CHINESE NEW YEAR 2017 @ Hong Kong

Hi Everyone,

Long time I haven't met you guys here. Happy Chinese New Year 2017!! This is the Year of Rooster.

The first day of Chinese New Year of Rooster is 28 Jan 2017.

Today is the third day of Chinese New Year. In Hong Kong,  the first three days of Chinese New Year  are public holidays. It is great as the long holiday allows people to meet their families for reunion dinners. Nowadays, it is common that people in Hong Kong plan to travel outside after the reunion dinners with their family members. In some cases, they take the reunion dinners one week earlier so that they can travel during the long public holidays. 

As for me, I have had the reunion dinner with my parents and brothers / sister. Following the Chinese custom, my parents gave me the red pocket (red envelope) money as the blessing to me. My parents also cooked some traditional foods such as radish cake (turnip cake), sweet rice balls (tang yuan) and taro rice cake.

Candy Box of My family

The above is the candy box of my family. Dried fruits such as dried pineapple, coconut, lotus seed are available in candy box. Besides,  the (red dyed) fried melon seeds are always in the centre of the box. Some candies are put in the remaining trays. The above trays are not full since I have eaten some....haha.

Shopping Malls in Hong Kong

After finishing the reunion dinner, people may go out to see the lantern decoration and firework. In Hong Kong, the popular areas to see lantern decoration and firework are TST and Central (i.e. along the Victory Harbour). Since this is the Year of Rooster, you may find many Rooster lanterns / decoration in the streets. 

Shopping Malls in Hong Kong prepare CNY decorations

TST in Hong Kong during Chinese New Year

Hong Kong is the good place to enjoy Chinese New Year since there are lots of events and celebrations during the period. The festive atmosphere is hot while temperature is not so cold.  The typical events such as firework and parade are available. Streets are crowd and these activities are full of joy. Besides, the performance are usually mixed with Chinese and Western culture, for example, you may see the Chinese dancing and Western dancing in night parade.  

A day trip to Children's Palace @ Shenzhen

Roast Beef Noodle @ Shenzhen's Children Palace

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to my blog.

Yesterday, I travelled to Shenzhen (SZ) from Hong Kong. Travelling to SZ  from HK is easy as I just walk across the border. Being a local born HK guy, I just carry a HK ID card and a Home Return Permit for both HK and China's immigration checks. I haven't been to SZ for over 2 years, so I decided to travel again to see something new. My destination was Children's Palace, which is also the station of SZ Metro. 

Children's Palace is the place where mega bookstore, education centres, Central Library, Starbucks and many restaurants are available. In weekend, you can see so many Chinese parents accompany the kids to attend the education seminars, English learning class, talent performance such as playing piano / violin etc. 

As I wanted to buy some books, I went there to see. Finally, I bought 3 CDs which were about classic folk music presented by modern electro instruments. 

I have taken some photos in the Square of Children's Palace for you guys.

If you guys have interest to see the Chinese parents how they care about the education of their kids, Children's Palace is the place you should visit. 

In the Square of the Children's Palace, two old guys were playing 1990s pop music. People were surrounding them and enjoying the music. 

Many people, especially families they visited Children's Palace in weekend. People were enjoying the street music performance in the above photo.

Painters and Calligraphers were found in the Square of Children's Palace

Street Painting was available in the Square. Several painters were sketching for their customers and tourists. 

This is the building of Mega Bookstore, which is near SZ Metro station

昨天星期日，打算去深圳逛逛。因為已經有兩年沒有去過少年宮那邊，所以去看看。今次我由福田口岸經深圳地鐵大約四個站便到少年宮。我喜歡這邊的環境，文化氣息濃厚，來這裏的多是大學生，家庭小孩，大型書城，餐廳都在商場內，有空調下雨也不用怕。

今次是週末去，所以特別多人，尤其是街邊唱歌，畫像素描攤位等也有。

不過最令我印象深刻的，是吃一碗牛肉面竟然是48元人幣，而且祇有幾條粗面而己，根本吃不飽....、生活指數也太高了吧😣😣

A Hotel with UNESCO award @ Hong Kong

Dear Friends,

If you guys want to know something about history and heritage for the British Colonial Period of Hong Kong, you shouldn't miss the Open Days (5-6 Nov 2016) of Tai O Heritage Hotel. 

The hotel is recognized by UNESCO with 2013 award of merit, and classified as grade II historic building by Hong Kong Government. 

Located at Tai O in Hong Kong, Tai O Heritage Hotel is a boutique hotel with only 9 rooms. This Hotel used to be a Marine Police Station. In 1902, in order  to ensure the safety of outlying island,  the Colonial Government built up this Marine Police Station to fight against the pirates. In 2012, the Marine Police Station was revitalised as Tai O Heritage Hotel. Due to its unique background, this hotel becomes highly popular and is regarded as a major attraction in Hong Kong. 

Apart from the unique historic background, the architecture of this hotel is also attractive. A typical British Colonial style such as French windows, wooden casement windows, granite steps, cannons are properly retained after revitalisation. All these historic details become highly valuable in the dynamic city. 

Such a romantic place is also a hot spot for taking wedding photo and having wedding party. Girls like romance, here definitely is a choice. 

The Open Days of Tai O Heritage Hotel will be held during 5-6 Nov 2016. So you guys cannot miss it if you visit Hong Kong. 

See whether I will take some photos for you guys during the Open Day. Stay tuned....

Sunset at Old Pier near Tai O Heritage Hotel

Sunset in Old Pier near Hotel

Silvermine Bay Music Festival @ Hong Kong

Main Beach Stage in Silvermine Bay 

Dear Friends, 

Yesterday, I went to see Silvermine Bay Music Festival 2016, held at Mui Wo in Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It was a 3 day event (20-23 Oct) that allowed local music lovers to perform and to have a place for party. Unfortunately, as a typhoon was approaching, the performance in day 1 was cancelled. 

This Music Festival held in Mui Wo annually since 2006 and it has been growing popular over the decade. Nowadays, the Festival is supported by HK government and District Board of Outlying Island. 

Initially, the local music lovers wanted to have a place for playing music  and attract more people to visit the outlying island. Over the decade, the passion is now rewarded with the increasing audiences to join the event every year. 

As I am living in Tai O, I may go from Tai O to Mui Wo by bus route No.1 and it takes around 30 minutes to get there.  

This year, the event organiser set up four different zones in various locations in Mui Wo. Each zone has its own feature performance, for example, folk songs, rock N' roll, classic music, and pop songs etc. The biggest stage is the main beach stage, which is located in Silvermine Beach. 

Most of the local bands and singers in this Festival are not so famous in the public. The Festival becomes a platform for those music lovers to introduce their music to the public. It is a valuable experience for young bands and audiences.

Apart from the stage performance, many snack and food booths were set up to serve the  visitors. Alternatively, a resort with beach restaurant was available for your choice. BBQ in Beach was available. Night time is even more attractive as you can see hot atmosphere in beach party. 

From this Music Festival, I have learnt that passion is a major part of your life and sometimes, passion cannot be measured by monetary reward. 

Local music lover is playing ROCK n' Roll

Visitors are learning how to play drum

Brochure of Silvermine Bay Music Festival 2016

The Main Beach Stage in Silvermine Beach

Mid Autumn Festival @ Hong Kong

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to my blog.

Happy Mid Autumn Festival!!!

Today is Mid Autumn Festival in Hong Kong. China, Vietnam and other Asian countries also celebrate this festival. According to Chinese calendar, 15th day of 8th month is Mid Autumn Festival. 

 In Hong Kong, the day after Mid Autumn Festival is public holiday. No need to work next day after playing throughout the festival night. What a good news for students and employees!! That's why people in Hong Kong enjoy the festival very much.

There is a thematic lantern display in Space Museum, so I have taken some photos for you guys. 

The round shape building is HK Space Museum.  Monkey, Rabbit, Chang E (the lady living in the moon according to the fairy tale) all are the popular characters in Mid Autumn Festival

Beside the lantern display, a bubble street artist was found in TST (Tsim Sha Tsui, the tourist shopping area in Hong Kong). 

Eating mooncake is the custom in Mid Autumn Festival.

My mother has also bought some ice skin mooncakes to celebrate Mid Autumn Festival. Well..what is ice skin (snow skin) mooncake? 

Traditional mooncake is a baked sweetie pastry, inside with a whole egg yolk and lotus seed paste filling, whereas ice skin mooncake is not baked and creamy custard filling replaces the egg yolk and lotus seed paste. This recipe makes ice skin mooncake taste like a dessert. 

Nowadays, various healthy and creative mooncake recipes are available to meet the market demand. 

Well, frankly speaking, I like the ice skin mooncake more than the traditional one, due to the fine and smooth texture of ice skin mooncake...haha..

Again, Happy Mid Autumn Festival.

See you guys in next blog..

A bar in Mui Wo @ Hong Kong

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to my blog.

In this article, I would like to introduce one of the beaches in Lantau Island - Silver mine Bay Beach at Mui Wo. You may go Mui Wo by ferry from Central, Hong Kong Island.

Playing Volleyball in the Beach

For this trip, I go from TAI O to Mui Wo by bus and it takes around 35 min. Mui Wo is famous for sunshine and beach. Since there is a ferry route which connects Mui Wo and Central (CBD of HK), some people who work in Central prefer to live in Mui Wo. Living in Mui Wo, they can go to CBD in the morning and return to home in the evening by ferry. It allows them to pay lower rental expenses while they can enjoy the sunshine and beach at their residences in Mui Wo. You may see a bicycle parking area near the pier, as people ride bicycle from their residences to pier when they go to work every day. 

There are lots of changes in Mui Wo over the past two decades. 

Full view of Silver Mine Beach

Unlike TAI O - the fish village, Mui Wo has been developed as the mixing area with both tourist and residential purposes. You can see resort, bar, supermarket, fast food chain store, convenient store, food stalls, markets and even property agents etc in Mui Wo. The shops serve the local and tourists as well. 

 
The Resort in the Beach

In the past, my parents and I used to come to Mui Wo for swimming every summer.  However, my parents are now getting old so they no longer travel to Mui Wo over the past decade. Anyway, Mui Wo is the major part of my childhood memory, and that's why I would like to share with you guys.

One of the spots that I recommend in Mui Wo, is a bar, which is located in the prime location - that is near the pier and next to McDonald. Sitting in the bar, you can enjoy the full view of seaview of Mui Wo. While you are waiting for the ferry, this bar is a good place to stay (since you can see the ferry when it is approaching). Besides, there are quite a lot of tourists and expats to stay in the bar. You may know some new friends here probably. 

The Bar near the Pier

I tried the burger in this bar and enjoyed the sea view for an hour. Watching a lazy dog,  enjoying the sunshine and sea view, eating a homemade burger, chatting with new friends, all these are the benefits of sitting in this bar.  

Enjoy Burger in the Bar

If you guys want to swim, travel by ferry and enjoy the burger in a bar after swimming, Mui Wo can satisfy all you needs.

See you next blog.

TOP 3 street snacks you have to try @ TAI O

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to my blog.

In this blog, I would like to introduce the top 3 street snacks you have to try in TAI O @ Hong Kong.

Of course, there are more than 3 street snacks in TAI O. However, to qualify as the TOP 3, those street snacks of course must have some unique features. 

SO, LET'S GO to see...

# TOP 1

BEAN CURD PUDDING

Well, I recognise bean curd pudding is the top street snack that you have to try. 

In my previous blogs, I often mention bean curd pudding which is my favourite dessert. Yes...it is true. It is my favourite dessert / street snack. So what is the attractiveness of it? Here is just my personal opinion. First of all, the taste of bean curd pudding is very light so you have to add syrup or sugar into it. Syrup is for ice pudding whereas sugar is for hot one. You can try bean curd pudding in hot or ice, by adjusting the sweet level yourself (Most of the desserts cannot be adjusted the sweet level by yourself). These features make bean curd pudding is so popular in all seasons (summer and winter) and for all generations.  

    Bean Curd Pudding

# TOP 2

EGG WAFFLE (charcoal grill)

Egg waffle is a common and popular street snack in Hong Kong. I ate a lot when I was a child. In TAI O, the egg waffle is cooked by charcoal, though the gas cooked is also available. I have tried both egg waffles cooked by charcoal and gas cooked in order to see the taste difference. Generally, I feel the egg waffle cooked by charcoal is more soft while gas cooked is more crispy. Both types are delicious. However, the charcoal cooked is more expensive due to the skill and longer cooking time are needed.

Egg waffle

Egg Waffle 
cooked by charcoal

Egg Waffle
 cooked by electric utensil

# TOP 3 

DONUT

Donut in TAI O is wonderful as well. The shop owner cooks the donut in front of you. Donut is covered by sugar. It is hot and fresh when you buy it. That's why the taste is different from that of chainstores.  

Donut in TAI O

Hope you guys enjoy the food experience in TAI O, see you next blog.