HongKong Day 4: MongKok

We don't have anything else in our itinerary list. We failed to tour some other places but we didn't feel bad at all. We can't squeeze our time in, so we're thankful that we're able to spend wisely these past few days.

Today, with Marvin's parents, we went to MongKok for a little shopping. Beware though, if you don't know how to haggle, you'll be paying a lot more. It ain't cheap here contrary to what they're saying.

After shopping, the last leg of our trip was spent in HongKong Bay at the Avenue of Stars

this is where we watched the Symphony of Lights, our point and shoot is not that advanced, it could have been better perhaps..

If not for the hostage incident and our relationship with HK now, I would have planned our trip back as early as now! :)

HongKong Day 3: Food & Conclusion

I can't tell you how we found Disneyland to be expensive, of course including the food.
But, we're very happy to have been satisfied of our day. I would have regrets if we didn't push for this trip or this Disneyland experience. Glad we made it through the day! :)

we brought this brown mickey food holder, home. haha.

even the toothpick is packed with Disneyland label on it

our day concluded with a train ride that will go around the resort.
we just wanted to rest our tired legs and feet before we head home

I pray we all can go to Nevada for a bigger Disneyland Experience.

HongKong Day 3: Disney Inside 2

What else did we do in Disneyland?

i met mickey mouse!

and goofy

this was my favorite part. this is a simple 3D show that amazed me so much. Disney used live water, air, perfume, etc so everyone is whisked to reality more than being there and watching 3D. Example, we were watching Jasmine and Aladdin take their magic carpet, it was sooo windy and I can feel the air blowing - feels like we're with them. Another one was when donald duck tipped while holding a bucket of water, we got a fair amount of splash.. absolutely amazing.. :)

We took different rides, one of which was an inside roller coaster that made me wish I didn't try it. Nah, I enjoyed a little - it was just super scary. There was a warning outside that if you have heart problems, etc etc; you are not supposed to ride. There was also this Stitch Encounter where we get to see and talk to stitch LIVE, very impromptu that the kids thought stitch is just in front of them.

Ha! By now we are dead tired. Time for a great meal. :)

HongKong Day 3: Disney Inside

We don't know what's waiting for us inside. We can only navigate as much as the map tells us. So we kinda walk and stop if we see something that interests us.

we stopped by the Disney store where you could get all stuff Disney, of course!
a little expensive though. we'll we're a budget traveler so we only got a few things that will remind us that we were here once :)

our first tour, was that of ADVENTURELAND. We saw Tarzan's tree house here, we rode a boat, and saw some live shows

where to next??
oh, right. Disneyland is divided into three major areas, Adventureland, Tomorrowland and Fantasyland

Here's the facade to the Fantasyland.
We were greeted by castles, niches of different characters like pooh, carousel rides and mad hatters tea cup ride :)

Tomorrowland is all about buzz lightyear, stitch, and others :)

Since it's summer, we had the chance to see their Summer Parade.

We were on the wet side of the street. Disneyland has instructions and warning signs everywhere that if you want to stay dry, avoid the wet lane - basically that's where the parade is headed.





Fun Fun Stuff!

Thanks to Myds who told us to bring extra clothes. We came prepared. And the water was a relief from the heat.

HongKong Day 3: to Disneyland

Again, the way to Disneyland is fairly easy. With its popularity, it's not even hard to get directions. We took the MTR station from Tsim Sha Tsui going to the Disneyland Resort line. We transferred and took different MTR lines, but it wasn't difficult at all. Much like our MRT here, both trains (going to different directions) are on the same platform, so alight from the other, hop or run, and aboard the other train - you have to read though.

So from the red line, we transferred to orange line at Lai King, then hopped on to pink line via Sunny Bay

the train itself was soooooo cool because you know it's Disney. this MTR is made specially for disneyland. the train has every character inside. you don't have to spot the hidden mickey, it's everywhere!

