HKG, China & Macau Trip – Day 5 / Part 1: Ocean Park
May 3, 2009
Filed under Travel
Tags: Admiralty, Food in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Marine World, Monster Burger, Ocean Park, Panda, Sea Dreams, Theme Park, Underwater World
Day 5 of our trip was the day that the two ladies was looking forward to. They said that their Hong Kong trip will never be completed if they didn’t get to go Ocean Park, because it’s their ‘dream’ place to go ever since they started watching Hong Kong drama at a very young age and have always wondered where it was and what was so great about it as the drama then keep on showing Ocean Park on television.
Taking the train from Tai Shui Hang to Admiralty could be very tiring, as we had to keep on transit because it’s two totally opposite direction. However, MTR system is well connected to each other and train’s frequency is about 1-2 minutes. So we won’t become sardines even if we are travelling during peak hour.
Most of the tall office buildings are located in Hong Kong island. For example, these two office blocks was where Batman The Dark Knight was filmed.
We decided to try out Monster Burger for our breakfast before hop on to the bus because we are curious that how monster is monster burger.
The pricing of breakfast set here is quite standard. Hot drink plus own choice of burger for HKD25, very reasonable. Wholemeal bread with pork fillet and cheese for someone who emphasize on healthy lifestyle like my gf. Too bad it’s almost impossible to find wholemeal bread burger in Malaysia.
While for myself, I ‘mix and match’ my own choice of filling – black pepper ham, cheese and omelette. After filling up the tank, we left to wait for our bus ride.
The bus ride from Admiralty to Ocean Park is about 15 minutes only. You can admire Hong Kong’s sight while riding on the top part of the bus.
We can see the signature ride of Ocean Park – Mine Train far away from the bus stop, too bad it’s close for maintenance on that day. This in turn dissapointed my gf because she loves all this insane joyrides.
From now until 30 November 2009, you can enjoy a 10% discount on another two attractions ticket upon presentation of Ocean Park, Hong Kong Wetland Park or Ngong Ping 360 ticket.
We’re on time to catch the first show of ‘Sea Dreams’ – an international world class production with sound editing provided by an Oscar winner, featuring delightful music, dazzling backdrops, and stunning performances by its animal stars on stage and up-close with the audience. The voice-over is in Cantonese but I still enjoy the show!
It started to rains when we came out from Sea Dreams theater. Most of the theme park rides were temporarily closed and we only managed to try out flying swing. Then everyone started to ‘attack’ the Atoll Reef. Because this was the best available cover from the annoying cold rain.
We have been to aquarium in KLCC, Singapore, Bangkok and now we are in Ocean Park Hong Kong. Honestly speaking, this aquarium didn’t have much thing to see and it’s very small, nothing that excites us at all. To us, the best aquarium is still Siam Ocean World in Bangkok.
There are so many attractions in Ocean Park but all because of the rain, it’s so hard for us to go around. I doubt so we will line up for Ocean Park Tower if it’s not raining. Really hate those tourist from Mainland China who has no manners and don’t know what’s called lining up.
The ride is very fast compared to the one we had in Sentosa Singapore. From top we get to see Ocean Park and the ocean surrounding during raining day.
My gf was so cranky now as the weather really dissapointed her further as there is no stop to it. Since she cannot go for theme park rides, so we took the cable car across to lowerland.
Another main attraction of Ocean Park Hong Kong – The Giant Panda Habitat. If we couldn’t make it here today, I am sure that my gf will come here again on the next day and was serious about it because she really wanted to see the real panda.
Now a day, you will only be able to see panda in a very few countries across the world. This is the first time we see the real panda in our life and even seeing one of them pooping. The four residents here – An An, Jia Jia, Ying Ying and Le Le are really cute but not the one we will want to hug them because they are so dirty.
