DIVIDE AND CONQUER
August 3, 2007 8 AM – 11 PM
VARIOUS LOCATIONS, HONG KONG

For today, we agreed to split up to meander about in the city, cover more ground, and fulfill personal interests. There are three versions to this day as follows:

DJ’S DAY
CAUSEWAY BAY, AP LEI CHAU, TSIM SHA TSUI, FORTRESS HILL

Camie left early to get started on her Disney day. My aunt was coming me to see me in the afternoon so I went with the rest to Sogo. The ever-reliable and popular Sogo is where all individual stores come together to set up in a department store, a one-stop shop. Before that, we shopped for a while in IKEA. I had a ball looking at all the well-designed model rooms. I even took a picture in one which I think is not allowed. I long for my own place to decorate. We weren’t able to find anything special to take home save for clothes lint remover. On to Sogo, we first checked out Gucci where Nikki looked for a messenger bag her mother wanted. Nikki and I then went to find Shu Uemura, located on the third floor. We took a long time here that this is the only place we managed to hit.

Even though I don’t wear makeup, I bought a powder compact (just in case, who knows?) which was way cheaper here than in the Philippines. I was tempted to buy cosmetics, but I recalled that I barely use the ones I bought in Taiwan year before. Shopping abroad really causes one to become impractical. Nikki bought the stuff her mom and cousins asked her to while we asked the saleslady with outrageous false lashes to make us up. My poor skin was so dry that it was almost peeling. My lips were also chapped. She felt sorry for me enough to give me free sachets of Cleansing Oil. After buying, she told us we looked less than 20 years old with Nikki even a youthful 16! Of course, we were both intensely flattered.

We got so carried away here that we were very, very late for our 12PM meeting time. We also got lost trying to reach the first floor; we even ended up in the supermarket. My aunt also came to Sogo to fetch me and as we were walking away, she went back and asked the others if they wanted to have lunch with us. She was asking me if we wanted yum cha and all I could answer was the others wanted cha sio (asado) as I had no idea what yum cha was. Later on, F would tell me that yum cha was the very foodstuff we were searching for in HK, authentic dimsum with tea. How dumb and sad.

Anyway, my aunt treated us to Maxim’s Tea House where we had succulent and tender cha sio. She also ordered an additional serving of roast duck which we had to finish due to sheer embarrassment from my aunt’s generosity. Poor Mel had to break her diet for this one. On the way out, I noticed personal TV screens on the counters with bar stools. My aunt told me that it broadcasted the stock exchange. Apparently, the Hang Seng is a chief preoccupation among Hongkees young and old. But I’m sure the market ranks below consumption of goods still.

My aunt and I took a cab to get to Ap Lei Chau where in the Horizon Plaza Building, one can find the Joyce and Lane Crawford (top two HK luxury department stores) outlets. Just how did I find out about this place? Onboard Philippine Airlines where I was reading their monthly inflight publication Mabuhay, I saw an article on HK outlets. Instead of copying the addresses on my phone, I decided to rip the pages out. I don’t think anyone except of course my friends noticed though.

So I asked my aunt if we could go to the outlets to which she obliged. Ap Lei Chau is quite far and inaccessible by just the MTR. When we got there, I saw that the building also has a Max Azria (BCBG, MaxMara, Max & Co.) outlet, furniture showrooms and baby shops. There also are a lot of female European expats with their babies in tow shopping there. A considerable number of Pinoys were also shopping and working in the building.

Lane Crawford has Chloe, Club Monaco, Alberta Ferretti, Sergio Rossi, Roland Mouret, Hugo Boss, Valentino and other designer brands. Shoes were arranged by sizes first then style for easier access. I found some shoes attractive and worth the price as there were designer shoes for P4000-5000. Unfortunately, for my size, there were no appealing designs.

