Sew Cool!

At Hyper Japan I entered several prize draws and raffles.

Amazing thing is – I actually won one! Courtesy of Cosplayer E-Magazine I won a sewing kit including threads, scissors, a sweet little woven basket, needles and pins, cloth marking pencils, dress patterns etc. All of this fits nicely into my cute little sewing box I got for Christmas!

I used my new materials to finish off my Emmy Altava cosplay, and today, the clothing part of my Esther Blanchett (Nun) costume is also done, so I achieved quite a lot XD

WHAT A FRILL! - Hyper Japan February 2012

Hyper Japan decided that after the runaway success it had Summer 2011 that it would be held again in the Spring, this time in the much bigger venue of Earls Court (Brompton Hall).

I decided to attend on the Saturday and Sunday again like last time as these seem to be the days (the Saturday especially) that are busier, more exciting and more full of fun things to see and do!

Travelling alone in Lolita is always an experience, and I was very happy I got no trouble on the train. One woman with her kids even kept taking my picture which was a little taster of what was to come. One thing I like about these events are that if you are dressed up, you are like a mini celebrity for the day. Everyone at the event was really nice about asking for pictures and you don’t mind when the odd sneaky one is taken as you can have fun looking for them on the internet later.

The queue was very short (on Saturday I had general entry) and I got in with only a few minutes of waiting. Inside was already buzzing with activity, and after meeting my friends who I hadn’t seen for a while, I went with Scarlett and her friends to watch Natsuko Aso perform. Natsuko (or Naa-chan as she made us call her) was very bubbly, cute and charismatic. She sung her songs that were used for the endidngs of various animes, dancing and involving the audience as she went. My personal favourite was Diamond Star. As entertaining as she was, the spotlight was also shared by a group of her male fans doing Wota Gei (a kind of support to idols involving chants, and basic dance moves) complete with glow sticks and good old fashioned Otaku enthusiasm :D I have to admit I joined in with the arm waving and shouting “HEY!”, and also joined in Naa-chan’s finale dance. Her clothes were gorgeous – the petticoat she wore as a skirt had so much poof and I really loved her white boots with a slight heel!

Next was general milling around. I had a mini slot on the Nico Nico Douga live streaming which was a lot of fun and had some really sweet comments from Japan calling me pretty and cute, and some crazier ones like “Be my waifu!” and “What colour are your panties?” Someone answered “PURE WHITE PANTSU” which made me laugh a lot XD

Most of my friends were in the Frills And Frolics fashion show which on the Saturday showcased the more sweet and cute types of Japanese fashion such as Sweet, Country and Classic Lolita, Otome, Mori Girl, Decora, Fairy Kei, Gyaru and Punk Lolita. It was good to see some guys up there as well strutting their stuff and at the end of the show everyone in Japanese Street Fashion was asked to come up on stage for photos and the chance to win prizes. Apart from the rude lady behind me, it was great to be surrounded by so many Lolitas :D

After this I did a spot of shopping as the queues for food were still waaaay too long >_< I visited the Lolita Bring And Buy where Scarlett was eyeing a Macaroon Print skirt whilst we waited in the long line to the clothes. I didn’t get any clothing items, but I did get two fluffy hearts which I had been looking for a long time. Other fuzzies I bought involved the awesome items from Little Mizz Kitty where I got a fluffy/fuzzy star and bow. There were other really cool necklaces (my friend Jess got a pink and purple cute skull chain) and brooches, but I spent some more of my money on the stall shared with LMK, called Little Miss Mann. Here were more Gothic items. With the popularity of bones and body part prints and accessories rising after the success of Kyary Pamu Pamu’s PonPonPon video (did I mention I know the guy who created the background for that music video?) these accessories were in high demand. Eyeball rings and skeleton pendants were cleverly displayed but I got a black bow with bone detail (it reminded me of a dogs bone J ) and Jess got a skeletal hand and bow brooch.

Other awesome stalls included Bunny De Coeur, the quirky but cool (and expensive) Cyberdog, Roxie Sweetheart, Deer Oh Deer, the amazing handmade hair accessories of Now, Voyager and the sweet, super Kawaii items of Tofu Cute. I got a pudding ring and a cupcake necklace from two stalls who I don’t think have a brand name but were really sweet just the same.

I had a fun time collecting packs of free tissues, entering competitions to win a sewing kit, trips to Japan, a handmade skirt and designing an edame bean to win a hamper. I loved listening to the great music of Masa-Kun the violinist and Hibiki Ichikawa, Britain’s only professional shamisen player who also performed with his students, an enka singer and showed his own composition with a very skilled drummer. Unfortunately, there were a lot of people standing up and crowding around the small stage. One of my only criticisms of the event was that the stage and the stages seating area was still very small.

