GO ASIA 2007! Part 1: Hong Kong

Hong Kong-Seoul-Beijing
Part 1 - Hong Kong

Day 1: Sydney-Hong Kong
On November 14th 2007, my travel companion - Cindy, and myself boarded our Virgin Atlantic Flight to destination Hong Kong!!

We were both filled with excitement and disbelief that we were finally going on vacation!! For me, it had been over a year since I travelled anywhere overseas, even domestically for that matter and we just could not wait to get out of Sydney!

Significantly, this was my first time to HK in 9 years!! I was eager to discover this Asian Metropolis from the eyes of a twentysomething...explore one of those big and bright asian cities!

So besides flying for 8 hours + we didn't really do much :P By the time we landed in Hong Kong it was already 10:30pm. To my amazement, Cindy had never travelled on the HK Airport trains ever!! And she has been to HK quite a few times already in the last few years!! Being the savvy traveller that I am (not!), I was pleased to show off my knowledge of this HK Airport Rail system, even though I had only used it once 9 years ago!!! So twenty minutes later, we were at Central. We took a cab to South Pacific Hotel located on the fringe of Wanchai & Causeway Bay...Hello Hong Kong we finally made it :)

Typical Street of Hong Kong

Day 2: Hong Kong

Since we were using Hong Kong as a 'base' to travel to other destinations, we figured a trip to the travel agents might be a good idea, since we had not organised ANYTHING at all before leaving Sydney. For someone like me who generally likes to plan ahead, it was a bit strange, but we were assured by many that you can simply book a trip whilst in HK and set off the next day.

Luckily for us, Cindy had a very nice and sweet aunty that we met up with at Mongkok for a very Cantonese 'brunch' aka Yum Cha at a way too trendy yum cha place! (Why don't they have these in Sydney?) So after filling up our stomachs, we went to Wing On to book our 5 day tour of Seoul and 4 day tour of Beijing. Don't ask me why 5 days in Seoul compared to 4 days in Beijing...I think everything was happening so fast at the travel agent that I couldn't digest all the information! Woohoo - our plans were set!

Cindy & Aunty

Trendy Yum-Cha place

Once we finalised our travel plans, believe it or not, we got stuck in Mongkok shopping!! People usually go there to buy sport shoes (which I bought), but we somehow managed to do so much damage to our credit card that we even shocked some friends :P It was this afternoon that we fell into the traps of the persuasive powers of HK shop asssistants! Boy do they know how to convince you to buy things you really do not need, or will ever wear! And whilst they may not seem that expensive once converted into AUD, it really was quite expensive in HKD!!! (No, I don't think I am over it yet..8 months later!)

Now the shopping really was something, as we needed a well-deserved nap before dinner. We met up with our uni friends Louise & Peggy (she arrived fashionably late, as she always does :P) for some yummy and cheap shanghainese food around Times Square! It was really wonderful meeting up with the 2 of them!! It was good to see Louise settle into the HK lifestyle so easily; and to see Peggy after more than a year! (I last saw her in London Oct 2006!)

Cindy & Peggy

Louise & Me

Day 3: Hong Kong

A trip to Hong Kong cannot be complete without the customary visit up the steep trams to ‘The Peak’.

We tried to avoid the crowds by waking up early, to get there early, but alas, the reality was that we were on ‘holiday’ mode, so that didn’t quite happen. By the time we got to Central, the queue for the Trams were packed with tourists on this rather hot autumn day! (The weather was no different to Sydney) At least the wax-figure of Jackie Chan they place right at the entrance kept us entertained for just a bit!

So up we went on the trams. It was at this point I realized Cindy is scared of heights! She couldn’t really look out the window at all, and to her, the tram ride was like a rollercoaster ride! The trams passed mid-levels and it was at this point I remembered that the old apartment my dad used to live in back in his HK working days was along the route! I had completely forgotten about it! It’s funny how things can be triggered from our memory, even things from 9 years ago.