Since I really couldn’t find anything to buy, I just decided to take pictures of the price tags using my trusty cellphone camera in the Joyce outlet. The clothes here are more beautiful and carefully-edited than the ones in Lane Crawford. There was also an interesting an unique Japanese-influenced, finely- constructed Issey Miyake black dress with gold piping done in his signature pleats. A most covetable item was an Alexander McQueen jacket. That the jacket was quite large for me didn’t’ even matter as the price prohibited me from regretting my inability to purchase the item. I took a longer time browsing in Joyce because aside from taking surreptitious pictures of price tags, I was busy admiring the design, fabric, texture, and craftsmanship that went into the clothes. Joyce also has John Galliano, Catherine Malandrino, Hussein Chalayan, Anna Sui, Dries Van Noten and many more. The discounts were truly huge. An originally-priced 2800HKD long-sleeved Balenciaga (It seems this is the one from the House itself based on fabric and construction as opposed to the one on Harbour City.) long-sleeved polo was selling for 795HKD. A Dior by John Galliano dress initially worth 12500HKD was selling for 3500HKD. If the size fits, someone with the money might as well buy. With places like these, it gets easier to dress in designer threads.

The Max Azria outlet was relatively less expensive, but the clothes seemed to be old and passé. After our luxury goods outlet shopping experience, my aunt asked me where I wanted to go, I decided to go to Granville Road since I had passed it up yesterday. We took a taxi again to get to Admiralty before taking the MTR to TST. The traffic was horrible! I felt guilty that my aunt was going to pay an expensive ride. I had no idea that a Manila-scale traffic situation happened here. I used most of the time to observe the cars—mostly BMW, Lexus, Benz, Porsche, and Jaguar. The Toyotas and Hondas which are so common in our country seem anomalies there.
Granville Road is supposed to be the street where trendy HK fashion abounds. True enough, there were cheap hip clothing, but I found them sorely lacking in quality and originality. I was reminded by 168 Shopping Mall. I couldn’t imagine myself dragging home clothes which I could buy at a strip mall barely 10 minutes away from my home. I saw Havaianas though selling for more than a thousand pesos in granville identity, a three-story building with relatively more expensive clothes and accessories. Afterwards, we walked to Giordano Concepts where they had no size of the skinny jeans I wanted. We also located a Quicksilver shop. My aunt and I basically walked straight ahead under the scorching sun in Nathan Road passing by Park Lane Shopping Center and Miramar Center.

In Miramar Center, a sign for Uniqlo caught my eye. This brand is the Japanese version of Gap, and I was determined to own a piece of it. I settled for a pair of super skinny jeans with a very dark wash. It was love at first sight with these jeans. Jeans are very dear to me since these were the very first clothing I became obsessed with. Since then, I have branched out to include being obsessed with most everything fashion-related to the detriment of my savings and exasperation of my mother.

My aunt and I sat down for a while in Starbucks where she had coffee. I had a Choco Chip Frappucino and read Wallpaper magazine. It was a very chill, silent, and slow moment. My mom had told my aunt that I wanted to take the Star Ferry so she asked me if I still wanted to go. I noticed that my poor aunt was tired already so I declined, and we went back to Fortress Hill to have dinner.

We first went to Kee Wah Bakery to buy my favorite Honeydew Cake. Then we had dinner at a newly-opened Thai restaurant called Rhine, The Chicken Satay and Pad Thai were good, Tom Yum Soup was not very spicy so I didn’t like it that much. The waitress recommended fried chicken which was an odd choice and disappointing. My aunt even told the waitress on our way out that the chicken wasn’t good. The waitress blushed and apologized. That was a bit of a funny moment.

I was super full and so happy since I had barely spent anything. I went to my aunt’s place to look over her daughter’s clothes-= some worn, some with the price tags still attached. I chose the ones I liked to take back with me. Highlights were a white Moschino top which my aunt told me to take home despite my better judgment, a Max Azria red dress, and red crochet A/X top. Hurrah free clothes!

On the way back, we took the tram again and my aunt pointed out Victoria Park and the National Library. The Library looks so respectable and elegant at night. It even has a high staircase leading to the door much like Palma Hall. Wish I had managed to drop by as it is open to the public.

Gene called me up and said she was on Causeway Bay so we met up at the hotel and walked around. She had gotten her first paycheck from her new job and so had treated herself to an IPod. We went to G.O.D. (Good of Desire) near Times Square which sells Asian-inspired postcards, furniture, accessories, etc. Some were beautiful, some kitschy. We also went to Muji where I bought more marshmallows. We went to Sole Town for shoes, Windsor House for McDo milkshakes, and Fashion Walk for Agnes B where I deliberated on whether to buy a bag or not. Too bad we weren’t able to go inside Tsumori Chisato.

