Saturday, September 15, 2012
Rundown of all the things I loved about HK. Still incomplete, will update as I remember things...
- The Airport: They say that a country's airport will give each tourist an impression on what's in store for her when she visits that country. I think this is true, because when I had a layover last May in the HK airport, I got the feeling that I wanted to come back and visit the country itself. The airport is very modern, and beautifully structured. It's one of those airports that I wouldn't mind waiting in because there are a lot of things there to keep me busy. They've got a lot of shops, restaurants, an arcade, and even an IMAX movie theater. Yes, I'll be a happy camper here. Plus points for the comfy chairs!
(Here at the HK Airport Terminal 2)
- The Transport System: HK's MTR is a class of its own and it's the first time I have ever experienced a transport system that's so amazingly efficient. Going around HK was never a problem for us because all major tourist destinations are accessible by train or bus. Let's start with the train from the airport to the city: one wouldn't really notice that the airport is far from the city because the airport express can get you there in 24 minutes! The ride is very comfortable and worth every penny that you pay for. As for the MTR system, one would have to be really stupid to get lost. And the nice thing about it is that, you can pay for the train in different ways: either get the one-time ticket, get tourist day pass, get the octopus card, etc, so it's very very convenient. And if you take a look at the pic below, yes, that is a Mickety Mouse head on the train to Disneyland. Two thumbs up for the transport system!
(At the train that will take us to Disneyland)
- Disneyland: It was soooooo hot the day when we visited Disneyland. The heat from the sun drained us of our energy to go around the place. Even with the price that we paid for the tickets (it's not exactly cheap), my friends and I were content to just sit under the shade, instead of exploring the place to get our money's worth. But even with the partial exploration, I still fell in love with Disneyland. It's the first ever Disneyland that I've been to (Yes, I still try to kick myself on the shins when I think about how I did not grab the chance to visit the one in Anaheim when I was visiting my aunt in California) and I loved it! It's like being given a chance to be a kid again, and be able to appreciate all those characters I grew up with, even the newer ones. I enjoyed the parade of stars, as well as the fireworks (though not because I was very impressed with the fireworks: more of I was feeling sentimental when they were playing all those Disney songs during the fireworks display). I enjoyed shopping even more. I was able to appreciate the fact that they carry A LOT of Toy Story merchandise and that they were not as expensive as in Manila. My baby was very happy with all the toys I brought her home. I was thinking that if I already fell in love with Disneyland just by seeing a part of it, what if I was able to explore the whole place? So, I will come back to this place, hopefully with my baby, next time.
(the Disney princesses were beautiful, especially Belle! She was just hands down gorgeous!)
- The Shopping: I never had a chance to go to any mall in HK, simply because my friends and I were too lazy to go out before 3PM. It was just too hot in the early afternoon, thus the time constraint to go around. When I say shopping, I mean shopping at the Ladies Market. I was able to get good bargains on clothes, iPhone cases, souvenirs, etc. in that place. One thing I found weird is that the sellers do not allow you to try on clothes (like they do here in Greenhills) because it's supposed to be bad luck. But what I particularly loved about this place is that despite the fact that it's not supposed to be 'upscale', I did not feel threatened. Of course, I was still very careful, but despite the crowd and variety of people, I still felt safe. Unlike here in the Philippines, where I see every stranger as a potential robber, especially when I am in a place that's considered 'unsafe'.
(In the middle of the street! Picture taken with my iPhone without fear of having it snatched by robbers, haha)
- The food: This is a no brainer for me. I knew I would enjoy the food in HK simply because I LOVE Chinese food. Too bad I was not able to try as much as I wanted to try, but I plan to make up for that when I go back. Love, love the authentic Chinese cuisine!
(These noodles were absolutely YUMMY!)
- Cute Things are EVERYWHERE! I am a big fan of Hello Kitty and all things considered cute. HK was teeming with these things, and I only had to turn my head to get a glimpse of something kawaii. I tell you, it's really a feast for my eyes that I was tempted to buy all these Hello Kitty food from Seven Eleven. They have Hello Kitty Noodles, shampoo, soap, crackers, etc. Cuteness galore in HK! Can you just imagine how I'd be in Japan? I'd probably die and go straight to kawaii heaven!
(And these are just things that one can buy from the 7 11 store round the corner...)
- The view from The Peak... The picture below will speak for itself... absolutely beautiful! :)
Overall, it has been a beautiful love affair between myself and Hong Kong. I did fell in love with the place and I will definitely go back. The 5 days I spent there was not enough for me to explore everything that it had to offer. But one thing's for sure: I am NEVER going back during the summer. Too damn hot to get anything done. But I will be back... yes, I will be back... Au revoir, HK!<3
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