Day 9 - Until the next time Hong Kong

Our time in Hong Kong is up for this holiday. Today we leave for Dubai. As our flight is actually tomorrow at 12:30am we've booked the apartment for an extra full day to allow us the time to explore, pack and get to the airport without the rush of an early check out.

After a long evening the night before we kick started a little later. It's quite hard to "rest" when visiting a city like Hong Kong as there is just so much happening. You find yourself caught up in the buzz of the city that you spend little time at home relaxing. This isn't so much a problem as we move to Dubai next where all we plan to do is soak up the sun and relax. 

We ventured back to Kowloon and headed up the 100 floors to Sky100. It's an expensive experience but the 360 degree views were certainly impressive. 

We had read many positive reviews about a Chinese vegetarian restaurant nearby called Three Virtues, so we headed over for a bit to eat. We where the only non-local customers, thankfully they did have an English menu. Whilst being vegetarian the foods were named after animal counterparts like chicken cartilage and shark fin. We picked three of the safest dishes which was an experience. We started with jasmine tea and soft nuts and for mains we had rice with fake ham with sweet and sour wantons. 

Having 90 mins to get back to the apartment to start the packing we decided to squeeze in a little walk to the avenue of the stars and the waterfront to take in the views across the Hong Kong Island one more time. 

The mid Autumn moon was high in the sky. Locals took photos of it whilst kids wandered around with lit lanterns. Tonight is the festival and we are going to miss it! The skyline here in Hong Kong has to be one of the most impressive I've ever seen. It's hard to say goodbye to such a beautiful and energetic city. 

We took the ferry across the harbor and headed back to the apartment to pack our bags and make our way to the airport. 

Hong Kong station located near by is where yiu can take the airport express. For a small charge (on octopus) you can even check in and drop your bags there! It was as usual very warm out and we didn't want to drag out bags through the underground/metro and streets above. The plan was to take a taxi to the station. However none of them would pick us up! We hope it was not because we where two white men with bags and they want to only deal with locals and local journeys. Countless available taximen blanked us. We had no choice but to drag our bags. 

Time was tight now, so the in city check in was a saviour. It only took 30 mins to get to the airport (which is MASSIVE). 

Our flight to Dubai is due to take off at 12:35am. Goodbye Hong Kong. You have been incredible (again). 

Day 8 - The Peak

It was our last full day in Hong Kong so we ventured up The Peak on Hong Kong Island. A tram takes you to the top of the mountain where you will find trails you can walk/hike around taking in breathtaking views. We did one of these trails when we were last here so we just went up to take in the view this time round. 

Central Hong Kong

On the way to the Peak Tram

As it was a cloudy day the views weren't as great as they can be, there was also a strong breeze, but it was impressive. The views down over Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour, Kowloon and onwards to China are stunning.

Waiting on the Peak Tram

On board the Peak Tram

The queue for the team can be rather long, when we arrived it was short and we had to wait a good 20 minutes to board. There are only two trams going in opposite directions and it takes 7 minutes to get to the top/bottom.

The view down to Hong Kong Island and beyond.

We left The Peak at sun set and made our way back to central and had a great vegetarian dinner in VeggieSF which had an 1950's American Theme going on, but that aside the food was truly amazing.

For the rest of the evening we headed back to Causeway Bay and visited some of the malls and soaked up the atmosphere of the busy bustling streets.

A camera crew appeared to be making a film at a crossing

That evening we popped out to some local pubs (Volume Beat, Propaganda) and clubs but ended up in China Bar in the Lan Kwai Fong area.

Hoegaarden is very popular here! Taken in Volume Beat.

Day 7 - Mad for Macau

Hong Kong whilst part of China is a Special Administrative Region, or SAR. There is a second SAR, Macau located an hour away by ferry. It was ran by the Portuguese for some 400 years before being handed back to China in 1999. Today we took the ferry and visited this strange but wonderful city.

The one way ticket to Macau

We took the ferry to Macau, boats leave every 15 minutes from the ferry terminal on Honk Kong Island. We opted for a single way ticket as tickets are for timed crossings, so if like us and you don't want to be watching the clock for your return trip it's best to go one way each way. With 4 sailings and hour it's fine to turn up and be on a boat within half an hour.

On board the boat - it's allocated seating

The boat we took

 It takes just 1 hour to cross. You do need your passport and need to officially leave Hong Kong and pass through customs and gain entry to Macau when arriving. The same is true when returning. 

Street signs in Macau are in Portuguese set in tiles 

Macau has a different currency to Hong Kong and China but Hong Kong Dollars are accepted and from our experience you will get change back in HK dollars but small coins will be in Macau patacas.

Outside the ferry terminal in Macau is a casino set inside a replica blue cube, made famous from the Beijing Olympics 

Motorbikes seem to be the locals preferred mode of transport.

After arriving we noticed all the big hotels and casinos had free transfers to their resorts. We wanted to see the city first so we bypassed and walked the 2 or 3km's into the historic city centre.

The symbol of the city in one of it's public plazas

Macau is famed for its Portuguese influence on the cities design and for its Casinos. The street paths are lined with stone tiles whilst road signage is in both Cantonese and Portuguese. 

