Good things come to those who wait... sometimes

I'm not THAT optimistic, hence must add the word "sometimes" to the title. Anyway, there is this book - For One More Day by Mitch Albom that I had been eyeing since the 1st time I saw in bookstore. However, the only available version was the hardcover ones, hence translated to rather pricey for the book. Despite wanted to buy the book yet I'm not all that into paying so much simply because of the hard cover. So... I left it there, in the bookstore.

Sometimes... I guess good things come to those who wait. Yesterday, over The Star newspaper under the Reading section, there was a coupon giving 50% discount to purchase certain titles in Kinokuniya (only valid yesterday & today). Grin. I hardly buy newspaper these days as I dont really fancy keeping stacks and stacks of old newspaper especially when everytime I bring it down, the van which collects old newspaper would have been far far away. So I resolve to reading newspaper online. Anyway, I was to wait for the bus to come at 12.30 pm to travel back to KL from Penang, so I bought a copy of Sunday Star.

Happily, I went to grab a copy of "For One More Day" this afternoon and surprise, surprise... the paperback version is also out (it may have been out for quite sometime but I have not been to bookstore for awhile). Hence with the 50% on the paperback version, it is very much affordable :)

Well... I guess, good things come to those who wait... sometimes :)

How Rare Is Your Personality?

I didnt really have the intention to put this up. In fact, I was just clicking around and casually answering the questions for this blogthing. Anyway... noted it matched perfectly with the earlier "test" I took in one of the soft skill training provided by company. The other "test" that I took actually required me to answer like about a hundred question as opposed to this one.

Your Personality is Very Rare (INTP)

Your personality type is goofy, imaginative, relaxed, and brilliant. Only about 4% of all people have your personality, including 2% of all women and 6% of all men You are Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Leaving HK

Hehe... ok I'm done blogging for the day. Took the 2.15 pm flight back to M'sia. However lucky my Octopus Card still have sufficient fund for me to travel to Causeway Bay to grab some Lo Po Peng for my colleagues. Forgot to take picture of that anyway but instead took a few of HK Internation Airport.

Clockwise from top left: Spots of clouds taken from the airplane, HKIA, see those snow flakes on the plane window? (friend said she thought the window cracked = ="), another one on HKIA

Side note: It's time I get another SD card. Had to delete a few pictures just to take pictures of HKIA

Last full day in HK

I went to Stanley again, hence left Sheung Wan in the morning by tram to Central. Took bus no 6 from the Exchange Square, it cost me HKD 7.90. From one of the magazines that I read in HK, it is said that bus no 6 to Stanley, if you sit at the 1st row of the upper deck of the bus, you will see one of the most superb view. It was also said that if you couldnt secure that seat, then the trip might be considered wasted. Oh well.. hehe.. me being a bit kiasu very happy that I got that seat. The other side of the 1st row seat was taken by this 2 New Zealanders who were on a transit waiting for a plane to London. Also to note that bus no 6 is the cheapest among the buses from Central to Stanley (but I dont know about the minibus fare though)

~ Stanley, during daytime

I also took bus no 6 back to Central, loitered a while in Central before I walk to the Peak Tram station for a ride up to The Peak.

~ Duddell Street Gas Lamps


~ The famous Central-Mid Levels Escalator

~ Lan Kwai Fong, on a weekday, during daytime

And.. up to The Peak, I visited Madame Tussade's Wax Museum. Ah.. the last time it was under renovation :P I cant miss it another time rite?

Side note: As I strolled along Lan Kwai Fong, just couldnt help thinking that it would be nice if Calv is around :P (oh well.. if u know him, you will know what I mean)

After the "Religious Trail"...

Covered the "religious trail" by around 4 pm. Colleague called to meet up for dinner at 7.00 pm in Causeway Bay. I figured as there was still time, I decided to grab another chance to see if I could secure a nice picture of the Central view. From Wong Tai Sin, I took the MTR to Prince Edward and dropped by the Flower Market and Yuen Po Street Bird Garden as I missed both during my 1st trip and the other day.

~ Flower Market

~ Yuen Po Street Bird Garden

From there, I walked to Fa Yuen street... and in the short pass-through the street, I got myself a shawl :P and took the pediastrian bridge to the Mongkok MTR station. Got down at TST station & walked to the Star Ferry Pier (again!) I know, I know... I'm rather crazy in that sense

Took the ferry to Central but sigh... its even more misty than ever. Have to try right...
From pier, I walked cut-cross IFC and over to Prince Building to get a tram to Causeway Bay. All in all, it took me about 2 hours... of course with all the loitering :P

For dinner its usual affair of noodles... but after that, my colleague brought us (Day and me) to eat this boiled egg and milk (but got people call it stewed milk and stewed egg...shrug) at Yee Shun Milk Company. There were 3 of us and there is this note at the bottom of the menu saying that number of order must be at least 1 per head (e.g. there was 3 of us, so we should order 3 items) otherwise, we would have to pay HKD 10 for hogging the seat. (of course they dont use the word hogging)

