an old blog post from almost ten years ago. again doing this for fun. :)
1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
azithromycin tablet washed down with water
2. Where was your profile picture taken?
in cash and carry makati.
3. Can you play the guitar?
Nope
4. Name someone who made you laugh today?
felicity smoak (in arrow s5ep5, you have failed this city!)
5. How late did you stay up last night and why?
around 1am cos i was reading.
6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?
absolutely
7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
no. hah. heheh.
8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on Facebook?
sherry, one of my best friends :)
9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?
maybe. i dunno.
10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?
like it when it's ice cold. mmmmm!!!!!!
11. When was the last time you cried?
the other day maybe
12. Who took your profile picture
me
13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
forgot who.
14. Was yesterday better than today?
About the same
15. Can you live a day without TV?
sure if i subscribe to netflix or iflix, which i don't, so no i can't live without tv. lol
16. Are you upset about anything?
a lot of things as of late.
17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
what kind?
18. Are you a bad influence?
get to know me and then you'll know. ;-)
19. Night out or night in?
depends on my mood, but mostly nights in.
20. What item(s) could you not go without during the day?
eyeglasses, books
22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?
a request to be a table head in an upcoming event. (no, thanks)
23. How do you feel about your life right now?
crappy
24. Do you hate anyone?
...
25. If we were to look in your Email inbox, what would we find most?
e-newsletters i rarely read, jobstreet announcements, fb notices. how sad. lol
26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?\
yes
27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
no.
28. What song is stuck in your head?
sugartown, zooey deschanel's version
29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?
i don't want it to be anyone or anything... my room is on the second floor and unless that someone is on a ladder, just no! lol
30. Wanna have grandkids before you're 50?
quite impossible now, given my age
31. Name something you have to do tomorrow:
have my nails done
32. Do you think too much or too little?
oh, man. too much. lolol
33. Do you smile a lot?
i thought i did until some people pointed out that i either look sad or mad (when in fact i was only thinking about what to freaking eat after the ultra-boring meeting or i was winning an imaginary conversation with an enemy)
Friday, 4 November 2016
Thursday, 3 November 2016
travel q and a
just copied this from a friend years ago. doing this again for fun and to see if any of my answers have changed. ha.
1. would you rather travel by plane, bus, train, or boat? why? -i actually enjoy traveling by plane, bus, train and boat. any mode of transportation's fine with me as long as i get to my destination.
2. name the countries you've been to. which is your favourite and why? - states, australia, malaysia, thailand, france, hong kong. i would say my current favourite is hong kong because it was the very first time i went on a trip by myself, and abroad at that. but i like all actually, i wish just i could have spent more time in france, which was all of 3 days. heheh.
3. where in your country have you been? which place is your favorite and why? - aside from my beloved metro manila... batangas, cavite, laguna, quezon, legaspi, sorsogon, naga, baguio, banaue, cebu, ormoc (leyte), northern palawan, pampanga, pangasinan, nueva ecija, pagudpud (ilocos norte), davao. my favorite would be palawan coz it was sort of like a pilgrimage to where my lola spent her childhood years (in culion island). went there with relatives and aside from exploring culion island, we went on an island safari, staying in one for 3 days 2 nights; island hopping around the calamian group of islands, and of course visiting calauit, coron and barracuda lakes and makinit hot springs. all these for one glorious week. and then i did this adventure again ten years later, with my friends this time minus the island safari cos you know, budget and all.
4. what do you do to kill time if you have a layover in the airport/terminal/pier? - if there's someone with me, then mega chika galore. if i'm traveling alone, i read and listen to music from my mp3. if i get bored from reading and listening to music, then i go staring off into space.
5. if you have a choice to go to either france or italy, where would you go and why? - there is no question. i will go to both countries. specifically in may for italy (giro d'italia) and july for france (este, tour de france. hahaha!)
6. if you go to the beach what is the main thing that constantly bothers you? - crowds of people
7. how long has it been since you last traveled? - abroad, three months; domestic, one month ago.
8. where did you go on your first airplane ride? - los angeles, ca
9. what three things do you always bring with you to your travels? - pen, money, smart phone
10. what is something you would definitely see in a highway? - aside from the usual vehicles, i expect to see fields... lots and lots of green fields!
11. do you over pack or under pack? - depends on where i'm going.
