Lemme start this LONG entry about the 2 irony about me traveling more and more in recent years. First, I really have not caught the travel bug, its more like friends jio me, so I okay and go. End up traveling more instead. Though the 2 countries I wanted to go to, Japan and Australia are still in the works. Second, ever since the first Bangkok trip, I always go there expecting not to buy much stuff, and always come back with tonnes of stuff. Be it food, alcohol, books, key chains, bags etc. I end up eating my own famous words,"I dont think I will shop much." Indeed.
This short trip cost me $750 shopping, $185 alcohol, $700 for flight, hotel plus insurance => around $1700 *sounds of kaching* Ouch!
Seriously I didnt intend to spend so much for the shopping part but then considering the prices are similar and even higher than here, its no wonder. Yar buying stuff and eating at more posh and pricey restaurants. Luckily didnt hit the $1k mark for shopping. Then again, that amount can buy me a Wii. Oh well, its an experience money cant buy... or perhaps more accurately, financed by money.
As photos and videos, which many are incriminating are with Candle, I shall just do a post about my point of view (the truth which has already been distorted by Tab)
HK
The plane ride and the interior of the airport were more uneventful, save for taking pics of us wearing masks. We wore them throughout the flight, taking off only to eat and drink.
The cab ride from the airport provided a very beautiful night scene. The architecture of the private buildings that looked at first glance, a reflection of the night lights against the water, yet on second look, the 'reflection' and original are two parts the same building. Then the long suspension bridge looked spectacular from afar.
We checked in and headed out straight via cab to the Peak, the highest point in HK. We wandered around, looking at the night city view from the top of the Peak. Enjoyed the cool night wind, with fog, and the out-of-world feeling. We ate at a posh restaurant, where my duck curry cost me nearly $35, together with beer, total about $40. It was good but I got a tummy ache later on due to my lack of tolerance for chilly after I suddenly went cold turkey.
Later after more photos, it was near midnight, and we took the tram down. Its a very steep hill and the angle of incline was more than 30 degrees. It was a new experience sitting in the tram as it accelerated downhill very fast.
Then we walked through the streets, led by FH to the Pub area. Forgot the name but its the Nightlife area, numerous pubs. If you think Clark Quay is full of pubs, that place is stocked and stacked literally with pubs. Imagine having staircases going down into a unit to a pub, stairs leading up to more pubs, ground level pubs. Very very packed full of pubs. Then there were many ang mo having a good time outside, inside. We just walked through, looking and headed to the MTR (the octopus, MRT) and headed back to the hotel. The rest was getting water, watching tv, sleeping later than 1am.
___________________________________
The next day, I woke up at 8.15am, got ready, and changed. Went to the swimming pool intending to swim. BUT it was closed due to thunderstorm reports. Sian. Went back to change out. Then we headed out to look for breakfast. We headed down Nathan road, the main road along the hotel. We walked to a Cha Can Ting, recommended by the front desk when we asked for good HK fare.
Along the way, we walked along the street filled with neon lights and signage, all in Mandarin. FH walked infront, Candle walked in the middle. I prefer to stay behind, to keep an eye on Candle who would suddenly stop to take photos. If both FH and I walked on ahead, she would be lost. Plus I walked slower cos its a holiday. I want to walk and look at the streets, the way of life, the people. So that was the walking arrangement throughout the trip. I noticed that macaroni soup is a staple of the HK breakfast. My breakfast of the borsque soup with macaroni with "Zhu Zai Bread" is very good and cheap.
After breakfast, we walked on only to be caught in the rain. The thunderstorm report is very accurate!!! We took shelter in the Langham, which is a very tall shopping centre, 13 floors high. We headed in and at the first floor, after going into the H&M, I looked around at the clothes and decided to take 2 to try. In and out of the changing room to get the sizes, took about half an hour, then bought 2 tops, a brown and a beige colour (about $40 altogether) I was thinking about IR's wedding and that I dont have that much clothes to wear for it, given her theme. BUT the tops I bought are not that theme. Just look more smart with them. FH waited for us at the Macs while we explored around.
Cham liao. Went up to 5th floor to this part of the mall and headed inside this store "Funky Gabe", looked through the stuff. The T-shirt (though guys) are very unique and nice pieces. Then I saw a female t-shirt with vest combination. Went to try it, sold. It made me look good and funky smart-casual. Okay buy and intend to wear for IR's wedding though it doesnt follow her theme, or I try to mix and match the vest with the beige top I bought earlier. Then I noticed the bags. There is a particular nice model because of the width and size of it. Though the pink looked very nice, it didnt match with me. I bought the Green one instead *kaching* about $100 already. Yes the things are not cheap, prices for most stuff in HK are SG standards but what I personally feel is that most things are more expensive cos I dont really seem to see cheaper boutiques. Most boutiques are in the upper range of usual clothe prices. But I am happy with the two items bought.