At last the food queues had gone down (slightly) and I had some yakisoba on the floor as the tables were full of people, some not even eating but having a rest. It was delicious and to finish it off I had a pink chocolate covered banana with sprinkles. Some very sweet Japanese ladies took some pictures of me eating it as they thought it looked ‘kawaii’. They were ever so lovely, but the pictures themselves are probably really unflattering XD

I watched the Cosplay parades and selections for the English representatives being chosen for the World Cosplay Summit and the European Cosplay gathering (both groups and individual) from afar as there were so many people T_T What I could see of the performances though was really interesting and the winners all thoroughly deserved their prizes as there was some amazing costumes and skits.

Sunday rolled around, and I arrived early and got in without waiting as I was on the Lolita Bring And Buy Stall! Volunteering meant that I got to meet new people, got free entry, got first pick of the items and got a free vegetarian bento lunch! Performances by Beckii Cruel (other YouTube users such as Venus (VenusAngelic) and Kelsey (KimonoTime) were also around that day) and the more Gothic Focussed Lolita Fashion show kicked off the day, and then after a quiet three hours on the Lolita B&B I hung out with the other finalists of the Kawaii Star Of The Year 2011; Nazia and Scarlett. We had a great laugh.

I tried on the robotic Neko Mimi which are supposed to sense your brain waves and move accordingly. They were so cute and twitched when I had different emotions and facial expressions. They were such a clever gadget! I looked at all of the amazing (but expensive) kimonos; furisodes and yukatas alike. The obi belts, tabi socks and other accessories were just as amazing, and if I had the money I would have gone on an absolute spree! I loved in particular the orange, green and dark blue furisodes. In the corner, Kimono De Go were dressing people up and taking their picture for a reasonable price in either a kimono or… a ninja suit XD Great stuff.

Another thing I didn’t do the previous day was have a shaved ice as they had sold out before! At Nice Ice there were many flavours but I played it safe with Strawberry. Both Scarlett and I enjoyed playing with the moving toys including a Totoro, a cat and mouse and a cat in a crate moneybox whilst we waited. The ice was the most delicious thing I tasted all weekend! It was gloriously fruity with real strawberry chunks on top, and the flavours of strawberries and even cream were prominent.

I enjoyed golden chestnut ice cream, a vanilla filled biscuit and dorayaki as well. Munching on them as I wandered about taking pictures, having pictures taken and giving interviews and talking with press about what I was wearing. It was great fun! I even saw an article in Cosplayer magazine about last years Hyper Japan in Spanish with a massive picture of me giving out origami during the KSOTY. There was also video footage of me dancing being shown which was pretty cool :D

I also met the ladies who had provided us with the Yukatas we used and they recognised me which was lovely J Overall I was amazed at the support and how many people who remembered me and my performance; it was very touching.

I took a little trip around the Baby, The Stars Shine Bright stall. I love the Lolita items that they and Alice And The Pirates create, but it is all so expensive! I also paid a visit to the Third Window Films and J-Books stands buying a DVD to add to my growing collection of Japanese cinema.

The day ended with the announcement of who won the sushi contest; I didn’t try the food but from what I saw of the presentation and other peoples comments, entry number five, Dragons Volcano was a worthy winner!.

After that, it was time to head home. All of the game TVs were switched off and the Nico Nico Douga live streaming presenters said goodbye. An announcement said the venue would shut in five minutes and I headed out… only to bump into friends who I couldn’t find during the whole event! Typical. They were cosplaying Ouran High School Host Club members and even gave me plastic roses which are now displayed in my room!

Needless to say, after my experiences last year, Hyper Japan will always have a special place in my heart. It is great to have a show that focuses on Japanese culture in general as there are now several that already focus on manga, anime and gaming. I felt really good in my Lolita clothes and had an absolute ball. This has fuelled my desire to visit Japan! I can only do my best!

 The haul :) Excluding the free tissue packets!

Cool vampire necklace with little red blood drop gem.

Until next time,

Finny <3

For footage and photos, check out my YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI8hP-3t3ZM

Hong Kong – Interesting Things And The Last Day

Jane’s flat was amazing. Situated at North Point, it was very clean and even had someone to welcome you as you came in. The area was really lovely, and there was a swimming pool and spa area at its base where we enjoyed a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.

I loved watching Cantonese TV as it had Kanji subtitles and I could recognise some characters. The acting for soaps was overdramatized and melodramatic, so it was pretty easy to figure out story lines, but it was cool to watch places you visited appear on screen in the plot. We also watched the Cantonese Music Awards which were loads of fun, but my personal favourites were the adverts which were almost as entertaining as the programs themselves. The one for panty liners/ sanitary towels featuring happy dancing girls cracks me up just thinking about it. Even more so as I saw the product in a supermarket the next day. The HK Police aired a commercial/clips of how to keep your belongings and yourself safe whilst out on the streets and how to avoid theft which I thought was very sensible.