WELCOME!!

HongKong Day 3: Breakfast

Our Day 3! is DISNEYLAND :)

But before that, since Disneyland opens around 9 or 10, it's just proper to have some breakfast first. We bet everything there is expensive.

didn't i tell you that they can prepare any toppings for their noodles?

here's my trying to be american-breakfast

We took the MTR at TsimShaTsui Station near our hotel, and near the restaurant where we had breakfast

Off to DISNEYLAND!! :)

HongKong Day 2: Ngong Ping 360

Ngong Ping 360 I believe is the term for the cable car. 360 because you can see HongKong on a different perspective. I was always under the impression that HongKong is full of tall building, no water at all (maybe at they shore, of course), and that I wouldn't get to see mountains, but I was wrong.

From Tsimshatsui, or Laguna City, you can take two means of transportation to Ngong Ping, fairly easy. You may take a bus or ride an MTR. Buses in HK have specific routes and they are numbered, so ride the appropriate bus that would pass Tung Chung, make a decent walk - and you're all good. If you decided to ride the MTR, Ngong Ping is very accessible, just get off at the last red line (I think) station which is Tung Chung.

with English signs, you will never get lost

can you tell that I'm a little scared? i'm afraid of heights and i thought i can do this without any support, apparently not. riding the cable car was not anything I imagined. it was soooooo way up high, with altitude, wind, not to mention the height - I was very sweaty! I even thought we can ride the glass car, where the floor is made of glass and you can see the land/sea through it! oh no! i'll probably faint!

the end of the cable car is Ngong Ping Village where you can eat, watch some show they have lined up and basically take pictures.


near the end of it is a stairway leading to the giant Buddha. A couple walks more and you'll be in the monks village. I call this one a sacrificial walk - not more than 200 steps I believe.

it's a shame if we failed to reach the top. the view was absolutely stunning.

We feel refreshed about the experience.
Thank you Lord.

HongKong Day 2: Breakfast

Today, we decided to visit Ngong Ping 360 and the Buddha. I have no expectations of the cable car. I just think it's fun to ride one so I kept blabbing about it.

We found a very neat place beside Ramada where they serve good breakfast. We know this is where we will be eating for the rest of our stay. I know most of you would think that we should have explored the streets more and probably try street food. But no thanks. I would rather stay safe for my own stomach and health.

very cheap breakfast selection. this is made of rice noodle, with egg and pork. they make anything with noodles!! you can top it with meat loaf, pork, chicken, you name it.

this is plain old instant noodle with pork on the side (not topping)

I liked it :)

HongKong Day 1: Dinner

After we settled our bags to our new hotel, we scouted and walked around the streets of Cameron, and basically the area of Tsimshatsui, Kowloon. I can probably blog HK streets some other time. It's wonderful how easy and accessible everything is. It's more like Melbourne where everything is on the grid, easy to find, laid out in front of you. However, I don't think Melbourne has dark streets and alleys for - I don't know whatever reason.

Anyway, you know I normally blog about food so here's how our first dinner looks like. I don't know the names so I'm not going to label them. Marvin and I don't eat in places where there is no English equivalent of their menu or if there are no pictures. Because they won't translate it for us! Anyway, we didn't enjoy this as much, and kind of expensive for both of us. The only satisfying meal here is the one in the middle that you get to dip in peanut sauce.

looks like lechon paksiw to me, but didn't taste quite well. the odd round thing on top is a mushroom.. a mushroom

this soup was very tasty but kinda odd not to taste like milk, don't ask me what they put in there

It's now time to hit the sack :)

HongKong 2010: Day 1

I thank my sponsor (StarTek) for making me fly to the west several times in return earning me several PAL Miles points. And 2 months ago, I realized my Mabuhay Miles are expiring so I have to use it if I don't want it to go to waste.

Since Marvin is flying to HK to visit his pregnant sister, I decided I could join too considering I now just have to worry about accommodation.