I was also able to see the only gasoline station (Shell) I encountered the entire trip just when I was telling Gene that there were a lot of cars but barely any gasoline stations. I was also telling her that there was a particularly amorous couple (European guy, HK girl) on the MTR from Central to Fortress Hill. The girl had her arms twined around the guy’s neck and the guy was squeezing the girl’s buttocks. I was watching a foreplay to a romance novel moment. Gene commented that there were apparently a lot of lesbians, confused, or experimental ladies in HK due to the lack of eligible HK men. The determined heterosexual women then naturally get attracted to the many foreigners (see Europeans in TST) in the country. The attached HK men also get pampered by their girlfriends because of their scarcity. Well aesthetically, the HK girls who are mostly tall and thin make a good counterpart to the foreigners.

After exhausting all shopping options, Gene and I returned to the hotel. I was happy to wear the hotel slippers as my foot got a slight abrasion from my Havaianas. We arranged all the divine chocolate nougats my aunt gave me and Kee Wah cakes in the Tupperware my mom insisted I bring as a container to put all the food I bought in. We basically just talked and talked. She left only after all the rest managed to find their way back to our home for these past three days and for the next two.

CAMIE AND MONMON’S DAY
HONGKONG DISNEYLAND

Have you seen the trailer of Ben Stiller/Jen Aniston’s movie, “Along Came Polly’? There is this hilarious scene where Stiller’s face crashes into a sweaty, hairy, disgusting beer belly while playing basketball (click youtube link here). Sadly, it is the only part of the movie worth watching. (Always happens. Funny trailer means awful movie. MTRCB should do something about this.) Now, imagine the feeling of Stiller in that scene and you would understand what it was like in HK Disneyland last August 3. I know Camitos would second. In fact, the only difference I could see is this: mainlanders are less hairy, e-w-w.

On the flip side, I could also succinctly apply the metaphor the of Mom’s Homemade Chocolate Cake to our trip to HK Disneyland. Do you remember the taste of your Mom’s cake? Well, I don’t. My mom can’t bake. But I’m pretty sure for those whose mothers do, they will say a little something like this: “Sure, it is not perfect. But there is something in this cake. I feel comfortable eating this cake. Maybe it is too fudgy, maybe its too dry, but it is the best cake I have tasted, knowing it’s made from love, awww.” (Thank you, Paula Abdul for your monologue.)



So despite the humidity and the bastos G.I’s, I felt comfortable in HK Disneyland, knowing that I was with my one and only Camitos ( <3, <3, <3). More than the rides or the shows, what really counts is enjoying your time to the person you love the mostest. Call me crazy, but I consider myself lucky experiencing the following:
1. Spending 6 full hours wearing a sweaty shirt and moist knickers. (oops!)
2. Paying 90 pesos for a bottle of water. Have you realized, all Disneylands are in humid areas? California, Florida and HK!
3. Keychains in HK Disneyland are 4 times as expensive as Disney keychains in SM Department Store, where they have it all for you! There you go Henry, I just gave you a great demo.
4. Did I mention it was really hot and humid?
5. How organized Camitos was with planning our itinerary. She wisely managed to use the FastPass and the regular queue to optimize the Disneyland magic.
6. Banana mango crepe.
7. The Water Gun Parade, also known as the Disney Wet Parade Bonanza.
8. Some of the park attendants are just rude and plain unaccommodating.
9. The Buzz Lightyear Ride.
10. Pikura. Pics. Pics. Too bad, we’re too shy (or too afraid?) to ask someone to take a picture of us.
11. The Space Mountain picture. I had a great pose. Cheese.
12. Did I mention, it was really hot?
13. As proof, Camitos got sunburned. Poor baby.
14. And the best part, the MTR ride home, because of the seats and the AIRCON!

MELISSA, FRANZ, AND NIKKI’S DAY
KOWLOON, ADMIRALTY, CAUSEWAY BAY

Since DJ spent quality time with her aunt and Camie had a Disney date with Monmon, Nikki, Franz, and I were left to our own devices the afternoon of our third day in Hong Kong. Without the h na h na leaders, we had a laidback afternoon exploring the city.

First stop was Sham Shui Po, the computer capital of Hong Kong. A visit to Sham Shui Po isn’t complete without dropping by Golden Computer Centre. The centre houses stall after stall of stores that sell computer related items at bargain prices. It reminded me of our very own Quiapo since the goods, the merchants, and the place itself felt shady. This however didn’t stop Nikki from buying a cover for her beloved DS-Lite.