Watching TV whilst laying in my favourite contraption… THE MASSAGE CHAIR was the best! I think I spent more time in that chair than on the sofa, and it was just so relaxing after an exhausting day of walking around and exploring the city. There were many different massages to choose from, and you could adjust it to suit the height of different people so I had a blast using it. Shame it was too big to smuggle back home… L

We went to the cinema one day to see Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows which was an awesome movie (in English but with Cantonese Subtitles) and enjoyed some sweet popcorn, which unlike the popcorn in Britain was covered with solidified caramel! It made a good change and was absolutely delicious!

One mall had a massive Hello Kitty as its mascot positioned at the entrance and was an interesting place as there were machines in each Star Sign which, when inserted with a small donation to a children’s charity would tell your fortune. Apparently, in wealth I’ll be super lucky! :D There was also an arcade in the same mall with adorably cute prizes. I didn’t win anything but just standing in the radiant pink space was cool enough.

On the way back to England, we took the bus to the airport, which was a long ride but allowed a last good look of the city and islands and before we left Jane’s flat, we had some noodles which I now admit were a symbol/motif of the adventure XD

One thing I can say about HK Airport is that it’s super-efficient. We were through immigration and on our plane sharpish, although once again the journey was brain numbing. We couldn’t even get a decent place to sleep at our EIGHT HOUR stopover in Doha, and I’m not sure if it was because I was female, but the male clerks at duty free and information desks were very rude. The women however were really helpful but it was annoying that they wouldn’t accept or exchange HK Dollars so I had to use GB Pounds which I was thankful I’d brought with me. Although I wished to take my jacket off, I was attracting a lot of looks from Sheiks already, so I kept it on. >_< Eight hours eventually passed and I was finally home; truth be told though, I didn’t really want to leave in the first place! ;)

Hong Kong Attractions – Ocean Park And Disneyland

Again, sorry for lack of pictures. They come later :D

I have been neglecting this Blog for too long - although In my defence I have been very busy with various *cough* important things.

We went to two theme parks in the land of HK.

Ocean Park is a mixture of amusement park, zoo and aquarium. It’s split into two areas, with one up the mountain and one at its basin bellow. Once inside you can switch between the two either on a tram with plays a great undersea video to amuse you throughout the journey, or by cable car so you can enjoy the view (it’s right next to the sea but you can still see the city and mountains complete with swooping birds of prey).

We took a taxi there and the 20 minute ride cost less than a fiver. I took a taxi in Basingstoke a few days ago and for a 5 minute journey I was charged £6. -__- Anyway, we went into the main aquarium area first with had loads of great fish and underwater life. Some of the tanks were open topped so you could get a great view of the starfish or stroke the rays :D I wore my spotted cape/poncho-y thing and people were very quick to pick up on me looking like the sting ray and manta ray’s lost cousin XD I loved watching the sharks swim overhead in the tunnel section and was amazed at the massive giant crabs and sweet seahorses.

We headed up the mountain via tram for a few rides and attractions including a roller coaster that took us right off the side of a cliff. I enjoyed getting the adrenaline going, but had a very funny scared face for the ride photo. I vowed to improve my facial expression for the next ride. The queues weren’t too long and it wasn’t too hot either as it was January which was very pleasant.

Going back to my childhood, I filled up a glass star with colourful sand and then watched the sea lion and dolphin show. There were so many people we had to stand for the most part and only caught the last 15 minutes but it was still great fun to see the animals do tricks and then beg food off the trainers. Everywhere you went pictures were taken and developed before you bought them. Whilst in the West you could expect to pay a tenner for these, here they ranged from £2-£5 and if you didn’t want to buy they were thrown away.

A highlight of the day was seeing the animals. In one section of the park, called “Asian Animals” you could get up close to many rare species including otters and… PANDAS! We got a great view of FOUR giant pandas lolling around, washing, sleeping and eating bamboo. I don’t think I’d ever seen a panda in real life before that, so it was a fantastic experience for me, especially as they were so close. The red pandas weren’t so co-operative, and I only saw one quite far away and it was having a snooze. >_< The enclosures opened up into a courtyard in with there were pillars which you could write in board pen your wishes for the future and the environment on the shiny glowing screens. I admired the drawing someone had done of Kung Fu Panda. J

At the end was a section devoted entirely to goldfish. There was a traditional looking Asian room with beautiful artefacts and many tanks and water features, all with clear glass so you could see the abundant species of goldfish. There were signs showing each ones history and popularity and I recognised several species such as Black Moor (which I’ve owned myself) and Koi Carp. I was beautiful and relaxing to see them swimming about so peacefully, and some were very large.

At the top of the mountain was another area which focused on the rainforest. Macaws and parrots were prominent and flew around in a large aviary. A mother and baby marmoset (so small and cute*_*) were shielded from the public by bushes and plants as they “Needed privacy and rest”. Awwwww. I loved watching the reptiles – tortoises and frogs got jiggy with it and seemed to pose for tourists, and the toucans were so close I could reach out and touch them.

When we were about to leave as it was getting dark, we stopped to watch a Chinese Acrobatic show which loads of breath-taking stunts and clever maneuverers. For the grand finale they wheeled on giant wind-socks in the shape of people that waggled about with the blasts of air and shot streamers. It was an amazing day, and if you go to HK I thoroughly recommend visiting.

