Royal Biangness: Bitter Sweet

I'm back from stuffing myself silly with food in Hong Kong.

It was a very short and rushed trip as I do not have the luxury of time on my hands. Anyhow, it was a good trip. I ate what I have craved for a long time, visited the places I had planned to visit and enjoyed the wonderful weather.

Now, why bitter? I was fooling around with my camera in Hong Kong, showing that I can hide it under my sleeves and it got scratched by my Germanium health bracelet. I'm not an accessories person so I was only wearing that bracelet cause it claimed that it will help with my backaches. For the record, it either didn't work or I've not worn it long enough. Anyway, after I got back, I was trying to relate my foolish act to my brother when I realised that I've dropped my bracelet. Damn!! Well, it's not really that expensive but it was still relatively new and I've yet to enjoy the benefits (if any). Furthermore, unlike magnets, germanium is suppose to be effective for a life time (or so the sales person claimed). I paid more yet enjoyed less.... Damn!! I believed I might have dropped it while lugging stuff around in the airport. Oh well, I'm not gonna cry over spilt milk. Just wanted to whine a little.

Now, a little on the trip. Weather wise, it was great. Very cooling, no rain. I guess I was lucky, cause a few weeks or so before I arrived, Hong Kong experienced the coldest November in some 120 years, where temperatures dropped to like 10 degrees or so. It was around 20 degrees when I was there so it was just right.

Disneyland was alright. I guess it would be better to stay in one of the two Disneyland hotels if you want to truly enjoy Disneyland. That is what I planned to do for my next visit - stay a night or two in Disneyland then check out and move to the city. See, Disneyland is located far away from the city. So if you stay in the hotel, you save time on transport and entrance fee (I heard entry fee is waived if you stay in their hotels), and you can stay till night fall to enjoy the fireworks! For the rest of the trip, move to the city. More convenient to shop and eat cause taxi fare in Hong Kong is not cheap.

Must eat in Hong Kong would be the roasted goose. Well, I don't really have a strong liking towards the bird but I still would try to have it at least once whenever I go Hong Kong. This time, I went to the super famous Yung Kee and yes, it did lived up to it name. Worth a try but once again, do not expect cheap prices there. Another must eat would be Wanton mee! My personal favourite is Ho Hung Kee near Times Square and that was the first place I visited after dumping my luggage in the hotel.

We yum cha the traditional Hong Kong way. The restaurant was filled with locals, mostly old folks. They take their time, having dim sum and sipping chinese tea, while their friends join them at different times. There was no pre-arrangement, the same people just turn up and have breakfast together. It was beautiful. One important thing to note in order to truly enjoy this experience, have good commend of Cantonese and be able to read Chinese. I suck on both, but was really lucky to share a table with a very nice elderly couple who helped us from ordering, to snapping the promotional item to showing us how to wash our cups and stuff.

Hong Kong is a wonderful place, with colorful nightlife. Although the sky turn dark earlier there but the night remains very young. I was walking around in Mongkok at 11pm and the crowd is equivalent to our Orchard Road at 8.30pm. Many shops are still open and there are people everywhere! Shot me back to reality that I live in boring Singapore...

Anyway, here are some snap shots. They shall tell you the rest of the story.

My favourite hunt in Hong Kong. Location - 2, Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay. It just behind Times Square. I like how the place is small and cosy.

There are more than wanton mee and beef brisket noodles...

Fried Wantons!! Fantastic stuff!

This is the sweet & sour sauce for the fried wantons and it's quite a substantial amount as opposed to the puny saucer sized amount served locally.

The beef brisket noodles.... Yummy!

Wanton mee. Yes, I had BOTH the beef brisket noodles and the wanton mee.

There an iPod dock in my hotel room!!! (iPod not included)

Check this out... This is a menu for....

PILLOWS!! Amazing!

Desserts at Xu Liu Shan. They are everywhere in Hong Kong!

Thought this is rather interesting. Curry combo - Fish balls, Cuttlefish (they call them squid there), radish and beef. Hong Kong's curry is a little like the Japaneses ones. Not spicy but flavourful.

Mango sago (I think). Xu Liu Shan is popular for their mango stuff and yes, they are all sweet and nice.

Mango with clear jelly or something like that. It feels damn strange to eat cold dessert and the hot curry at the same time. My teeth got confused!

I went for another round of desserts the following night, but strangely, I totally forgot to take pictures!

Hopped into another random stall and ordered this. I don't even know what's it call. I just saw the picture and point. But it was good.

And the fancy tea! These got me recharged and off to Temple Street I went.

Morning yum cha Cheers Restaurant along Nathan Road. The place was filled with locals.

Carrot cake. The nice waitress told us it's call 'Low Pak Kou' in Cantonese.

Xiao Long Bao. If you ask me, not fantastic. I guess Shanghai would have better ones! Hahah!

This huge chicken bun cost only HKD1.00 = SGD0.20!!!!! Nice folks helped us to order this.

Porcupines!!! Almost everyone who saw them told me they are mouse... =(

So cute right?

Har Gao

This... I can't remember. Some vege something.

Red bean paste! Not really a morning food but heck!

Everything was damn nice (except the Xiao Long Bao) and cheap too! All these food cost only about SGD20.00, if I remember correctly.

Entering into the magical world of Disneyland!!

Some performance about the Lion King which I had forgotten the title..

Now, there's something I just don't understand. Before the performance start, announcements were made to inform the audience to refrain from using their flashes from their cameras. I think the announcement was even made in three different languages. And guess what? The moment the lights dimmed, flashes from cameras flashed from EVERYWHERE! I was like WTF?! What's wrong with these people? Geez... The staff had to go around frantically to try to stop these people. I said try cause they were uncontrollable! Once the staff turned his back, they flashed AGAIN!

Huge Christmas tree! Reminds me of the one in Taka.

Where else other than Disneyland can you see Goofy walking along the streets? He was in his Christmas costume, by the way.

Exploring the streets of Disneyland.

The Jungle Boat ride! (The animals are fake!!!)

There is this magical, carefree feeling in the air in Disneyland. Everything is nice and pretty and mountains are the only 'non-disney' things in sight. Makes you forget about the world outside and just immerse yourself in this magical, fairytale land. Now I truly understand Neverland.

Bye bye Disneyland. I will be back.

It was a pity that I didnt get to see the fireworks. I will the next time, I will.

Arrived at the famous Yung Kee Restaurant. Location - 32-40 Wellington Street, Central.

This restaurant is famous for their roast goose. When I was there, I was told that the roast goose will only be available after 5pm. There is not way I was going to leave with having their roast goose, so we sat, ate other stuff and waited. These century eggs complimentary from Yung Kee and they are nice! I was never a century egg person so trust me when I say they are nice.