~ boiled milk and boiled egg from Yee Shun Milk Company

side note: its really not bad u know.. the boiled milk & egg :P

Religious Trail :P

Ok.. it just so happen that the routes to those temples are near each other.. mmm.. or was it planned that way? Anyway, I wanted to go to the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery as I missed it the last time as we spent too long in the HK Heritage Museum. However it was rather far in Shatin, and when I went google around, noted that there are another 2 places nearby worth a stop - Chi Lin Nunnery and Wong Tai Sin Temple. There you have the "religious trail" :P

~ 10,000 Buddhas Monastery, in Shatin

~ Chi Lin Nunnery, Diamond Hill

The present-day buildings have been rebuilt and their style is of
Tang architecture. The beautiful garden in front of the nunnery is open to the
public free of charge.

Its buildings are the only ones to be built with
wooden rooftops in modern Hong Kong, without the use of a single nail in its
construction. This is based on a unique architectural style from the Tang
Dynasty which uses special interlocking systems cut into the wood for
construction.

Covering a space of 30,000 square meters, Chi Lin Nunnery
has strikingly beautiful statues of the Sakyamuni Buddha, the goddess of mercy
Guanyin and other bodhisattvas. These statues are made from gold, clay, wood and
stone

Source: Wikipedia

~ Wong Tai Sin

I went on a Sunday and it was fully packed - young, old, male, females. Everybody seems to have prepared to pray. I've even seen people fished out lighter from their own pocket to light the joss sticks.

Side note: I had muscle ache the next day from climbing the staircase to 10,000 Buddhas Monastery

The so-called "rural trail"

Well.. it was so-name by one of my colleague when she noted that I was going to Sham Shui Po and Cheung Chau. Oh well...not that its really rural rural but comparatively to the HK island, Kowloon ... it might be.

After checking out of the hotel in Sheung Wan, I took the MTR to TST and checked in to a budget hostel in Mirador Mansion. Despite the very notable size of the room but it is a very, very convenient place - with Star Ferry Pier within a short walking distance, MTR station almost next to it and KCR station down the road.

Sigh... sad to say that I miscalculate on the time, not expecting that it would be really dark by 7 pm. By the time I left the budget hostel it was already about 1 pm, also I had to change more $$ as initially wanted to pay for the room via credit card but somehow it cant went through and I paid with cash. Anyway as I wanted to spend more time in Cheung Chau, I decided to go to Sham Shui Po first.

~ Stalls selling electrical stuff in Apliu Street

~ Jockey Club on a racing day

By the time I left Sham Shui Po, it was about 3 pm. Took the MTR back to TST and walked to the Star Ferry Pier. Took the Star Ferry crossed over to Central and walked to Pier no 5 which would take me to Cheung Chau. The journey is about 40 mins to an hour. So by the time I reached Cheung Chau its about 4++... sigh...

Top row (L-R): Overlooking from Cheung Chau are ferrys and boats, taken from the ferry itself, bicycles and bicycles parking at the side of the road

2nd row (L-R): Main street in Cheung Chau (Praya Street), hehe.. another on the boats, Pak Tai Temple

3rd row (L-R): Wind surfing centre, Hometown Teahouse run by a lovely Japanese lady - sushi, tea and red bean cake is served during teatime for HKD 20, night view of Cheung Chau from the ferry

By the time I finished walking around Cheung Chau town, it was rather dark though only at 7 ++ pm. Wanted to venture off further, however as it was rather dark with limited street lights, I dare not go off from the town area. :(

Side note: I miss the red bean cake by Hometown Teahouse in Cheung Chau :

Last day of training

Day 5 of training. As Friday was the last day of training, it was scheduled to end at 3 pm after another lunch :) We had our last lunch together at a hotel in Cyberport before went back to hotel to put down that big file.

As friend wanted to go meet up with his wife & mother-in-law and I wanted to continue my unfruitful hunt of anime figurines at Mongkok. So I left hotel alone, taking the tramway to Central before changed to MTR and got off from Mongkok.
(If you ever realise, I have never board a minibus. Reason is very simple, I never know where to shout for, "please stop, need to get down")

I round and round Mongkok and found those really, really, really nice figurines but it was too expensive. Sigh... oh well.. you got it right, I didnt buy any. Thereafter, I walked to Fa Yuen street, Goldfish Market, Ladies Market and Temple Street. It was rather late and I missed the opening time of Jade Market, Flower Market and Bird Street. (The Flower Market and Bird Street, I went another day but didnt get around to peek at the Jade Market. Not that I want to buy anything from the Jade Market anyway :P)

~ Fruit stall in Fa Yuen street

~ Packets of fishes in Goldfish Market (it is parelel to Fa Yuen Street)

~ Stalls after stalls in Ladies Market

~ Rows and rows of fortune teller in Temple Street

Side note: Fa Yuen street is a morning market, hence it closes early about 9 pm. It has a very wide range of things selling including nice clothes, knick knacks, toys... very nice place :P

Walking alone in Sheung Wan

Day 4 of training. Friend's wife and mother-in-law came from Malaysia to join him. I'm being nice and stay away from being a light bulb, decided to roam by myself. As the previous nights we reached hotel rather late and I noticed I was drinking more coffee than usual, I decided to retire to bed earlier. Hence only roam at Sheung Wan.