We had to visit Disneyland before we left, so on our last full day we paid a visit. It was a bit out of the way being on Lantau Island, however the tube journey was pleasant and the rail line used to get there was Disney themed! Even the handrails were shaped like Mickey Mouse’s shorts! XD Even the entrance was extravagant as a massive fountain with surfing Mickey greeted you at the gates, and there were people who took your ticket and inserted it in the machine for you, then gave it back. *_*

The park in general is quite small, however some of the rides (like It’s A Small World After All) were being refurbished and the area expanded so it will possibly become bigger. Sleeping Beauty’s castle was also pretty small, but looked really cute and dainty just the same. It was also the venue for the fireworks in the evening.

Disneyland is quite generic wherever you are. There were adorable little Asian girls dressed as their favourite princess. Disney characters stood around for pictures and autographs. The rides ranged from tame kids rides to adrenaline fuelled thrills; Ruth convinced me to go on Speedy’s Racer Ride in Toy Story Land and I shut my eyes for the most part and tried to enjoy feeling the whoosh. We caught the end of a parade with girls in slightly sexy Buzz Lightyear outfits and went into an interactive ride where Stich (from Lilo And Stich) actually talked to you. He interacted with members from the audience and I was one of the victims/participants. After a bit of banter, he became my boyfriend XD However, as there were many shows a day I don’t think he was faithful. ;)

The first ride we went on had a sign saying it could scare small children. Someone obviously didn’t read this, and went on Tarzan’s River Boat Ride anyway. When we ‘angered the spirits’ by rafting down the wrong area, the river burst into flames (don’t ask me how) and as a tidal wave of water crashed over it, billowed steam whilst intense music played. A little girl screamed her head off and burst into tears. Our commentator/boat driver was an absolute legend. He told the girl “Don’t worry – I’ll protect you!” and at the finish said “I hope you all enjoyed the ride and, barring one, will come again!” XD

The live shows were also pretty amazing. We saw “The Golden Mickeys” where characters from various movies sang and danced to their respective hit musical numbers, and also The Lion King Show which retold the story, conveniently leaving out Mufasa’s death. All of the performers (especially the dancers) were super talented and the shows were great entertainment. Photography and recordings were allowed without flash as there was no point trying to stop the hundreds of cameras that whipped out each time (which I thought was hilarious).

After enjoying the events, rides and scenery we watched the fireworks. There was a gorgeous display with lights, smoke, fire and tons of fireworks going off artistically to Disney music. The sweet little girl with a bowl cut next to us said “WOW!” after every one! XD It was a magical end to a magical day.

Hong Kong - Victoria Peak, Symphony Of Lights And Lantau Island

Again, more pictures when my friend gets back from India ':)

Victoria Peak is very famous in HK because of its stunning views over the city and surrounding hills/mountains. We took a long but cheap bus ride up to the top and enjoyed the free viewing platforms with traditional decorations.

I love breath-taking views, and this certainly was amazing – especially as the sun was setting so we were privileged enough to see the sunset in the horizon as well as all of the beautiful city lights. My only complaint was that it was a little foggy, but that definitely didn’t ruin it for me.

The whole area of VP was pretty commercial with a massive mall on the top selling everything from souvenirs to books and clothes. Despite this, I didn’t see many foreigners except outside Madame Tussauds and people were looking at myself and Ruth with interest, much to Ching’s (Jane’s) amusement.

I enjoyed an ice cream despite it being January because hey, every time is right for ice cream. Restaurants and kids play equipment lined the road to a viewing area, but if you really wanted you could pay extra to go even higher. Our frugality and tiredness meant that we decided to queue up for a bus back before it got too crowded; which was just as well as not only was there a long line for buses but when we did get on I felt slightly violated by the close contact with all of the people.

Another place with great views of the city is Tsim Sha Tsui which has a show called The Symphony Of Lights every night. Many sponsored buildings light up with different colours to music and flash with laser effects. It was also pretty foggy when we went, which was a shame but it did give the whole show a smokescreen/dry ice effect which I thought was pretty cool. It’s a lovely walk along the river with the reflections of magnificent buildings twinkling in the water and you can see the whole length of the city almost. A truly magical night I will never forget certainly.

The other side of the walkway are cool places like the Space Museum and Ben Hongkey (please note this was named by us as the Cantonese version of Big Ben tower. Hong Kong – Honkey – get it?) and then you can climb up to an elevated walkway for an even better view. Photographers advertise photos for $20 (less than £2) printed in 2 minutes – an amazing deal but I think we were very tired and wanted to sit down more. We got a lot of that later as we took the ferry back.

I don’t get sea sick although I am wary of the water, but the ferry was amazing fun. Two Cantonese ladies were laughing their heads off as my hair blew drastically around my face, and I enjoyed the seats whose backrests you could flip over depending on the size of your party. Again, this method of transport was very decently priced and was a fantastic way to see the city in a different way.

