Last day in Hong Kong

Today we hop on our hotel shuttle to 中港城 and Harbor City in Kowloon to do a bit of window shopping or actual shopping. As per the norm now, everywhere on the streets of HK and in her shopping centers there are Mainland shoppers dishing out their CNY. There is no secret that the Chinese are propping up the retail sectors wherever they go in droves ..... 

The day turns out to be showery and wet and so we are in  rain coats.... The Harbor City is so big (it's actually several malls joined together in one long row) that we never have to venture out to the streets but there is only so much one can do with walking in a Mall and so we make our way to the Avenue of Stars on the Victoria Harbor to have a look see.

 On the 星光大道

Looking on at the HK island

Wet wet wet

 

There is only so much to do and see in the rain so we return to our hotel for a bit of rest. After dinner we make it to the harbor again to see and experience the Festival of Light Laser show. The rain has receded by 8pm, and Hong Kong is donning her beautiful dress and she puts on a show for the tourists.

Although it is still a bit cloudy but the clouds thankfully stay above the skyline so we do get a pretty good view of HK island ....

We actually make it to see the show and even manage some nice pics for us to remember by. I don't think we will be back to HK that soon in the foreseeable future and so at least we get to share the night with other tourists and locals at this beautiful harbor side.

Playing tourists

Lantau Island

HK 2nd day 18/4/12. Today we want to go to Lantau Island 大嶼山 because both SM and I have never been there before. We catch a MTR to Tung Chung Station (东涌）and find that the station is situated next to a big shopping mall outlet - the Citygate Outlets. You have got to give it to the Hongkongers because they know how to provide seamless transportation and retail services. We hop on an MTR at Mongkok and then we are whisked to Tung Chung within a par 5 shot of the airport; for a fare of only HK$14.5 per person. No wonder we see all these Mainland shoppers coming from the airport still with their hand luggage and doing their shopping at Citygate which you can get all the world brands here. If not for the Mainlanders HK retailers would be in a lot of strive.

And no wonder we do not see any tourists at 女人街和庙街 except the angmohs and Asians because the Mainlanders are not interested in fakes, but the expensive branded stuff.

SM is a bit apprehensive but I manage to convince her to catch a cable car ride up to the top of Lantau Island - Ngong Ping 昂坪. For me I would prefer aerial transport anytime.

 Breakfast at Mackers before our trip out to Tung Chung

There is a bus station next to the Tung Chung MTR station.

 We could have caught a bus ride (Bus #23) up to Ngong Ping but a cable car ride would be more fun

The cable car ride up to Ngong Ping plus a bus ride down to Tung Chung station costs us HK$104 per person and they even give us $40 worth of cash value for exchange for food, drinks or souvenirs. Awesome.

Approaching the Big Buddha about 20 minutes after launching from ground

From Ngong Ping up to the Big Buddha we need to climb 250 steps

 The BIG BUDDAH 天坛大佛 is one of two 景点 on 大嶼山

 

Two different picture perspective of the same structure

I think the whole Buddha structure was made of bronze. I have no statistics about the structure. Just playing tourist today - quick in and out of this hot spot. I enjoy the views of the surroundings though.

Meizhou to Hong Kong

17/4/12 早上 7.40 we depart for Hong Kong on a coach. 親人们都有来送行。

The coach journey to HK takes around 5 hours （coach fare at only CNY 80 per person) and by 1.30pm we have crossed the border and arrived at Kowloon 太子道. We catch a cab from there and arrive at our hotel the Cosmo Hotel Mongkok. 

We go to the nearby area to explore and to stretch our legs, finding our way to the so-called 女人街和庙街 which are about 20 minutes walk from Cosmo。

I was tired and had bags under my eyes due to the lack of sleep .....

 We stop by 恭和堂 to have 卄四味 and 龟苓膏. Their 龟苓膏 costs HK$45, more than double others' but apparently theirs are the real deal.

鱼蛋档

We have a supper of 粥 and 猪肉饼煲仔饭 and we retire to our bed happy that we have now crossed 他the border and get back in time to "civilization". From here on end we need not worry about the quality of food and a clash of cultures. How wrong we are....