After exploring the entire building, we decided that it was time to move to another shopping district. Before reaching the MTR though, F’s eagle eyes spotted a small Adidas outlet hidden in a little side street. F being F couldn’t resist checking out the store and even managed to snag a pair of Goodyear themed shoes for a steal. It was dirt-cheap as he was successful in further haggling the already discounted outlet price. Nikki also unearthed a lime green bag, which suited her very well. Walking back to the MTR, I couldn’t help but laugh at F’s propensity to spend since he was harping on the way to Sham Shui Po that he will not be buying anything during this leg of our trip.

Armed with a broken promise from somebody we all know, we finally took the MTR that brought us to the Jordan station, which is in the middle of Nathan Road. Since it was a-go-with-the-flow kind of excursion, we just walked aimlessly and went to the establishments that caught our fancy. We naturally didn’t pass the chance to drop by staples Giordano and Bossini to check if there were items we might have missed in the hundred other branches we have already visited. At Bossini, I got reprimanded for taking a snapshot of Nikki modeling a Bossini mitten but I have no regrets since Nikki looked adorable. F’s earnest declaration to not spend a single dime was totally thrown out of the window at this point.

Still at Nathan, we stopped at one of the more remarkable Calvin Klein boutiques where a very elegant, so F laptop bag caught F’s interest. Though Niks and I were egging him to succumb to the temptation, F miraculously discovered the virtue of restraint and decided to pass. It’s important to note however that two blocks down, Franz still couldn’t stop gabbing about the bag that he had to let go.

A part of our walk at Nathan Road was spent hoping to locate a Quiksilver store since a high-maintenance friend of ours demanded he be brought a pair of Quiksilver slippers. Late in the afternoon with no Quiksilver store in sight, we decided to finally ask for directions. The directions given by the locals were sketchy at best and it was with a little luck and much perseverance that led us to the concealed Quiksilver shop. To set the record straight, Quiksilver was not along Nathan Road as the above-mentioned high maintenance friend claimed. The store was completely obstructed by huge buildings and was tucked amid the dizzying busy side streets of Nathan Road.

When we finished at Quiksilver, Nikki was already having trouble with her sore feet. She needed to take pain medicine so we searched for a place to have early dinner since taking medicine on an empty stomach is not advisable. Good thing there was a Cafe de Coral nearby for I’ve wanted to try their dishes from Day 1. We feasted on sweet and sour pork, seafood pasta, a selection of grilled meat, and free dessert. While eating, an old lady sitting next to our table was noticeably eyeing our group. She later initiated a conversation and taught us what to do with the different sauces on our table. For the rest of our meal, she was keeping watch, so we all felt funny.

After the hearty dinner with the weird old lady, we continued to roam Nathan Road and were amazed to discover that we have already reached the Tsim Tsa Tsui MTR station since it didn’t feel that we have walked that far. Even with the countless stores along Nathan, our desire to shop has not waned when we reached Tsim Tsa Tsui so we all agreed to make another stop at Admiralty to go to the Pacific Place mall. It was just unfortunate that we got there too late with most of the shops already closed.



Having paid quite a sum for transportation from Tsim Tsa Tsui to Admiralty for nothing, F suggested that we take the tram going back to the hotel. The tram only charges HK$2.00 regardless of the length of one’s trip, a fee a great deal cheaper than the MTR. Nikki and I agreed with F’s plan though we didn’t have any inkling on how to return to Causeway Bay via the tram. The first local we asked said that it would only take around five stops so Nikki and I became nervous when five, six, seven stops later, there was still no sign of anything familiar. A helpful Filipino fortunately overheard our worried conversation and assured us that we were at least on the right track. After what seemed like forever in the hot and crowded tram, we finally reached Causeway Bay and after a short walk, Regal Hotel.

While riding the tram was quite the experience, the MTR truly is the safest and most convenient way to go. I don’t regret riding the tram though since part of the excitement in going abroad is the possibility of getting lost. We didn’t let our near misses damper our spirits since we knew that the likelihood of getting lost was all part of the big adventure.

Without DJ and Camie’s company that afternoon, it proved that shopping in smaller groups saves time. With just the three of us, we were able to visit more stores in fewer hours. However, there’s still a certain charm of shopping with the entire HK group complete wreaking havoc to all the places we go.

Guess whose pinky?!!! Que horror~

posted by Travel Gang @ 11:45 PM Comments: 0