So far, all of the places I’ve written about have been very urban, so here is a place of natural beauty.

Lantau Island is, well, an island off the mainland. Dominantly Bhuddist, no meat was allowed. *Choirs of angels start up* HALLELUJAH! Vegetarian meals! Good ones! I was in heaven. When we first got off the (long) bus ride where we passed Jane’s Aunt’s restaurant (after a long train ride; we could have taken a cable car with a glass bottom but it was a bit expensive) we saw a calf just wandering aroung Ngong Ping Village. In fact, a lot of animals were just wandering around. Cows, dogs – animals of the Chinese Zodiac and therefore pretty sacred were meandering around and seemed to be well treated by locals (except in one instance where a cow got too close to a shop).

Ngong Ping village was awesome :D Capsule machine land, sweet shops, traditional craft shops, souvenir and gift shops, A Monkeys Tale Theatre as well as a massive golden dragon with dragon mascot inside and examples of different cables cars from all over the world are just some examples of what is there to see and do. My personal favourite was the Wishing Tree. In one shop, you bought a wooden tag and pouch of lucky mineral salts in a coloured bag. I got the yellow one for wealth (hehe) but there was also a pink one for love (aww). You then write on the tag a wish or hope for the future and you can then hang it up on a peg board under the Wishing Tree. I have quite a few wishes so covered both sides of the tag but I really hope at least one comes true J Some people (my guess is devout Bhuddists) chose to hang them on the trees lining the stairway up to the Tian Tan Buddha Statue (although they were more exposed to the elements and could fall off). It was more natural there but I hope that everyone’s wishes got consideration.

The steps on the way up were plentiful, but luckily walking dogs has gotten me quite fit ;) It was worth it when we got to the top as well – although windy, you could see the whole surrounding area rich with lush greenery and life. The Big Bhuddah was awesome – surrounded by statues of smaller figures of significance, he looked happy, calm and peaceful. There were statues of pugs as well as a real pug cross-breed walking around so I felt a bit of home had followed me half way across the world!

Po Lin Monastery was our next stop and the way there was very scenic. Stone statues of warriors each representing an animal of the Chinese Zodiac lined the pathway and at the entrance were massive area for burning incense. I bought a small bargain pack and although I thought there were a lot of decently sized sticks, someone had got a MASSIVE one that was bigger than me! I wondered how they fitted it into the lighting station (neat little oil lamp fires in a metal holder) as it looked very heavy. I lit my sticks and payed respects to all of the people, deities and animals of this wonderful land. Others had left food and flowers on tables in front of the incense by the kneeling desks to show extra thought and appreciation.

The monastery itself was a collection of several beautiful buildings awash with red and gold. The statues and building design were exquisite, and the furnishings, ornaments and decorations were elaborate and very pretty. There was renovation work going on, and when it’s done the place will be even larger! As it was a working monastery, I caught a glimpse of a few monks, but as they were following their religion, I thought it would be rude to stare or take pictures. We used sticks to tell our fortunes (on slips of paper in kanji and riddles so hard even Jane couldn't read them) and generally had a good time. :D

I had an amazing lunch (Fanta, vegetable noodles, spring roll and turnip cake for under £3!!!) and enjoyed looking at the terrapins inside a mini enclosure. It was then off to the path of wisdom. We didn’t get any wiser on our travels there – in fact it was so long I think we began a slow decent into madness. I can’t remember our exact conversation, but it definitely involved kidnapping pandas and releasing them into the wild. The houses, fields and restaurant we passed on the journey (by foot) there seemed derelict and unkempt, but the area had an ancient mystical beauty that couldn’t be denied. We got there eventually, and saw the sticks of wisdom (I don’t know their exact name so have just called them that. You must admit it has a ring to it) sticking up on the edge of the hill.

Next to them was a nature trail/ramblers walk, so you can imagine how lovely the area was. As it happened, the sun was setting too, so you could see the distant figure of the Big Buddha statue in the glow of twilight. It was also nice to take photos of each other on a rock with the red evening glow and landscape in the background.

That’s pretty much it for Lantau Island, although on our decent it was gorgeous seeing the statues lit up and the animals frolicking.  It certainly was one of the highlights of my trip.

To see a collection of video clips and more pictures, visit my other YouTube channel (finnythewiser) or follow the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I5pLT8RlpY&feature=channel_video_title

I’ll be dancing with my friends at London Anime Con soon – hooray! I’ll also be in the fashion show wearing Country Lolita!

Hyper Japan soon after that – I can’t wait! Then Bunkasai and May MCM Expo 2012 – phew *_* It’ll be busy, but a lot of fun!

Finny out ;)

Hong Kong Continued - Macau

Photos when Jane comes back from her India trip.

Another of my highlights was not actually in HK, but Macau; an island off of China. I didn’t need a Visa however as Macau was a Portuguese colony in 1887, and is both the first and last European colony in China.

