Hong Kong Day 4- Ladies Market

My nights sleeping in Hong Kong were spent at the Harbour Hotel, which was in conveniently close walking distance to the Mongkok Ladies Market. Within moments of disembarking the hotel elevator and stepping foot into the street, I'd find myself surrounded by a cacophony of sensory overload. Practically anything you could possibly want or need could be found somewhere among the winding, crowded streets, whether it be a baby carriage, seafood so fresh it still wriggles upon the tables or inside bins, clothing, traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and poultices, live chickens, American candy, booze, movies, etc. Vendor's carts, tables, vehicles and pedestrians all crowd the streets, moving at times like a singular entity.  People buy, butcher and bargain together in the open air. 

Navigating the winding corridors, crowded with vendors and items for sale, could be confusing at times. I figured it was easiest to just go with the flow, for the most part, and take in the sights and sounds as I went. Occasionally a small bit of respite would be found in a quieter alleyway off to the side, where I could more clearly see the merchants going about their day unobstructed. Many of the vendors get an early start and will keep working late in the afternoon and even into the evening hours. The market is still bustling with vibrancy and crackling energy late into the night, when neon signs blink into life and cast their odd illuminations into the midst. 

I can only imagine that some of these vendors have been doing this their entire lives, starting in early childhood. Perhaps they were perched upon their grandpapa's lap as he rang up sales, or were given chores to keep them busy as their once clumsy childish hands grew more deft and capable with age.

There was truly so much to see, many of it unrecognisable to me. Oceanic creatures of all shapes and sizes commingled upon tables or in buckets and bins. Tablescapes were coloured with brilliant shades of a wide variety of different vegetables and herbs, fruits and trinkets. This market, this place, has tainted my views of American Chinatowns ever since. While I can still appreciate and enjoy a visit to San Francisco's Chinatown, or Oakland's, it's hard not to compare it to the experience of walking through these streets, taking in the sheer volume of things available...only these original markets, overflowing into the streets, can fully satisfy me now. 

More photos after the cut!

Hong Kong: Day 2 Tsim Sha Tsui pub craw and dinner

Tsim Sha Tsui  is an area or neighbourhood of Hong Kong located on the Chinese-mainland attached Kowloon Peninsula, just across the bay from the glittering lights of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong island proper. Easily accessible for any visitor to Hong Kong due to being the port of call where the world famous Star Ferry drops you off, it was also relatively close to my hotel, only a short metro ride away. While the main streets tend to be crowded with high end shops and expensive eateries, walking further inland and exploring the small alleys that proliferate the area you'll quickly find all sorts of affordable, trendy clothing and deliciously appetising foods at fantastically low prices tucked away into all sorts of inconceivable corners. On this particular evening I was more hungry for food than fashion, so with my single serving Aussie friend we explored the vibrantly coloured, crowded, perfumed streets of Hong Kong. Well, I imagine they must be scentsual... I have a nearly non-existent sense of smell, but given the plumes of steam and all the delicious foods and sexy things stewing in the streets I can only imagine how robust the cornucopia of scent dancing through the air must be at any given moment. I get the distinct impression that Hong Kong would have a particularly unique bouquet, one that is special to the region.

Our adventure through the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui were not to be unrewarded; we sampled delicious grilled foods in a restaurant where we clinked excessively large beer glasses with locals, dabbled in drinking aquavit with jovial old ex-pats, conquered century eggs and even poked our curious heads into a seedy sex shop. There truly is something for everyone in Hong Kong, whether you're a food lover, fashionista du jour, jet-setting party animal, bargain hunter or nature lover. While by this point I haven't gotten to fully flesh out the natural beauty of the region that I experienced, rest assured that it is rapidly approaching! Hong Kong manages to achieve a trepidatious balance between natural wonder and high-tech commercialism in a microcosm that is unlike any other in the world.

Hong Kong: Day 2 pitstop at Tung Chung station

On my way back to Hong Kong proper, I made a pitstop at Tung Chung station on Lantau island. Lantau island is not only home to Hong Kong Disneyland and Hong Kong airport but is the jump-off point to access the Ngong Ping 360 Degree Cable cars and the giant seated Buddha statue not far after. Initially I had hoped to make it out to see the Buddha on my way back but found that I arrived far too late in the day to catch a cable car. Oh well, given the close proximity of most places in Hong Kong it wasn't a terribly long journey even from my location across the bay in Mong Kok, Kowloon.

Hong Kong: Day 2 breakfast & leaving the city

Day 2 in Hong Kong!

Ready, set go~

Started my day with a bowl of beef noodle soup at a small noodle shop down the street from where I was staying at the Harbour Hotel. I walked right passed the place before as it was hidden behind stalls so overflowing with produce I didn't realise there was an entire store front tucked away! 

I don't speak Chinese and what little kanji (Japanese symbols based off of ancient Chinese) I did know wasn't of great use, to be honest. I can recognise symbols like 肉 niku, or meat, and 麺 men, or noodle, so at least I had that much to work with but proficiency that surely does not make. Even though Hong Kong used to be a British territory, you shouldn't expect everyone to be proficient in speaking English and I certainly didn't. While some people could communicate quite well with me, there was still a lot of gesturing and patience involved from all parties. In this little shop there were sufficient pictures for me to point and eat and the servers tolerated my linguistic challenges well enough. That all being said, the food was absolutely delicious no matter what I had or where I stopped! The noodles above were chewy and springy in a flavourful broth and the meat was sufficiently cooked by the broth without being tough. After refuelling my belly, I stepped back out into the bustling streets of the Ladies' Market to venture forward into my day. After breakfast, I was heading to Hong Kong Disneyland, which will be it's own post tomorrow!

Tokyo Disney Sea 2012-04-26

For two and a half long years I worked my tail off at Tokyo Disney Sea.

Despite working in the park, I was never allowed to explore beyond my area and I most certainly never got free entry into the park. There are strict regulations about costumes and the regions they inhabit so you'll never see a Mermaid Lagoon employee in full costume hanging out in the Mediterranean Harbor. 

Because I worked for Arribas and not Disney directly, I couldn't even use the Disney employee parking lot for my bike. I got an awkward warning from a guard one night and a note I couldn't read.

Bummer.

But it was still worth taking the time to visit the place I worked at, at least once!

So one overcast spring day my friend Yuka & I met up at the guest entrance of the park we worked in.

After dutifully (albeit grumpily) paying our $45-50 some odd bucks (with a local discount), we entered for a day of fun. Our friends Noriko & Naoko were both working, but promised to meet up with us when their shifts ended. 

By the way, did you know that the Japanese Disney parks are cheaper than their U.S. counterparts? Now you do!  Not everything is more expensive in Japan. ^_^