Showing posts with label Outings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outings. Show all posts
Monday, July 8, 2013
Cheung Chau Bun Festival! 長洲包山節
The legendary Cheung Chau Bun Festival is a special day full of dancing lions, street food that allure tourists and locals alike...and buns. Lots of lots of buns. Buns all shapes and sizes, made from many materials (although you wouldn't want to eat the plastic ones really).
Friday, August 24, 2012
Thailand - Part 4: Chiang Mai
The next morning was yet another early day; the four of us had to pack our bags, check out of the hotel, and get aboard the bus to take us to our first tour destination. The transportation was not exactly what I in mind - somehow, I thought there would be a cushy small tour van that would take us to place to place, but instead, we find ourselves in the back of a truck-like taxi vehicle, where we sat on benches along with 6 other people. I didn't mind it though (until one of the benches broke down...but we'll get to that later) :P
Our first stop was a butterfly/orchid farm. In my opinion, it was kind of disappointing. The orchids were indeed pretty and fragrant, but I didn't really know enough about orchids to tell the difference between this one and the other :S. The butterfly farm appeared to have only 1 butterfly. To our horror, the facility used heavy metal chains in the doorway to brutally stop (and kill) any butterfly that attempts to fly though through the "door". It really wasn't very pleasant stepping through the killer metal chains.
Our first stop was a butterfly/orchid farm. In my opinion, it was kind of disappointing. The orchids were indeed pretty and fragrant, but I didn't really know enough about orchids to tell the difference between this one and the other :S. The butterfly farm appeared to have only 1 butterfly. To our horror, the facility used heavy metal chains in the doorway to brutally stop (and kill) any butterfly that attempts to fly though through the "door". It really wasn't very pleasant stepping through the killer metal chains.
Jordan sniffing the orchids.
Another type of orchids
Jean and I posing with the beautiful flowers!
A nice lady took a picture for the two of us
Some of the tourists were more enthralled with the cat
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
East on Ma On Shan - a Stroll alongside the Ocean
Not having a plan at all was the plan for March 4th. I, having finished a midterm, was ready to leave the campus and set out to explore! We met up with Chris, and left for our adventure readily.
Me: I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves, I think 2 is ambitious enough!
Our goal for our 4 months here in Hong Kong is to visit every MTR station. There are 84 MTR stations in total; we have completed 25. Our progress isn't too bad so far, but we have to take in mind that we will become busy as finals are progressing nearer...but anyway, we still are trying our best!
Mountain!
We transit to Choi Hung MTR station, transfer 2 times and soon enough, we were at our destination - Wu Kai Sha (烏溪沙), situated in the Northeastern area of the New Territories. The station is the East-most station along the Ma On Shan (馬鞍山) line, and from our little research we did the night before, we were aware that it was by the water. We also found out that there is a mountain nearby to be hiked - the Ma On Shan mountain, which one of the top 10 highest peaks in Hong Kong!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau
It was another cloudy day in Clear Water Bay in Hong Kong. We were hoping for a bit of sun, but the slight fog definitely wasn't going to dampen our spirits. We were headed to a new place for adventure today - Aberdeen!
Jordan by the ferry boats
Now, the name 'Aberdeen' to Vancouverites means a shopping mall in Richmond, but it had quite a different meaning here. Aberdeen in Hong Kong is know for their fishing and seafood industry, as well as more tourist geared places such as floating restaurants. The public transit trip there took quite a while - approximately an hour and a half, but we enjoyed the ride as we talked to our fellow exchange friend, Chris, about school, Hong Kong, a bit of philosophy and lots of food.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Valentine's on the Peak, Part 2
...continued from Valentine's on the Peak
Although the view was gorgeous, and the atmosphere romantic and relaxing, we noticed that we were getting chilly and definitely very hungry. So we decided to head on down to the most touristy, non-local food we've had so far in Hong Kong - Bubba Gump Shrimp!
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co is a chain of restaurants originating in the US, that serves shrimp as their specialty. This restaurant is themed around the novel and movie Forrest Gump - you would have to either read the book or watch the movie to know why in fact, it's called "Bubba Gump". The atmosphere in the restaurant was very...North American. I felt like I was back home, at a regular restaurant in Downtown Vancouver or Toronto. Artists such as Taylor Swift was playing in the background, the place was decorated with pictures of Gump and American friends, and there were signs with English quotes written on them, such as "Stupid is as stupid does". The only thing that felt different than North American restaurants was the waiters and waitress communicating to each other in Cantonese. It was quite an interesting mix...
