in another land: Hong Kong + Kuching

Monday, June 15, 2009

Hong Kong + Kuching

I have graduated!!!

A graduation trip down to HongKong and Kuching with friends and family. Not exactly glam or adventurous, but a relaxing and profitable vacation.

Hong Kong

A drastic change from the last time I was there several years ago - Now, the air is cleaner with less smoke, the toilets are clean and well-kept and the service is now several times better....if u speak cantonese. Love the shopping paradise, not one minute is spared as we swept through h&m at Langham place, the factory outlets at Tung Chung, not forgetting Argyle Center, the Spore far-east plaza... for the fashion apparels, the quality is really worth the price. Although Fa Yuen St is well-recommended, there is only Adidas and Puma sportswear, aka Spore Queenstown, not much to buy though...

Places to visit: not much interesting things, there is no need to go to Tai O, or Ocean Park, could have done more shopping instead of waiting for the super long queues... The victoria peak is beautiful, going to Lantau Island and strolling along the avenue of stars, but the laser light show is not worth the visit. Ocean Park isnt as fun, I got so dizzy after the space wheel. The best thing to do in HongKong is simply to shop and eat..

The food is cheap and tasty, but the portions are often too large, it is best to just share a meal. Not to be missed will be the ever famous tim sum, egg tarts, wife biscuits, and desserts in Shui liu shan.

Metropark Hotel - for a low price at S$50 per night, a comfortable night with everything provided. Excellent staff service

and we celebrated xucen' s birthday

Day 1 to Lantau Island, Tai o & Mei Wo

Day 2 - Ocean Park and Shopping

Wet in ponchos

The fake jelly fish

the fascinating jelly fish

Day 3 - Victoria' s Peak and Avenue of Stars

Food and street shopping

Yam cake, crispy on the outside, hot on the inside

Tim sum for breakfast

carrot cake, lian yong bao, siew mai, xiao long bao, custard cake, zhui jiao... wad more can I ask?

Da Jia Le

Mango dessert set in Shui Liu Shan (thumbs-up)

Kuching

A leisure trip to an unknown land of Sarawak, where people thought as a forbidden land for feeding mosquitoes...

Not as bad as I thought, the trip costs only S$80 for flight and 2 nights hotel, a perfect combo for a weekend getaway!

So here we are stranded in the island, under a hot and humid weather, feeling completely lost. Fortunately, the traveling is taken care of by a friendly taxi driver, Mr Bong and his wife, who took turns to take us to nice places to eat, schedule our itinerary, with fast facts of Kuching and making us feel completely at home. The budget hotel has a five star sleeping experience, with king-koil bed... and an awefully good hot shower.

My wacky travel mates

Not forgetting a healthy diet

Wing' s fan (good to look, not for use)

attacking the mutton stew

Us and Mr Bong' s car

Home made agar

Jambu treat along the roadside

Preparation before embarking into the fairy caves

The tall stairway before entry into the caves.

How dark can this get? yep, one at a time

The fairy cave, dark and wet

Aka xiao long nu' s home

The wierd wild mushroom

The Sarawak cultural village, an eye opener:

Imagine the scenario when yr friend was called up on stage to perform a blow dart shooting. Not a normal short hollow pole, this is the real experienced Mongolian at work. And there she goes, one shot and she got it. The last balloon exploded. The audience clapped and cheered, the crowd rose up to their feet, the atmosphere was even better than a performer turning 360 degree with his belly on a pole...

" WELCOME TO THE CLUB" says the tribal man.

We left the hall and explore the tribal houses outside, upon leaving, ppl pointed at xu cen and some even came up to her to congratulate on her performance. Wad an experience.