HONG KONG-SHENZHEN-MACAU 2007


DAY 3

Set out to hunt for some authentic dim sum fare to kick start our day...but disappointingly the search came to no avail...it's really not as easy as expected to search for yum cha as i tot in HK...i tot they r like everywhere...muz be a false impression i got from those TVB dramas...in fact i did'nt even try dim sum the last time i came wif donnie...made things worse wif our limited canto...hard to ask for directions also...decided not to keep clem waiting...so juz settle our breakfast at one of the da pai dang again...but this time i'm determined to try dim sum b4 i leave HK...at least there r a few more days to satisfy my "hak gow" "siew mai" "cha siew bao" cravings...heh...

met clem near the Legislature building at Central again...fast becoming our regular meeting point...decided to explore the outlying islands today!! haha...i mean most pple come HK oni stay and gallivant ard kowloon and causeway bay for shopping n food...in fact HK has a decent collection of nature and grasslands that are often ignored in travel booklets...since this time rd we have so much time to occupy in HK...we decided it might be juz worth a day to simply relax admist the rollicking hills....breathe in a fresh bale of fresh untampered air away from the hustle and bustle of the city area...and juz frolicking and making merry fishing...hiking and cycling...and simply juz throw ourselves into wad HK nature has in store for us...that's it!! here we come Lantau Island!!! heard so much abt it...and finally time to visit the island that is perhaps deemed the rustic n undeveloped area of HK...ala ubin back home...

headed straight to the HK island ferry terminal catering to outlying islands...and soon we were onboard a fastcraft heading to Lantau...only abt 45min by ferry from HK Island...upon reaching Lantau we boarded a bus that would take us straight to one of the iconic landmarks of HK...Polin Monastery Temple which houses the world's largest outdoor bronze buddha...a temple which is favourite for locals and tourists alike...where photographs of the statue can be seen in almost every HK tourism promotion brochure...it was a pity we could not really make out the statue from where we stood...as the sun was beating down rather fiercely and the fog that had gathered somehow cast a dark shadow on the buddha's face...

On our way to Lantau Island!!

Onboad the ferry...all pumped up for a day of outdoor adventure

Landing in Lantau Island in 10,9,8,7....3,2,1....seconds

Let's toast to our safe arrival in Lantau!

mystical aura surrounding the world's largest outdoor bronze buddha

smiling gleefully in front of this landmark icon

yet another commemorative group shot to mark our visit

seemingly endless flight of steps to to attain enlightenment

aft wandering around the square for a little while taking pics as such...we went off in search of the essence of wisdom led by our most wise leader mr quek...haha...we decided to juz venture along the wisdom path and check out wad's all about...maybe one will juz somehow attain wisdom when trekking this wisdom trail...sadly nothing spectacular abt the concrete pavement...juz those similar trails u can find in marina bay park...juz that the weather is certainly more conducive den our tiny island back home to trek under the mid-day sun...one will hardly break a sweat as one indulges in the fresh air...the greenery...and the silence only broken by the ocassional chirping of birds and singing of crickets...very lovely for someone juz wanting to be left alone...all maybe juz a fed-up salaried employee to relieve some stress and breathe in this atmosphere of peace and calmness...aft all buddhism is a religion that focuses very much on self-mediation and self-enlightenment...

the end of the trek was marked by a simple pavillion and a few giant wooden pillars with carvings bearing the Heart's scripture that erect to almost 10m tall...we decided that the short trek was never sufficient to satisfy our inner craving for something more to really kickstart our adrenaline and get it pumping...haha...aft all almost something extraordinary happens when the three of us gets together (even appearing on national tv once...thks to mandai's white tigers)...hahaha...as such decided to move on and trek up to the mountain top juz to satisfy our egos and to burn off some fats and carbo accumulated from the past 2 days of feasting...heh...

wah piangz...almost regretting it 5 minutes into our trek up the mountain overlooking the monastery...the trek was like so damn steep and uneven...and one misstep u can really say ur last words...certainly not for the fainthearted...every step seems a torture the further we climbed up...and it certainly doesn't help with almost one month of physical inactivity preparing for my exams...heh...was panting like crazy and sweating all over even though the temperature was like a cool 15 degrees or so...the air seems to get thinner the higher we went...but all the physical discomfort was offset by the spectacular view that unfold as we climbed higher...and as the buddha seems smaller and smaller...we trek like almost half-an hour up slope before halting for a much needed break...lol..decided aft the break perhaps it was not that wise aft all to really venture up to the peak...with knees getting softer with every step we took...we still have to care abt going down the slope later...with safety and strictly safety (certainly not tt we r physicall not fit =p) in mind...decided to call off the adventure midway and start heading back down...hahaha...the downward trek need more concentration k...it's even harder to go down den climb up lah...thks in large part to such uneven and jagged rocky steps...heh...nevertheless feel totally shagged out aft the 1 1/2 hr adventure...at least we burn off some calories...heehee...maybe will try ascending to the top the nxt time we r more prepared...heh

at the start of the wisdom path

caution!! we r on high lands!!