So after the proposal happening on the 21st which I still have to blog, and the HongKong hostage that happened yesterday (of all days!!!); today is when I fly to HongKong.



My Day 1 was actually more of traveling, getting to the HK International Airport, meeting Marvin and picking me up, riding the two level bus, taking an hour (i think) of travel to Laguna City where his sister is residing.



After the short visit to her sister, where his family is staying too, we moved to a hotel to settle for the night. Ramada was pretty expensive but we didn't have a choice as we didn't pre-book anything. We thought we could just find another place tomorrow.


It wasn't so bad really. We just had real trouble of speaking and talking to people - not that they can't understand English, but the way they talk isn't neutral like us. Their Chinese accent is so thick, most of the time, they don't speak English. You have to find ways to communicate - oh, you'll know what I mean, try to visit them now. :)

Lost Symbol

My friends at work are going 'gaga' over reading. It's quite interesting to know that now.. we are exchanging our book collections as we continue to read.

We will establish a library in the office soon, so stay tuned! :D

My latest read by the way is Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. It's been a while since I've last read his work. I wasn't disappointed. A lot of people are claiming that they weren't moved or they didn't like this one as much as the previous one's. Well, he could have saved trees by not publishing this work. Hehe. Sobra noh. LOL

Anyway, I like how he writes his stuff but this one seems like a very looooong lecture to me. Not a waste at all - but could be improved. Whoah!! I'm not an editor, just one of his readers. :)

welcome to LP

Today, my family moved in to a new location..

We didn't ditch our old house for 17 years as my brother would still stay there to easily report to and from work.

I'm not hoping that it's not a nice welcome because we hit the electrical wiring, cable and phone of our neighbor. Our damn truck was too high and their cable was very low - gawd. A lot to look forward to next week. I'm pretty sure we have to pay for all the damages.

I'll keep you all posted.

Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

..was the longest book I have in my hands before I finished it. Took me a couple of weeks I believe as the first half was dragging to go further. But I'm happy I was able to finish it.

Red Pyramid is a good read if you're into Egypts and their stuff, pyramids, obelisks, magics?, and their Gods. I don't know them, sorry. I enjoyed Percy Jackson and the Olympians because of Greek Mythology which was replaced by Egyptian Gods and Goddesses that I'm totally unaware of. I guess their names are different but their the same gods - ugh. yeah.

Again, I'm hoping to buy HP this December which I totally doubt.. pero malay naten. Until then, I'll continuously post whatever books I get to read. :)

So... what have you read lately, maybe I would like that too..

uhm, hello?

I can't believe it's not been a month! I thought my last post has cobwebs already.

Actually, I wasn't that busy. I was just occupied by the fact that we're moving out of Tondo.. real soon!

So I've been house-hunting: looking for rent to owns, for rents, for sale, etc etc and we almost got a 5-bedroom house for 10k per month but our contact says the sister's owner abroad disagreed to have it leased after a week of waiting, too bad. Anyway, I guess we got lucky because our broker got us a decent house! I'll post that soon.

I've been reading too! I just finished reading Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. His books are close to Harry Potter, only that his includes Gods. I'm still waiting for the fifth book of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I prefer to stick with trade paper back copy and our bookstores have hard bound only. My next book in line is Lost Symbol, c/o a friend who said I should read it. After that, maybe re-read the 'The Alchemist' c/o my Manager. After that maybe I can start the sexy vampire books of JC Lewis ba yun. My friend has been asking me to read it. The last time I went to National - they don't have stocks of the first book.

I've been planning our trip too! HongKong travel is very very close, but I'm more excited about the Boracay Trip that we're throwing our parents. Maybe my stubborn father would be soooooo conscious again of the expenses considering of our move-in to Las Pinas. Who cares! hahaha, we're spending Pa not you, hehe. :)

O siya, I'll catch up again over the weekend and post the details of our move.

Ciao!!