After shopping at the souvenir shop (and bought Le Le for my gf for her to bring home) then went to Madagascar 2’s gallery, we took the cable car back to Marine Land again for lunch. We were completely wet, so we choose to dine at this indoor’s Bayview Restaurant to warm ourself up. Since it’s late lunch and there were no much choices, we just got a kiddy spaghetti, high-tea set and also the must-have for rainy day – Haagen-Dazs ice-cream.
Finally, the rain already stopped but we had less than two hours left before the theme park is close. Three of us went for the Raging River and Space Wheel at Adventure Land and these are more than enough for Ms. Oh and myself. Then my gf ride on Crazy Galleon, The Dragon and The Abyss Turbo Drop, with both of us busy taking photos. Sometime I really wonder to myself why this girl loves outdoor theme park so much and worry what if something bad happen.
Just before 6pm, we managed to catch the last ride of Eagle which is less dangerous and dizzy. This theme park is too huge and we only managed to cover half of the attractions. Hopefully when we visit Hong Kong again (dunno when), the expansion would be complete already. See you again, Ocean Park!
Bus 629 from MTR Admiralty Station Exit B
HKG, China & Macau Trip – Day 4 / Part 3: Temple Street
May 3, 2009
Filed under Travel
Tags: claypot rice, fortune telling, Hong Kong, mantis prawns, night market, snake meat, street singer, temple street
Temple Street is another place in Hong Kong that sounds very familiar to me, prior to my visit to Hong Kong. Back to a year ago when we first subscribed Astro On Demand, it’s showing this drama, 新不了情 that depicts a young girl, Ah Man who spent almost all her lifetime in Temple Street.
Getting food at Temple Street isn’t hard at all as you can see many restaurant selling hawker food.
It’s a bit hard to decide which stall should we visit, so we decided to judge the crowd. And Wai Kei won our vote. Sitting next to our table were a group of mat salleh from Germany who totally cannot communicate with the waitress at all. They had no idea what they are ordering till the dish was served that really gave them a big shocked. The waitress told them it’s chicken but end up it’s frog. Then the ‘chicken war’ started till my gf helped them to translate. So Cantonese or Mandarin is very important when visiting this kind of place.
How can we enjoy our dinner without ordering their famous claypot rice? Be spoilt for choice…
Finally, my gf decided to try their pork rib and sausage claypot rice. As you can see from the picture, Malaysia’s claypot rice vs. Hong Kong’s claypot rice = Black vs. White.
‘Ku Lo’ pork meat is easily found in Malaysia too, but this dish is excellent because of its ‘wok-hei’ (heat) and the gravy isn’t too thick. I finished almost the whole plate by myself.
We always try our best to make sure that we order at least one vegetable wherever we’re having our meal. As usual, we ordered Fried Hong Kong Kai Lan with Garlic – that we didn’t even manage to finish half of it because the vege isn’t cut into small stalk and it’s very hard to chew.
I don’t really love prawns and I always try to not have prawns when eating out because it’s very messy. I only had one piece of the deep-fried mantis prawns with salt and chili then the ladies finished the rest. My gf loves prawns but she is very choosy when come to food also. Since she said this dish is very nice and the prawns are very fresh, then I believe so. Or else she will not even be bother to eat more.
Just like what I saw from tv drama, ‘Street Singer’s is easily found in Temple Street.
And also fortune telling. My gf always says that the fortune teller can take away our good luck if we show them our palm.
For those who are really adventerous, perhaps this restaurant that sell snake meat would be their interest too. Thanks God that this shop wasn’t open that day, or else my gf will sure cry or runaway immediately when she saw it.
Another thing that can easily found in Temple Street is 18SX magazines. Perhaps you won’t believe it, but is true that the whole raw of stalls are selling such thing, without worry that police might seize their stall. How lucky are the men in Hong Kong! Other than that, Temple Street is just like any night market selling clothes, souvenir and etc.
Now we’re really exhausted and have to end our trip for today… Zzzzz…
Temple Street, MTR Jordan Station Exit A, Turn Right into Jordan Road and walk three blocks to Temple Street