12. if you could visit a country for its cuisine only, which country will it be? - japan and greece
13. do you think flying first class is worth the money? - i guess so. but i get upgraded anyway without having to say anything so yeah. ;)
14. have you ever had to use a barf bag? - only to put extra food in.
15. would you rather have an uninterrupted one-month (28 days) vacation in a year, or four seven-day vacations spread throughout the year? - depends on my needs.
16. would you go on a vacation alone? - already did, in hong kong. woohoo!
17. if i cover all expenses for your vacation, where would you go? - norway
18. both pilots of the boeing 747 you are on have had a heart attack, the stewardess asks if anyone would be willing to try and land the plane with help from ground control. would you volunteer? - i will tell them to ask instead if there's a licensed pilot among the passengers.
19. what is one thing you find annoying that people do at the beach? - run around doing nothing. ha.
20. would you rather take the scenic route or shortest route? - always the scenic route.
21. when flying, do you prefer the window seat, middle seat, or aisle seat? any reason for it? - window seat, if only to take awesome photos of the sky. i like the aisle seat too, it makes for easy movement to the lavatory and yeah, not claustrophobic.
22. how well can you read a map? - well enough to get around.
23. what is the longest overland journey you have ever made? - from manila to bicol, and manila to banaue; new jersey to maryland, san francisco to los angeles.
24. nasa is giving away free space travel packages. would you take one to travel to the outer space? - why not?
25. do you spend most of your time with other tourists when you are on vacation? - not really. even if i'm with a tour group, i would most probably stray away anyway.
26. are you a beach or mountain person?- beach, beach, beach
27. what's your biggest travel fear? what do you do to avoid this fear? - as much as possible i don't try to think of accidents. i just pray i'll arrive safely at my destination.
28. do you take your hotel's complimentary toiletries home with you? - not anymore. now it's just the pad and pen/pencil
29. what activities do you enjoy doing when traveling? - walking, walking, walking... sightseeing, trying out delicacies, taking pictures, more walking.
30. what are the top ten places you would like to visit before you die? - all of scandinavia, japan, reunion island, uk, russia, germany, italy, andorra, spain, montenegro
1. would you rather travel by plane, bus, train, or boat? why? -i actually enjoy traveling by plane, bus, train and boat. any mode of transportation's fine with me as long as i get to my destination.
2. name the countries you've been to. which is your favourite and why? - states, australia, malaysia, thailand, france, hong kong. i would say my current favourite is hong kong because it was the very first time i went on a trip by myself, and abroad at that. but i like all actually, i wish just i could have spent more time in france, which was all of 3 days. heheh.
3. where in your country have you been? which place is your favorite and why? - aside from my beloved metro manila... batangas, cavite, laguna, quezon, legaspi, sorsogon, naga, baguio, banaue, cebu, ormoc (leyte), northern palawan, pampanga, pangasinan, nueva ecija, pagudpud (ilocos norte), davao. my favorite would be palawan coz it was sort of like a pilgrimage to where my lola spent her childhood years (in culion island). went there with relatives and aside from exploring culion island, we went on an island safari, staying in one for 3 days 2 nights; island hopping around the calamian group of islands, and of course visiting calauit, coron and barracuda lakes and makinit hot springs. all these for one glorious week. and then i did this adventure again ten years later, with my friends this time minus the island safari cos you know, budget and all.
4. what do you do to kill time if you have a layover in the airport/terminal/pier? - if there's someone with me, then mega chika galore. if i'm traveling alone, i read and listen to music from my mp3. if i get bored from reading and listening to music, then i go staring off into space.
5. if you have a choice to go to either france or italy, where would you go and why? - there is no question. i will go to both countries. specifically in may for italy (giro d'italia) and july for france (este, tour de france. hahaha!)
6. if you go to the beach what is the main thing that constantly bothers you? - crowds of people
7. how long has it been since you last traveled? - abroad, three months; domestic, one month ago.
8. where did you go on your first airplane ride? - los angeles, ca
9. what three things do you always bring with you to your travels? - pen, money, smart phone
10. what is something you would definitely see in a highway? - aside from the usual vehicles, i expect to see fields... lots and lots of green fields!
11. do you over pack or under pack? - depends on where i'm going.
12. if you could visit a country for its cuisine only, which country will it be? - japan and greece
13. do you think flying first class is worth the money? - i guess so. but i get upgraded anyway without having to say anything so yeah. ;)
14. have you ever had to use a barf bag? - only to put extra food in.
