Hong Kong & Macau 2008 Day 1

Time to go for my long-awaited vacation! This time, Slug and I were going to revisit Hong Kong, because I had some unfinished business there to settle: complete the climb at Kadoorie Farm. We would also be making a side trip to Macau since it was nearby, but after hearing some bad reviews about that place, I somehow regretted.

Spent the night at the freezing airport, had breakfast and then boarded the flight at 6.40am.

Smiling radiantly except for Slug who was having a stomachache

Breakfast at Terminal 1's Kopitiam

Ready to board the flight (with Slug still looking so glum)

Could not fall asleep on the flight because was too hyperactive with excitement (and seats were too crammed and uncomfortable as well). When we finally touched down in Hong Kong, we were dismayed to find out that we would be expecting showers for the next few days. Seemed like the typhoon season was setting in earlier this year. But at least the temperatures this time were not as chilly as those during our previous trip.

We rented a room at Mr Chiu's subsidiary apartment again. Fatigue began to set in now and we napped till 8+pm.

The room we got

Went to Mongkok for dinner and some shopping. We came across this cha can ting, which serves some really good wonton mee (albeit quite salty). Slug is a fan of the chewy noodles and the prawn dumplings.

Dinner at this cha can ting

After dinner, we visited the night market along Ladies' Street, and were unfazed by the standard offerings and exorbitant prices there. Nothing more than fake branded goods, tacky T-shirts, jade accessories and lighters.

Night market at Ladies' Street

Horse betting in virtual form at an arcade

Snacking on our favourite egg-shaped waffles along the way

We had a great time browsing through the shops at this 新之城, a youthful and cutesy shopping mall in Mongkok a la Far East Plaza. However, the shops were really small and it was difficult roaming freely in them. Corridors were no wider than three people put together side-by-side.

Came across this cute snack shop on the 2nd floor which sells unique Japanese snacks, and one of them being the dinosaur biscuits eaten by 蜡笔小新. Bought them out of curiosity (and because of the grumpy yet cute pink dinosaur (or is it crocodile?)).

Star-shaped strawberry munchies

What is great about the shopping malls in Causeway Bay and Mongkok is that the shops close very late. The average closing time is about 10.30pm, but some shops can open till as late as 11.30pm, depending on customer flow. Nothing beats the sense of satisfaction derived from being able to utilise the night fully for shopping!

At the MTR station

A shopping mall in Causeway Bay

We returned to Causeway Bay for more shopping, but it was nearing 12am and most shops were already closed. At least Wellcome, the local supermarket, was open!

As we browsed through the products from shelf to shelf, we realised indignantly that there are actually so many products that exist but are not available in Singapore, from Calbee snacks to milk, jelly and yoghurt varieties. Even Cottage Fries, now defunct in Singapore, is available here! It seems absurd because Singapore is supposed to be as highly advanced and modern as Hong Kong, yet Singaporean consumers are not exposed to and enjoying market variety in their own country! We spent the next hour shopping for the necessities and the frivolous.

What amazes us about Causeway Bay is that many people are still walking along its streets even after midnight, and it is not even a clubbing district. Traffic is no exception, with Paterson Street, the tiny one-lane street just below our room, always busy with taxis and trucks unloading cartons of goods. This even includes maintenance vehicles.

Workers cleaning the exterior of the shopping mall opposite our room

Seeing how lucky we were to have the chance to sleep, we quickly dozed off, despite the bustling noise from the streets downstairs at a fricking 2am.