Tram Tour

Season's Greetings is getting close!! The street is also packed with people preparing for one of the greatest times of the year. Stores, shops are extending their business hours. A lot of us would like to get some nice gifts for our loved ones.

We usually shop around on different stores before spending any pennies. So we always get around back and forth between different areas. And I would like to recommend a nice transportation to get around particular on the Hong Kong Island side - TRAM.

The tram runs slowly along the island between the east and west end. Riding on the Tram does give me an unique feeling. Unlike the MTR, you can't appreciate the scenary because it is travelling underground. The weather is getting a bit chilled now, so it beats out the bus tour. I do enjoy the chill weather with light breeze. The best time to ride is some time between 7 pm and 10 pm. There will be a lot to see along the trip from Central to Causeway Bay.

The Tramway also offers two special antique trams for special tour. You can find out more from their website http://www.hktramways.com

For your information, the tram was in service since 1900s, for more than a century, WOW!!

Enjoy your ride
Kent

Black & White Symphony

This Saturday afternoon my family and I had an afternoon tea buffet at Royal Plaza Hotel in Mongkok. The discounted charge is around HK$ 130 per head. I found the range of food has been improved comparing last time I came there. The current theme is “Black & White Symphony", providing new cakes made with black and white chocolate, so attractive to dessert lovers like me! I strongly recommend the Mandarin Opera Log, a soft cake with orange fresh, dessert lovers should not miss it. Enquiries and Reservations Hotline: 2622 6154

The Wife Cake (老婆餅)

Today I can’t wait to have wife cake (老婆餅) for breakfast. I bought 6 pieces from Wing Wah bakery (榮華) and took it back to office and shared with my collegues for breakfast. But I kept 3 pieces for myself ! (hahaaa…..) Oh…. the puff of the cake was utterly crusty, and the cake is just-right sweetness…yum..yum !!

HK$1060 to Bangkok / Ho Chi Minh City

Cathy Pacific has special offer ticket to Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City at price HK$1060. But this special price can only book it on net on Saturday or Sunday. Details can refer to official website:
www.cathaypacific.com.hk

HK$3700 to London (via Qantas)

Flight on sale from 25 Oct 2007 to 16 November 2007, from HK$3700 to London by Qantas. The travel is vaild from 25 October 2007 to 31 March 2008. You can also earn milage from this flight. Book it if you plan to go to London!

Details:
http://www.qantas.com.au/international/hk_eng/specials/london_specials.html

HK$1280 to Singapore (via SIA)

Another airline, Singapore Aireline is on promotion... HK$1280 each to Singapore including return flight tickets and 2 nights hotel. Valid untile 30 Nov 2007. Minimum 4 persons to travel. Plan your holiday now!!

Details:
www.sia-holidays.com/promotions.htm

Hong Kong - Live It. Love It! 2007

The Tortoise Jelly (龜零膏)

Maybe eating too much spicy food, there are some pimples on my face and I can feel myself a little bit hot inside the body. Therefore, I decided to order a bowel of Tortoise Jelly (The glossy blackish pudding made of turtle’s plastron and Chinese herbs) this afternoon. Put few spoons of syrup on top of the jelly and eat together… Feeling so good…..This is to flush away toxins and remove the damp-heat in my body.

Kam Shan Country Park & Smugglers' Ridge

Kam Shan Country Park is famous for its macaques. These animals can be found across the park. Smugglers' Pass, also known as Smugglers' Ridge, was a component part of the Gin Drinker's Line. This key military position had a network of trenches and bunkers interconnected by underground tunnels. Some of these facilities, particularly the Smugglers' Ridge Defense Line bunkers built in the mid 1930's, are substantially in tact today. Embracing some 70 years of history, these wartime relics are well worth seeing.



Transportation
Kam Shan Country Park
Take bus no. 72, 81, 86B or a red minibus to Tai Po Road near Piper's Hill. Walk along Kam Shan Road for about 10 minutes to the park.


Smugglers' Ridge
Take bus no. 72, 81, 86B or a red minibus to Tai Po Road near Piper's Hill. From Kam Shan Road (Stage 6 of the MacLehose Trail) near Kowloon Reservoir, it is a 1-hour walk to the ridge.

