HK: Land of Dimsum and Curry Fishballs Part 3

Hongkong is a place for first-timers and, I should say, a very good place to be in for anyone. Aside from being one of the cities to go for budgeted trips, it offers so much than what is expected (that's from a first-timer's perspective hehe). 
GARDEN OF STARS 
On our first day trip, we woke up at 4:00am and left at around 4:30am. The Avenue of Stars is just a walking distance from where we were staying, but our jaw dropped when found out it is close for renovation and will re-open in October 2018. To compensate, we just went to the Garden of Stars and had a nice view of Victoria Harbour from the viewing deck.

View from our room which is on the 12th floor.

That was how the street looked like at 4am in the morning, with no such vehicles, which was a very good indicator that we can have hassle-free photoshoot moments. hehe

Morning get-up with Ate Mabel.

We traveled last week of February and the temperature is around 14 degrees celsius.

Passing by almost an empty street.

I admire the urban planning of this city. You can't see so many people along sidewalks because there is a subway underneath plus everywhere you go, everything is neat and clean.

Underpass

We went through this underpass to get to the other side of the road. It is quite long actually but not boring as you get to see these pictures everywhere. They have the famous faces of Hongkong actors, singers, Hollywood stars, a bit of a history of the City in creative artwork, and this kind of murals below.

Posing at one of the wall arts.

Stopping for a pose before reaching the Garden of Stars.

The stairs going up there.

No one was there when we visited the Garden of Stars except for the guard and an old woman who happen to pass by. So, basically, no one cared when we goofed around the area and took a couple of pictures. 

The famous Bruce Lee

Since the Avenue of Stars was closed for renovation, some of the statues and figures were temporarily placed in the Garden of Stars. 

Ate Mabel posing with the hand prints of famous stars

Panaroma

I tried to take a panorama view of the place we were in but it turned out a  mess hahaha

The view from the deck was the best

NGONG PING 360 (The Cable Car)

If you ask me to take a Tram or the Ngong Ping, I would suggest Ngong Ping. That is considering you only have a very limited time to go around the city. But if you do have plenty of time, try both.

After our failed Avenue of Stars trip, we headed on to Tsim Sha Tsui station. The trip to Ngong Ping takes almost an hour and the cable car opens as early as 9:00am. 

We got there an hour before the opening, so we ate first at McDonald's which had no rice on their menu. And started walking around the area. Shopping and food outlets are everywhere, and I was surprised to know how cheap Subway burgers and sandwiches are. 

Sweets and cakes are all cheap too! that's why they are flocked by most foreign and local tourists, so you will have to expect long lines.

They have maintenance for a place like this. Walk further and you'll get to see a park where you can relax and do some walling pictures. hahaha, They have this huge wall where we stayed for a while before the cable car's opening hour. 

The entrance

Up, up and away...

It was the best feeling ever getting on a cable car and seeing those skyscrapers that small. If ever they will have this one in the Philippines, I would probably be one of its first riders. hahaha

Other cable cars behind us.

Those are the feet of the Thai peeps we've been with, they were much more into the camera than us haha! I also got clumsy when this photo was taken. My makeup kit was all over the place, and the Thai guy who was with them picked it up for me which was quite embarrassing. I didn't feel embarrassed the time it happened, but now that I remember it, that WAS sooo embarrassing.

Foggy

Stairs going to Big Buddha

I am almost the size of the Buddha hehe

Me and Ate Mabel

A Father-and-Son travel photographer took the courtesy of taking a picture of us. 

Store with overpriced goodies.

Spotted this going to the Monastery. I would love to do this actually but I don't know how haha

Street foods!

 Curry fishballs, they were cheap, I think at around 5-10HKD. And the huge hotdog...

Well, it was just a hotdog only that it was huge. It shrinks once it gets cold so it is nice to eat it while hot. Imagine me eating a very hot hotdog in very cold weather! haha

LI NONG TEA

In Lantau Island which is basically where the cable car has brought us, there was other stuff to see aside from the main attraction which is the Big Buddha. You'll pass through a series of stores before reaching the stairs going to the Big Buddha. And there you can buy expensive stuff like chopsticks! I was amazed by how expensive a pair of chopsticks can be. But that of course if you have plenty of pocket money. 

But we didn't buy anything as it was not practical because of how overpriced stuff is, but we did buy something from this store that we spotted on our way back.

I actually don't drink coffee so my option was always tea. This place offers a free taste of their selected for-sale teas.

Li Nong Teahouse

This teahouse is just a few meters away from the cable car station. 

I think what lacks in this photo is me wearing a Kimono hihi

Placed on a burner, are pots of different kinds of teas. They are for unlimited tasting. The amount of tea powder per pot is measured and are heated up in mid-fire. That way teas taste better! and it did. We tried all the teas. :) 

She was the shop's saleslady that time who explained to us the history of the teas they patented. The most expensive teas they are selling are those flower teas. I don't remember exactly what it is called and have forgotten her story about it. But that kind of tea has won them awards and was even featured in television and magazines. 

She was kind enough to take this photo for us. :)