Sat 6th Mar – As we were going to be on the move early tomorrow and it
wa my birthday, we had a small birthday gathering at the house with some
friends of Shiera’s and her parents and sister Kaye. They had bought me a
birthday cake, which was sweet of them. Filipino birthday cakes aren't the same
as we have....say no more...
Shiera
decorated the bed with Happy 50 Birthday in flowers. So pretty and touching.
Sun 7th Mar - Today is my 50th birthday, and in celebration of this landmark event we
are going to Disneyland in Hong Kong and spending some further time in Hong
Kong and Macau afterwards.
Shiera
whisked around the house like a magic fairy cleaning everything before we left.
Time for me to communicate back to the UK and with friends in other countries.
Backpacks
lighter than ever before seeing as we don't need much and at 11am we were off
to the airport. Sunday is good for getting to
Manila as the traffic is much less than normal, so we arrived at the airport in
record time with hours to kill before check-in opened.
Most
past visits to this airport have been later in the day and really busy. Today
seemed fairly quiet and laid back. Got through check-in quick. Filipino
departure tax is 1,620 pesos as usual, plus 750 pesos per head 'Airport users
charge' and then a long wait at the departure gate before the Cebupacific
flight 5J118 departed at 16:40.
Arriving at
Hong Kong airport is an event in itself as you take a high speed shuttle train
from the arrival area to the main baggage claim and passport control area. At
the airport information desk it seemed the most sensible option to take a taxi
to Disneyland rather than go by public transport, working out cheaper. Got to
the Disneyland hotel in good time and wow…fantastic place. Immaculate reception
staff and check-in process. Were in our room in quick speed and ….. wow
again….Mickey mouse has left me a birthday card and a cake made from rolled
towel and coloured pipe-cleaner decoration…how Disney, and how sweet was that.
Loads of goodies for us to keep as souvenirs. Shiera was whizzing around
collecting everything she could…so funny!
The evening
was cold as we had dropped in temperature to less than 20 degrees C. Was 32
degrees in the Philippines. Brrrr… We had to wrap up in everything we had to go
out for a walk and see everything lit up at night. A gorgeous Indian dinner in
the Disneyland hotel restaurant….a perfect way to celebrate being 50 ….. Being
a kid again !!!
Monday 8th March – First day in Disneyland and the deal I had got gave us an extra day
for free as I had booked the stay at the Disneyland hotel. Really cold day with
some rain, but that didn’t deter us from having plenty of fun on the rides.
This place isn’t as big as the LA or Euro Disney resorts, but it is fun
nonetheless.
Tuesday 9th March – Had another day in the park.
Wednesday 10th March - Indian breakfast at Chungking mansion. Being Indian central, it is
crammed with good cheap eateries serving authentic Indian budget meals.
Aahhh....my favourite start to the day!
We were
aiming to Hong Kong Island Star ferry terminal when we got waylaid by a ouple
of sales guys offering a look around the Gold coast resort with free transport.
I know this is a form of scam and have tried such things before, so knew what
to expect and wasn't going to be sucked into it. It was worth a look around
though, so took up the offer. A free taxi ride out to the resort and a chance
to see another part of Hong Kong free of charge. the 'Gold coast' resort was
being run by 'Absolute Vacation club' and was a pleasant place with a pristine
manicured man-made gold sand beach. If or when a typhoon strikes they just import
new sand to replace any that gets washed away. The condos themselves are all
very clean and organized and the Gold coast mall is nice enough. We also came
away with a free bottle of red wine and a free shuttle bus back to town. A
worthwhile few hours spent.
To carry on
with our original plan....Star ferry to Central for 2 HKD. The Star ferry is an
integral part of the Hong Kong experience. running like buses and efficient,
they are have been around since the 1800's and Hong Kong's heyday. A lovely
experience and a nice way to see the Victoria harbor. On reaching the Bottom
ascent to the Peak you arrive at the Peak tram terminal building, where there
is an inevitable queue. The building also houses a Madame Tussauds wax museum.
You can buy tickets at the bottom or at the top where it is located.
As with any
tourist attraction, the Peak isn’t just a nice place to take photographs, it is
also a shopping mall. They seem to squeeze these places in everywhere they can.
I get a bit tired of shops getting in the way of enjoying the places we visit.
Seems as though they want every opportunity to squeeze every last dollar they
can out of you. The highlight of the visit to the top is the Peak terrace,
where you get a magnificent view of Hong Kong and Victoria harbor. Today wasn’t
that great a view as it was very hazy and much of it disappeared into the haze.