15. would you rather have an uninterrupted one-month (28 days) vacation in a year, or four seven-day vacations spread throughout the year? - depends on my needs.
16. would you go on a vacation alone? - already did, in hong kong. woohoo!
17. if i cover all expenses for your vacation, where would you go? - norway
18. both pilots of the boeing 747 you are on have had a heart attack, the stewardess asks if anyone would be willing to try and land the plane with help from ground control. would you volunteer? - i will tell them to ask instead if there's a licensed pilot among the passengers.
19. what is one thing you find annoying that people do at the beach? - run around doing nothing. ha.
20. would you rather take the scenic route or shortest route? - always the scenic route.
21. when flying, do you prefer the window seat, middle seat, or aisle seat? any reason for it? - window seat, if only to take awesome photos of the sky. i like the aisle seat too, it makes for easy movement to the lavatory and yeah, not claustrophobic.
22. how well can you read a map? - well enough to get around.
23. what is the longest overland journey you have ever made? - from manila to bicol, and manila to banaue; new jersey to maryland, san francisco to los angeles.
24. nasa is giving away free space travel packages. would you take one to travel to the outer space? - why not?
25. do you spend most of your time with other tourists when you are on vacation? - not really. even if i'm with a tour group, i would most probably stray away anyway.
26. are you a beach or mountain person?- beach, beach, beach
27. what's your biggest travel fear? what do you do to avoid this fear? - as much as possible i don't try to think of accidents. i just pray i'll arrive safely at my destination.
28. do you take your hotel's complimentary toiletries home with you? - not anymore. now it's just the pad and pen/pencil
29. what activities do you enjoy doing when traveling? - walking, walking, walking... sightseeing, trying out delicacies, taking pictures, more walking.
30. what are the top ten places you would like to visit before you die? - all of scandinavia, japan, reunion island, uk, russia, germany, italy, andorra, spain, montenegro
Friday, 30 September 2016
September Takeaways
You can't be in two places at once no matter how you wish
you could clone yourself.
The power of invisibility can be a disadvantage if you're
not actually trying to be invisible.
People who shoot the messenger kills the messenger more
effectively when they have a hired assassin to finish the job. They also have
the gall to whine to other people who tend to believe what they say. Moral lesson:
Go straight to the source unless you want to look stupid in the blink of an
eye.
Toxic people are the ones who need grace the most. Easier said
than done for those who are expected to extend such.
Goodbye, September. You've been such a stressful month.
Sunday, 17 July 2016
sunday currently vol. 17
currently:
reading: still warsaw requiem, but have already finished the wrath and the dawn by renee ahdieh and another book. already more than halfway through the book though, and now i'm also reading, in turns, since i last saw you by alice ann kudd and the rose and the dagger, the second book by renee ahdieh. so weird to read two to three books at intervals, but it could be done.
writing: this, and the last installment of my hong kong adventure. so weird that i could not string coherent sentences together. again! grrr. hoping to finish this as soon as i can so that i could start on my next travelogue. as to what's it about, just wait and see! harhar
listening: cosy in the rocket by psapp. yep, still on the loop. ;)
thinking: of how stupid i could be for waiting
smelling: nothing.
wishing: i have a spine
wearing: red t-shirt and... yes, cycling shorts. grrr lol
loving: grey's anatomy. haha!
wanting: to eat. still haven't eaten dinner.
needing: something
feeling: stupid
reading: still warsaw requiem, but have already finished the wrath and the dawn by renee ahdieh and another book. already more than halfway through the book though, and now i'm also reading, in turns, since i last saw you by alice ann kudd and the rose and the dagger, the second book by renee ahdieh. so weird to read two to three books at intervals, but it could be done.
writing: this, and the last installment of my hong kong adventure. so weird that i could not string coherent sentences together. again! grrr. hoping to finish this as soon as i can so that i could start on my next travelogue. as to what's it about, just wait and see! harhar
listening: cosy in the rocket by psapp. yep, still on the loop. ;)
thinking: of how stupid i could be for waiting
smelling: nothing.
wishing: i have a spine
wearing: red t-shirt and... yes, cycling shorts. grrr lol
loving: grey's anatomy. haha!
wanting: to eat. still haven't eaten dinner.
needing: something
feeling: stupid
Friday, 15 July 2016
random thoughts on grey's anatomy
In a previous post, I mentioned
watching the season 8 finale ("Flight") scene from Grey's Anatomy where
Lexie Grey died from the plane crash. I was content after watching it. It
satisfied my curiosity even if it left me heartbroken for a while. That was
supposed to be the end of it.
