We thought it might help us adjust to the new time zone and the warmer weather, and we were right on both accounts.
January is a great time to visit Hong Kong - the weather was perfect, the crowds were minimal. We even managed to time our trip to coincide with the locals going back to school, which was fantastic when we went to Hong Kong Disney (more on that in a later post).
Advert for an anti-aging serum. Love the name.
I have lots of Hong Kong Awesomeness to share, but before I do I'd like to say a big thank you to Jo over at The Ghost Who Shops. She was kind enough to email me with some great advice on enjoying her city-state. Thanks Jo!
High on my agenda was partaking in Yum Cha - traditionally a morning/lunch/afternoon tea experience that consists of lots of small portions (called dim sum) to share:
Yum Cha: Hong Kong's answer to tapas
You can either order from a menu, as we did at Lei Bistro:
Or choose from the carts circling the restaurant floor, as we did at the Metropol:
The fun part is making sure you don't end up with chicken feet. Unless you like chicken feet.
For getting around, you can't beat public transport in Hong Kong. Buy an Octopus card and you'll be able to travel (bus, train, ferry, cable car) everywhere without having to look for change. A bonus when sightseeing with kids and extra hands are hard to come by.
The tram system is excellent. Jump on at the back and exit at the front - remember to duck if you have a little one in a baby backpack.
What George Clooney* rides when he comes to town
Trams are a great way to get a feel for the city as well:
Why, hello there.
We took the tram/metro to Kowloon one afternoon to visit the Temple Street Night Markets:
Loved the gates:
You probably won't find anything life-changing at the markets but it's a good place to pick up some cheap and cheerful souvenirs.
If you're over at Kowloon at night you might as well stick around for the Symphony of Lights which lights up the skyline every night at 8pm.
The kids will enjoy it; the adults will be probably just be amused. It's greatly improved by having an ice cream in your hand.
Frick'n Lasers
We caught the ferry home
If you're short of evenings in Hong Kong I would recommend you visit Victoria Peak over the light show.
You catch a tram up to the top of the Peak:
Steep incline makes for wacky pictures
You'll be rewarded with a spectacular 360 degree view over Hong Kong.
A peek from The Peak.
Make sure you check the weather forecast for the days you're there so you can pick the clearest time to visit. I would've loved to go back during the day, too.
Hope you're all having a great weekend!
P.S Congratulations Eva and J on your new baby girl!!
*This is only fair given the Hugh video last week:
17 comments:
Great photos, as usual! Hong Kong is a fabulous place, except in July (when I was there!!) And you can't beat George....sigh.....!
That all looks fab, well, except prospective chicken feet, I'd have been avoiding them too!
I love Hong Kong and Hubby and I have been going there every year for the past 13 for my birthday in January. I agree with you, January is the best time to be there. All the great sales are on and it's not sweltering and crowded like the summer months. I'd live there in a flash if it weren't for the air pollution. These days it's thick. Nice pics too. They really capture the craziness of the place.
love Hong Kong, love yum cha, love GC, don't love chickens feet, not one little bit
You've managed to put a smile on my face yet again! Ahh, George....
Yeah baby! The Alan Parsons Project!
I must go back to Hong Kong, in the meantime I'll be happy with yum cha, minus the chicken feet, in The Valley.
George..........................ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Thank you!!!!!!!!!
How on earth do you order off of one of those menus??
Thanks for the George hit this morning :)
Hong Kong, George, Hong Kong, George - mmm Honkers or George?????
Cannot wait for your next video. Thank you for making me smile.
Hugh was so "last week"....Are you tech savvy enough to put George on loop for me? Laughing has to be good on a mon morn....thnx!
You're more than welcome - fab photos!
Amazing city!
I'd have been totally stumped by that menu!
Love the photos and the video.....gave me just the laugh I needed.
You get to visit such colorful places - nice
Wow. Hong Kong has got a whole lot going on. So many lights, and lanterns and colors, and of course, you've captured them all beautifully you talented shutterbug you!
And now I want dim sum.
P.S. You just know Gregory would order himself some chicken feet! x
Thank you so much for the congratulations, Kirsty! :-) Hong Kong looks really interesting and there are so many different things to see! I must say, though, the food sounds most appealing, except for the chicken feet, perhaps! It sounds so much fun to taste little bites of different portions!
PS: George stole J's pyjamas!!
Oh my, this city looks like something that I have to put on my 'to visit' list!
Thanks a lot for sharing, everything lloks yummy: the streets, the colors, the dim sum and of course dear, old, handsome George.
I am very foody i guess taste is my life. and the fact is you can only find true flavor and taste in street food, and Hong Kong is hub of street food. Surely gonna visit some day and enjoy my favorite dim sum lobster....
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