Hong Kong in 2 Days: Part 2

Our second day in Hong Kong started with light rain on the windowsill.  We walked to a nearby local breakfast diner. Bar stools and wooden counters were propped on either side of the wall. They were all occupied by young professionals reading the newspaper with their morning coffee and waffles. We sat on two empty stools adjacent to the glass window. I wanted to be more adventurous with food, so I ordered what the older man sitting next to me was having.  Our struggle was not being able to read the menu that was written in Chinese characters.  The Congee from the other table was not fully described in the English menu handed to us. I explained what I wanted at the cash counter, perhaps misunderstood, or I got it all wrong. This was what I got...

Congee with chicken and waffles with peanut butter
I found it a weird combination at  first, but I ate them anyway. I like congee to begin with. Imagine my surprised when they tasted good combined. I teased the husband for having an American breakfast after our first day spent in KFC, McDonald's and Burger King. He promised to try a local restaurant for dinner.

We returned  to Hong Kong Island that morning to visit sites that we weren't able to see the previous day and we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Kowloon.

Places to See in Kowloon and Things to Do..

Duration:  
  • An hour and a half,  non-stop trip aboard Big Bus Tours listening to audio without hopping out of the bus. Click here  for our review and rates.
  • Half a day sightseeing to explore Kowloon hopping on and off aboard Big Bus Tours .
  • A full day indulging in different guided walks in Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok to explore the huge variety of markets (Jade market, Ladies market, Floral Market, Goldfish Street and Temple Street Night Market).
Shopping
Personally, the long queues outside Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Gucci and Louis Vuitton shops are astounding and these designer boutiques are found in every street corner. It's insane! These shops are also found in Dubai, but they're not as crazy busy as they are in Hong Kong.

Best time to shop is between December to February, Christmas until  Chinese New Year. New spring and summer collection are usually launched around this period.  They also throw interesting sales during the summer months of July to September where winter and autumn pieces start hitting the shelves.


1881 Heritage. This Victorian edifice was home to Hong Kong Marine Police since 1880s until 1996 that can be spotted on Salisbury Road. The former headquarters was preserved and converted into a shopping destination for fashion brands and fine dining.

Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard part of Nathan Road and Luxury brand flagship stores are lined up along Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui area.
Langham Place - Huge Complex in Mong Kok
For detailed guided maps on market walking tours, they are available at the tourist information office located at Victoria Harbor in Tsim Sha Tsui.  

More retail therapy..
Elements Mall on Austin Road West of Tsim Sha Tsui
We visited Elements mall on our third day before going to the airport.  We had five hours to spare before our flight, and the Airport Express allowed us to check-in early. 

We took a free airport shuttle (small bus) picking up tourists, available at main hotels. The closest pick-up point from our accommodation was Holiday Inn along Nathan Road. This shuttle bus eventually dropped us off at the Airport Express train terminal in Kowloon where we checked in our luggage.  

It is extremely effective and convenient to continue the shopping experience. Hong Kong is smart that way.  The Airport Express terminal is connected to Elements mall. 


Tsim Sha Tsui is situated next to Victoria Harbor, adjacent to Avenue of the Stars. It offers a great view of the Hong Kong Island cityscape, especially at night. 

It was raining cats and dogs outside that evening and I decided to sleep early. 
Around 9:30 PM, the husband woke me up and dragged me out of bed
 --telling me that I would kick myself  later should I miss the Hong Kong skyline view at night.
It was our last night in Hong Kong.  
I forced myself to walk.
I was stunned by the gorgeous lights and happy tourists taking photographs along the promenade.  
I'm so glad I did!


In case you're staying on Hong Kong Island and would like to do some shopping- Causeway Bay is an interesting shopping destination.  Tomorrow, I'll write about Airport Express and share random photos taken in Hong Kong.

Happy Tuesday!
XOXO,
Arni

Other Hong Kong posts you might like to read:
Hong Kong in 2 Days: Part 1 (Places to see in Hong Kong Island

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5 comments

  1. It just gets better and better! That view in the evening is superb! I had no idea Hong Kong was such a shopping haven!

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  2. Another great post! I have a similar photo of the nightime skyline. It looks like you enjoyed your time in Hong Kong just as much as we did. There really is so much to explore. Your photos are wonderful and I really like the way you have displayed them. You may like to read about our trip last year as we visted some of the same places! Just click on Hong Kong in the Labels section if you are interested.
    http://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/

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  3. Night skyline is BEAUTIFUL! Glad you got to see it and take a pic. I also love the pic of the Element building with fog at the very top. It's a beautiful picture!

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  4. Oh nom... congee! And waffles. And chicken. I mean, I like those things by themselves. It must mean that I like them together.

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  5. It's fun to try new foods. I love seeing all the pictures from your trip. They're wonderful!

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