The dinner was incredibly enjoyable. I must say, as much as I love Chinese food, I do miss American food. The fries were well cooked, the coleslaw was a nice alternative to vegetables in soup, and the shrimp - oh my gosh, the shrimp - was delectable. We ordered the Shrimper's Heaven, a shrimp platter, which we were told was a must get here at Bubba Shrimp. There were 4 kinds of fish - cocktail shrimp, coconut shrimp, tempura shrimp and fried shrimp, and it came with a few dipping sauces that were made to compliment each of the shrimp. We also ordered some Captain's Fish and Chips to share. I was very, very happy. In addition to stuffing ourselves with seafood, I also enjoyed some of the quirky things of the restaurant. For example, if you wanted the waiters'/waitresses' attention, you display the sign, "Stop, Forrest, stop!" and if you're all good and happy, you display the sign "Run, Forrest, run!". The theme and atmosphere of this restaurant spurred us to watch the Forrest Gump movie the next day :)
Since we started the night off being tourists, we of course, ended the night being tourists as well! We wandered around outside for a while, trying to see if we could identify hiking trails that we can take up in the future. We took a couple more photos, then decided to take the scenic route home - the bus! As the bus winded down the mountain, we got to see the beautiful view once more. The buildings became taller and taller as the bus rolled down the mountain, and we became tinier and tinier in comparison, and soon enough, we were once again, only a small fraction of the grand skyscrapers of Hong Kong.
Although the view was gorgeous, and the atmosphere romantic and relaxing, we noticed that we were getting chilly and definitely very hungry. So we decided to head on down to the most touristy, non-local food we've had so far in Hong Kong - Bubba Gump Shrimp!
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co is a chain of restaurants originating in the US, that serves shrimp as their specialty. This restaurant is themed around the novel and movie Forrest Gump - you would have to either read the book or watch the movie to know why in fact, it's called "Bubba Gump". The atmosphere in the restaurant was very...North American. I felt like I was back home, at a regular restaurant in Downtown Vancouver or Toronto. Artists such as Taylor Swift was playing in the background, the place was decorated with pictures of Gump and American friends, and there were signs with English quotes written on them, such as "Stupid is as stupid does". The only thing that felt different than North American restaurants was the waiters and waitress communicating to each other in Cantonese. It was quite an interesting mix...
The dinner was incredibly enjoyable. I must say, as much as I love Chinese food, I do miss American food. The fries were well cooked, the coleslaw was a nice alternative to vegetables in soup, and the shrimp - oh my gosh, the shrimp - was delectable. We ordered the Shrimper's Heaven, a shrimp platter, which we were told was a must get here at Bubba Shrimp. There were 4 kinds of fish - cocktail shrimp, coconut shrimp, tempura shrimp and fried shrimp, and it came with a few dipping sauces that were made to compliment each of the shrimp. We also ordered some Captain's Fish and Chips to share. I was very, very happy. In addition to stuffing ourselves with seafood, I also enjoyed some of the quirky things of the restaurant. For example, if you wanted the waiters'/waitresses' attention, you display the sign, "Stop, Forrest, stop!" and if you're all good and happy, you display the sign "Run, Forrest, run!". The theme and atmosphere of this restaurant spurred us to watch the Forrest Gump movie the next day :)
Since we started the night off being tourists, we of course, ended the night being tourists as well! We wandered around outside for a while, trying to see if we could identify hiking trails that we can take up in the future. We took a couple more photos, then decided to take the scenic route home - the bus! As the bus winded down the mountain, we got to see the beautiful view once more. The buildings became taller and taller as the bus rolled down the mountain, and we became tinier and tinier in comparison, and soon enough, we were once again, only a small fraction of the grand skyscrapers of Hong Kong.
Macau!
Macau, as many people know, is just across the pond in terms of travel from Hong Kong is quite suitable for a day trip. Close enough for a day visit, but a distinctly different culture resides there. Hundreds of years of Portuguese influence still holds strong there, and the food, language and architecture are hallmarks of this small gem. We took an early ferry ride on the TurboJET, so that we could try to come back the same day, and avoid paying for a hotel room.
After arriving in Macau, we made our way through immigration and out to the main entrance where a slew of tour guides, bus drivers and guys who drive minivans are awaiting the tourists. Many people approach us offering tours as we unfold our large tourist maps and try to find commonality in the sheet of points that we printed off of Google Maps.
Departing HKUST
On the TurbeJET!
After arriving in Macau, we made our way through immigration and out to the main entrance where a slew of tour guides, bus drivers and guys who drive minivans are awaiting the tourists. Many people approach us offering tours as we unfold our large tourist maps and try to find commonality in the sheet of points that we printed off of Google Maps.
Valentine's on the Peak!
Monday, February 13th was turning out to be a normal day. I had just finished my two classes of the day, and went home to Skype with my brother. As usual, he was being clown. After our conversation, I was sitting in my room, thinking of what I was going to do in the immediate future, when my phone rang.
Melody: Hello?
Jordan: Hey, how's it going?
Melody: Good! How you?
Jordan: Good. Um, hey, do you have dress clothes?
Melody: Uh...yes. I brought a summer dress thing...