But fate just had to play a hand
in my TV habits. When I arrived home from an overseas trip in the wee hours of
the morning, I turned on the TV in the hopes that I could catch a rerun of one
of my favourite shows before settling in. Lo and behold, what should be airing
on the channel I tuned in to but the rerun of Grey's Anatomy season 8, and the first episode, no less. If this
was providence, I don't know what is.
So yeah, I initially tuned in to
watch Grey's Anatomy season eight because I wanted to see Chyler Leigh play a
different character, that is, Lexie Grey. Lexie's personality is somewhat dorky
compared to the serious Alex Danvers in Supergirl. But as the season
progressed, I found myself getting enamoured with the rest of the show's characters
and their storylines. The show made me laugh and get teary-eyed at all the
right moments all throughout. The writing was superb, and all the actors were
amazing.
I particularly like Meredith and
Cristina's friendship. Even after having seen it for just one season so far, I
get why they're dubbed the twisted sisters. The way they tormented April, oh
dear. I felt mean for laughing along with them. Miranda was fun to watch as
she's this tough-talking doctor who is very good at her job yet gets all
flustered when it comes to personal matters. Lexie had fewer appearances in the
season so I might have to backtrack to the earlier seasons to be able to see
her relationship with Mark Sloan develop.
When episode 24 finally rolled
along, it was so hard to watch it even if I had a bit of preparation. Call me
melodramatic, but not only did I feel my heart shatter into a zillion pieces
over the doctors' predicament, I found myself wiping my eyes which I promised
never to do again since I watched Prue Halliwell die on Charmed's season 3
finale. And that was a promise which was broken many times over. So as
heartbreaking as "Flight" was to watch, I loved it. And since it
ended on a cliffhanger, I had to watch episode 1 of season 9. And the one after
that. And the next...
Ooh, I have some serious catching up to do.
Yep, Grey's Anatomy is officially
in my TV playlist.
One more thing.
You're my person.
Now that is a #friendshipgoal for
you.
The theme is also a winner. Hit play!
Friday, 1 July 2016
Lost in Hong Kong: Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre
The Hong
Kong Heritage Discovery Centre opened its doors to visitors back in
October of 2005, but its history goes way, way back when Hong Kong was still a
British Colony. Built around 1910, blocks S61 and S62 of the Whitfield Barracks
was used to accommodate the British soldiers up until 1967, the year it was
handed over to the government for public use. Today, the Centre occupies the
two blocks and it houses magnificent permanent and thematic exhibition
galleries, educational activity rooms, a lecture hall, and a reference library.
Guided tours of the Centre are also available in English and Cantonese.
Let me just
say that this is simply perfect for someone born with nerdy sensibilities. Like
this silly solo traveller here, who first found the Centre a welcome respite
from walking under all that heat. The lovely courtyard even earned only a
slight glance as I came in. But it is when I reached the second floor that my
sensibilities went haywire, I literally had to stop myself from giggling like a
schoolgirl. I was that excited even if I was just by the exhibit's entrance,
all because I saw the blurb "Explore Our Heritage". And so just like
the little red hen who baked bread from scratch all by herself, I did! Explore
Hong Kong's heritage, that is!
![]() |
| Simply amazing. |
I wasn't
able to catch the guided tour in English so I went on my merry lonesome way
inside the exhibit. It is so amazing to discover that Hong Kong is a treasure
trove of archaeological sites. Most dated back from the prehistoric period, and
a lot of artifacts from China's dynasties were also on display. There is an architectural exhibit as well which showcases
the different architectural designs throughout history that could be found in
Hong Kong.
I must say
that I am awed at how the people of Hong Kong was able to preserve their
historical and cultural heritage. The displays themselves speak volumes on how much
they value them. Modern technology meets the traditional way in putting up the
exhibit and everywhere I looked was a "Wow!" moment. There were times
when I could not contain myself from marvelling aloud. I even jumped in
excitement when I saw the Ming Dynasty display. And why wouldn't I, I haven't
seen a museum yet in recent history that thought of putting up a display within the floor. The tourists there
might have thought me crazy, all giggly and jumpy and excited and talking to
myself. Haha!