It was good enough for a nice view though. Shiera was armed with tripod and we
managed to stage some great shots of us both between the crowds trying to vie
for their own bit of space.
Down at the
bottom and another one of Hong Kong’s landmark place, the Mid-levels Escalator.
Described as the longest in the world and placed in the Guinness book of
records as a result, it is an interesting way to climb back up the hill. The
problem is that the elevator is only one way…up! And you have to use the stairs
to get back down again. Having already been up today, we only went part way
before returning back down to low levels.
As a random
change of plan we got a Tram along to Causeway bay area, and were talking to a
local businessman on the tram. He suggested we went to the races this evening
as they were on twice a week and we could make it in time. So we decided to
stay on the tram to the Happy Valley Racecourse. You only pay a flat fee of 2
HKD on the tram, so it doesn’t matter where you get off. The tourist entrance
fee to the stadium is 10 HKD. We were in time for the 8pm race and dinner from
the central kitchen washed down with some Hot punch. This race course is
awesome. The location, set amidst high-rise apartment blocks and lit up like a
Christmas tree, it is a must experience on the tourist circuit here. Even if
you don't bet, it is a cheap visit for an hour or so.
Star ferry
back to Tsim Sha Tsui terminal
Thursday 11th March - Kowloon park, Mong
Kok markets all day. Bought my wedding outfit! A Chinese two-piece thing.
Really sophisticated looking. Shiera has no idea what she will wear yet.
Friday 12th March - Off to the infamous Stanley market. Star ferry 2HKD to Central then
Bus 260 for 10.30 HKD from Exchange square. To be honest, there is nothing in
the market that you cannot buy heaper elsewhere. It is nice, but nothing
exclusive to here.
The Murray
centre across the bay was moved from its original location, and is mainly high
quality restaurants. The nearby Mall was superb. The range and quality of food
was amazing.
Back to
Central on Bus then TST for a break and then more shopping for Shiera’s wedding
dress in Kimberley street. Didn’t buy anything as the prices are quite high and
most offer rental as a result, which is of no use to us.
Sat 13th March - Ocean park all day. 250 HKD entry. A day of adrenalin rides and
plenty of opportunity to aggravate the blisters through walking. The great
thing about this place is the escalators and cable car to get between the
areas.
Back at the
hostel and a great meal at the chaotic, but superb 'Taj Mahal' Indian
restaurant on 3rd floor of Chungking mansion. Lift B. Permanently on the go
running around, this is not a place to relax but the food is worth it.
Sun 14th March - Off to Macau for a couple of days. The China Ferry terminal on
Canton road. First Ferry 9:30am departure for 150 HKD. Comfortable leather
bucket seats and TV. Arrived in Macau at 10:50am and passed through passport
control in excellent time. Taxi from outside of the building to the 'Ole London
Hotel' for 40HKD. Without wasting much time we set out on a major walk around
Macau. There is an advantage to having been somewhere before and why i chose
the Ole London as being in a good location for getting to all the main sites.
The historical trail runs noth/south from St Paul’s ruins etc and down to the
A-ma temple area and Macau tower.
Mon 15th March - Took bus 26A to Taipa village (4.6 HKD) from the Central plaza.
Tapia is a mixture of the pretty village adjacent to the overpowering and
towering gambling cities. The latest addition is the 'City of Dreams', which we
visited later in the day. Firstly, getting off the bus shortly past the Taipa
best western is a good place to start the Portuguese trail. Olde worlde buildings
and street lighting make it a lovely place to while away a couple of hours. The
restored old village makes a great photo setting.
Next on the
agenda is an inevitable visit to the 'Venetian' hotel complex. An identical
copy of that in Las Vegas, it is a rambling complex of casinos, shops and the
wonderful indoors Grand canal and Gondolas, resplendent with singing
Gondoliers. Having been here before and the one in Las Vegas too, this is a
highlight of the visit, and a wow factor for Shiera, having never seen anything
like this in her life.
Lunch at the food
court and decided to book tickets for tonight's show at the Zaia theatre. More
on that later....
Saw the
incredible and free 'Bubble' show at 'City of dreams', which is a surround
cinema in a bubble dome. The beginning of the show is a water shower that
displays patterns and Chinese text in water as it drops from the roof. This is
followed by the most amazing Dragon's Treasure Chest film that surrounds you
with superb graphics. Mesmerizing!
