Hong Kong VI: Macau

Day 5 was a day trip to Macau and dessert at Hui Lau Shan.

This morning, saw a cruise ship coming into HK harbor

And this morning, it also rained... again...

From HK Island, we took TurboJet to Macau... it was fast and smooth like a regular plane even though it was on the water

TurboJet had comfy seats

We were able to see lots of islands on the way to Macau

Welcome to Macau

First glimpses of the casinos... what everyone seems to go there for

Not a very clear picture, but can you explain to me what "tampon mode" is?

Preferred method of transportation around Macau (it seems)

Temple of A-Ma in the Inner Harbour

Carving at the temple

Near the top of the temple which is built into the rock

If you didn't know where you were going in Macau, you might have a hard time... it seemed like all the street signs were like this.. posted on the buildings

Lunch at O Porto Interior near the Inner Harbour

Appetizer: basket of fried Macanese snacks

African chicken and minchi, Macanese dishes

Had a lot of trouble getting a taxi, but when we finally did, we went to Senado Square

Cute phone ad

More of Senado Square

Some of the old architecture houses stuff like McDonalds and Starbucks

Haagen-Dazs has ice cream mooncakes

Old European architecture + neon Chinese signs = interesting

Macau at night

Back in HK... an ad from the MTR station

Went for dessert at Hui Lau Shan

Post-dessert drink

Helpful directions on some streets in TST

Stores stores everywhere

Hong Kong V: Shopping

Spent the afternoon with my relatives... a sign from in the taxi... what kind of "offence" is it?

Taxi fares... they charge for animals and birds explicitly

The craziness that is shopping in Mong Kok during the afternoon

With my relative (cousin? I don't know exactly)

Shopping hosts for the afternoon (since they actually know where they're going!)

Went shopping later on, view from the terrace of one of the malls (where everyone went to smoke)

Skyline

Star Ferry Terminal

Apparently TCBY makes "Yog-A-Mooncake"

So tired and full from dim sum and snack that we skipped dinner... instead went to the whirpool on the roof and watched the light & fireworks show in the harbor

Hong Kong IV: Lantau & Food Expo

Spent the second full day going to Lantau Island to see the Big Buddha and to the Food Expo

Signs in the hotel... I thought it was rather amusing, until I found out that "Someplace Else" was the name of a bar/restaurant in the mall arcade downstairs

Typhoon Warning! But isn't the guy so cute?

Inside of a car on the MTR on the way to Tung Chung (Lantau Island)... even packed with people, Alvin can see from end to end above everyone's heads... and it goes a long way!

After taking the MTR to Lantau Island, we grabbed the bus to Ngong Ping

Long and winding roads through the mountains

At the foot of the Big Buddha by the bus depot

Looking toward the mountains

Big Buddha!

From the stairs going up to the Buddha, a look at the mountains and the monastery

With the mountains and clouds

View from up in the mountains... look at all the nature... not what you think of when you think of HK!

Statues in a ring around the Buddha platform

In front of the Buddha

We had lunch at the vegetarian restaurant in the monastery... there was soup & 4 courses

Mushrooms and green vegetables

I don't know what these were, but this was my favorite dish

Spring rolls

Asparagus and other veggies

But even in a monastery restaurant, there's Coca-Cola

Po Lin Monastery

Bus ride back to Tung Chung... back through the mountains

Went to a mega-grocery store in Tung Chung

Alvin found the fruit he's been looking for - red rose apples!

Fish balls

We were perplexed by the "crunchy aloe vera bits"... we had a sample later at the Food Expo and they did not seem so crunchy

Fish fillet mini pizzas

Our purchases

The land of plenty... aka Aji Ichiban

Took Star Ferry to Wanchai for the Food Expo... looks like a storm

Lots of clouds... it poured as soon as we got off the boat

Food Expo at the Convention Centre... lots of people pushing and shoving

Tortellini gelato

A really good drink... green tea + scotch and whiskey

After getting exhausted by the Expo, took MTR back from Wan Chai

Dinner at the same restaurant as the first night... I got some chicken noodle dish, it was okay, I liked the noodles the night before better

Alvin's noodles