![]() |
| The LED screen on the left is blank... until you place your hand on the handprint. :) |
![]() |
| Pottery shards with different patterns |
![]() |
| "Self portrait" on the Ming Dynasty display. I can't believe I'm standing on a museum display! |
![]() |
| Well-preserved dishes from the Ming Dynasty |
![]() |
| And for the life of me, I cannot remember the name of this building is, only that it is a school. This view is from the bottom window of the Look and Turn. |
After satisfying
my nerdy cravings, I proceeded to the exit when I passed by an activity room where
a workshop was ongoing at that time. The lovely lady at the doorway invited me in
and I almost refused even if admission was free. I'm so glad I changed my mind
in that nanosecond.
There were
two college age-looking guys who were in charge of the workshop. One of them spoke
to me in Chinese and he must have seen the confused look on my face so he
switched to English. It was a DIY workshop in pen holder making, with emphasis
on Hong Kong's archaeological past.
![]() |
| My map just made a cameo. Bwahahaha |
The procedure
was very easy: just colour the drawings on the sticker paper using markers, cut
them out then stick them on the coloured paper. Don't mind the blue cardboard
anymore; just put a strip of the double-sided tape on one end of the coloured
paper and attach the other end to it, making sure that it will fit the base and
the top ring once attached. And voila! Now I have a pen holder! (Not to mention
a free souvenir!)
![]() |
| My very own pen holder! ^_^ |
I know I
should feel awkward when I am the only adult among the throng of children making
a pen holder, but I didn't. Not even when all the other adults in the room were
helping their kids make their own pen holders as well as taking their pictures
with the finished product. Making the pen holder was such a fun experience for
me, it took me back to the time when I was a kid myself and enjoyed arts and crafts. I'm so proud of that pen holder that it has its own special spot in the
house. :)
Visiting the
Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre is definitely a must when one is in Hong
Kong. On my next trip there, when I am not so crazy as to go on a day tour,
I'll be sure to spend more time in the Centre. In fact, it showed me how Hong
Kong is more than just a shopping destination; it is a city very rich in
culture and history worth learning.
The Hong Kong
Heritage Discovery Centre is in Kowloon Park along Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha
Tsui, Hong Kong. Admission is free.
Get lost with me on my Hong Kong adventures :)
up next: photo essay, maybe epilogue. i dunno, we'll see. lol
Thursday, 30 June 2016
Lost in Hong Kong: (Mis)Adventures in Kowloon Park
My next and
which turned out to be my last stop is Tsim Sha Tsui, located in the southern
part of Kowloon. It is a major tourist hub where hotels, restaurants, parks,
museums, and the like abound. Tsim Sha Tsui is also a shopper's
paradise. In fact, there are several shopping malls down one road alone, among
other malls that dot the area. So when I got off the train at Tsim Sha Tsui
Station...
I carefully
studied the map in the station and saw Kowloon Park. The map stated that I
should go out at Exit A1. I would just like to say that I was by the N and P
exits at this time, in which its distance from A1 would be like walking from
the end of Building A to B in Megamall. Or at least it seemed like that because
my legs were starting to protest and more importantly, I needed to eat already.
So I guess walking towards A1 is a mean feat for someone who walked practically
nonstop for the better part of the day and only had snacks for nourishment so
far. Yay me! Hahaha!
I actually
asked the lady at the customer service desk if I could ride a bus from Exit N5
to Kowloon Park, but in a stern voice she told me that it is too near so I
should just go to Exit A1. Gulp. It was a loooooong walk from N to A1 but thank
heavens I finally got out of the station. Looking at the map again now, I could
have gotten out through Exit C1 which is just across from where I was and saved
myself some energy. But I guess the lady's directions worked out well in
the end.
There was a
Mc Cafe (McDonald's) on a street just off Nathan Road and I made a beeline for
it. The place was packed and I didn't care anymore that I was once again
choosing the familiar over trying something unique. Arguing with myself proved
to be futile since my mind was already set on filling my stomach with something
substantial, and fast. I settled on a stool on a table among strangers and
enjoyed my cheeseburger meal. Hey, no one can go wrong with cheeseburgers and
fries. Ever. :)
While I was
studying my map in Mc Cafe, I saw the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre to be
within Kowloon Park so that became my main destination. Little did I know that
on the way there, I would be wonderfully sidetracked by several other
attractions in the park, which included the Hong Kong Avenue of Comic Stars,
the Chinese Garden, the Aviary, Pool Complex, Bird Lake, and that fateful
bridge, which will have sort of a special mention later on.
