hk june 08 – the obligatory ‘i waz there’ photos

Finally, the last post on my Hong Kong trip in June 2008. Heh, I thought I should finish this off before blogging about recent trips… Just photos la, but still, to put it out there…

View from BP International
View from our hotel room @ BP International

Tsim Sha Tsui Esplanade - Suanie
Somewhere along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade

Victoria Peak - Suanie
Me somewhere at Victoria Peak

Thanks to Nokia, Text 100 and 141 (M) for everything 😉

Links:

– Hong Kong June 2008 :-
hk june 08 – food food food
hk june 08 – things you can buy with money
hk june 08 – what little alcohol tales
hk june 08 – when relieving yourself is not a relief

Flickr set for Hong Kong 2008 trip
My first trip to Hong Kong in 2004
Flickr set for Hong Kong 2004 trip

HKG day 3.2 – to The Peak and back

Upon reaching Pier 6, I walked all the way back to the main Star Ferry pier but this time it seemed shorter since I already know where I was heading to. Bus number 15C takes you from the Star Ferry to The Peak lower tram station for HKG$3.20.

Hong Kong December 2004 - tram tracks
The Peak tram tracks

Around 1630 I reached The Peak’s lower tram station (no idea what it means but that was what it said). Bought a return ticket for The Peak’s tram for HKG$30 and then waited along with quite a bit of people. Then the tram came with a host of people coming back from The Peak. Got myself a seat and while waiting for the tram to go, I saw a huge poster advertising the Hong Kong Madame Tussaud Exhibition. There were photos of random people posing with the wax look-alikes of famous people. For some reason the wax statues looked fake to me. The one of Michelle Yeoh looked uneven and unnatural. The poster was a big mistake – I for sure would not visit the exhibition.

After a while the tram started going up the hill. The view uphill was spectacular. At a certain point we were leaning back 45 degrees and to us the buildings outside were all Pisa Towers. But I did not get the enjoy the view so much for there were two very excited females; one next to me and the other behind moving their heads around so much, it was difficult for me to see anything.

We reached The Peak and I just went along with the crowd. Most of them headed to the next building. I decided to go up to the highest level to see the view.

Hong Kong December 2004 - view from The Peak 01
View from Victoria Peak

It was very windy and cold, and my thin cotton jacket was not doing much. So after snapping a few pix with shivering fingers I decided to go back downstairs to the adjacent building, passing by a nice fountain (as if it wasn’t cold enough).

Hong Kong December 2004 - The Peak
Victoria Peak

Bought a lip balm at Sasa for HKG$21 – my lips were dry and crackly; they deserved herbal butter instead of more saliva.

I went upstairs at the next building and headed for the West section, for the sunset of course. There weren’t a lot of people at that time so I just took in the view and played photographer to two chicks. I then walked to the upper section and again took photos for a Chinese couple and realised that their digital camera was more superior than mine – it could snap the sunset as the eye sees it at that time. My camera could not produce such realistic effects. It can only be an old Sony.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Suanie at The Peak 01
Suanie at The Peak

The couple took a photo of me against the backdrop of the sunset then went off. I stayed around some more admiring the mountains and the setting sun. Felt a bit cheated though, it was quite misty and instead of dropping behind the mountains the sun just disappeared amidst the colour palate of the sky.

Hong Kong December 2004 - setting sun
Sunset at Victoria Peak

But the view was admittedly stunning, and I took a photo of the area between the main Peak building and the one I was at.

So after the sun went off to the West, I walked to the East section and FUCK! It was real cold – the Northeast wind blew like it has never blown before! Hair was all over the place; once again I became photographer to the Chinese couple I met earlier.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Suanie at The Peak 02
I was SHIVERING…

After the couple left there was only one other person besides me. I stayed for a bit and dropped a coin to use the binoculars – with difficulty since I was shivering so much and my fingers were like ice. It was so misty that the binoculars didn’t do any good.

The sky turned darker and I managed to take a couple of night shots of the city.

Hong Kong December 2004 - view from The Peak 02
View from Victoria Peak at night

Couldn’t take the wind and cold anymore, I was sure that my face was as blue as it felt. I went downstairs in search of McDonalds, since Janice had earlier insisted that I try the McDonalds in Hong Kong. Like an obedient slave girl I bought a (real) hamburger and tea. Just so you know, it tasted like beef burger.

After dinner I went back downstairs and passed by a nice restaurant that looked like a cosy little cottage. The menu displayed outside offered nice-sounding food at very high prices. Another time (when I am freaking rich and famous) maybe.

I’d seen enough of the famous Peak. I was ready to go back to Kowloon.

Went down by the tram again and this time I was able to see the view more clearly. At night Hong Kong Island transforms into a city of lights, it was most spectacular to see. As mentioned earlier Christmas spirit was definitely in the air; some buildings had light displays of Santa Clauses in various poses with his bag, with his reindeer or just standing there laughing.

Again I took bus number 15C back to Star Ferry but this time the top of the double-decker bus was wide open. Of course I sat there even though it was a bit chilly. We passed by buildings after buildings after buildings; I even managed to snap a shot of the cars behind the bus.