Pavements are lined with stone tiles

It's very European in parts whilst in total contrast all the major casino brands have set up home here, with a strip with names more common to Las Vegas including the MGM, Sands and the worlds largest casino The Venetian. It's a vast contrast which makes Macau a fascinating place to visit. 

The Grande Lisboa

One building of interest in the city centre was  the Grand Lisboa. It's lotus flower design in gold dominates the skyline. It's gaudy and simply wonderful. We detoured and ventured inside to join the 100s of Chinese tourists inside the lobby photographing the impressive art displays on show. As dominant at the building is during the day, at night it's shines bright in crazy colours with a light show more fitting to Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour.

The Grand Lisboa to the right and the main street in the distance

Senado - the main square is a real throw back to the cities European past. Complete with a fountain it's rather out of place here in China. However it has been localised with lantern decorations and at night is brightly lit up in all sorts of coloured lights which does cheapen what can be a classy public square.

Senado Plaza - very European indeed

We visited the only wall left standing in the ruins of St. Paul's cathedral. This 16th century cathedral was burned down. What remains is a single facade from what was one of the biggest Christian buildings in The East.

The ruins of St. Paul's

The view down over the city from the hill where the ruins of St. Paul are situated

After a walk of the city at night and some Portuguese vanilla egg we jumped in a taxi and headed to the worlds largest casino for a look - The Venetian. 

Portuguese vanilla egg tart - very tasty

Grand Lisboa as illuminated at night

The Venetian is one of 7 hotels on a separate strip on a neighbouring island. It's rather Disneyland. You really can get drawn in by the bright lights and whole theme park feel to the hotel. 

Inside the shopping area of The Venetian Hotel

Alongside the canal and gondola

The entrance to the worlds largest casino

Yes there is a crazy big casino which allows folk enter wearing shorts but there is also the shopping element set against the backdrop of a Venetian cityscape complete with fake sky and canals with gondolas! It's just like its counterpart in Las Vegas. 

Inside the worlds largest casino

Local food available in the many restaurants

We stayed for dinner but took the complementary bus back to the ferry terminal and travelled back to Hong Kong on a 22:30 crossing. We highly recommend visiting Macau if you find yourself in this part of the world. It's a real experience and contrast to that found in Hong Kong.

On the boat back to Hong Kong (Kowloon)

Day 6 - Big Buddha

We actually got up early today! 10am, required as we needed to make the journey to the Po Lin Buddhist Monastery. It's located in the mountains over in Ngong Ping which is on Lantau Island. The usual tourist way to travel there is via cable car, however we are here during the only three weeks a year when the car is stopped for maintenance, so we had to get a bus.

Waiting on the number 23 bus in Tung Chung. The area had massive 30+ floor apartment blocks.

You can pay for the bus using your Octopus card for a flat rate of $17.50

It took a good hour to get to Tung Chung, the end of one of the metro lines where we connected with a local Lantau Island bus. The buses only ran every 20 minutes and there were already quite a lot of tourists in the queue. They appeared to increase the frequency, but still there was a wait for the 40 minute bus ride over the mountain and island before we reached the Monastery. 

Waiting on the bus in the heat of 30c

The journey did provide us some breathtaking scenic views of white beaches and lush mountain sides. Truly stunning.  

One of the beaches on Lantau Island

At the entrance gate

Lo Pin Monastery is an active one, the monks were present and praying in their great hall. It was haunting hearing their chanting as we explored the grounds. Before climbing up the 268 steps to the foot of the Tian Tan Buddha statue we purchase a meal ticket for $68 (€6.50) which gave us access to the museum inside the statue in addition to granting us access to the on site vegetarian restaurant for a meal afterwards.  

The grounds of the Lo Pin Monastery

The Tian Tan Buddha statue (also known as the Big Buddha) was only erected in 1993 but has become a favourite with visiting tourists and pilgrims. It is 34 metres high making it the worlds largest seated outdoor Buddha.

The Big Buddha is seated facing mainland China, one hand raised giving a blessing to all.

Vinnie in front of the 268 steps which lead up to the Buddha

Opposite the statue are the grounds of the Po Lin Monastery, regarded as one of the most important in all of Hong Kong. We enjoyed lunch in the Monastery's vegetarian restaurant. There is also a snack shop (again vegetarian). Included where 6 courses of food and black tea. It was delicious.

Our vegetarian dinner provided by the monks

We explored the grounds a little before leaving to the make the return journey back home.

Some of the many incense burners and pots around the monastery 

The queue for the bus back was worse than coming up, but this time there was no shelter from the direct sun light, so we did what the locals do, we took out our umbrellas!

Vinnie keeping the sun off himself. It was 32c at this point. 

Arriving back in Tung Chung we spend some time at the outlet mall they had build around the metro station. 

Pacific Coffee is their local Starbucks. This one, located in the Citygate outlet mall had a stunning backdrop

Before heading back to the apartment to ventured out to Festival Walk Mall, another mega mall.

Festival Walk Shopping Mall