Upon entering
the sprawling 13.3 hectare Kowloon Park, the first attraction I saw is the Hong Kong Avenue
of Comic Stars. It opened in 2012 and features twenty-four larger-than-life-sized
famous comic characters and ten bronze handprints of comic artists. Actually had
a blooper here. I mistook this attraction to be a part of the Avenue of Stars at first since I thought "comic stars" meant comedians. Learned that it meant comic book characters and it is a whole different tourist attraction from Hong Kong's Avenue of Stars, which is located right at the promenade overlooking Victoria Harbour. Hee-hee, my bad.
Walking further,
I arrived at the Chinese Garden. There was a covered walkway on one side where a
lot of women converged to relax and have their lunch. In the middle of the garden
is a pond with a gazebo and bridge which spans the breadth of the pond. Would
have loved to sit for a while in the gazebo but seeing that there were several
people already lounging there, I opted to hang out by the other end of the
bridge instead. In the lake were several turtles sunning themselves on rocks
and fallen tree trunks. There was also a sign there stating not to feed the
wildlife that live in the park.
![]() |
| Chinese Garden |
![]() |
| Terrapins |
Just sitting
there for a while was enough for me to marvel at seeing lush greenery and
wildlife in the middle of the metropolis. It is easy to think that I am in some
place far away from the hustle and bustle of the city even if parts of the city
skyline peeked over the treetops.
The Pool
Complex and the Aviary were a nice surprise since I came across them by
accident. The pool was open to the public and there were many families enjoying
the cool waters on that day. And why shouldn't they, the weather was perfect.
As I
rounded the top of a hill, I saw the grand rocky entrance of the Aviary. I had
to go down several steps to get to the Aviary but get there I did. The Aviary
houses several exotic bird species in addition to the wild ones that reside in
the park. I like how it is very well-kept. The birds seemed content in their
surroundings too.
When I
exited the Aviary, I finally spied a sign pointing to the Hong Kong Heritage
Discovery Centre. I followed the path leading to the place; however, the lovely
flamingoes hanging out in Bird Lake caught my attention. I was so excited to
see real-life flamingoes again since it's been eons since I've seen some. Photo
ops, then? You bet. I took as many as I could from my camera phone.
![]() |
| The nearest my phone can reach |
![]() |
| Tranquility in the midst of a bustling metropolis |
After
taking photos, I went on the path which I thought was still the way to Hong
Kong Heritage Discovery Centre. But lo and behold, there was no Hong Kong Heritage
Discovery Centre in sight. Instead, I found myself standing before a bridge
that led to China Hong Kong City instead. Since I was already there, it
wouldn't hurt to take a look what's beyond the bridge, and so I crossed it
under the heat of the scorching sun.
![]() |
| Taken from the bridge |
There were
more buildings than trees in this area so there was little protection from the
glaring light and heat. Still, I pressed on. There is a view deck just beyond
the ferry dock where I had a great view of Hong Kong Island. It just became too
hot for me eventually so I retraced my steps back to the park with the
intention of getting to Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, making sure to
follow every sign that pointed to my destination.
![]() |
| Victoria Harbour |
There were
no more lovely distractions this time, except for a group of Filipinos in the
thick of a cheerdance rehearsal which I watched for a little bit. Then, continuing
on my way, I finally found what I was looking for.
*insert
victory cry here*
Get lost with me on my Hong Kong adventures :)
Next: Hong
Kong Heritage Discovery Centre
Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Lost in Hong Kong: Mong Kok
After my
historical rambles in Hong Kong's New Territories, I took the train once more
to the two most touristy districts in my book: Mong Kok and Kowloon. In Manila,
Mong Kok and Kowloon are synonymous to Chinese restaurants, as are Wan Chai and
Aberdeen (Court). Little did I know that the names of these restaurants
originated from the different districts in Hong Kong until I travelled there.
Funny thing is, I didn't eat in any of the restaurants in Mong Kok and Kowloon.
With the exception of having some street food, I forgot to eat a proper lunch
because I was so enamoured walking and enjoying the sights.
But here I
go again, I'm getting ahead of myself. So let me begin with the time I stepped
off the MTR and into Mong Kok Station, which I found to be a very bustling
place at noontime.
