, there's a whole chicken chopped up on the table, sweet and sour pork, Roast Goose (bottom right), and lots of other random nice stuff, actually ran out of room on the table for food, all went down nicely with a glass of cold lemon tea.



Next morning, we went to see my dad's mother for the day and visited the local market where fished get sliced down the center leaving the heart still beating (to show that it's fresh), other fish kept in shallow waters with a air pump into the water, meat hang on a hook, live chicken in cages, RSPCA will have a field day but it's everyday life over there.



One of the thing i missed in living in England is food, and the bakery is the best example. Every bakery can knock out cakes like these, no matter how small and they are like £7/8 each for the large ones, something i've not seen here unless i went to Fortune & Mason and it'll cost like £50 in there. I find it ironic that Chinese can bake better than the English.



Next day we went to apply for my ID card, HK runs an ID card system and with it a star rated system. 3 star being the highest and you have full rights such as voting, benefits...etc, since i was born there I am eligible for one and spent the better part of the morning doing that, later that day we went to Kowloon and found my first Starbucks ! I was so happy, even ordered the drink in English as I have no idea what Caramel Frappucinno is called in Cantonese lol

Then we head for Lunch (btw, all through the week, that seems all I did, go here, eat, head over there, eat...repeat). We went to what I can only describe as a Chinese/Hong Kong Version if McD's went Chinese food. It's fast food that you pick up from the counter and self serve. But the prices were silly, my sister got Roast pork with veg, rice with soup and a drink for about £2 ! The pics here shows the menu which changes literally all the time as they are just plates hang on the wall and the prices goes up for evening service by about £1 per meal.


(exchange rate is about $15 to £1)

After that we headed to or stumbled upon Harbor City, what I can only describe as the poshest shopping mall in the history of mankind, it feels like you'll need a mortgage just to set foot in there. Shops by Vivian Westwod, Jimmy Choo, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, Dior, Prada, CK, Gucci, D&G, Louis Vuitton...etc, just designer boutiques everywhere, and a food hall that supercedes M&S's and then mix it with lots of Asian designer shops plus lots of little gift shops and small food and cafe shops all spread the bottom 2 floors along buildings on the length of a street. Hong Kong Malls are mostly build like that, the skyscrapers at the top for offices or flats and the bottom 2/3 floors are shops, you can spent you entire day shopping without setting foot outside on the street and then back home/work, even across the streets are linked with enclosed bridges all with air con.






We then checked into our Hotel for the night, The Royal Gardens, bottom 3 floors are the lobby/suit tailors, they seem to love their tailors in hotels here, they must think businessmen travel without suits and the 4th floor up is the rooms/restaurant and what a view it is !

[Mondo]

So the lift goes up (black for about 1 sec as you go between 3rd to 4th) and you see this.



After a little rest and freshen up we went along the harbor for the night lights as you call it. This is the only time I actually felt like a tourist lol


Check out the name ! They didn't have room for spaces between a couple of the letters in English and it just look funny lol






Next day I went back to see more of my nan, and we went to some photo develop place, now they are all digital, and even this little on is self service with computers on the left here to upload your own and 1 hour process and pick it up later.



p.s. Chinese people can't go all the way blond...it's all a bit gingerly

On the last day my cousin and her friend took us to a street like Tottenham Court Road in London, lots of Camera shops (bought a 67mm hoya UV filter for £10!, B&W were only £20). and open market stalls that sell only fake brand stuff, over heard an American lady asking "Do you know where I can get AAA grade fake bags?"

Thing to note, there was a LOT of people here, constantly bumping into people and my reaction is to say "sorry", but it's the norm that they don't, so it's not rude just keep on walking.





Some shop selling chinese hot food snacks, these are fish balls on a stick.





Oh, one last night, Hong Kong trains, they are run like the underground, every 2 mins, and can get from the end of the line to the other end for $11.50/£80p, and it's electric too and air con.

[MarcLister]

Looks like you had fun.

That shopping centre looks mental.

[BBx]

Originally Posted by Mondo

One of the thing i missed in living in England is food, and the bakery is the best example. Every bakery can knock out cakes like these, no matter how small and they are like £7/8 each for the large ones, something i've not seen here unless i went to Fortune & Mason and it'll cost like £50 in there. I find it ironic that Chinese can bake better than the English.

Then we head for Lunch (btw, all through the week, that seems all I did, go here, eat, head over there, eat...repeat). We went to what I can only describe as a Chinese/Hong Kong Version if McD's went Chinese food. It's fast food that you pick up from the counter and self serve. But the prices were silly, my sister got Roast pork with veg, rice with soup and a drink for about £2 ! The pics here shows the menu which changes literally all the time as they are just plates hang on the wall and the prices goes up for evening service by about £1 per meal.

OMG!!! These pics have made me moer excited about Malaysia!

Wooo hoo! I think I'm gonig to have to start fasting now so I dont return as a blimp!

You are right about the baking... its AMAZING!!! My birthday cake with butter icing was phemoninal!

Its almost RM6 to £1 at the moment which means you can get Wan Tun Mee for about RM2? which is 16p?!

I can't wait - glad you had a good time Ray

BB x

[Tak]

Wow - looks fab The food looks gorgeous too

[Dee]

Awesome shots there, I am so jealous

Glad you had a good time

[Belmit]

OMFG fud.




Edit: That sounds sarcastic, but was my genuine reaction!

[Will]

Looks amazing. I really want to go out there properly. My cousin moved out there a good year or so ago, I need to go and see him. Do you speak mandarin or cantonese? I can never remember which one they speak in HK. I know they speak a lot of english, but I always try and learn a bit of the language. It's one of those place you just HAVE to visit. I only had a 12hr stay there, well it wasn't even that, the plane had issues, so we were told we could go and wonder and come back at a certain time. So I wondered I thought the same Belmit - fooood!

[Blackstar]

That looks utterly amazing Raymond! I'd love to go there one day, although i get very confused in crowds

[Mondo]

Originally Posted by Blackstar

That looks utterly amazing Raymond! I'd love to go there one day, although i get very confused in crowds

LOL, i had the same thought, if i had lost my cousin i wouldn't know where to go as everyone has black hair so its hard to spot people in the crowd. Where here it's easier as everyone's hair is slightly different.

Will, I speak Cantonese so I can act like a local should i wanted to but my reading and writing has gone to pap so when reading the menu I read the English part But talking is fine, I sound like one of them anyway.