Be a Smart Consumer (Singapore Airline)

This is my recently personal experience want to share with you. I tried to book a flight from HK to Singapore in November because of quiet season and cheap price. Therefore, I login to “www.singaporeair.com” and found the price was labeled as HK$1200 for return. Wow... it was cheaper than budget airline, e.g. Jet Star. Therefore, I quickly input my personal information and tried to book it online. The total price is HK$1540. Hey…. How comes the fare is only HK$1100? The price is different from the advertising in the main page. Even better… I then continue the process and ready to pay by credit card. However, the transaction was terminated with problem occurred during validating my credit card information. A dialog box also prompted and suggested not book the itinerary a second time as it might cause me second charge to my payment card. Oh….what could I do? I might lose this good deal? But I need to contact Singapore Airlines office for assistance in the next day morning.

On Monday morning, I phoned the airline and gave my name and credit card number for them to check if I have made the confirmation. The answer is “NO”. I therefore tried to book it again online. Same price quoted in the main page, HK$1200. Quickly key-in all details but found out the price now HK$1640? HK$100 more… I phoned to airline and they explained HK$1100 ticket is only available to book from Friday to Sunday and online. They couldn’t help me under any special situation.

I was so annoyed and kept checking their website during the week, and found out on Tue morning that HK$1200 ticket, early afternoon flight(13:30)was gone. Only late afternoon flight(15:30)or evening flight available! Oh…oh….my flight is gone…!! >_<

I have no choice. I was thinking I could only book Jet Star for HK$1800 if I really want to go there. Therefore, I was not in a hurry and eventually I waited until Friday morning, 12:00… I login Singapore Airline and tried my lucks …. Oh, the seat for early afternoon(13:30)is available and it is still HK$1100…. I now understand how a big company doing their business!! Do you have the similar experience?

Air Ticket on Sale (Air New Zealand)

Hurry up!! Book it now...
Air New Zealand celebrating her anniversary to London now offer
Hong Kong --> London is only HK$3800 per seat for return with travel period 29Oct 07 - 3 Dec 07. The sales period will be end on 11 Nov 07.

Details please check 2862 8988 or Air New Zealand official website:
http://www.airnewzealand.com.hk/

Sa Sa Cosmetics (莎莎)

A variety of different color nail polish (指甲油) only sells at HK$5 per bottle. Perfume sample only sell HK$35, HK$9.9 items…. So cheap?! Where can I get it? It is Sa Sa Cosmetics (莎莎) I usually sneak in to Sa Sa when I passed the shop and check what are the good deals on that day. This week, Shiseido Maquillage eye shadow is only sold at HK$271.8 which is reduced from HK$322, and Clinique lip gloss is at HK$70. Wah…. Temptation! No wonder why so many tourist, especially mainland Chinese like to shop here. I heard few of them ask for samples after they had purchased HK$100 products. Oh, I missed my opportunities as I never ask. I would like to try and ask the beauty consultant to give me some samples next time! However, be careful to choose the time to shop in SaSa as it is very busy and crowded especially on Sunday and public holiday. (Photos from left to right: montly special items; hot promotion items)

By the way, here is some background information about SaSa:
Sa Sa Comsmetics is the first one-stop concept shop which selling quality cosmetics at a discounted rate by bypassing local agents and parallel importing their goods. The open-self, self-service environment make it easy for customers to try out new products. It sells over 400 international brands and more than 15,000 products that span skincare, cosmetics, hair care and accessories, as well as health food and supplements, including private-label products and exclusively distributed merchandise of over 50 international brands in its about 60 retail stores throughout Asia. It also provides beauty and fitness services through nine Philip Wain health clubs. It is therefore acquired a diverse customer base, from fashion-conscious teenagers to busy executives, from high-profile celebrities to tourists from around the world.

Sa Sa is everywhere! One of the chain store in Tsuen Wan

Where, When and What's on promotion: http://web1.sasa.com/SasaWeb/splash.jsp

Have a Beauty Trip @ Bonjour

If you ask any lady in Hong Kong where is the best place to shop for cosmetic products, I believe 9 out of 10 would guide you to Sa Sa or Bonjour. Most of the visitors have heard of the first one, so this time I introduce you the latter one- Bonjour Cosmetic卓悅. Why is it so famous? Although most of their goods are from parallel import, the variety of choices and competitive prices brought it the prestige as one main Hong Kong Brand, so it gave me confidence to shop there. Nowadays, it is becoming one of the most favorite spot to visitors from mainland China. This "one-stop cosmetics specialty store" provides skincare, fragrance, make-up, hair care and health products etc. Personally I would recommend buying perfume there, they're much cheaper than those of the big counters. Within one shop, there is a worldwide perfume collection, sometimes I can even buy the limited versions that are so hard to find elsewhere! There are also beauty consultants stationed at the shops to help customers, but different from many cosmetic stores, they're not "hard-selling" at all. I think most of the girls like me experienced that before, we all enjoy looking around freely and shopping without pressure. A little tip I would like to share, the shops are always crowded, so the optimal time for shopping is before lunch hour.

where & when to shop: http://www.bonjourhk.com/en/AboutShops.aspx

special promotion: http://www.bonjourhk.com/en/hot.aspx

Egg Tart (蛋撻)

Well, we talked about Egg Tart yesterday. It was happened to me that I passed Central today. Therefore, I went to Tai Cheong, bought 1 dozen of freshly baked egg tart and brought it home.