Getting there was a bit dramatic. We took the ferry which, when inside looked more like a plane with its fold down food trays, plush seats and television screens and I had more leg room there than on the airplane. It was getting on the boat that was trouble. Going through immigration was a doddle for Ruth – she just flashed her passport and went straight in. Me?

“Madam, you cannot enter Macau. You need paper!”

Paper. WHAT? Eventually I worked out I had to fill in several forms. It didn’t help that a random lady kept on telling me, “You can’t enter Macau. Hurry!”  Ruth got in without any of this stuff, so trust me to pick the queue with the strictest immigration official.

Eventually I was let through and we made it on the ferry this time. Whilst having a nap on the trip, Jane snuck up behind me and said in her funniest deep voice “EXCUSE ME MADAM!” which made me think the officials had come after me. Much to Ruth’s annoyance, it became a motif and catchphrase of the trip and we even acted it out later in the hotel. XD

Ah, the hotel! A short coach ride (where we got a free key ring) took us to our place of residence for that night; The Grand Hyatt. And Grand it was. We took so many pictures of the lobby but the staff were still smiling and friendly and even took some for us! It was easily the most posh place I’d ever been to and looked like 5 Star luxury. It had its own patisserie and ballroom, and even a water fountain in the main hall. I can’t thank Jane’s parents enough for taking us and paying.

More photos and gasping in awe later and we were in our room. What a room. The view from the windows was of a building site, but other than that I couldn’t fault it. I willingly made the ultimate sacrifice and slept on the sofa whilst Jane and Ruth took the beds (although I recreated the Travel Lodge advert and did a big leap back onto one) but I couldn’t care less as it was MASSIVE! The bath could fit all three of us in (not that we used it together) and there were massive wardrobes, sinks and a flat screen TV on the wall. Traditional tea, slippers, postcards, toiletries – all were provided. There was even a tiny sewing kit to fix my leggings when they ripped.

We took another coach (free of charge for hotel users J) across the bridge into the main city area. There were Sasa stores, pretty buildings and decorations and loads of noodle shops one of which where we had lunch. There were the huge casinos (tourism and gambling are Macau’s main sources of income) in the distance and many high end shops. We decided to sight-see, and like good tourists went to St Pauls Ruins which I learnt to pronounce in Cantonese much to Jane’s delight. Hilarity ensued as we strolled up the streets, ate all the free samples of the ‘*Something* Kok’ bakeries and generally had a good time. We took the coach back and gained another free key ring, and were told that we could use these to enter a prize draw with the chance to win a million dollars.

That night we were seeing a show that cost over 2 billion dollars to create. ‘The House Of Dancing Water’ was very similar to Cirque De Soleil only it had a storyline, and also involved a 50 gallon swimming pool that doubled as safety net and performance space. It truly was an awe inspiring show that was stunningly beautiful and a visual treat. I didn’t take videos/photos of the show on principle, by Jane’s father took some lovely shots. Just when you thought you’d seen it all, the pool was drained and they bought on Motorcycles and did impressive stunts. Wow. I’d definitely recommend seeing the show – it’s one of a kind!

We had a lot of fun in the lobby as well. I was wearing orange and black and merged perfectly with the colour scheme. We took lots of hilarious ‘Where am I?’ pictures of me hiding on the carpet, in the curtains etc. Other tourists were laughing their heads off. We then went to see a show in the bubble – a giant dome which had screens all around where an animated movie about dragons was shown. It got us all in the mood for the up and coming New Year nicely and it was free to enter for hotel guests! ;)

Our hotel was part of a trio of hotels – The Hard Rock Hotel and The Plaza being the other two. They were all connected by a set of high end brand stores like Prada, Ralph Lauren and Gucci with the theatres in the centre. And of course, there was a massive casino. At one entrance, there was a giant waterfall spanning the whole of the wall of which behind was a projected screen showing scantily clad mermaids and other sea creatures frolicking. There was even a very solemn looking lady paid especially to mop up any water that spilled onto the jet black stone flooring. In the evening, ladies dressed in red gowns enticed people inside. It was truly magical.

Typical casino. I took joy in the fact that although I didn’t win anything, I had only lost the equivalent to about £5. Ruth on the other hand played a machine called “Heart Of Gold” whose rules no one understood. She put in 10$ (less than £1) and won 1,324$. 0_0 How?!? Everyone couldn’t believe it, and after vigorous checking of her ID she was presented with her winnings. She didn’t by us a drink (or cake ) though. Bah.

We wanted to use our key rings (between us we had amassed quite a few by now) so headed to the desk we were directed to. I can’t remember how it happened, but we all joined the ‘City Of Dreams’ (name of the whole hotel/entertainment area) Club. I got a posh loyalty card with my name on, which when inserted into the machines, welcomed me by name. It all felt so official and exciting! We finally got to do the prize draw (which is why we’d got our membership in the first place) and our prize was displayed on a screen. I went first and won… a pack of transparent playing cards XD That was one of the better prizes we won though, as my friends walked away with a pen and a phone strap. We stood by the desk and made oooooing noises whenever someone entered the draw, and consoling awwwwwing noises when they walked away with a tissue. Needless to say, we may have annoyed one or two people and no one won the million, but it was such good fun that I felt I got the best prize of all. It was the happiest I’d been in ages.

