My Hong Kong & Macau Trip - Day 1

4 November, 2007
1330
checked-in to a MongKok budget hostel - Dragon Hostel(website:http://www.dragonhostel.com/
). It was less than RM50 per night for ensuite room for 4. What can I say, small spatial yet clean. It's located at a very convenience location: 3 minutes walk to MRT, surrounded by shops and restaurants, a cross road distance to Ladies Market/Woman's Street...etc. Nice!

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After self cleaning, time to fill the stomach. Where to eat? Ok, just a few steps away from hostel - 富记粥品. It's served congee! To decided to eat a lot while tour later, so take poridge was not a bad idea. Each of us ordered one flavour and shared among us. Genius!(Click over the picture!)

Yummy~~ It's time to explore!

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Two importance spot that we planned to visit were The Avenue of Stars and Temple Street. The Avenue of Stars (Chinese: 星光大道), modelled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is located along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It honours celebrities of the Hong Kong film industry. A Symphony of Light show start at 2000. Therefore, we have to be there before 8. We have to kill the 4hours at some where else ^O^ No worry! This was expected and where to go? Just follow me. Yes I'm the leader of the trip for this round.

We took MRT to Jordan and have a short distance walk to Bowring Street. According to my information, this is like our "pasar malam" and only open on Sunday. Yes! which is today. So we planned to pay a visit. Nothing special...common things were selling there.
(Right: A snap shot of Bowring Street...and HK citizen)

Unconsciously, we turned in a street which its left and right are Mahjong gambling shops, as well as pubs. So sorry that I don't know how to play mahjong but I know how to shot photo. Besides that, I discovered that most of the cars parked outside are great cars like Merc, BMW...etc. You know what I meant. Ya, rich guys perhaps...
(Left: Mahjong Street, I called it)

Passing the M Street, we came across a soya specialty shop. We looked at each other...wait for what! Come on! Yes we entered it and ordered. They have variety of fruits beancurd jelly and ... bird's nest beancurd jelly??!! Again, each of us ordered one flavour and shared. Another genius idea! So Refreshing.(Right: Variety of mouth watering beancurd jelly...tempted?)

It is almost time to The Avenue of stars. We decided to walk to there through Park Lane Shopper Boulevard. As it named boulevard, branded shops occupied along the "street". Discount! but I bought nothing from there.
I did observed the way of HK youngsters wear. What can I say...handsome and pretty! They really know how to wear lah. Comparitively, I looked bad!

It was a long walk and yet it was only 1900. The destination just in front of us. However, there was a problem...we have came across a big road and it is prohibited to cross as how we normally cross the road. What should we do then? After a search of about five minutes, aha, there is a path way down！So we have to cross the road by going under the road instead. Interesting！ The underground path way linked to few hotels and shopping malls.
Finally, the Avenue of Stars. Very windy and cold as it was near winter. We were half an hour earlier before the symphony of light show start. So we killed the time by taking pictures here and there.


The light show started sharp at 2000 and last for about 30 minutes. Frankly speaking, not suprised or amazed me. A lots of laser light shooting here and there. Well, my friend was capture it in video and yet I have no idea where I put it. Blame me!
Here were the pictures we took all the way to The Avenue of Stars.

We have spent almost 3 hours there. It's time to depart to another final destination - temple street - a street located in the areas of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is well known for its night market and the busiest flea market at night in the territory. Along the way to Temple Street, we stopped at a small and yet well known (according to my information) shop named <利强记北角鸡蛋仔> to taste the common and famous 鸡蛋仔(Egg wafer) and 咖哩鱼蛋(Curry fish ball). Smell and taste good!
(Left: 利强记北角鸡蛋仔 shops. Can you spot us?; right top: 鸡蛋仔; right bottom: 咖哩鱼蛋)

Finally we were at temple street. Popular with both tourists and locals alike in the evening, it is common to see the place crowded at dusk. It sells cheap merchandise and food items. The place is sometimes known as Men's Street.
The place was built during the Qing Dynasty and it was named after a temple to Tin Hau was constructed there. It settled at banyan at the middle of the street (the place is called Yung Shue Tau).

This street was lengthier as we thought. Luckily in the middle of Temple Street, there is a famous dessert shop to stop by - 源記 (Yuen-kei, in cantonese) for its famous Sesame Paste 芝麻糊 or Walnut Paste核桃糊. We have ordered Mix Paste 源记渣窄糊 a signature paste of the shop. Delicious!
(Left: Sesame Paste 芝麻糊)<

Pitures taken at Temple Street.

The last MRT to Mongkok is 2345. After the dessert, we have another 30 minutes to catch the train. We went to the nearest Yau Ma Tei(油麻地) station. and headed back to hostel. It has been a tiring day as we walked for long hours.

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We called a day for our day 1 trip. Good night!