HongKong Holiday

Published on: 18th December, 2009

From the land of tricycles, pedicabs and jeepneys, I went to Hong Kong, land of the red cabs, the double bus, cable cars and underground trains last month.

Known as the “shopping capital of Asia ”, Hong Kong is a place where you can find the most expensive things to the affordable ones and unique items one couldn’t find elsewhere, aside from the usual souvenir crafts. I went there thinking of getting something that won’t just serve as a souvenir, but also something that’s one-of-a-kind\, or  things that are not yet available in Bacolod.  I found them in the pair of black Chucks with multi-colored piping and a  purple crocheted cardigan that doubles as a scarf.

I was expecting the place to be a real crowded one and yes, it really was. And you can find plenty of people from across the globe who chose to live there, such as those Indians and Pinoys on Nathan Road who peddle everything from hotel rooms to restaurants to bath robes. On the street, one listens to many languages, and almost always, one of these is Tagalog – there were a few times we heard Ilonggo as well.

It was fun moving around with only a map on hand. There was no assurance that you’ll reach the place you want to, but the experience was truly an adventure.

The place was humid when we were there. But it really didn’t matter how long you walked, because you won’t really feel the heat.

Hong Kong Disneyland with all those comic book characters, rides, and different shows keep you entertained all day long. I was in awe when I met, and had my picture taken with Captain Jack Sparrow. He was a bit too chinky-eyed, but he was just as pirate-y as the Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.

Spanning over acres and acres of land,  it sure was tiring to roam around the place, but it’s all worth-it. I was expecting loads of kids, but surprisingly, there are a lot of aged ones who looked just as excited as the children. I especially noted several of them  gamely taking a ride on Cinderella’s carousel. One of them could hardly dismount the horse – it was then when I realized that the magic of Disney cuts across generations. During the fireworks display at the castle of Sleeping Beauty, you can hear the ‘ohh’ and ‘ahh’ of the audience. It was truly an experience that left us asking for more.

The supposed HK trip turned into a five-days-two-places tour when we decided to cross to Macau just an hour away by ferry. It is a place that is building on tourism: it is now offering  a lot of  attractions. In the day trip we took, we saw the Ruins of St. Paul, the A-ma temple, and tasted its food, such as its egg tart and its version of ‘chicharon’, thinly sliced crispy pork. There were other places that we were not able to visit, but I think I have seen the wonder of  Macau and how it offers satisfaction and amusement.

I  learned that Macau has only 520,000 population, and the people don’t pay taxes. The casinos are the sources of the taxes.

It was my first trip outside the country and  although it was short the experience was simply amazing.  I never thought that I’d enjoyed it that much. It may be really tiring because of lots and lots of walking, but it left me saying “so long HK, so long Macau… ”

Readers Comments