Our first day in Hong Kong with our friend Edwin

Edwin a friend and ex-work colleague from CAFS who now lives and works in Hong Kong met us at our hotel at 10.30am to spend some time with us.  This was awesome and we were very appreciative that he gave up his time to spend with us.  We were so lucky to get to experience some of Hong Kong that only locals get to experience and it made us much more braver to explore and experience during our second and third days.  

First off the kids were starving so we went to Duddell Street Starbucks.  Even after this the kids were food focussed so this part of our day was trying and experiencing new foods.  It was all very delicious - we had fish balls in curry which was super super spicy - Loki had asked for food to “blow his head off” - easily done and mission accomplished with his first curry ball!  We had meat balls which were delicious - Connor chose them.  And we had waffle mix which looked like mini egg shaped cartons.  We got this food from street vendors.

The egg  custard tart - not a hit! The waffles were and the curry fish balls were yummy but spicy! Meat balls were great. 

 

We had a lunch in a little local café: where we had pork and rick and then a seafood and rice dish.

Kids had cold chocolate - nice but different to nz.  The seafood dish had calamari, but not as we know it - it was chewy, bigger bits of squid.

In the windows there were full quails and ducks pluched with the heads still on and they looked like they had been browned or marinated.  Seeing their beaks was a bit weird. 

We then took the subway and saw lots of interesting buildings.  

HSBC Building (where the lion statues were). The building below is said to be the lego building because it was built like a lego tower and is block like.  

We then took the star ferry.   a passenger ferry that goes across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. It was founded in 1888 as the Kowloon Ferry Company, adopting its present name in 1898.

 

On the other side we then went to Tsim Sha Tsui Victoria Harbour (Promenade and HK Cultural Centre)

Shopping at Mong Kok Ladies Market: The boys (including Edwin) haggled for some soccer tshirts with Connor ending up with a Ronaldo shirt and Lachlan getting a Messi shirt - initial price $120 HK for one and ended up getting them for $100 HK for two - Total $20NZ. 

I brought a red handbag - initial price $300 - quickly went down to $200 and then went Edwin joined us I got it for $170 HK - Total $35 NZ.

Very local market with no tourists: On the mini bus Edwin took us to a very local market called Wong Tai Sin Market where we were very much a novelty.  Lots of people were staring, saying hello and commenting.  It was a very elderly area and very friendly.  We saw lots of different meats - chicken feet which the kids did not guess and were surprised about; lots of other meat including ox tongue, hearts etc.  No too surprising for the boys given their hunting lifestyle! There were also lots of fish - lots of different crazy looking fish which were still alive.  There were massive crabs, whitebait looking things that had been fried and other very interesting things to see. 

At this market we brought some fruit: we brought 3 pear-apples which Loki called Papples! We brought some grapes and tangerines and two dragon fruit which I had never seen before but the boys recognised them.   

We then went and sat in the square eating our tangerines and watching some older men play Chinese chess. Again we were very much a novelty - Edwin asked if we felt like we were in a fishbowl!

Interesting dragon fruit that we brought at the market - 

Temple:  We went to a temple,  Wang Tai Sin Temple which the boys enjoyed.  Loki liked it because there was fire! We lit some incense on the fire area and then carries them up to the prayer areas.  We all carried three each and stopped at each area and then at the main part we put our sticks in some sand and made a wish. 

Next to us and something else you could do was put sticks in to a container and sit shaking them until one stick would come out - it would have a number which would give you information about your future - you would then take the stick to the shrine.

This was a very colourful and religious and big place and again a very local area.

7 modes of transport in one day Today: 14^th March we went on a plane, a taxi, the subway multiple times, a ferry, a double decker bus, and a mini bus twice!  We also used our legs a lot!

Central:

Pictures from on the double decker bus 

Our mini bus - no other foreigners on these buses!

Connors best bits Double decker bus, getting to try lots of different foods, really liked the temple and the markets.

Lokis best bits  Going on the subway - never been on it, very stop startie and you have to balance and hold onto things; Double decker bus - sitting on the top level - see everything;  Loki enjoyed everything except the walking and the egg tart.