Once we step foot outside the trams and walked around for a bit, the view up The Peak was nothing short of spectacular. It was amazing. I think it was more unreal seeing this view 9 years later than 9 years ago. The weather was so good to us as well. We were blessed with clear blue skies and no fog or smog over the HK skyline. Breathless. I am easily amazed by urban architecture, and HK’s ability to construct extremely tall and skinny buildings always amazes me. Here are some photos:

Me at The Peak

Since The Peak is one of the most popular tourist attractions, and HK is known for the shopping, yes we didn’t escape it even up at such a high point! But luckily we learnt from the lesson before and managed to buy good but cheap stuff! (For me, a pair of ballet flats for HKD100 hehehe)

Another day, another meal of eating out! Besides shopping in HK, the other past time is of course eating. So we ate out again with the same bunch of people plus more! This time our dear friend Louise took us somewhere around Causeway Bay to eat Chinese food…it was yummy even though I don’t really remember what we ate but I know there was delicious seafood!

Not that we are really night life people, but I had never been to Lan Kwai Fung – this is apparently where all the expats hang out. (And it’s true, ALL the expats hang out here!) So we probably settled at one of the most non-HK bars just cuz it was quiet, an Australian one! (Unfortunately I don’t remember the name) We had our cocktails and martinis and chatted some more! We then migrated to another bar, with much more noise to drink and well, take silly photos as we couldn’t really hear each other with the loud music! The interior of the bar was cool, and I have a thing for well-designed interiors =)

Streets of Lan Kwai Fung (It's all expats there!!)

Us at the Aussie Bar

Day 4: Hong Kong

There is good reason to update one's Travel Blog immediately upon one's return. Why? I don't actually remember WHAT we got up to on Day 4. Yes, that's right, my memory is shocking!
So this is what I can gather from my limited memory:

• We did more shopping – this time to gather some warm winter clothes for the Northern Asian capitals. I bought a new parka, which came in VERY handy whilst in Seoul & Beijing, since their Autumn is equivalent to our cold winter! Cindy went and bought a trendy coat from Zara just cuz she really really wanted to buy something from Zara :P Little did she realise, it looked pretty but did nothing to protect her from the cold! And of course, we browsed more shops than we needed to…there are just too many distractions at that place!
• We ate more food – another yum cha brunch at some unknown place around Causeway Bay. To those unfamiliar with Hong Kong, many of the restaurants are located on Level 2 or higher! Not everything is street level like home! Between the 2 of us, we managed to get a yum cha order going (no trolley’s to come around at this joint!). They gave us a menu in Chinese, and although I can read Chinese, don’t ask me what is what at yum cha! (They have fancy names!) So somehow the 2 of us managed to tick what we wanted through a combination of Cindy saying what she wanted, and me scanning the menu to see if I could find what we wanted! I must say, we worked well as a team :) And another food stop - this trendy Japanese restaurant for our lunch/arvo snack around Times Square Causeway Bay! It was yum!! Again, why is everything so trendy in HK!!
  

I had no problems spotting 'egg tarts' on the menu!

Yummy Japanese food!
• We packed our goods – and offloaded items at Cindy’s aunts place! It’s amazing just how much shopping can be done by 2 girls within a 3 day period in HK. Of course, we were not going to bring the unnecessary stuff to China/Korea, and so we packed our goods and took the train to Mongkok, to give them to Cindy’s aunt for safe-keeping. That felt like a tiring journey just cuz our bags were so heavy!
• We went to the airport – after doing all the necessary tasks, we headed to the airport to meet our Seoul tour group and finally something apart from shopping was about to begin! (Or so we thought, stay tuned for our adventures in Seoul!)

Destination Seoul: Incheon Airport!!

Day 31-32 Singapore Sling

Ok Singapore was more a stopover than a Sling, but I like the sound of Sling...even though my stopover should be called jetlag! (worst jetlag ever experienced in Singapore...I got my night and days completely mixed up!)

Unfortunately I have no photographic evidence to prove I actually made it to Singapore, cuz well, I didn't take ANY photos whilst I was there. I suppose I got over the whole photo-taking thing after Europe. Yes, I regret it now, even if my photos would have just consisted of shopping centres and Hainan Chicken Rice, at least its something! But such is life, you have regrets...such as no photos of Singapore :(

So what did I get up to? Well, the plan was to complete my shopping expeditions, but to my total amazement, I was not in the mood for it at all whilst in Singapore!! I know, almost unbelieveable!! I did buy some stuff, but not as much as I had expected. Just a handful of things.

