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Tuesday 4 December 2012

Hong kong free and easy : 花园街(Hua Yuen, flower street), 廟街(temple street

 
We had breakfast at Kam Wah, famous for their 菠蘿包 before heading to 花园街, flower street. It is just a 5 minutes walk from Kam Wah. Can enjoy looking at the colorful fish on the way to 花园街




There are lot of shoes shops behind the stalls. So don't just shop at the stalls. The shoes are usually selling shoes for around hk$100 and there is a big big variety. Shop around as prices may differ. The price is fixed. However, the biggest size is usually 39 or 40 so not a place for girls with big feet.

 Traditional Bakery. 
 It was a bit quite on the day I visited as it was raining. For anyone who needs a healthy dosage of fruits in their life, can buy from here,
Cute cups and notebooks.

RAiny and quiet morning.
I am not sure about the hours but it start usually in the late morning, around 11am and the shops and stalls close around 8pm.
There is not much bargaining at this place, just a few hong kong dollars off the item.


They erected this big gate at Temple street so you know when you reached.
Temple street is in between Yau Ma Tei and Jordan. It is just which side you want to start from.
A lot of open air eatery. We went to Hing Kee for claypot.
Temple street has a partion in the middle which you will need to cross a small garden and walk through a whole row of fortune tellers and people singing karaoke.

Some of the things selling at Temple street.


I visited 花园街(Hua Yuen, flower street), 廟街(temple street), 女人街(ladies market). 花园街 is the least touristy. If you are shopping the other two markets, be prepared to do some hard core bargaining and wait for them to drag you back. Watched a lot of this kind of drama at 廟街, 女人街.
I enquire about girl's school bag for my niece. Not sure about the quality differences.
花园街- hk$59
廟街- hk$150
女人街-Hk$89
but do remember the other two places can be cheaper if you are a good bargainer and enjoy bargaining.

I prefer flower street for the shoes and also I am not really into bargaining.
But is nice to stroll at the other two, may find things that you like and I do like to watch the bargaining drama.

More on Ladies market

Hong Kong free and easy : The scenery Day and night.Avenue of star














 STar Avenue and symphony of lights.
I went in the evening so it was a bit hard to appreciate star avenue at that timing as it was too dark. 
Caught the symphony of lights at 8pm and enjoyed the beautiful night scenery.
I think they have special version for christmas or new year which should be more interesting.
Either get off at Tsim Sha Tsui East or Tsim Sha Tsui and walk over. 
From Tsim Sha Tsui, access via the underpass of Sheraton. They have quite clear directional signs.
One reason I visited here for the night lights is because I did not want to spend the time and effort going up the peak. 

 This ferry is for longer distance like travelling to Macau or zhuhai.
 Cloudy day. Even the building is in the clouds.

 We saw a helicopter
 The ferry. The is not enclosed so enjoyed the breeze.




 Clock tower
 
Took the ferry from Central to Kowloon just to catch the beautiful scenery.
Just a short ride like 5-10mins.

Monday 3 December 2012

Hongkong: food 蓮香樓 Lin Heung Tea House 強記飯店 Keung Kee Meat shop


Second visit because I just love their soup.
I took the tram from Admiralty, got down at tram stop 47E. All the tram lines except the red route can reach this place.
If you are taking the tram from causeway bay, westbound try, it will be tram stop 50W.
for those who need the tram map tram map
If you are feeling energetic, can walk over from times square. It is around 10 minutes.
The soup taste as fabulous as previously. The vegetables was very delicious too. However, the meat was a bit cold due to weather but they still taste good. For me, I love the roast pork and char siew but is a matter of personal preference.
The price is also quite good. We ordered 3 hk$64 set meals for 4 person who are average eater,  we came out feeling very full. Each meal consist of a big bowl of rice, a plate of vegetable, one soup and a plate of meat.
The total cost is aroud hk$200 for 4 person.

強記飯店 Keung Kee Meat shop


9-17 Tin Lok Lane, Hong KongWalk towards causeway bay, times square. There is a market there which sell fresh produces and seafood which are still very much alive.


Joy Hing Roasted Meat 再興燒臘飯店 Block C, G/F,265-267 Hennessy Road,Wan Chai灣仔軒尼詩道265-267號地下C座some people recommend this as an alternative as the meat is much better.







Decide to visit this traditional tea house at Central.
Did not encounter much problems navigating myself although it was raining.
I got off at Sheung Wan as the map shows that it is nearer to Sheung Wan, exited from E2.
In Hong kong, it is very common to share tables with strangers. Just find empty seats and get yourself seated.
They will give youa  card, something like Marche which they will put a stamp to keep track of what you have ordered. You can either go up to the person to the trolley and pick out what you want to eat or wait for them to come over. 
It is like those traditonal Hong kong tea house where they push their trolleys filled with dim sum and you can see locals enjoying their tea and dim sum.
I had difficulties in ordering food as they were super fast in their cantonese and when they try to show me what inside.  They are so fast that I cant even manage a glimpse. I am only so so with my cantonese.
Just took whatever make sense to me. Haha.
I had fun and it was quite interesting.
The food was not bad and the price was quite reasonable. 
It was around s$7 per person including tea.
There is a notice saying no tipping allowed as it may equate to bribery which is illegal.