It was very late by the time we got back, so after a quick bath using as many free products as I could I went straight to bed (on the sofa). An uneventful night led into our last day in Macau. T_T We took a cab past our hotel and into a very old street. After a very interesting breakfast of egg sandwich in a family run Café, we headed to an old Portuguese settlement with the buildings beautifully preserved and turned into museums. There were some really old, but pretty pieces of furniture and many religious items and old black and white photographs. The houses themselves were a powder blue and had a view that spanned a rather sorry looking lake, and our hotel poking up in the skyline. XD My favourite part of this area were the gardens. Lovingly kept, there were so many different types of flower in bloom despite it being January (the fish in the pond weren’t moving much and seemed a bit cold though). My favourites were the hyacinths and the massive flower shaped topiary archway.

We saw our first wedding party of the day! The Bride looked lovely in a long traditional dress in the flower garden, and her Maid Of Honour was having some pictures taken in a hot pink number. We left the area and went straight into a slightly unkempt but impressive temple.

We decided to explore a few other hotels in the area, and stopped off at the Venetian. No words I can ever write will do the place justice. Its outside was built like an 18^th century European building, and looked big, but not overly large. Inside however, the architect had recreated Venice; the ceiling was painted sky blue with realistic looking clouds. The shop fronts which seemed endless were European Boutiques. There was a ‘river’ (chlorinated pool but you get the idea) with bridges running over it, and you could travel by gondola to get the full experience. The streetlamps were dimmed to give the illusion of night. The pavement was cobbled. It was all indoors! I heard about amazing, wondrous buildings such as this one in Las Vegas etc., but I never thought I would visit one myself. Being in the midst of such splendour was an experience I will remember and treasure my whole life.

It didn’t end there. Also containing a grand hall with escalators, a massive water fountain and a casino (of course), its top displayed a painted mural which would make any artist jealous. It was like the kind you would see on the ceilings of old castles only lit up with chandeliers and surrounded by art and carvings so gorgeous that I for once and almost lost for words to describe their beauty. Somewhere in there was the hotel, but I was too busy admiring my surroundings.

I was still having a wander when an Asian lady came up to me and asked ‘Photograph?’ whilst miming taking a picture. Whilst believing they wanted me to take a group photo of her and her companions I nodded and reached out for the camera. She then said, ‘No, no, with you.’ My fans reach Asia ;) XD

And so began a photo session where each of her friends took a photo with me, and then passers-by decided they would like one to. I was a little bewildered by all of these cameras and camcorders going, but they seemed happy enough and I love feeling like I’m famous so I had a ball.

When we left and enjoyed the fountains and water features we saw our second wedding. The Maid Of Honour was bravely wearing a turquoise and bright pink dress (which looked very beautiful) and the Bride again was in traditional white, but had vivid pink heels and matching leggings on underneath her dress. J It was pretty cold I suppose. She and her new husband went to their car decorated in flowers and drove off before the traffic lights could turn red.

We returned to the hotel to collect our belongings, but I had unfinished business. I went to the Grand Hyatt’s patisserie and bought a Portuguese egg tart (a speciality in Macau) and a chocolate brownie slice cake complete with gold leaf decoration. All put in a wonderful orange box as she could see we needed to leave and catch the ferry.

Fortunately this time, I got back to Hong Kong without any problems from immigration although everyone was on stand-by for another ‘Excuse me madam!’ XD

Hong Kong Foody

Again, lacking photos. More when my friend comes back from India :D

You can’t go to Hong Kong without trying its cuisine. I did that and then some.

First meal I had when my trip officially started was the “Oriental Vegetarian Meal” one the plane. Qatar airline’s ‘Plane Food’ was actually not terrible although there was a lot of unnecessary packaging – each meal had a little bread roll, fruit, tiny cup of drink as well as the one the stewardess’ poured for you, and noodles. I was not even in HK yet and I had noodles for breakfast and noodles for lunch.

There were lots of noodles. Everywhere. Italy has pasta, Japan has rice, Britain has bread, HK has noodles. In soup, with dumplings – you name it. And everywhere sells them. Whilst I expected a little rice as well, the only time I saw it was on the plane home. The best noodles though were the instant ones we had at Jane’s house. They were spicy and oh so good. It was a shame I couldn’t fit a few in my suitcase to take home, but there are some available here in supermarkets and Chinatown. Just unfortunately, nothing will compare to the taste of the ones we had after a long day exploring! J

 

Whilst the choices in HK was limited for vegetarians, no one can deny the sheer amount of places you could eat; everywhere from posh, expensive restaurants, chain food restaurants like McDonalds and Pizza Hut to independently run cafes and diners which were by far the most numerous. Frequented by businessmen and litter pickers alike, each one varied from clean but plain, to run down and family owned. All the menus were in Cantonese (Kanji) so thank the higher forces I had paid attention during the ‘Eating Out’ section in Japanese class. Although the words were different, I could recognise the Kanji symbols for things like fish, meat and vegetables. But, going back to choice, the vegetable dishes were almost always limited to steamed vegetables as a side dish, or steamed vegetables in soup with noodles. One time I had some vegetable dumplings but although they tasted good, they were very heavy (taste wise) and not something I could eat every day.

