Off to the airport

And so farewell to Hong Kong. It's been fun, I've progressed to not only soy sauce but chilli paste with my breakfast dim sum; but we're ready to start on the next phase. A bit of packing; another trip to Kids Zone (a great Jemima-friendly way to spend an hour or so - it makes up for the boring sightseeing she has to endure some of the rest of the time); and a spot of lunch in the Wonderful World of Whampoa Gourmet Garden (pizza for Jemima, salad for us); and then it was taxi time to the airport. Which turned out to to be a humungous high-end shopping mall, even more so than usual for an airport, and entirely in keeping with our experience of Hong Kong so far.

Some final Hong Kong observations:

- nearly everyone wears trainers;

- the public transport is amazing, and cheap, and that plus (some of) the food are the only cheap things here; 

- and finally, it can feel very foreign, with Chinese characters everywhere, and not many western faces; but because of the prevalence of English, on signs and spoken, it also feels very easy to navigate. Even the road signs are in the famous UK Highways Agency-approved font.

Next up, New Zealand! And hopefully some sun! And of course, the return of the jet lag (another five hours time difference to adjust to). 

PS you may have noticed in the photos some repetition in our outfits while in Hong Kong. We did not expect much chilly weather this trip, so rationed our packing to one jumper each. As you can tell, these have been well-used (Jemima's in particular is pretty grubby now). Another thing New Zealand will bring us is the opportunity for a more varied wardrobe, and a laundrette...

More fun in Kids Zone:

 

 

Wedding parties in our hotel (we very much enjoyed watching the staging of the photos):

 

 

 

 

A regatta from our window:

 

 

The Wonderful World of Whampoa, and beyond

We had promised Jemima a trip to "Kid Zone" this morning. We weren't sure what it was, but kept driving past its big sign, and she was intrigued. So we headed on foot into the so-called "Wonderful World of Whampoa", a shopping and residential district around our hotel. "Kid Zone" turned out to be a cross between soft play, a fair and an arcade, with loads of kid-sized fairground rides and an enormous climbing/ ball pit area. It also had a Birthday corner, an arts and messy craft area, a baking classroom and a nature room. Pretty comprehensive, if all rather pricey - £14 for 5 rides (all of which Jemima seemed to enjoy); £19 to bake a cake (which we chose not to experience...). 

We dragged a reluctant Jemima away with the excitement of a metro ride - the sole form of transport we'd yet to experience. As you'd imagine, it was quick, clean, easy and cheap - £1.40 for the three of us one way. We emerged in the New Territories, out of the tourist zone, and went with the throngs to our destination, the flower market. This was my request, and when we got there, Kevin and Jemima headed to a handy playground while I explored. It was packed, with people and plants, an explosion of colour, with the flowers dressed up with red and gold Chinese New Year ribbons and glitter. I enjoyed my wander, then returned to find Jemima again trying to make friends. During my chat with Acha's English dad, he told us that one of Hong Kong's best dim sum places was just round the corner. It seemed too good to be true. But we were not the only ones interested - there were at least 30 people waiting outside to get in. This was not feasible on Jemima time, so we wandered deeper into the side streets. 

It was unbelievably busy, people everywhere, and all the shops and restaurants crammed full; so we kept wandering. We happened upon Pet Corner, with bagged goldfish hanging in serried ranks outside tiny shops; and a row of old-fashioned pet shops with puppies and kittens in display boxes in the window. And then, the welcome view of the Golden Arches. 3pm, in need of food and somewhere to sit down, we went in. 

After some much needed sustenance, we headed for the metro home, past rows of young picnickers on the walkway. A little rest, Jemima dancing to her Boogie Beebies DVD in front of the view of Hong Kong harbour, and then out for our final night in Hong Kong, to see the Guinness Book of Records prize-winning permanent light show.

Well, we left after 10 minutes so I can't give a complete opinion; but they didn't seem that spectacular to us - the normal lights are pretty good anyway. So we went to find dinner, before the crowds. Kevin led us to Cafe de Coral, a chain we've seen around. And for £8 we had delicious fish in brown pepper sauce with rice, and BBQ duck and pork with pak choi and rice. Cheaper, and better, than our McDonalds lunch (once we'd worked out the ordering and collecting process, and asked for cold water rather than the glasses of hot water available - Jemima got a bit of a shock). Back on the hotel shuttle, Jemima chatting to some Australian girls, and off to bed.

Decorations for the approaching Year of the Rooster:

 

A giant fake ship, part of the Wonderful World of...

 

Kids Zone:

 

 

 

 

On the metro:

 

The flower market:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pets Corner:

 

 

 

 

Picnickers:

 

 

Night-time lights:

 

Cafe de Coral (divide by 10):

 

Bus ferry bus tram bus ferry bus

The fog had lifted this morning - you could see the opposite shore in pin sharp detail for the first time. So it was a day for going up Victoria Peak. After the usual transport shuffle (we're professionals now), and an exciting stop in a Hong Kong emporium to buy me a beautiful dress as part of my birthday present (which I am going to happily carry around for the next three months), we reached the Tram station - and realised that the rest of Hong Kong's tourists-in-residence had had the same idea. But the queue moved steadily, and eventually we boarded the tram.

