Random Thoughts on our HK Trip

WARNING: This entry will have no semblance of structure in any way and will just chronicle some/all of my observations and thoughts on our latest travel to Hongkong and Macau.

HONGKONG

• The best dimsum I've ever had bar none can be found on the 5th floor of Windsor House in Causeway Bay. Just take the elevator and the restaurant will be on your left. Please please please don't forget to order the STEAMED EGG CUSTARD BUN. I guarantee it will be worth the wait (orders can take a few minutes). Only a few waiters can understand English but you can just point at the pictures in the menu. BTW, the 4 dishes we ordered cost us about HK75 (about P450). So affordable for the quality. Definitely a must try when in HK.

The entrance to the place

Authentic siomai

Har-gaw (with shrimps)

Char Siu Bun (BBG Pork Bun)

Inside of the Char Siu Bun. This is very good.

This is the steamed egg custard bun I was telling you about. Wow. I will fly back to HK if only for these babies.

• When buying camera accessories in Hongkong, my personal tip is to ask around. Don't buy at the first shop you come across. When I was researching on where to buy things for my camera, one of the shops that always comes up in internet forums in Tin Cheung Camera Supply in Tsim Tsa Tsui. So that was where I went and bought a few stuff (extra battery, Nissin speedlight, remote trigger, and a 50mm). But since I'm a gadget freak, I always make it a point to stop by other shops selling the same stuff. And I was surprised (more like saddened) to find some selling the same stuff at a lower price! And no, they are not "fly-by-night" stores.

• Just because a camera shop is located in Causeway Bay doesn't mean they're tourist traps. For the 50mm lens, Tin Cheung in TST initially offered HK815. At a shop in Causeway Bay, they were selling it for HK780. Like I said, canvas.
  

• Always buy your electronics from reputable stores such as Broadway and Fortress. They are everywhere in Hongkong and have almost anything electronic you can think of in stock. We must have visited a dozen of their branches while walking around the city. I recommend Broadway more since they offer stuff at lower prices. To give you an example, SRP of the Sony Bloggie at Fortress was HK1,599 but they offered me a discount of HK100 to make it HK1,490. At Broadway, it was sold to me for only HK1,390. Always ask for a discount. Even those two stores I mentioned will almost always give you one.

• For a cute photo opportunity, try the Modern Toilet Restaurant in Mongkok. It's a quirky place with a theme that you wouldn't (in your wildest dreams) associate with food. We ordered the deep fried chicken and spaghetti with beef. I would recommend the latter though. For dessert, the chocolate ice cream (or how its served) will definitely crack you up.

Food is served in miniature toilet bowls

...while drinks come in urinals

Yummy!

The piece-des-resistance

• Don't forget to but toiletries and perfume in Hongkong. They're cheap and aplenty. Make it a point to always pass by Sasa, Bonjour, Mannings and Watsons. The Watsons in HK carry so much more products than what we have here in Manila. Some branches even have 4 floors of shopping goodies. If you're not particular with packaging, shops like Make-Up City and Sasa sell perfume testers that come in plain cardboard boxes. These are legitimate perfumes so don't worry. For nostalgia, I bought a 125ml Davidoff Cool Water for only HK198 (about P1.2K).
  

• Being a fan, I had to visit the Avenue of Stars to take a picture of the relatively new Bruce Lee statue they erected there.

• Don't forget to visit Ikea at Causeway Bay and grab the famous meatballs and my most favorite chocolate bar of all - Choklad Not.

• Try the goodies at the bakeries inside the MTR stations. They're good.

• When travelling, one of the most overlooked gadgets to bring is the calculator. This device is very very helpful especially for those who like to bargain. Now here's a very good travel tip. Remember those Casio calculator watches popular during the 80s? Apparently, they're still available in the various stalls of HK. Go buy one! I got mine for HK170 (about P1K). Believe me, they will save you a lot of trouble and headache doing mental mathematics.

• Oh, and one more travel gadget must-have is a two-way radio. I bought very small Motorola units from Fortress for about P1.5K each and they worked like a charm when Nina and I got separated at Mongkok. It's so practical!

• As of now, Hongkong remains to be my most favorite travel destination as this is the one city I feel I can comfortably settle in. I know Nina is quite tired of going back there but me - I look forward to just walking and discovering new things in this tiny island. This is our fourth HK trip together but I think I can safely assume this won't be the last. See you soon HK!