Saturday, January 26, 2008

The Peak Hong Kong / Avenue of Star

First place to visit in Hong Kong - The Peak, also known as Victoria Peak.

Early morning started to discover how to go there by MRT. Really confuse, many route you can go under the big subway. Many different exits and people there walking in fast pace, look straight on their way and many are plug with their ear-piece. There are stores, kiosk and bakery along the subway.
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Subway at underground
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Ticket machine and adult single trip ticket
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Breakfast from Maxims fastfood HK$17
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At Central

We took MRT to Central - 中环 (HK$8.50/trip) and have Maxims (美心) as breakfast before we broad. Reach station, walk 10 minutes and reach The Peak Tram station. Along the way, we passed by lots of financial building like HSBC, Citibank, Bank of China and etc..

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HSBC building behind me (taller one)
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Financial area building

Since we reach early, we take a short walk to Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, which is just another 10 minutes walk cross The Peak. (Entrance: free)

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zoogar
Entrance
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Bamboo garden near entrance
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Bamboo tree

The Peak, consists of Peak Tower (山顶凌霄阁) and Peak Gallery. The main attraction at Peak Tower is Madame Tussauds (香港杜莎夫人蜡像馆) and EA Experience. We spent half a day there.

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Entrance ticket price (Adult)
Peak Tram (2-way) = HK$33
Sky Terrace = HK$20
Madame Tussauds = HK$120

(Combo)
Peak Tram (2-way) + Madame Tussauds = HK$130 (save $23)
Peak Tram (2-way) + Madame Tussauds + Sky Terrace = HK$145 (save $28)

We bought the Combo ticket without Sky Terrace. The tram took 7 minutes to reach the peak. It is very very cold up there with strong wind, can't stay long outside the building. I was wearing 3 tops include jacket.
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Tram trek
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The tram and inside the tram
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The Peak Tower
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The Peak Gallery

While we wait for Madame Tussauds open, we walked around inside the mall and view the metropolitan of HK through the window. It is all tall tall building and very near to each other.
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Hill top view

Later, we also went to EA Experience to play a while. It is a virtual world where gamers and non-gamers can play and purchase the latest editions of EA games in an innovative and inspiring environment.

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The EA Experience shop
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EA
Gaming zone

Times for visit Madame Tussauds. A total of 87 figures in the exhibition. Currently, Anita Mui is absent. At some famous wax people, they will snap photo for you and ask you to collect and view at exit (of cause have to pay, if you want any). You can snap with your own camera. Too bad, only Jackie Chan not allow us to use own camera, others are OK. Here, show you some of the famous wax people.
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Entrance (Kelly Chan)
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The exhibition view
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Andy Lau
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Clockwise: Janice Vidal, Teresa Teng, Miriam Yeung, Jodie Foster
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Leo Ku
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Clockwise: Leon Lai, Bruce Lee, Jay Chou, Aaron Kwok
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Michelle Yeoh
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Bae Yong Joon
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Clockwise: Tiger Woods, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, David Beckham
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Leslie Cheung
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Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princess Anne

Around 2pm, we went down from The Peak. From Central MRT we proceed Mong Kok (HK$10.50 per trip) to shop and eat. We tried out the hawker stall which selling curry fish ball, siew mai, fried kuih (don't know what to call that) and etc. All the food are string together using a stick (like those satay stick). Just pick which you want and they will fried on the spot for you. HK$5 above for each stick.

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Mong Kok station

Along the way, I found that food stalls are famous with beef noodle and wantan mee. We choose one of the shop to have our late lunch. Able to shop something from ladies street. All my loots will summary in a post later.

One thing I like about their MRT is the signboard clearly show the route they are going with arrows, which side of the door is opening in next station and lots of alert being told like door closed, hold on bar while taking escalator and etc.

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Inside MRT
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Route map inside MRT showing the direction

This is our late lunch, I try their famous beef noodle (kueh tiaw) with mixture of beef parts while hubby having beef ball mee soup. It is tasty (very original taste with not much of MSG and other quicky ingredient) and portion is big with adequate ingredients. The mee is smooth and soft and the beef do not have those kind of beefy smell. Although is a bit pricey (convert to RM) but I can say it is worth for the price. Overall living in HK, food and daily use product comes expensive than clothing.
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Beef mixture noodle HK$26
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Beef ball noodle soup HK$22

Back to hotel drop our things, then continue to walk by pass subway to New World Centre and reach Avenue of Star.

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At night, again very very cold. It is by the river side and can view across the Central, where all the financial and bank building located. Here is the famous place for night view of Hong Kong. The mist is thick due to cold weather and not much nice view can shoot from my camera. This is the best out of so many.

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The long walkway of Avenue of Star
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Bruce Lee

There are many hand palm chop sign on the floor by famous celebrity and some photo shooting point along the path of Avenue of Star. The Star Walk is long, stretching from New World Center till the Hong Kong Cultural Center.
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Tony Leung
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Maggie Cheung
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Shooting point

Since we not manage to take good shoot for the night view, we pay HK$10 for those photographer there to shoot one for us with their DSLR. It is only a 2R size photo. Around 8pm, there are laser lighting show at the Cultural Center hub. Lighting played across the river with those financial building in Central. Buildings are keep on changing colour follow by the music played. It is very very nice.

Thats the end of day 2.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

wow wow, i also want to go HK liao...

slavemom said...

The std of living in HK is hi leh. Even travelling by MRT oso not a small figure per person. Can't wait to see ur loots.

bokjae said...

Can see you have a wonderful time and my! all those photos! Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Wao~! It must be a compact trip~~ You went so many places in a day~

Anonymous said...

wow, you could go so many places just in 1 day!!

very nice photos you have

Amidrin said...

Nice trip you have there. Looks like you have enjoyed you trip pretty much. And great photos you got there!

L'abeille said...

It's so nice to travel Free & Easy in HK. You've covered so many places!

Sweetpea said...

boy, do i miss HK. missed the food and shopping! yes, it is very typical for ppl with iPods, MP3s and watnots. after all, wat else to do in the MRT. i lived there for a year and i was one of them, hurrying from one station to another. fast paced, great when we're singles :P

thanks for sharing the pics and good memories for me: )

Lemonjude said...

lovely mummy: Make it your next travel point then...best if you go during sales time and between spring and autumn...more suitable thing can shop.

slavemom: yeah it is killing even after rate converted.

bokjae: Thanks for visiting and glad that you enjoy reading it.

sean: limited time, thats why go as many as we can.

huisia: There are a lot of pic taken :)

amidrin: Yeah, enjoy it very much. It is very very tired trip, lots of walking.

l'abeille: If times allow I will shop more..but mainly go visit places.

sweetpea: Glad that you enjoy my post and it brings back your memories. Plan to back there one day, mayb for a trip with family? I'm sure the feel is great too..

Annie Q said...

i never been to HK, hmmmm..look at the picture, make me feel like wan to go there for holiday.
So many pictures. Can't wait to see the part III.

Health Freak Mommy said...

The view from The Peak is breathtaking. I was there too 2 years ago. Food in HK is really costly.

Club Tourists and Co. said...

I can live my whole day in the Game Zone!