I visited several relatives, people I had no seen for up to 6 years or more! The last time I visited Singapore was 2000...and my mum actually gave me this huge list of people to go visit, I called maybe 3 people on that list. But it was good to see relatives and catch up with them, even if some felt like complete strangers, you just learn to get to know them again! And best of all, each visit consisted of a free meal :) Oh the joys of family :)

One thing I learnt, Singapore is not quite the place to travel solo unless you just plan to go shopping and nothing else! Even eating is a problem by yourself cuz there is only so much ONE person can order. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, the weather in Singapore was the haziest I had ever seen in my whole life!! I think that is one big reason why I just was not into doing anything but relaxing. (which did not happen due to the jetlag)

I wonder when I will be in Singapore again??

Day 29-30: Back to Vienna

Post Prague - I went back to Vienna again! This time, I took my travelling nice and easy. In other words, I spent quite a bit of time relaxing and sleeping in at the hotel rather than frantically running around the place! I was approaching the end of my trip, hence the tiredness I suppose.

So what did I go and see? Being me...and alone...more museums!!

Albertina Museum - I remember there was a special Picasso exhibition at the time as well. Extraordinary works.

Me outside the Albertina Museum on a perfect Vienna day

Museumsquartier Wien - I loved the concept of this Museum Quarter, however, unfortunately for me I visited on a Tuesday in which its the rest day for Museums! Doh! It was still nice to walk around the grounds though.

Quoted from the museum website: "The MuseumsQuartier Wien is one of the ten largest cultural complexes in the world. But above all, it is a forward-looking, inner-city cultural district that will have an enormous impact on future trends. The MuseumsQuartier unites baroque buildings, new architecture, cultural institutions of all sizes, various disciplines of art, and recreational facilities in a single spectacular location."

MUMOK - Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien


Leopold Museum - love those red benches!

If I am ever to return to Vienna (hopefully YES) I am definitely going to visit this place again and spend an entire day there! I love the Arts!

Sisi Museum (within the Hofburg Imperial Palace) - Great place for anyone interested in anything Sisi related. Prior to visiting Vienna...I had no idea what a big deal she was. After seeing an entire museum dedicated to her...I can see why now.

So that was the end of Vienna for me...lovely place! Next time I go to Europe I am taking the time to explore and of course take more photos!!

St Stephan's Church - can see it was under renovation. I wonder what it looks like now!

Revival + Day 25-28 Bohemian Rhapsody

Well, I have failed to update this blog for 1.5 years now! It's been so long that I couldn't even remember how to log on to this site! It's a shame I didn't finish documenting that 2006 US/Europe Trip because I only had ONE city left to update - Prague & well Singapore. (but that was more a stopover)

Anyways, since my last update, I have gone on 2 more holidays! And I haven't really documented those holidays at all! So I am thinking of reviving this old blog mainly for my own records, and also to share with friends :)

Day 25-28: Prague

Dad and I boarded the train from Vienna en route destination Prague.

By the time we arrived in Prague it was a late Friday afternoon. Immediately upon landing at Prague station - I was almost 'lost' for a minute. It was the realisation that Prague is indeed an extremely foreign place. They speak an unfamiliar language and a language I can barely read. The country is not as wealthy as its neighbouring Western European countries, you could just tell by the way public spaces have been maintained...it's just not quite like Switzerland in its pristine condition. However, this alone intrigued me. And I was eager to discover this mysterious city.

Charles Bridge

We stayed at this cute boutique hotel by the name of Hotel Kampa. It was different to the ritzy business hotels we had been staying at. Importantly, it was located on the 'old' Prague side of town. And the dining/breakfast room hall was decorated with armours from Ancient times...how different! In a good way!

