We spent our last day in Hong Kong to go shopping! To be completely honest, I find shopping in a foreign country very tedious. I compute everything quickly in my head, and doing so in the street market in Hong Kong provides more problems because some of the sellers actually held on to my jacket when I did not even touch anything or inquired for the price. We have been passing by the stall of Maxim’s Cakes in the subway so I decided to buy a small piece of every flavor I’d like to try. Hello, gluttony!
Since we went shopping, we didn’t have a lot of photos that day.
We also bought soft ice cream (HK$ 8) from the ice cream truck even if it was 10 degrees outside!
I have already made plans with C to go on a Macau-Hong Kong trip sometime in the future! I really can’t wait! 🙂
Before everything else, meet our parents! My sister looks like a mini version of mom, and my brother is the taller version of our dad. I’m the kid where I never got a unanimous decision who I look like the most.
My sister asked me to curl her hair for her so I did. See, we look alike but not really? Haha!
When I was told that we were going to the Ocean Park, I kind of went “ehh?”. I’d be glad to tell you how much all our tickets cost but since dad bought them, I left it up to him. Haha! My expectations for an ocean park is fishes, fishes, and more fishes. But boy, was I wrong. This park is huge!
Prepare yourselves for another photo heavy post. You’ve been warned. As usual, it was the three of us who stuck together while the parents toured at their own pace. Like I said, the park is big! I think it’s bigger than Disneyland. We got to ride some rides twice in Disneyland but we didn’t even finish touring Ocean Park.
Have I mentioned how my sister has a habit of dipping her hands in water wherever she goes?
Immediately took the cable car to get to the farthest area of the park. We planned on working our way back out. It was a long cable car ride. I just couldn’t gauge which took longer though, this or the one that will bring you to Genting Highlands in Malaysia.
Seriously, if this place had Disney characters, it would have been better than Disneyland. Look at this ride! This was the first ride we lined up for. I love crazy rides and Ocean Park has about three exciting ones.
There were huge fake things all over the place too, which is very nice for photos. Chocolates, food, and even animals! Perfect for family outings.
Our next ride! Getting here burned a lot of my calories!! It was a downhill slope and having to get to our next ride took a lot of steps. I’m so glad Tin is finally tall enough to get on amusement park rides with us! It looks like she is happy with it too. Haha!
A repeat of Disneyland set up had me paying for lunch at Cafe Ocean. Again, the meals range around HK$100.
After having lunch, we rode this roller coaster. All three of us were hesitant to do so since we didn’t want to vomit after the ride. No worries though, my ride-induced vomit incidents are still non-existent!
We passed on the Ferris Wheel due to the long line, and amusements parks usually have it.
We did not miss this though; which is similar to the local amusement park, Enchanted Kingdom’s Flying Fiesta.
The shops in this area are oh so cute! More huge replicas of food. Can I bring them home with me? 🙂
I love being a tourist during Christmas season.
The craziest ride in the whole park. The sibs, unfortunately, backed out, so I definitely need to go back here with C!!! I bet this is so awesome!
Polar Adventure. Penguins really remind me of the quirky ones from the film Madagascar. There was an entire penguin exhibit, along with real live penguins!
Some of the male penguins were sitting on eggs and we watched as a baby penguin slowly goes out of its’ egg. Wow! Penguins are so lovable! If I lived in Antarctica, I want a couple of ‘em as pets!
One of the things I have noticed while lining up for rides the whole day is that the locals have a habit of cutting the line. I went all bitchy mode on and whenever someone tried to cut the line and tried talking to me in whatever language, I say “sorry I don’t understand what you’re saying. Please say it in English only” and they ended up queuing behind us. Mwahahaha!
South Pole Spectacular is a polar bear exhibit. There’s also an underwater viewing for dugongs, sea lions, etc.
We took the train to meet up with our parents. Yes, a cable car and a train within the park. So awesome! After meeting up with them, we went to the Giant Panda Adventure.
I bought this snow globe for my collection! Ever since I started to travel using my own money, I buy a snow globe every time I go out of the country. I only have four as of now but I just know I can expand it. 🙂
We stayed to watch the musical fountain show. It was okay, I guess. I really want to go back here as I have missed a lot of attractions! Until the next Hong Kong trip (in four-five years? :D).
One thing you have to know about me is, I will always be a kid at heart. Therefore, the thing I was looking forward the most about going to Hong Kong was not the fact that I get to go there, or going shopping..