I couldn’t wait and ate on the right outside. Wow…delicious! I loved Egg Tart(蛋撻)! Puff pastry, egg custard which was just sweet right. No wonder why Chris Patten could not wait to taste the tart (Tai Cheong Egg Tart泰昌蛋撻) in his hand every time when he is over to Hong Kong.

Address: No. 35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong中環擺花街35號地下 (近閣麟街)

Tea & Tart

Continuing with our trail of local food, even if the limit of your stomach is reached, you should at least take away the Milk Tea and the Egg Tart, which are representative of Hong Kong style delicacies. For as long as over 40 years, Milk Tea and Egg Tart have been with every hongkonger. As perfect a match as bread and butter, a mouthful of Egg Tart followed by a sip of Milk Tea is enough to awake every of your taste buds. You gotta eat it to believe it!

Despite their fame and history, places serving Milk Tea and Egg Tart nowadays do take time to find. Modern restaurants no longer have them available. Nevertheless, there are some local (less well-furnished) eateries in Mongkok areas still offering the legendary goody. Having tea there after visiting the “Lady’s Street” nearby makes a very nice half-day trip.

Tai Hing Roast Restaurant (太興燒味餐廳)

Haven’t tried Tai Hing’s roast pork (太興燒肉) for a while. Therefore, I ordered and take away for dinner tonight. This chain restaurant was originally started from fast food shop offering mainly in siu-mei (roast) products. Now, it is a roast food restaurant chain with a variety of Hong Kong style café food to fusion cuisine blended with multinational flavors. Although the restaurant has been reformed, the quality of roast port (燒肉) did not get worse. It is becoming better and more popular. Crispy skin and fresh pork is their selling point. A little bit expensive but worth…canned milk tea for both hot and cold is also my favorite. Must try !!

Hey, Looks Great !

Restaurant information: http://www.taihingroastgroup.com.hk

Halloween - Ocean Park

Tuen Mun Park-- an oasis in the town centre

Today is a public holiday in Hong Kong, my family and I took a walk in Tuen Mun Park after having Yum Cha in a chinese restaurant. Tuen Mun Park is located at Tuen Mun Town Centre. The park provides a restful and recreational place to the residents in Tuen Mun. It is an ideal leisure haunt for a family to spend the Sunday there. There is variety of facilities in the park. For example, children can play in the playground and roller-skating rink. Moms take rest with their toddlers under the leafy shade. Some amateurs bring their chinese musical instruments like erhu to perform in the amphitheatre, the elders walk along the big artificial lake. There is also a model boat pool, visitors bring their electric driven boats to play. They can have a small game with other model boat lovers too. All of these form a harmonic scenery in the park Nevertheless, this time I felt a little disappointed since the Reptile House was closed (not sure if it is under reconstruction or due to the autumn-winter seasons?) I remember there're various species of reptiles including turtle and lizard, visitors can learn more about them. I must pay a visit when it reopens again.

Mini Clay Bowls (砵仔糕)

Again, this time....Hong Kong local street food. Rice puddings in mini clay bowls (砵仔糕) from San Lung Bakery (No. 68, Pei Ho Street, ShumShuiPo). The white one is made with white sugar, and the brown one is made with brown sugar, both embellished with red beans. A lot of red beans with very pleasant note of rice !!

YumYum!! A lot of red bean....

Tofu Fa (豆腐花)

When I go out for dinner or dim sum during lunch time, I will usually order my favorite dessert, “tofu fa” or the properly name “bean curb” pudding (豆腐花). Warm, smooth and soft tofu, serve with a layer of ginger sugar on the top… very nice

Yan Woo tofu fa (人和豆腐花) is the shop (28 Jordan Road, Jordan ) that I like most in Hong Kong. It is a franchise which sells tofu articles including tofu fa (豆腐花), dried or fried tofu, fermented tofu and soya milk.