Day 1 Prague we only managed to stroll along the riverside and take in the magnificent autumn scenery of this central European country. I was amazed by the scenery. I felt like I was transported to the days of fairytales. It had that magical element about it. The scene at Charles Bridge just further up from the hotel was full of life...mostly by the vast number of tourists this old city attracts. Not far from Charles Bridge (Karluv most) is Prague Castle from a distance. It's magnificent and lights up at night, one can only imagine its occupants from centuries past overwatching their kingdom from above.

Charles Bridge and all the tourists!

Postcard Prague!!

I don't usually describe all my meals, but my Dad and I enjoyed an incredible meal literally alongside Vltava river. Apparently its a fancy restaurant that celebrities go to. (or so the pamphlets and photos told us) We only went there because it was along our walking path. Watching the sunset whilst sipping a glass of wine and good food was the highlight! And the cold later experienced...well it was chilly! The waitstaff were kind enough to offer blankets since we were sitting outdoors!

Charles Bridge by Night (view from Restaurant!)

Day 2 Prague: Since it was a weekend away trip, we boarded our organised 3 hour tour of Prague City. With our friendly Czech tour guide, our mini bus took us to the many famous Prague sites, most importantly Prague Castle. Again, I was struck by the sheer amount of people at the Prague Castle grounds. There were loads and loads of tourists from all corners of the world! I think more so than all the other European cities I had visited. Like numerous other tourists, we watched the changing of the guards. To be honest, I never find these changing of the guards that interesting, yet somehow it is a 'must see'?! And I actually didn't see much at all since there were just TOO many people! The most interesting part about the guards were the uniforms, as it was designed by the costume designer for the movie Amadeus. (my brain has a great memory for useless facts!) Back to Prague Castle - I think it was a case of it looking nicer from afar than up close? Hard to tell since I didn't really get to explore the Castle as such, mainly just walked around the Castle grounds along with all the other tourists! The design of the Castle did remind me of Schonbrun Palance in Vienna, as I think they modelled it on the Habsburgs famed design. The other highlight would have to be St Vitus Cathedral. And really, that is the 'Prague Castle' you see from a distance! It's a gorgeous gothic medieval cathedral that once again, takes you back in time! I must also admit though, that by this stage of my holiday, I was a bit over seeing all these churches in Europe! Perhaps I'll revisit another time and better appreciate it!

Other sights of Prague we visited include:

• Old Townhall and Astronomical Clock
• Old Town Square
• Golden Lane
• And most likely other sights I don't remember now as it has been 1.5 years!
  

At night, we were supposed to watch a special performance (I can't even remember what it was now, some black theatre show I think), instead we purchased tickets to go watch the Prague Royal Orchestra perform (us being the classical music enthusiasts!) at the Municipal House and it was a very nice performance indeed, playing the more popular and well known pieces.

• Selection from the 'Fireworks Music' by Handel
• Sinfonia in G by Vivaldi
• Serenade G Dur "A Little Night Music" by Mozart
• Two Walzes by Dvorak (famous Czech composer!)
• Serenade in C Major for Strings by Tchaikovsky

Day 3 Prague - We were actually given a Prague 2 Day city pass as part of this weekend package, so we thought we'd better use it for something...so off we went to visit The National Musuem. Whilst I didn't expect much, I wasn't impressed either, but it was an OK museum to learn about the Prehistory of Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia, collections of rocks and minerals, paleontology, zoology, anthropology and so on. After spending a few hours in the museum and the town centre, my dad had decided that was enough sightseeing for him, so off I went again to do some more exploring. I didn't really have a plan, so whilst exploring all the little lanes and alleys from the 'old' world, which was really the best part of exploring Prague, I ended up at Prague Castle again! This time it was late Sunday afternoon, AWAY from all the crowds of people! A much more pleasant experience! It was quite the hike to get up to Prague Castle as well, and I'm quite proud to say I managed! (Not that it was incredibly difficult, but there were many stairs!) I was able to take a better look of all the sights and scenes from the previous day in a much more pleasant state! And what a way to end my Prague journey on!


Since my memory is failing me, I think photos speak louder than words, so here are some Praha Highlights:

Walking along the strees of Old Town Square

View of city from Prague Castle

Prague Castle (with hardly any tourists)

Prague Castle (tourists galore!)

The dancing building