Christin and Jared in Hong Kong: Day 6

With yesterday's trip to Kowloon, we began the process of touring further and further away from home. Today it was time to see the New Territories for the first time...


But first: a very traditional Hong Kong breakfast!

At our favorite congee shop on High Street

Congee with beef, dried squid, peanuts, scallions, and fried cruller

"Crispy cow tongue" (fried sweet bread, no cows involved)

Fried sesame balls

Steamed sweet cake

Steamed rice roll wrapped around fried cruller

After breakfast, we were off to the Tin Shui Wai area of the New Territories on a double-decker bus...

Upper deck, front row!

The primary focus of today's journey was to see a bit of Hong Kong's natural beauty at the Wetland Park...


...but we needed to warm up a little in the Park's cafe before heading out...

Not quite the meal setting we're used to

鴛鴦 (a mix of coffee and Hong-Kong-style milk tea)

Hong-Kong-style milk tea

Having a chat with Pui Pui, Hong Kong's famous crocodile...

...who was hiding from the cold air

Birdwatching inside one of the many camouflaged huts

We saw lots and lots of grey herons and egrets (among other things)

The park is in the shadow of Tin Shui Wai, so you never forget where you are ;>

...but it is still full of some excellent natural sights

After touring the park, we went back to its cafe for a little lunch...

The menu was mostly Hong-Kong-style fast food

Christin's Chicken wings

Jared's meat sauce over rice (with a sunny-side-up egg)

Gray's baked pork chop rice (with tomato sauce)

Once our bellies were satisfied, we returned to the Island to see another park...

Hong Kong Park is surrounded by skyscrapers (like the Bank of China Tower, pictured here)

...but the greenery is a welcome change of pace for the heart of the city

Its large aviary houses plenty of unusual friends...

Since the Peak Tram station sits right beside Hong Kong Park, this was the perfect time to finally take them up to Victoria Peak...

The Peak Tram is always popular, but I don't think I've seen the station this packed before

Up we go!

Outside the Peak Tower

Now you see them...

Now you don't!

Taking time for a bit of shopping in the Peak Galleria

We started to get hungry while at the Peak, but it really isn't the best place to eat (mediocre food that is way overpriced). Instead, I took them to Causeway Bay for a taste of our favorite Indonesian restaurant...

We're extremely sad because this was the restaurant's last week of operation! :<

Stir-fried water spinach

Beef rendang

Gado gado

Coconut rice (with a few appetizers)

Chicken satay

Some yummy treats (free gifts to commemorate the closing of the restaurant)

We were pretty full after dinner, but there's always room for fat-and-sugar-free gelato sorbet at Mamma Mia's!

The sorbets use Splenda, but you really can't tell - they are delicious!

Top to bottom: mango, mangosteen, durian

Time to work our way back home after a full day!

Christin and Jared in Hong Kong: Day 5

Refreshed by a day's rest, it was time to venture off Hong Kong Island and concentrate on the center of Kowloon...

Katherine and I needed to stop by University Health Services to get a check-up on our coughs (which we've had for six weeks or so - they are getting better, but aren't completely gone yet), so we dropped Christin and Jared off in the HKU Senior Common Room (a faculty lounge with food and a great view)...

We joined them after our doctor's appointments for a bit of breakfast

Katherine needed to return to work, so Christin, Jared and I bussed down to the central piers and set sail for Tsim Sha Tsui on Star Ferry...

All aboard!

Sipping Starbucks on the way

Fresh off the boat

Making like Bruce Lee on the Avenue of Stars

After wandering Tsim Sha Tsui for a while, we zipped through the MTR to Mong Kok...

One of my favorite districts!

Busy by day (but even busier by night)

Trying the waffle-like "little eggs" (雞蛋仔) a second time

Finishing all four blocks of the "Ladies' Market"

Shopping in a soccer specialty store...

...and finding a Hong Kong national team jersey

Exploring the Flower Market...

...with no end to the flowers in sight!

Trying turtle pudding at 海天堂 (our favorite purveyor)

Nearly bringing home a puppy from the pet shops of the Goldfish Market

After making use of the bathrooms in a nearby McDonald's, we thought we should thank them by having a little snack

Wading through tight market shopping on Fa Yuen ("Garden") Street

Completely canvassing Mong Kok was a major accomplishment, so we returned to Tsim Sha Tsui for a little reward at the flagship Charlie Brown Cafe...

If you love Peanuts characters, this is the place for you!

My Peppermint Hot Chocolate was garnished with a Peppermint Patty profile

Later in the evening, we met up with Katherine for dinner at 有骨氣, one of our favorite hot pot restaurants...

You order raw meat, seafood, and vegetables and cook them yourself in a pot of boiling broth

Like pork balls...

...and squid meat noodles

After dinner we went back to Mong Kok so Christin and Jared could see it at night...

Very luxurious, I'm sure

The "Ladies' Market" at night

Joined by our buddy Brook, who was staying in Hong Kong for one night on his way back to the States, for dessert!

Gray's mango shaved ice cream

Christin and Jared shared some chocolate shaved ice cream

Brook had these rolls of mango and black glutenous rice

Katherine's mango with coconut noodles

We finished the evening by returning to Tsim Sha Tsui and seeing Victoria Harbour at night...

Always a crowd-pleaser!

Christin and Jared in Hong Kong: Day 4

We pounded the pavement pretty mercilessly over the last few days, so today we took some time to rest at home (and do laundry). When dinner time rolled around, though, we sprung back into action by visiting Yung Kee, one of my favorite restaurants...

Serving Cantonese cuisine for nearly 70 years

We started with their famous homemade thousand-year-old egg with pickled ginger...

The extra gooey yolk is highly desired by thousand-year-old egg connoisseurs

...and we all tried it

(even the previous photo's camerawoman)

With the eggs out of the way, we got down to the good stuff (well, at least in my opinion ;>)...

Stir-fried sweet pea shoots

Their world-famous roast goose

Succulent roast pork

Fresh shrimp stir-fried with pine nuts

Washed down with steeped chrysanthemum flowers

A meal to remember!

After dinner, we worked our way back through Central...

Skirting along the this sidewalks of Wellington Street

...until we reached the IFC Mall...

Looking across Victoria Harbour (towards Tsim Sha Tsui) from the IFC Mall promenade

Hanging out just below 2 IFC, currently the tallest building in Hong Kong (though it will be unseated shortly)

IFC was our chosen destination not just for its cityscape sights, but also because tonight saw the opening of James Cameron's Avatar in 3D and we went to the very first showing...

Avatar was magnificent. If you get a chance to see it in 3D, take it!

The perfect closing to a battery-recharging day.