A Nite in Hongkong

Basically I should have called it Kowloon experienced not Hongkong since most of our activities where in Kowloon side. We spend our last nite there by buying some "pasalubong" at Mongkok Ladies Night Market and watching the well known "Symphony of Lights" at Victoria Harbour. The street of Mongkok was practically closed to any traffic and had been converted to bargain area. Here you can also see different street performances and item promotions from cellphones to car brochures. What amused us most are the neon lights that transversed from one side of the street to the other side, it was like having lights as your umbrella.

This is Mongkok at nite.
Symphony of Lights started at exactly 8:00pm and show lasted for 20 minutes. This nightly spectacle combines interactive lights of 44 key buildings on both Hongkong Island and Kowloon with musical effects to showcase the vibrancy and glamorous night vista of Victoria Harbour. The best viewing locations of this nightly spectacle are along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront between the Avenue of Stars and the Hongkong Cultural Centre.

The Symphony of Lights.


The family along Victoria Harbor.

Hongkong Trip - Day2 (Disneyland)

Day2 - Disneyland
Temperature : 13°C
After Avenue of Stars it's time to go to Disneyland and it'll gonna be another cross travel from Kowloon to Lantau. To be able to go to Disney we need to transfer from one train to another thrice. You will know that your on last train to Disneyland if you ride the train with Mickey Mouse shape window. Upon entering the train you will notice small statues of different disney character, we were seated near Tinker Bell and Mickey Mouse statues. Well it's good that I was able to reserve our entrance ticket in Disney via internet at least we were spare of queuing in the long line of visitors who gonna visit the place. Upon entering Disneyland, we were greeted with Chinese parade (it's still Chinese New Year Celebration in Disney). Dragon dance, Cherry Blossom ladies, Minnie and Mickey Mouse as well as Goofy were part of the parade. It was a beautiful show.
Well what can you expect, the kids run to various memorabilia stores in the place and before we knew it we are all buying stuff just before we saw and experienced Disneyland.
What can I say about my experience in Disneyland? Well it's tiring going around the park. And seeing lots of people queuing the long line just to take those rides makes me even tired. Actually my husband and I let go off the kids for them to enjoy the place while we are resting in the "Adventure" theme park.

Tinker Bell Statue inside the train going to Disneyland.

Going up to Disneyland

Nice reminder to Disney's visitors

Our escapade in Disneyland

Hongkong Trip - Day2 (Avenue of Stars)

Day2:
Temperature : 13°C
First stop : AVENUE of STARS
Near our hostel is the Avenue of Stars, one of Hongkong's tourist attraction. It was actually located at Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon along Salisbury road near the harbor. You can see Hongkong Island across the river. It's early morning when we went there and amidst the cold weather (13deg C) we walk our way to Ave. of Stars. We need to take the subway (underpass) to go to the site and we're all amaze on how clean and beautiful their subway is. There are also shop along the area (fortunately it's still close). From Salisbury Garden where Hongkong Space Museum and Hongkong Museum of Arts is we saw the a towering Hong Kong Film Awards statuette telling us that we are already on the track of the Avenue of Stars. Different statues are displayed as well as Hongkong well known celebrities Walk of Fame and hand imprint, but we are most interested in looking for Jackie Chan hand's as well as Bruce Lee's life size statue. And at last it's on the farthest part of the avenue near Intercontinental Hotel.

We're fascinated to see such beautiful flowers and those "kiat-kiat" which are all live and yet no one is touching them nor picking a fruit or flower. Taken in front of Sheraton Hotel-Kowloon.

We are on our way to the subway.

This is TST subway, you will never get lost as there are directional board and the place is so clean.

Here's another directional map located at Salisbury Garden. So how will you get lost?

The Victoria harbor at early morning.

All in Avenue of Stars

Cherry blossom inside Starbucks cafe.