![]() |
I recalled
the helpful guy at the tourist counter in the airport say that the Ladies'
Market in Mong Kok opens at noon, so that was definitely in my itinerary as
well as Sneaker Street. To do that, I got out the exit nearest Sneaker Street
and was treated with a visual delight of signs, signs, and more signs. Wow! is
the first thing that came to mind. It must look more impressive at night time
when all of them are lighted.
![]() |
| My first view of Mong Kok as I exited the station |
![]() |
| Busy-not-so-busy street. |
While it
was a Sunday and there's the underlying tranquility that goes with the day, the
tourists and locals made the general atmosphere of the place more alive. I
would have loved to stay in a corner and people watch for a while but there were no
benches to be seen so I did the next best thing: try out the street food.
Electronic
stores and massage parlors abound on one strip with a smattering of street food
stalls in between them. As I walked
along the street, I met a couple of Filipinos walking by and chatted them up
for a bit. It was fun meeting people from my own country and just getting to know them even for a short while. The couple then took me to a stall that sold
interesting-looking street food.
There were
the familiar isaw (chicken and pork intestines), fried tofu, lobster balls,
squid balls, siomai, and roasted squid on sticks. Then there's waffles, and this
bubble wrap-like pastry and most probably another kind of innards stewed in a
spicy sauce. On closer look it looked like it's the part that Filipinos cook to
make chicharon bulaklak but I'm not
entirely sure of it. Bottles of different sauces are available for each.
![]() |
| What IS that bubble wrap pastry called? It looks so yummy. (regrets, regrets) |
![]() |
| These I am more familiar with except for the one in the pan on the right. |
I don't
know why I chose the common squid balls and not the unique pastry that looked
like a bubble wrap that's shaped like a taco AND came in different flavours.
Now I'm left wondering what it tasted like. At any rate, the squid balls were
still unique as they were stewed in curry instead of fried, which is what we commonly have in the Philippines. The couple I met
suggested that I put some sauce on my curry squid balls and I chose hoisin
sauce instead of the angry-looking chili sauce that they put on theirs (they
also bought the bubble wrap pastry). One styro cup of curry squid balls cost
40HKD.Yum!
Let me just
stay that how I wished I had someone with me to share my huge serving of curry
squid balls.
![]() |
| Top view. But this is really big I almost couldn't finish it. |
After
thanking the couple, I walked on, checking out the different stores that sold
sneakers of different brands. I was so tempted to buy a pair of Adidas
Superstar in one store but the idea of lugging a shopping bag for the rest of
my day did not appeal much so just as with my decision back in Kam Tin, I put
the notion of shopping off for the next time I visit.
Everywhere
I looked, there were signs as to where a tourist can go within the district so
it was easy to get to Tung Choi Street, where Ladies' Market is located. Like I
mentioned before, no one would have a hard time getting around
Hong Kong as there are signs everywhere. Even the street signs are large enough
that one can't help but take notice of them.
![]() |
| Yep, no one would get lost with these signs. :) |
![]() |
| Now this IS a street sign! |
A large
pink sign at the entrance of Tung Choi Street described the street's history.
It's interesting to note that most of the streets in Mong Kok are named after
vegetables that were previously grown in the area after it was cleared for
development in 1924. Tung Choi means Water Spinach. The sign also stated that
much of the Street and its surrounding area's development took place between
1924 and World War 2. It was a residential area up until the 1960s when it
became a commercial district. The international oil crisis in the early '70s
paved the way for the unemployed workers to put up their own stalls along the
street, eventually bringing in the trade of inexpensive but fashionable women's
clothes and accessories which used to be in Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei.
Most of the vendors already had their wares up for sale when I arrived at Tung Choi Street. I'm glad I caught the early shopping rush as there weren't a lot of people yet.
![]() |
| The entrance at Tung Choi Street. |
![]() |
| This reminds me a lot of Carriedo St. in Quiapo, Manila |
![]() |
| Traditional Chinese blouses and dresses are sold alongside more contemporary ones in this stall. |
Strolling around Mong Kok felt very much like home. I'd like to stay longer but being on a schedule, I hied myself off to Kowloon by bus.
Or should I say, I tried. But again, since I was too shy/scared to ask around, I took the train once more, which by now felt like second nature already.
To be continued :)
Get lost with me on my Hong Kong adventures :)
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