Jordan: Ok, good. And what kind of shoes?
Melody: Well...I have a pair of heels and my flats.
Jordan: Oh ok!
So it appears that my boyfriend suddenly developed an interest in women's apparel.
Melody: Hello?
Jordan: Hey, how's it going?
Melody: Good! How you?
Jordan: Good. Um, hey, do you have dress clothes?
Melody: Uh...yes. I brought a summer dress thing...
Jordan: Ok, good. And what kind of shoes?
Melody: Well...I have a pair of heels and my flats.
Jordan: Oh ok!
So it appears that my boyfriend suddenly developed an interest in women's apparel.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Sai Kung weekend: Seafood and hiking
Ended up in Sai Kung twice this weekend. Saturday night was a seafood adventure. We got off the bus and walked around looking for restaurants to eat at. Found this one place and managed to get a pretty reasonable price for an amazing dinner. Initially found out that the prices were generally high in the area following the period of Chinese New Year. Finished dinner and went around for a walk. Found their "Temple Square" where a large bamboo stage was built for a traditional Chinese Opera, which was about to start. We ran across the street to one of the three 7-11's that we saw in Sai Kung and bought some beers and went back to enjoy one of the acts in the show.
We didn't have a very Cantonese dinner group so we didn't stay at the Opera for long, but we were there long enough to admire their intricate costumes. Walked further around Sai Kung and found some of the larger restaurants with their fish tanks - the ones that you point at a lobster and get to have it steaming on your table 20 minutes later.
We didn't have a very Cantonese dinner group so we didn't stay at the Opera for long, but we were there long enough to admire their intricate costumes. Walked further around Sai Kung and found some of the larger restaurants with their fish tanks - the ones that you point at a lobster and get to have it steaming on your table 20 minutes later.
Beautiful Scallops dish
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Taiwan Adventure Journal - Day 2!
Day 2 - January 18th, 2012.
We woke up bright and early the next day to start on another days adventure in TAIWAN! My dad met up with us, and he took us on our first trip on the Taipei Metro! It is such a great system. You buy a card, put money on it, swipe it when you go into the subway station, and when you go out. The further you go, the more you pay. The average amount that we pay per subway ride is about $1 and that gets us pretty far already. There are 6 different subway lines, most of them extending to either the north/south or east/west point of the city, therefore making it so easy to transit around. The subways are clean, fast and nicely air-conditioned. So it's pretty fantastic, and definitely beats the TTC by a billion times. See here for a picture of the Taipei subway transit.
Our next adventure was the Mao Kong Gondola (貓空纜車). One thing that amazed us, first and foremost, was the price of the Gondola. It costs a person, regularly, about 2 dollars CAD to go up the gondola. I am not sure how much the Grouse Gondola is, but I can bet it's at least 5 time the price. So we got our tickets and waiting to go on the special Gondolas, which are called the Crystal Eye Gondolas, because the floor is glass and clear, meaning you can stare straight down and scare the hell out of yourself. It was pretty scary at first for me, but I got used to it. The movement of the gondolas was actually more frightening that the actual height. But I wasn't that scared, and my dad and Jordan were definitely not scared at all. In the gondola, we got to see the beautiful view of Taipei City, nice green trees on the mountains and birds eye view of a man whacking weeds. Woo woo! (PS, I just checked the price for the Grouse Gondola. $39.95. Holy wow, seriously??).
We woke up bright and early the next day to start on another days adventure in TAIWAN! My dad met up with us, and he took us on our first trip on the Taipei Metro! It is such a great system. You buy a card, put money on it, swipe it when you go into the subway station, and when you go out. The further you go, the more you pay. The average amount that we pay per subway ride is about $1 and that gets us pretty far already. There are 6 different subway lines, most of them extending to either the north/south or east/west point of the city, therefore making it so easy to transit around. The subways are clean, fast and nicely air-conditioned. So it's pretty fantastic, and definitely beats the TTC by a billion times. See here for a picture of the Taipei subway transit.
Our next adventure was the Mao Kong Gondola (貓空纜車). One thing that amazed us, first and foremost, was the price of the Gondola. It costs a person, regularly, about 2 dollars CAD to go up the gondola. I am not sure how much the Grouse Gondola is, but I can bet it's at least 5 time the price. So we got our tickets and waiting to go on the special Gondolas, which are called the Crystal Eye Gondolas, because the floor is glass and clear, meaning you can stare straight down and scare the hell out of yourself. It was pretty scary at first for me, but I got used to it. The movement of the gondolas was actually more frightening that the actual height. But I wasn't that scared, and my dad and Jordan were definitely not scared at all. In the gondola, we got to see the beautiful view of Taipei City, nice green trees on the mountains and birds eye view of a man whacking weeds. Woo woo! (PS, I just checked the price for the Grouse Gondola. $39.95. Holy wow, seriously??).
View on our way up!
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