 

Instead of moaning, let me tell you about my favourite places to eat.

Lantau Island had by far my favourite meal. Being a Buddhist area, and having a temple as its prominent feature, meat was forbidden. HOORAY! There were even signs stressing this, and when something is on a sign, it’s official! For under £3, I got a can of Fanta, a large spring roll, a slice of turnip cake (savoury) and a healthy portion of noodles – all vegetarian and all delicious! I also had some Oreos ;) Later, Jane and Ruth enjoyed some pudding. One was liquid sesame and was the colour of slate, the other was yellowy, lumpy and was tofu dessert but both smelled very strongly of things I can’t quite describer. After trying each (I’m all for trying new things then passing judgement) I passed as they were too sickly for me.

 

Gaia Veggie Place seems contradictory as the menu has things like ‘Salmon Sushi’ and ‘Pork Noodles’ but try to its name, everything in it is vegetarian – the meat is made of vegetables and meat substitutes. The chicken was made from soya and tofu for example, but looked (and according to Jane) and tasted like the real thing. The prices were fair and we had a great meal of Egg Congee, Sushi, Steamed Lotus Paste Buns and Cheesy ‘Lamb’ Noodles. It was worth all the hassle finding it. We spent a whole evening wandering up and down Causeway Bay and even then had to come back another day. The restaurant itself is on a high floor (the 8^th?) of a tall building complex. If you want to visit, bring a map.

 

One thing that bugged me was the lack of napkins and that as all the water had to be boiled to make it safe, it was served to you boiling hot. I have nothing against boiling water, I just like mine cold and refreshing rather than ready for tea and coffee. Also, if you spilled something or made a mini mess, it would have to stay there or you’d have to dig out a tissue. In Macau we visited a restaurant called ‘Dumbo’. Hallelujah – it had napkins! And after asking, ICE COLD WATER :D A downside was that instead of names, the waiters and waitresses had numbers on their nametags (numbertags?) although they had lovely uniforms; kind of like butlers and maids but classier. It was also nice to have food in the middle of the table and you just share and help yourself.

Also in Macau were these bakeries (Something Kok I think). They were EVERYWHERE. Sometimes four on a street. But the best thing was…free samples! Whilst HK had beautiful cakes in window displays just tempting you, you were invited to come in and try these. So we did. We almost didn’t need lunch as having almond, pecan and walnut cookies, egg rolls and cakes and Portuguese style chocolate chip cookies by the handful filled us up nicely. We also got a free cone of water as they were very dry. Result! I did buy a Portuguese egg tart (a famous speciality) and a beautiful slice of hazelnut cake with gold leaf decoration at the Patisserie at the Hotel we stayed in. The packed them in a lovely bright orange box and they were divine. My sweet tooth was satisfied on this trip as even the 7Elevens has fresh small pieces of cake and Swiss Rolls. With every purchase over a certain amount you got a Hello Kitty token, and when you have collected enough, you could trade it in for a Hello Kitty figuring. Models included Donut Kitty, Star Kitty and Diamond Kitty XD

Speaking of 7Elevens, stores like them and supermarkets had massive selections of snacks and drinks. Whilst I stuck to mainly water, (my favourite brand being ‘Watsons Water’ due to the funky bottles), there was everything from Nattchan Smiley Orange Squash to Watermelon And Pomegranate Sparkling Soda. The bottles were all colours, shapes and sizes, and materials so each display in the fridges looked like a mini work of art. And of course, the snacks were just as great - imported also from Japan and Korea, Pocky and LOTTE products as well as traditional Cantonese foods like dried squid and ginger (which I passed) to delightful little plastry buns (which I enjoyed).

Our first full day, we went to a sushi bar in a mall in Causeway Bay. Whilst the manager was a bit rude when Jane accidently tipped her dipping sauce in the wicker basket that held the sushi, we got a free calendar, there were fish and a water fountain, the whole place was beautiful and the food was really good and priced nicely. Like everything in HK, there was a balance. Good food and mean staff, concrete city and mountains filled with greenery (not forgetting the birds of prey). Everything had its place.

There were waffles vendors on the streets and we had some waffle in Mong Kok. It wasn't as sweet as British waffles and had a bubbly shape. They were cheap and tasted good. Enough said.

In the airport I had a ridiculously overpriced plate of pasta (penne, not noodles) in an Italian Eatery. It was phenomenal and reminded me of the very different food awaiting for me back in England.