The finale of
an awesome day was the Circ Du Soleil show at the Zaia theatre within the
Venetian at 8pm (Row HH for 388 MOP/HKD each). There are many superlatives to
explain this show...but simply...Wow...will suffice for now. 90 minutes of
acrobatics and showmanship above, in front and all around...it doesn't really
matter where you sit. Trampoline, aerial acrobatics, fire, the works....wow!
The evening
was misty, so not good for clear photos, but it did add a different quality in
this amazing setting.
Tue 16th March - Return to Hong Kong. Bus 3A is one of the buses going to the ferry
terminal from the central plaza costing 3.20HKD. No change given so yu have to
have the right money. As usual, nobody had change so we had breakfast first to
get money for the bus.
Arriving back
at the ferry terminal is a bit strange as the bus goes past the area fronting
the Sands casino complex. When i was here last time it seemed empty and it was
peak season. Now it seemed dead. Grey and miserable weather today. Most people
seem to frequent the western side of the town where the historical sites are.
Not many seem to venture over here other than the enter or leave.
The First
ferry terminal to Kowloon was as efficient as ever and we were through to the
waiting area in a matter of minutes, including passport control. 140 HKD for
the 2hour trip on a bumpy and unappetizing mushy grey South China sea.
Back in
Kowloon and the equally unappetizing Chungking mansions, one of the aspects of
Hong kong that makes me think twice about coming again. Wanted to try somewhere
different than previous, which means an agonizing search using lifts that are
out of date and cannot handle more than 5 people at a time and are regularly
that full of goods you cannot get in them for ages. The accommodation is
painfully small and hard to search easily without wanting to pull your teeth
out through your anus for relief. Ended up at the Dragon Inn on level 3. Run by
a local couple who's claim to fame is a meeting with the ex governor of Hong
Kong Christopher Patten before it got handed back to the Chinese. 220HKD for 1
night with hot shower, TV, free cable internet and a really hard bed. The
alternative in Hong Kong is to pay upto 10 times the price for little more
facilities but a lot more style.
Settled in
and then out for some pre departure shopping. Bought a new compact camera and
some clothes, then got tired and lost the will to shop any more before i slit
my throat, so gave up and retired back to the cell for the rest of the evening.
Wed 17th March - Return to the Philippines today, flying at 10:40am aboard
Cebupacific 5J111. Got bus A21 from Nathan road for 33HKD that run about every
10 to 15 minutes. An interesting ride as it weaves its way for about 45 minutes
through one high-rise area after another. This vertical world is a sight to
behold as concrete developments reach for the sky in improbable locations and
reaching improbable heights.
A sea of
container yards mounded high with thousands of multi-coloured containers. The
logistics of tracking and managing this lots must be horrendous. I often think
that a place like Hong Kong is a nightmare in support industries. Imagine how
much food has to be shipped in each day just to feed the fluctuating
population. The logistics of moving that around and selling it whilst it is
still fresh. The transport network required for it, and to keep its residents
on the move as efficiently as possible. What happens to the incredible volume
of waste that results from that! Also think about how much water is required by
all those people. The volume used each day must be amazing. Where does it come
from? Meanwhile, tourists want to get around and see the interesting highlights
and have to be catered for by the special services networks. Hotels, guest
houses etc are squirreled away in abundance. Hong Kong is a shopper’s paradise
with its main claim to fame being fake goods. Walking the street is a testament
to that....the amount of times we are approached for 'Fake Watches', Tailor
made suits, rooms, technical goods etc. If the shops aren't enough to envelop
you in a claustrophobic world, then the street touts are there to suck you in.
I do find Hong Kong a fascinating mixture, although after a few days i have had
enough and need to escape to a wide open space to breath. Linking some of the
major islands such as the mainland to Lantau, are superb suspension bridges
that must have taken many years to build, and are a credit to the engineering
skills of the companies who built them.
The weather
leaving HK was cool and cloudy and the promise of returning to temperatures in
the 30's was welcome.
Arrived in
Manila at 12:25 and 33 Degrees C. No need for coats anymore!
Outside the
arrivals there is now a bus that runs to Baclaran or LRT/MRT for 20 pesos per
head and leaves every 15 minutes. Nice an comfortable way to get to the onward
buses instead of paying upto 10 times the cost in a taxi. Back home after a
hectic adventurous trip and a long list of things to do….more on that next
time.