Hong Kong December 2004 - from the bus
Lots of cars

We reached the main Star Ferry and out of nowhere I decided to take the ferry back to Tsim Tsa Tsui instead of the MTR. Queued up with a lot of people, apparently the Star Ferry management does not believe in proper queuing-up lines. I stood behind three well-dressed Caucasian ladies who were talking about someone’s birthday; she got this that this that. Then on to clothes; one of them was wearing a very expensive Yves Saint Laurent skirt. They smelt very nice.

Too bad about heels on wood jetties though.

So everybody grabbed a seat on board the ferry. I was one of the earliest and was happily shifting in my bench when someone in front of me flipped the back leaning wood over. So now everyone was facing the opposite; everyone was facing me. A bit red-faced I turned the wood over as well; hey now I am facing the same side as everyone! Only that some people remarked in Mandarin, “no, she was sitting at the wrong side.”

Nothing much to be said about the journey back except that the display of lights on all the buildings were marvelous. Well, there was a black woman sitting next to me and she defined perfection. Beautifully sculptured face, tall, great boobs, even better booty in her tight blue jeans – too bad her man was kind of old and not so good looking. Love is blind; her diamond engagement ring was certainly glaring. My eyes my eyes!!!

Then we arrived at Tsim Tsa Tsui near the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, but that’s another story.

Read more:

Day 1 : To Hong Kong
Day 2.1 : In Search of Tin Hau
Day 2.2 : The Octopus Strikes Back
Day 2.3 : Flower Crazy
Day 2.4 : Central; A Different World
Day 2.5 : Night Time, Light Time
Day 3.1 : The Buddha Beckons
Day 3.2 : To The Peak and Back
Day 3.3 : This Girl Needs a Beer
Day 4 : Leaving Hong Kong
Some thoughts on Hong Kong

HKG day 2.4 – Central; a different world

The Flower Market had one thing in common with our Petaling Street – after a while everything looked the same. So G and I left the Flower Market Road in search of a place to have lunch. We walked quite a bit, went past a few street markets when he finally decided to take me to one of his favourite restaurants on Hong Kong Island. So we walked back to my hotel, I had a change of clothing and then we walked to the Yau Ma Tei station and took the MTR to the Central station.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Central 01
Central district

Hong Kong Island is nothing like Kowloon. NOTHING! At least Central was not. It even outstrips Singapore city – higher and higher skyscrapers, offices for famous companies and shops for world-famous designer names. Massive billboards were all over the place. It was quite intimidating, really. Of course you can see photos of the buildings on postcards and what-not, but seeing it on print and being there to feel the proximity of the tall and impressive buildings are two very different things.

By the way have I mentioned the tram? It was cute.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Central 03
Said tram…

We were at Charter Road where there was some kind of activity for kids going on.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Central 02
There’s no escaping from kids

There were also a lot of Filipinos sitting on the sidewalk. I mean, literally sitting, asses on the hard tar and everything. A lot means the whole street. I have seen KLCC with lots of foreign workers on Sundays before but this was something else. Basically they sat on mats or newspapers and they had all sorts of bags with them, which G told me later was food; snacks and stuff. The majority of them were playing cards sprawled on the floor, just little groups everywhere talking and playing cards. I didn’t dare take a photo of them but here’s a random one of a couple girls with a huge luggage bag. Honestly speaking the whole scenario was as if they all just arrived on boats.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Central 04
Notice the girls…

We walked to Lan Kwai Fong; the Bangsar/ Sri Hartamas of KL (old Bangsar at least), the Boat Quay of Singapore. But I suppose it could pass off as an area in London – the atmosphere was just so… elite-y. The pubs were rather quiet though, then again it was a Sunday. The roads were a bit uphill; I was panting and whining and G just looked at my unfit state and shook his head. At least I think he did, I was too tired to look up and see. Christmas is definitely a big thing especially in this area.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Central 05
There be uphill roads…

Hong Kong December 2004 - Central 06
The obligatory tourist photo

G took me to a restaurant called the Yung Kee Restaurant. According to him it is the most famous restaurant in Hong Kong, all the important people eat here. He personally knows someone in Malaysia whose craving for Yung Kee’s roasted duck see him perform A-list movie stars actions; the person would occasionally call the restaurant and ask them to fly in a roasted duck the next day. A lot of money can’t hurt.

Hong Kong December 2004 - Central 07
Food in Yung Kee

We had dim sum and fried noodles with beef. Erm, it was nice. The problem was that the food gets cold rather quickly because of the outside weather and in-house air-conditioning, so unlike in Malaysia you can’t leave it for 10 mins to chat then eat, unless you like your food cold. But I was not lying about it being nice though I know a place in Taman Megah that serves equally good dim sum.

In case you were wondering, the bill came up to HKG$240 (thank you G).

While walking back to the Central MTR, we saw a couple of Hong Kong police. Like most Hongkies they were small in size. They should meet our Malaysian police force, learn some tricks and gain some weight.

Read more:

Day 1 : To Hong Kong
Day 2.1 : In Search of Tin Hau
Day 2.2 : The Octopus Strikes Back
Day 2.3 : Flower Crazy
Day 2.4 : Central; A Different World
Day 2.5 : Night Time, Light Time
Day 3.1 : The Buddha Beckons
Day 3.2 : To The Peak and Back
Day 3.3 : This Girl Needs a Beer
Day 4 : Leaving Hong Kong
Some thoughts on Hong Kong