蓮香樓 Lin Heung Tea House
中環威靈頓街160-164號

Nearby is Chan Yee Jai 陈意斋, a street away. Famous for bird nest biscuit,雞仔餅, almond biscuit, egg biscuit, beancurd roll


hong kong : desserts hui lau shan, lucky desserts,

Hong Kong desserts store usually close quite late, around 1-2am. I prefer to visit them at the end of the day for supper before heading home for a rest.


Lucky Desserts 發記甜品
I visited the one at Soy street, located at Ladies market. Went there for supper after shopping.
I prefer this to Shek Mo Fong 石磨坊.
Ordered one traditional papaya hot dessert, one mango sago and durian with liang fen (
凉粉). I wanted to try everything. The thought of eating durian with noodles seems funny but I do not want to eat the usual stuff, feeling adventurous. It turned out better than expected although I am not sure if I will eat it again. 

Branches :Shop 10, G/F, Grand Tower, 639 Nathan Road, Mong Kok
G/F, 25-27 Soy Street, Mong Kok
G/F, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Precival Street, Causeway BayShop 5,
G/F, Fu Tung Shopping Centre, Fu Tung Estate, Tung Chung
Shop No.9-10, L10/F, Enterprise Square Five, 38 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay
G/F., 92 - 93 Sham Tseng Tsuen, Sham Tseng (Main Branch)


Hui LAu Shan 許留山
Love the mango drinks, must try!
For those who love 許留山, can buy the mango glutinous rice at the arrival hall of the airport and it can be hand carried onto the plane.
Location?
It is everywhere, especially at Mongkok!


Was curious about this place after reading reviews. 
One reason I visited it is because it is conveniently located at ladies market.
I ordered the piping hot black glutinous rice with mango because it looks unique. Not really my cup of tea. To me, the black glutinous rice does not taste good with mango, cant really taste the mango.
The mango with rice noodles. Felt it is weird to eat mango with rice noodles, but went ahead to try it. It taste good.
Did not try the other two desserts as my parents ordered it, but should be good as my parents finished both of them.

Shek Mo Fong 石磨坊
G/F88 Hak Po St, Mong Kok 旺角黑布街88號Tel: 2398-94902.45pm-2am




Hong kong : Jusco living and convenience store 7-11 and k circle

http://www.jusco.com.hk/eng/10_plaza/index_shop.htm
Just like daiso in singapore. Most item are hk$12 so is slightly cheaper than s$2. They have more variety as they have other pricing.
Bought some simple toys for my nieces and some miscellaneous but light stuff.
I went to one in between mongkong and yau ma tei.
For Yau ma tei MTR, exit by A1 and just walk in the direction of the traffic.
Will take around 5-10minutes.
Address : 3/F, Chong Hing Square, 601 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

 Their selection of instant food just put Singapore to shame.
I do need to buy some food at 7-11 as I need to rush around for work.
The selection is not good and the price is not as good too.
Quite cute, they called it "ding a meal".
I did try out the mexican chicken wings, it was good. Tender and juicy.


 Mexican chicken wing. More food and drinks avaiable at K-circle or 7-11.

Interesting snacks.
Curry snow peas?
Kiwi Jolly Sandy?
Almond Toblerone? 
and battery powered heat packs.

K-circle has some UNO promotion going on. We get to pick some lucky draw with every hk$20 spend. It was quite fun as we won 2 packets of Haribo sweets and free tissues with UNO designs with any purchase.
I bought the Criton Ice cream, it contains bits of Critons. I love it as I prefer icecream with fruity flavours.
Puccho( like hi-chew but more interesting) has so much more flavours. Buying for my students to try it out.
The magazine Jessica, cost hk$20 was giving out free MCM pouches. So we bought a few.


Hong kong: Stylo tuition centres



Hongkong Style Tuition Centre. 
Celebrity status for their tutors. 

Sunday 2 December 2012

Hong kong : Lan fong yuen 蘭芳園


I visited the Tsim Sha Tsui Branch. Exit from G or F from Tsim Sha Tsui MTR. Walk to Chung King Mansion and go down a flight of escalators to the woodhouse.

Main Branch: No2. Gage Street, Central, Hong Kong
Second Branch: No4-6 Gage Street, Central, Hong Kong
Third Branch: 26 Chung King Mansion, No. 36-44, Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

I went around 4+, there was no crowd. I just walked in with my family. I don't remember
the price but it should be $10+ per pax.


Their famous stocking milk tea. Remember to add some sugar.
Interesting lamp make of bottles.
The shop has vintage decoration with quotations and photos of starlets plastered on the walls. 


Chicken cutlet noodles 雞扒撈丁 Yummy. The chicken is tender and crispy. Must try.
Hong Kong Style French Toast 咖央西多士. We tried this since a lot of people were ordering. French toast done just right with a bit of butter. Yummy.
Hong Kong Style 'Piggy' Bun 奶油豬. We ordered this by accident as we just point to a photo plastered on the table. Simple but it taste delicious. The bread is toasted to perfection and the butter and condense milk is a perfect match.
Chicken wings noodles. My dad ordered this. He said it is good too.

I will definitely visit this place again. Like the decoration and the food although the staff seems to be very busy and not very friendly.