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 ;)