It was Candle's turn to fall at the next shop we went into. She ended up with 2 items costing $150 (around there, I cant seem to remember) Ouchy! We restrained ourselves for the next few and headed to meet FH. We werent done but didnt want to keep him waiting too long. He had just left when we arrived so we continued our exploration while he met up with his friend. There are 2 wings to the mall. The part where we headed to is up to 5 floors. The other part leads up to 13 floors. Its a spiral mall. You walk downwards in a spiral manner. There were many shops and we headed into almost all.
Along the way, I ended up playing Gachapon for sister, we bought a T-shirt with a witty slogan for FH, wanted to buy for Tab and Quetzal but their designs were very expensive $40 each. So it was expensive jokes and if they dont wear, wasted. Nevermind, tell them later. Stopped for a drink and then continued on. Candle wanted to buy a hat cos of the dripping water that often drops on you while you walk the streets of HK (I wore my visor) and in the hat shop, she finally bought one for $60! I told her better to wear it many times to make sure get the money back. Anyway it looks good on her and actually fits her well.
We stopped and shopped in another shop that had alot of cats theme stuff, from bags to t-shirts. I bought another combination of sleeveless-t with a casual vest-like over. Thats another $38. Candle bought a top for herself as well as one for her cousin. The number of things inside the Langham are really a lot, the limit was our own HKD in our wallets plus the hefty prices after conversion.
By the time we were done, it was way past 4pm. We had spent close to 3hours inside! Then we walked back towards the hotel but took a different parallel street behind the main road. Basically there are 4 parallel streets running down. The three streets are "Niu Ren Jie, Dian Qi Jie and Sportswear" We unintentionally headed to Dian Qi Jie that had lots of electrical stores, bookshop, money changer, okashi etc.
I saw a building that seemed to have several floors instead of the usual 3-5 floors used for shop lots, rest for residential, and hopped in. It turned out to be an Otaku Heaven. There were numerous shops selling anime related memorabilia. Numerous small (really very small) shops with the renting of display boxes all filled with memorabilia. We walked up and up to several more floors. I ended up playing more Gachapon to get stuff for my sisters. Maybe a few for myself too. Later we walked back to the main street and I was looking around for the Chinese wave theory book my dad lent to me. Its written by a HK, printed in HK, so most likely I can get my own copy. Went up a dingy-looking place to a small bookshop filled with chinese books. Even had a picture for it.
Eventually by the end of the HK stay, after numerous book shop stops, I bought 4 chinese books written by the same author about Wave theory, Options, FX and Dow Theory. Spent slightly more than $100. I found all of what I wanted.
Candle and I headed into another Cha Can Ting cos we hadnt eaten lunch yet and it was already 4pm. I ate the wonton mee and it was delicious! The mee, the soup and the wonton. All win! The lemon tea also very very good. And its cheap. Yar I did the usual to ask for the Zao Pai Cai and ask for recommendations. That is good wonton. HEAVEN compared to Candle's tragic Wonton Story.
We met up with FH at the hotel but he came back later. So Candle and I laid out our purchases on the bed and took a photo of it. Then took photo of FH's shirt. It has a slogan "I have a very big (picture of a cockerel)" Put the cylinder container plus 2 gachapon balls to mimic the thing. He came back and saw it. The start of bad joke "Dropped the balls"
We bathed and got ready. Headed to TimeSquare, another mall several MTR stations away. While browsing through the books, Candle chanced upon some good places to eat. We headed to the cheaper one featured. Made our way there, and ordered enough food to feed 5 people. But most of them not tasty, overly scallopy and salty. But the meal still cost $30 cos we really ordered alot. Again wonton was ordered. The fried ones were delicious! But the soup one was another tragic story. Yuck.
Continued walking around to find the dessert place for Boiled Milk. We passed by a amazaki stall and I stopped to buy some. Amazaki (if I spell correctly) sells the japanese snack that is a dough shaped like a fish with red bean filling inside. That stall offered exotic flavours, chocolate banana, cinnamon custard, traditional, italian, that's why I stopped. FH ordered the chocolate banana which was DELICIOUS! The cinnamon custard is good too. (The traditional red bean one was kinda okay, I ate it the next morning for breakfast)
We walked on, looking at the people, shops, queer stuff (Sex Toy Story, ads with a grandma holding a vibrator), book shop hopping along the way for my books, and reached the Boiled Milk place. I ordered the hot one and its good too. Like eating condensed milk soft curds. It rained shortly and we made our way back to the MTR and hotel.
(To be con'd tomorrow, I am quite stoned at 1.10am now. Think lack of sleep and dehydrated)
No comments:
Post a Comment