The family having breakfast along Ave of Stars

Hongkong Trip - Day1 (Macau)

Temperature : 13°C
Going to Macau adds excitement to our trip. Though we headed off to the place a little bit late we are still in anticipation on what we will see. And true enough, Macau is a small but beautiful place. Macau was formerly a Portugese colony that's why there are lots of small churches in the place. Macau looks like Las Vegas at nite with all its beautiful and splendid neon lites. And just like in Hongkong you will never get lost in this place. There are lots of signs and the bus are plenty, but we ride bus#10A which will bring us directly to Senado Square. As usual we weren't suprised to meet some Filipino at Senado Square strolling around the area. The Senado square is paved with a wave-patterned mosaic of coloured stones, created by Portuguese experts. It is the heart of the city.
It's a pity that we have to leave Macau and went back to Kowloon at such a short time, there are still some places that we haven't able to see but surely the experienced is worth remembering. I'd like to go back to this place...

Waiting for our ride to Macau (China Ferry Terminal)

Me and Roy at Senado Square.

My husband and daughter at Senado Square.

Me at Senado Square, see the pavement.

See the old building on the right? It's a McDonald resto.

Another old building that you can see along Senado Square.

At the end of the pavement is the old church of St. Dominic.
See how splendid Macau at nite.

Hongkong Trip - Day1 (Tsim Sha Tsui)

During day 1 of our Hongkong Trip, we have scheduled to go to Macau for a little bit of sight-seeing since its only an hour ride in ferry from Kowloon to Macau. Being a stranger and with map at hand we tried to locate the China Ferry terminal which is along Canton Road. Well the experience is worth it, had seen the beauty of Tsim Sha Tsui downtown area while looking for the terminal.

See can't deny that we are tourist.. Obviously my husband is busy checking the map.

It so fascinating seeing the street lined with beautiful live flowers and not just ordinary flower, it's tulips!!!

The busy people of Kowloon

See the upper class downtown of Kowloon. The buildings houses exclusive brands such as Channel, Louis Vuitton, Coach, etc...

I thought Kor-movie craze is only in the Philippines but look what we catch on Kowloon. A bus with Korean movie poster.

Hongkong Trip - Day 1

Our plane landed on Hongkong Int'l Airport at exactly 10:15 am. My son is now complaining of going to immigration counter again. Obviously, he's too excited to see the real Hongkong. From the airport we ride bus #A21 going to Kowloon. It's good that we have some Filipino with us who escorted us to the building where we are going to stay. Well the place is small but it's clean and the owner Mr. Simon is so accomodating. Since it's already noon we ate at the Spaghetti House before returning back to our room and prepare ourselves for our ferry trip to Macau.

Look at my son waiting in qeue at HK immigration counter.

Here we are trying to find our way out of the airport and into the bus station

Now it's their turn to look for the bus stop.

At last the bus stop that we have been looking..

And here goes the bus that will bring us to Kowloon

Everyone is starving after our exciting trip from airport to Kowloon

It's my Daughter's 18th Birthday

Last January 30 was my daughter's 18th birthday and instead of the usual bday bash my daughter asked for a trip in Hongkong. So on that day, the whole family fly to Hongkong with Macau as a side trip. Expecting a cold weather, we brought along thick jackets and scarves and we weren't disappointed, the weather is at 14°C when we landed. It was a great experienced for my kids since its their first trip outside the Philippines and their first plane ride. My son kept on complaining whenever the plane stopped while taxing on the tarmac, he was anticipating the feeling of what its like when it flies And he kept on looking right and left as the plane is travelling on the sky trying to absorb everything he sees. My husband and I just kept on reminding him to keep quite since he might disturbed other passengers. I can't suppress my smile while watching my kids enjoyed their flight. See my kids pictures while in the plane.

Rose blowing her birthday cake. Taken on the eve of her birthday.

Queuing at PAL Terminal2 immigration

The kids inside the Philippine Airlines Flt PR300.

The celebrant and her brother taking their own picture inside the plane.