This has been going up the Peak in various forms since the 1880s, before which the ruling elite were carried up in Sedan chairs, which must have been hard work for the carriers - it is very, very steep. Because you sit leaning back, there is a fun optical illusion that looks like the skyscrapers are all at improbable angles, like something out of a cartoon. At the top, we headed for the viewing platform, past more of Hong Kong's retail opportunities (it's basically a tram stop with a mall built above). Sadly, during the morning the cloud had come back, so the view was obscured. But you could still see the island, harbour and mainland all spread out below, with us towering over the skyscrapers for a change.

Retreating from the drizzle (the weather really wasn't great today) we headed for lunch with a view at a bizarre, but tasty, restaurant that paid homage to the shrimp company set up by Forrest Gump in the film; and back down again, and via another range of transport options (including a local bus this time for 40p each - it's the only cheap thing in Hong Kong), back home. Jemima and I had a fun snack in the lobby cafe (none of us were that hungry after our big lunch), then bath, and bed. The jet lag is slowly lifting (although Kevin was awake from 5am this morning, which was slightly painful); and we are now ready to move on, especially because the weather here has got a bit grim - the sunshine of the Antipodes is calling. But we have one more day before we fly, so we'll see what we find for tomorrow's diversion.

 

Morning view:

 

The Tram:

 

 

 

 

The "view":

 

 

A tree outside our hotel like the ones we're trying to create in our garden:

 

Dim sum, Peking duck

I love Hong Kong. To be honest, there's not much to do, but I love what it is. I love the multiculturalism of the food - dim sum for breakfast (yum), and restaurants/ cafes with every possible Asian option plus French, Spanish, Italian, and of course the ubiquitous Irish pub. I love the busy-ness, with people hustling and bustling about - 7 million in a small space (I am a city girl at heart); yet it's immaculately well-kept (no litter, spirit-level-straight vegetation). I love the lights: delicate fairy lights, flashing fluorescent shop signs and enormous aggressive neon hoardings assault your eyes. People are very child-friendly, warmly responding to Jemima's random chatting; strangers have stopped to help us continuously, whether finding places, carrying the buggy on stairs, or helping us order food; and everyone, from the toilet cleaners to the shop assistants speak beautiful English, but are completely thrilled with our incorrectly pronounced "thank you". It is extraordinarily commercial, with the highest-end shopping everywhere, but it combines that glitz with the rust and rope of a gritty working harbour, and the peace of morning Tai Chi groups with their own designated public spaces. I couldn't live here, I couldn't even stay that long, but it's a lot of fun for a few, jet-lagged days.

And another such day it has been. Today, our distraction of choice was the hop-on, hop-off bus tour, always a family favourite. While Jemima listened to the Frozen soundtrack, Kevin and I spaced out, watching the scenery flash past while listening to an appallingly uninformative commentary. But the view was interesting: downtown Hong Kong island where banking skyscrapers bulllied run down residential blocks; followed by the peaceful, picturesque and expensive southern part of the island, where you could sense the landscape before it was overrun with concrete (and was previously, romantically overrun with the pirates of the South China Sea...). Lunch at Stanley Waterfront, a nice promenade overlooking the bay; a wander through the world famous (aka tourist tat-filled) Stanley Market; and then another playground, a giant ship this time, and playtime with a half English, half Australian family returning home from a month with family in Kew (the next door borough to my parents' house in London - it turned out he went to school in Hammersmith, same as me, and was friends with school fellows, a few years older. Small world etc...). 

Back on the bus, chillier now, and Jemima succumbing to sleep. Then the Star Ferry - like old hands - and back to the hotel for Jemima and I, while Kevin went to collect his jeans. And I'm afraid it was too much for me too - I took advantage of some Peppa videos to have an almost irresistible snooze (I've forgotten what it's like to feel normal, how on earth people manage doing 13 hours time change in one go). And then the final chapter of the day, and one I always love: dinner.

Jemima has been asking for her favourite Chinese food, crispy duck. Kevin did some googling and as a result led us to the Spring Deer, a first floor restaurant with the same slightly functional look as in London's Chinatown. But it was packed, not a spare table (we'd booked), and buzzing with happy, predominantly Chinese diners. Crispy duck was a hot ticket - chefs kept wheeling glossy brown birds past us, returning with naked carcasses. And when it was our turn, it was great theatre. Rather than shredding, like in England, they carve slices with an enormous cleaver, so each slice has shiny, crispy skin and soft meat. Jemima, the carnivore, forewent the pancakes and just scoffed down the duck very happily, while Kevin and I enjoyed the wrapping experience  (inferior dried up cucumber and spring onion; thicker, floury pancakes more like chapattis, which I preferred but Kevin didn't; and fabulous, fabulous duck with wonderful thick tangy sauce). Then back to glorious bed.

On the bus:

 

 

 

Contrasts:

 

 

Repulse Bay:

 

 

Stanley:

 

 

 

 

The ferry home:

 

 

Peking duck: