l

On the Way to French Polynesia: Hongkong'n'Macao

Hongkong, 8th January

It’s early morning, we’re in 1 of Manila’s airport hotels. A lousy breakfast – and off we are. Just a 10′ walk to the airport.

We know we have to arrive pretty early. Manila’s Ninoy Aquino Airport is notorious for its crowds, its terrible organisation, and passengers not reaching the gates on time.

Well, at 8.30am it’s astonishingly quiet. Check-in takes no time, security even less, and we’re in the waiting lounge 3h before departure. No idea if we should be happy or angry about that.

Then just 2h on Cathay Pacific to reach Hong Kong.

An Uber to our sleepery in a side alley of Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui – and we’re in the middle of Hong Kong’s action.

Then we sneak to Hongkong’s Avenue of Stars – the town’s famous waterfront. The chance to get an idea of how it developed since our last visit nearly 35 years ago. Can you imagine 35 years ago?

We pass by the rundown Chungking Mansions – where we were looking for an affordable accommodation 35 years ago, and ran away once we realized how many doors were broken. Then the famous Peninsula Hotel – the place theoretically we’d deserve to stay, if we did not prefer to invest the money they ask for into roasted Chinese goose.

Then we’re finally at the water to admire Hong Kong Island’s CBD on the other side and the huge improvement they made to stroll along Victoria Harbour.

Later we’re searching for our roasted goose. Just, a Dim Sum restaurant derails our plans even if we don’t stay at Hong Kong’s Peninsula.

Whatever, we move on to the night market. Just to explore what else might be worth an investment.

The next morning: after a surprisingly good breakfast (at least after these somehow limited choices in the Philippines), we decide to do what tourists normally do when in Hong Kong: take the famous Star Ferry to visit Hong Kong Island.

A look at the Banking District, especially the famous HSBC and Bank of China buildings. The latter, according to our guidebook, should even allow visitors to go up to the 43rd floor for a view. However, Bank of China no longer does allow anybody to get there. What a shame.

On to Hong Kong’s must-see sight: the Peak. Fortunately, there are only a few people who have the same idea.

So, no queues for the tram going up, no crowds at the viewpoints. Great.
Still, arriving at the top, they really try hard to get you into some expensive but artificial attractions. Madame Tussauds wax museum, a viewing platform where you won’t see more than anywhere else, etc. But once you get past these artificial obstacles, it’s just about admiring the view, sneaking a bit onto the famous Hong Kong Trail, and getting something in the Peak’s 7-Eleven.

Back to the skyscrapers, we’re heading to Tai Ping Shan, 1 of the older, more authentic parts of Hong Kong. An area famous for its street art and notorious for the decaying houses.

 
 

On the way, 1 of Hong Kong’s most fascinating temples: Man Mo. A space full of spiritual life in the smoke of the countless incense sticks.

 
 

Then we’re already on our way back to Kowloon.

And in the evening finally, to our roasted goose dinner. 

The next day – definitely more to explore. 

To start with, we think we should visit 1 of Hong Kong’s most famous Insta-hotspots. Not because it’s exceptionally scenic or interesting. No, it’s just about the hotspot, and because it’s on our way to other sights.

So, we take the metro to Choi Hung, near this insta hotspot. It just takes about 15′ on the metro to reach, even if it’s quite far away.

A short walk and we reach the famous baseball field with the huge apartment block in the background. Well, maybe you’re wondering why the hell this place is an Insta-hotspot. The only answer we have is … good question …

Whatever, should you ever see this pic on Insta, you know, we were here. That’s it.

On to the Nan Lian Garden and the Chi Lin Nunnery, the latter a pretty quiet place in the middle of Hong Kong’s hectic atmosphere.

 
 

A walk to the Wong Tai Sin Temple. Definitely the opposite atmosphere to the nunnery. Full of tour groups from China, all trying to improve their future thru a practice called kau chim.

So, when you visit the place during your next weekend trip to Hong Kong, be aware you won’t be alone.

 
 

Enough of these crowds in the temple. We sneak on. In Hong Kong’s Mong Kok area, we should visit some of their street markets. It’s not really a tourist attraction. It’s more where the Hongies’n’Kongies get everything  that’s hard to find in a supermarket.

To start with, we head to the flower market. A street lined with shops selling flowers.

On to the bird market. Surely, it’s an authentic place. Still, it leaves a bittersweet impression considering how the the birds are treated.

On thru the backstreets of Mong Kok browsing the fish market and 1000s of roadside stalls selling anything you can’t even imagine buying. 

Of course, there are also real surprises we discover on our way. For example, a really nice souvenir for auntie July and her unbearable kids – a true masterpiece of advanced baking art.

Finally, we reach the quiet, atmospheric Shing Wong temple.

After that it’s definitely enough – at least for the time being. So, we’re heading to our roasted goose eatery, munch on some goose bones, and have a beer.

But after that, we’re back on our way. To the waterfront. To admire Hong Kong Island at night.

Macau, 10th January

Next morning, it’s time for another great town: Macau. Just 1h in a speedboat to get there. Surprisingly, in Hong Kong and in Macau, every time we have to pass immigration – even though it’s in both cases the Chinese 1.

 

 
 
 
 

After arriving, we simply misuse 1 of the free casino buses that brings us to the city center. A short walk to our sleepery (kitsch as kitsch can be in Macao only – but with a great view), and we’re settled.

A stroll thru Macao’s old town. To soak in this mix of old Portuguese and newer Chinese buildings, the mix of old-fashioned shops and modern Chinese jewellery boutiques, the places geared towards locals’ daily needs and those tourist traps that make the money flow.

 
 

Soon we arrive at the Largo do Senado – the heart of the old town. When we visited Macao many years ago for the 1st time, it was a pretty rundown square lined with colonial buildings crying for maintenance. Nowadays, it’s the most visited area, apart from the casinos.

So, many reasons to continue celebrating x-mas craziness.

 
 

On towards the Ruínas de São Paulo, the landmark of the town. We sneak along the eponymous road. An alley full of Chinese tour groups on their adventure trip, lined with numerous eateries and shops, mainly selling all kinds of pork jerky to the innocent tourists.

 
 

And the famous ruins? They’re under maintenance, so not much to see.

In the evening, after a delicious Dim Sum dinner, we’re back at the Largo do Senado. To see how kitschy the illuminated x-mas decoration is.

 
 

The next morning we still have a lot of time before the ferry goes back to Hong Kong.

So, we sneak thru Macao’s former red-light street, nowadays without any special services.

Then on to Fortaleza do Monte. A fort built by the Portuguese in the 17th century to defend their outpost against all kinds of hostile colonial powers.

 
 

After these old, UNESCO heritage stones we have to check out what contributes at least 50% to Macau’s economy: the casinos.

Of course, we know we could easily  triple our fortune by gambling. But today we’re not in the mood. So, we just have a look to see if all these Chinese’ hopes come true.

Of course, the ultimate places to go to are the poshed casino, the Gran Lisboa and the oldest 1, the Casino Lisboa.

Then, we’re already on our way back to Hong Kong.

Papeete, 14th January

The next day, it’s mainly about waiting for our onward flight in the evening. And to mentally prepare ourselves for being squeezed into a tin of sardines for 11h.

In the afternoon we take an Uber to the airport. There we have a last beer, unfortunately without roasted goose, and we’re already heading to our Cathay Pacific overnight flight to New Zealand.

At least they have slightly larger seats and some more legroom than most other airlines. And they serve an excellent Amber Ale.

Yeah, would be nice if Cathay Pacific ever becomes a role model for European carriers. Well, probably never.

The next afternoon, we land in Auckland.

We spend some time getting into New Zealand. The girl handling the country’s biosecurity really wants to know everything about every animal and plant we’ve seen in the past 30 days. And we couldn’t remember the names of all these veggies we’ve seen in the Philippines.

Then we’re in our lousy sleepery next to the airport. Just to help you a bit for your next arrival at this airport: avoid Ibis Budget at all costs. That’s it – and you’ll be happy.

It’s true, we won’t stay in New Zealand for a long time. Sorry Kiwis, but we have a different plan. But even for just another night, we don’t want to stay at this Ibis airport sleepery. So, we’re heading to Auckland for something better.

Then a walk thru the CBD. Just to get an idea  of what a Kiwi town looks like.

In the evening we discover Auckland’s oldest brewery – the Shakespear Restaurant and Bar. Time for some IPA.

The next morning: our last day in New Zealand – at least for the time being.

In the evening we’re at the airport again, checking in for Air New Zealand’s flight to Tahiti.

Another night flight, just 5h in a plane with a pretty unusual interior: all seat covers strictly in black and violet lightening – you have the impression you’ve joined a funeral, and the flight attendants in uniforms reminiscent of some 19th-century movies. Whatever, space is ok, food’n’wine as well.

Of course, not nice we arrive at 1.30 am only in Papeete.

Even the folk dance group hired to give a good impression of French Polynesia doesn’t help a lot once we’ve seen the long queue in front of immigration. And we even have the doubtful honour to queue up with US citizens. Thanx to our Swiss Volltrottel Party fighting every sensible relationship to the EU. Really, we appreciate your efforts at 3 am amid all these guys from Trumpistan.

At 3 am we finally check in at another lousy airport sleepery.

Dear readers,

We fully understand you’re tired of all these nondescript pics and the boring text. So, maybe it’s better to stop this poetry, at least for the time being. Just get some sleep, remain jealous, and wait impatiently for the next post.

Cheeeers

Monika’n’Martin

Baja California! Baja California? - the Great Hype Adapted Version