wooden pillars bearing heart scripture carvings

at the start of a gruelling climb...testing our bravery, determination and fitness to the max

i'm going to knock off the bastard behind me!!!

the pillars look rather spectacular from here

gazing afar into words of wisdom

wah damn shag ah...holiday still make me sweat like siao

solid proof of how high we climbed

aft making an equally tedious descent down the steep mountain rocky slope...we rested for a while at the pavillion near the Heart scriptures to catch our breath...relax and to slowly warm down...totally unexpected and unplanned activity...haha tot was suppose to be relaxing day of suntanning...prawn fishing and boat rowing...ended up braving our lives up some mountain until almost peng shan in Lantau...lol...almost mid aftnoon when we finally made our way down...decided to juz take a minibus back to the nearest mtr station and get some food to eat...so headed back to the monastery and waited for the bus there...took us another hour of travelling before we finally arrived at this gigantic shopping mall call City Gate at Tung Chung...rather near the airport i suppose since the airport also located in Lantau...lotsa of factory outlets here in City Gate...espirit...nike...adidas...giordano...columbia...g2000...we hanged ard the mall for a while n did some shopping since we were there might as well yah...spotted and bought this nike sling bag for ying which cost like oni S$20 which will almost cost 50plus back home...searched ard n bought a pink cap for hong too...mr quek bought some stuff frm columbia also...aft some shopping therapy...decided to head off to our next activity of the day...Causeway Bay!!! haha...another of my fav spot in HK...of coz the chance to see lotsa babes prancing ard in winter wear is an added incentive too...hiak hiak...

finally reached causeway bay n the sky is already turning dark at 6...it seems the day is shorter in winter here in HK...their 6pm is like our 8pm back home...headed to eat some beef brisket noodles at this famous da pai dang n apparently one of clem's fav...aft dinner started to galivant ard the malls...Times Square...Lane Crawford...and of coz the famous 24hr forever busy Sogo Junction...if u tink the junction betwn bugis village and parco is crowded...this junction is 10x worse la...wah lau the crowd never seems to simmer down no matter which part of the day...HK is juz too damn packed n dense man...n this will be the perfect place to showcase it...

walked ard the outlying outlets...bought a shirt frm g2000 since i suppose it wud be cheaper here...n den we went off for some snake soup...yup u r hearing me...authentic snake soup courtesy of mr clem at this famous snake soup shop in causeway bay...wah really damn shiok esp in this wintry weather...wooohhh...feelin damn heated up aft juz a few mouths...mr quek said his qi rose up...haha...apparently some pple take alreadi will nose bleed...lol...but quike shiok...i like the strong taste...a bit like shark fins soup...and the snake taste like chicken slices...juz tt it's more tender...

wander from street to street ard causeway bay...n pass by some massage shops...promised the lads that it wud be mine turn to give a treat so we somehow wandered into this massage shop (clean n traditional one la of coz =p) aft seeing the billboard along the main street...wah piangz this is the first time in my life i ever went for full body massage siah...wad an experience really...quite painful when the auntie was pressing down the veins in my neck...i was almost abt to ask her to stop man...but the head massage was damn shiok la...wah now i understand why pple actually pay so much for massage...becoz it feels damn good siah aft it!! haha...dare not say the same for mr quek who apparently got some big macho wushu uncle...told us the uncle almost broke his body into a few pieces n detach his spine frm his body...n the 45min massage feels like 45 hours...hahaha...it's either the uncle too strong for him or that he really got more aches den me n clem...apparently we enjoyed much more den him...lol...but a really good experience...aft a hard day of climbing mountain in Lantau...and of coz aft a sem of hard work...massaging all the stresses n aches accumulated frm back breaking lab work n neck aching mugging sessions...phewww...confirm wanna go for one more massage b4 going home man!!

decided to call it a day aft the massage...another event packed day in HK...a physical one of coz...tired but no doubt yet another fruitful day of our ord trip...

HK's version of S.H.E...spotted in causeway bay

captures of the day!