Taking the bus together with friend, he getting off at Central and me got down at Western Market. From there, I just walked all the way back to hotel. Its really not far... but took me awhile as I went in all the convenience shops along the way :P

~ Western Market at night... taking from an overhead bridge

Had a quiet night where I had a wantan mee for dinner opposite the hotel I stayed, and redeemed the welcoming drink while reading Lonely Planet ;)

Side note: Sheung Wan is really quiet at night where shops closed really early.

Another short stop in Central... and Mongkok

Before went to HK, Bay Bee Dino requested me to bring something for her brother. The days prior I had no plan to go to Central but somehow ended up there. I didnt bring along the thing that wanted to bring for her brother, so had to go to Central again (not that I lament about it anyway)

As the appointment with Bay Bee Dino's brother was at 7 pm, and we had more time to spare (colleague went together with me), we decided to grab an egg tart or 2 before dinner.

~ This is where the famous shop for egg tart in HK - Tai Cheong Bakery, located at Lyndhurst Terrace in Central. Friend bought 2 egg tarts, and I got myself an egg tart and a "sa yong" something like doughnut. The egg tart costs HKD 3.50 one, so does the "sa yong"

After passed thing to Bay Bee Dino's brother, we took the MTR crossed to Mongkok. Despite down an egg tart right in front of the shop, we were pretty hungry by then. So dropped in at the 1st shop, KFC... haha..

KFC in HK comes with a spaghetti, soup, salad and of course chicken (with ham on top) - at least the one I had had that.

After had dinner, we just walked around with friend keeping me company, cos I was hunting for figurines which unfortunately was unfruitful.

~ Mongkok street at night

Then we saw this Hui Lau Shan dessert shop (in fact its all over HK). We cant resist it despite its cold and we are not really hungry anyway.

~ Mango puddings. The one on the left is mango with pamelo

Side note: I noticed egg tarts in HK are those really yummy ones that "crushed" when u bite as compared to the ones in M'sia

Evening activities at Repulse Bay and Stanley

The organisers of the training are really a bunch of understanding people. Understood that we would love to go walkabout after training. So on day 2 of training, there was this evening activitiy scheduled for us.

The initial plan was to bring us up to The Peak and enjoy the breathtaking nice view. However, the sky has not been very kind with mist covering single building/view. Hence changed of plans to a short trip to Repulse Bay and Stanley. In a way, it was lucky for me as I did plan to go to Repulse Bay and Stanley on one of the days. Oh well.. in the end, I did return again to Stanley as we only dropped by for a very short 15 minutes and even the Stanley Market already closed for the day. As for Repulse Bay, I make do with the short stop.

We travelled from Cyberport on a chartered bus to Repulse Bay.

Repulse Bay (淺水灣, lit. Shallow Water Bay) is an area in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, located in the Southern District, Hong Kong.

The well-known Repulse Bay Beach is located on a beautiful bay with a long line of coast and smooth sand. It is a Grade 1 beach for its good water quality. In addition, large waves rarely hit the beach, making it an ideal place for swimming.

If to reach by public transport, there are buses via Central to Stanley such as 6, 6A, 6X, 260.

~ Info from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repulse_Bay

~ the famous bridge at Repulse Bay.

Pilfered this picture from Wikipedia

One of the organiser told me that if I am to take a bus to Repulse Bay, need to get down from the bus when I see this building. As for the hole, it is said for feng shui. Something like dragon looking at the mountain behind through the hole and good feng shui.
After a short while of walking around, we left in the same chartered bus to Stanley before proceed to have dinner in Causeway Bay. No shopping, just loitering around in the cold wind... its nice :P

~ The Murray Building, at night.
Murray Building was once a government building in Central, it was dismantled in 1982 to make way for new buildings. The facade was stored in a warehouse after the building was dismantled, and the facade was rebuilt in Stanley in 1998. It was open to the public in 1999. It houses several restaurants and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (see below). When it was rebuilt, the ink used to label the pieces had washed off, and when they had finished constructing the building, they had six columns left over. These columns now stand outside the building.
Info from: Wikipedia

After 15 minutes in Stanley, we had a very full dinner in Causeway Bay

Side note: I think I need another battery for my camera...