3 May 2018
Day 4 – Hong Kong
Yick Cheong Building
After a quick stop at Fortress Hill for some fruit for Bub, we made our way to Quarry Bay to see the “Insta-famous” Yick Cheong Building. The densely packed apartments form a very interesting backdrop for instagrammers and photographers alike. I had to photograph it myself. The area was also used as a shooting location for the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction. Apparently, photography had been banned around the complex although as we entered the square, there were dozens of people already taking photos and no one policing the action.
It was close to midday and the sun was way up in the sky. Wifey, Bub and I were drenched in sweat walking from Tai Koo Station and so I made sure to quickly take the shots I wanted. It was a little difficult to find the right angles to shoot as there were other people there keen to get the perfect shot too. In reality, the area was a little dilapidated and the square was littered with rubbish. The smell wasn’t so inviting either and so Wifey was happy to be out of there as soon as I was satisfied with my shots.
We stopped by a convenience store just outside the train station and bought a nice fruity drink to cool off. Bub had never been that excited over a drink and had a huge smile on her face after her first sip.
Singapore Island
Just across our hotel was Singapore Island, the restaurant we chose for lunch. It was cosy inside, full of customers. Lucky for us there was one free table at the back. Without hesitation we ordered lemongrass chicken with rice and a braised pork dish which looked appetising on the menu. I paired it with a lemon iced tea and a grass jelly milk tea. There was relief on Wifey’s face when Bub took a liking to the chicken dish. She kept asking for more. The braised pork was very tender and the stock was salty and sweet. It was what I expected and more. Bub was happy and so we were happy, 4 stars for the Singaporean restaurant.
The Spaghetti House
It was our last night in Hong Kong. The sun had set and it was more comfortable to roam. It was forecasted to rain that night and so we made sure we brought our umbrella with us just in case. We headed back to Tsim Sha Tsui via subway. A slight drizzle welcomed us as soon as we got out of the station which prompted us to immediately look for a place to eat / shelter.
“Let’s try The Spaghetti House”, I said as I pointed to their bright red and yellow sign hanging above me. The entrance was hidden in plain sight, a tiny elevator could barely fit three people inside.
Walking in the restaurant, we were greeted by a server who took us to our booth-styled table. A couple of the female staff were quite besotted with Bub, one even giving her a free strawberry to munch on while we waited for all our orders to arrive. First came the spaghetti bolognese, its sauce looking super thick with fresh parmesan shavings on top. The sauce was rich, quite herby in fact. Delicious for Wifey and I, though Bub had some reservations. She managed to only eat a few spoonfuls, not enough to satisfy her hunger. As soon as the waiter placed the seafood risotto with squid in sauce, I knew I had chosen wisely. A mound of cheesy seafood pieces on one side of the plate and a dark creamy risotto on the other. It was divine. Four stars for both dishes.
Jollibee
Since Jollibee was just right below The Spaghetti House, we decided to stop for some fries to top up Bub’s appetite. I was too full to order anything else from the menu apart from the French Fries that Bub annihilated in 10 minutes.
Temple Street Night Market
The heavens opened and in the pouring rain we had second thoughts about going to the Temple Street Night Market. “Let’s just check it out really quick”, I convinced Wifey as I wanted to buy a fridge magnet and thought it would definitely be cheaper in the market than buying it at souvenir stores in the mall. The rain eased up a little as we slowly made our way to Jordan where the market street was located. As we reached our destination, the rain poured harder. We ran under a shop canopy for shelter, Bub unfazed by it all as she was busy playing with my phone. “I’ll stay here with Bub and you find the magnet, it’s too wet for all of us to go in”, I told Wifey and so off she went in search for our cheap souvenir. As we stood there on the sidelines, a few people braved the weather to check out the merchandise on display from wallets to bags and other types of knick knacks.
Wifey returned in less than 10 mins. A little soaked and I could see from her face that she was pretty much ready to go back to our hotel. I felt the same way. We walked to the nearest station, Jordan Station and took a train back to Tin Hau.
Ice Puff
After a nice warm shower back in our hotel room, Wifey suddenly had some dessert cravings that needed to be satisfied. I remembered a dessert place called Ice Puff that we passed by walking the streets on Tin Hau on our very first day in Hong Kong and so I took a chance to go down and see if it was still opened.
“One original egg puff with matcha ice cream please”, I ordered. I watched the store attendant pour over some batter in a mould, waiting a few minutes and turned it over again. He then peeled off the cooked puff, shaped it in a plastic cup and delicately placed a scoop of matcha ice cream on top. With one hand on the umbrella and the other holding the dessert, I made my way carefully back to our hotel room where Wifey and Bub were waiting in anticipation. “Yummy!”, Bub said after a taste of the ice cream. Three stars.
4 May 2018
Day 5 – Hong Kong
Bee Cheng Hiang
Since we had a few hours to spare before our flight, we packed our bags, checked out early (leaving our baggages at the lobby) and went straight to Causeway Bay to do some last minute shopping.
Bee Cheng Hiang was our first stop, a meat snack shop. It was a case of another day, another pregnancy craving for Wifey who wanted to try some pork and beef jerky. The glossy meat glistened within the display cases, the more you stare at it, the more appetising it looked. Wifey bought a piece of pork jerky and while Bub was asleep in her pram, we enjoyed the treat peacefully.
Sharetea
Needing to wash down the tasty jerky, we found the nearest bubble store Sharetea. We ordered a classic milk tea drink with pearls and a mango and passionfruit green tea drink. Bub must have sensed where we were and woke up smiling as she saw the drinks we were holding.
Sogo
With her food cravings fulfilled, Wifey was now keen to satisfy her shopping needs and so we headed to Sogo, a department store for well-known brands of clothing, accessories and cosmetics. She was after some travel bags and we ended up in a Longchamp store where she found a couple of bags that she liked.
Mak’s Noodle
Just before heading to the airport, we had just enough time for a quick lunch at Mak’s Noodle, conveniently located across our hotel. They also served congee and so we thought we should give it another go in case Bub liked the taste this time. I ordered the beef brisket with noodles in soup. The chicken and mushroom soup was creamy, light in flavour but tasted better than the one we ordered at Congee World. Bub preferred the noodles in my beef brisket soup. The beef was almost falling apart. It was a delicious ending to our Hong Kong adventure.
Off to the airport
“Thank you!”, we said as we left the lobby of Butterfly Hotel that was our temporary home for the last 5 days. The bus stop was just across the hotel and it didn’t take long until we boarded and made our way to the airport.
We used up our leftover HK dollars at a restaurant near our gate and bought a couple of drinks to pass the time.
Reflection
It had been an epic two-week holiday across three different locations; Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It wasn’t always easy travelling with a very active toddler however with Wifey by my side, we worked really well together. Planning was key (although, the last few days in HK was totally unplanned) and patience, a lot of patience (especially with finding food for Bub).
The next time we travel, we will have two kids under two in tow. Challenge accepted. Good luck to us!
Cheerio,
Jeeps
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