Disneyland ticket!
It was at being at (one of) the happiest places on Earth. I will let the photos do the talking in this post because really, it’s Disneyland!!! What else can I say beyond wonderful, magical and I-want-to-visit-all-the-Disneylands-in-the-world? 🙂
Tarzan-themed area! We took the raft to Tarzan’s Tree House.
Grizzly Gulch – we rode the ride here and it was so much fun!
Mystic Point
Toy Story Land
Fantasyland
We had lunch at the Banquet Hall. Since mom is unable to ride most of the things and she gets tired easily, we separated at the entrance of Disneyland. Therefore, lunch is on me. Lunch at Disneyland costs an average of HK$100 per person.
I have never been to Hong Kong. I knew there’s a Disneyland in HK and most of my friends have been there during the holidays, but it has rarely appealed to me. However, mom wanted to go for Christmas so the siblings and I took out our vacation piggy bank and saved up our own vacation funds. Fortunately for me, this trip was exactly a week after I got back from Denmark. It almost overlapped and I was concerned I would have to fly directly to Hong Kong with all my extra luggage. Dad flew in directly from Singapore and his flight landed two hours after ours did. It gave us plenty of time to roam around the airport. Mom found a place to sit down with our luggage while the three of us roamed around.
After dad arrived, we all bought our Octopus cards – which is my share for this trip, aside from buying both my siblings boots. Hahaha! We took a bus that’s going to pass by Holiday Inn in Nathan Road.
My baby brother has grown so much, he’s now way bigger than I am. Don’t resist me baby brother!
Traveling with our dad is crazy, to be honest! He makes a comprehensive research. He sent me this 12-page travel itinerary complete with travel time, how long it would take to watch the fireworks show in Disneyland, where to eat and what time we have to get somewhere.. you get the picture.
Since mom has a hard time walking, much more when climbing up, dad stayed with her on the lower deck of the bus while we went on the upper deck.
Getting off at Nathan Road and looking for a hotel was so much trickier when you have your luggage with you.
We had lunch after dropping off our things. We ate at Cafe de Coral. I swear, we ate here at least once a day while we were in Hong Kong. For one, it’s literally everywhere. It’s like Jollibee (you really can find a branch of Jollibee all over the country) without a fixed menu. Two, their menu is in English so yay! Hong Kong is somewhat like Denmark where they don’t translate everything to English. Three, it’s pretty cheap. In my mind, I keep thinking this is Chinese Jollibee – even though I am aware that whoever owns Jollibee is in fact Chinese.
After eating, we walked towards the Avenue of Stars. Whenever I travel with family, I am usually the photographer so I’m usually out of family pictures. I do end up having solo shots (albeit while my eyes are closed). Haha!
The three of us always have a photo like this one. Dad hates it whenever we do this (close our eyes for the photo) and we usually do it to annoy him. 😀
Behind us is Hong Kong Museum of Art.
The old Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower.
We decided to take the 5-minute boat ride to get to Victoria Peak. We used our Octopus Cards to pay for the boat ride.
Insane line at the Apple store
After the boat ride, we took the scenic bus ride to Victoria Peak! I was sitting behind a group of Japanese girls (also tourists) dressed in colorful outfits I just love! I badly wanted to take a photo with them but I didn’t want to be that creepy stranger.
I took naps during the bus ride and my brother woke me up when it was time to get off.
The Peak Galleria
Photobombing the parents!
We went up the highest deck and to the viewing area. Based on this view alone, you can imagine how cold it was up there. The Peak is literally the peak of real estates in the country. You’d have to be wealthy to own a house here.
We all make it a habit to photobomb our parents every now and then.
One of the things to do at Victoria Peak is to visit Madame Tussauds! It was just a few floors below the viewing deck.
Lifelong dream – to be a singer! Hahaha!
We have a lot more photos but this is too much already and I don’t want to bore you with more of our faces! The Peak – at night, and before we head back down and take another ferry back.
After going down the peak and crossing by boat again, we saw a colorful and crowded area from afar. We decided to check it out before grabbing a bite to eat. Waaah! It’s a Christmas-themed Disney display! It’s not Disneyland, but having grown up with my 4-CD collection of Disney songs, anything Disney are the best!
We walked back to Nathan Road, and as much as I love the countryside.. there is something magical about being in a city at night.
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