For a probinsyana like me, being catapulted
from a small laid-back province to a busy and bustling metropolitan city was
quite daunting. Time flew so fast that the days, months and years passed by so
quickly. And before I knew it, it was time to pack our bags and say goodbye to
Hong Kong for good. Hong Kong has been a second home for me, my husband and
kids for three years.
Deep
down I knew that there are lots of things that I have loved and missed in that place.
Safety
There
are times when I would say to myself that it is indeed ironic that I would feel
much safer in a place other than my own. Hong Kong is safe even when I go out
to purchase last minute essentials late at night or a stroll in the park with
the company of my family. In the years that I have stayed in Tuen Mun or even
in other places in HK, I have never witnessed any brawls on the street or the
like. So, I guess that gives you an idea
about the peace and order of the city.
Chinese Food
One
thing that I noticed about the Chinese foods that I have tried and even
prepared myself is that even though they are easy to prepare, it could bring
out the chef in me. The iingrédients
are just simple - minced ginger, green onions, sesame oil and
of course Chinese rice wine are my favorites. My family would occasionally dine
out when I’m too bone weary to prepare for dinner and I wanted to take a break from my daily date with the pots and
pans in the kitchen. Most of the time, we always end up eating at Café de Coral,
a restaurant with a variety of meals to choose from. The food is great and
suits our budget too.
Butterfly Beach Park, Tuen Mun
The park
is something that we look forward to on weekends or every free time that we get to have. The beach is very
welcoming for long walks, occasional conversations while sitting on the bench
or just enjoying the harbor while the kids run around. At times, we would bring
out a beach mat, towels, kids shovels and buckets and head off to butterfly beach.
They have a barbeque section too for those who are craving for a nice tasty
grilled barbeque! There are lots of wide, open, beautiful parks that you can
find around Hong Kong to relax and unwind.
Street Market
Street Market
I enjoyed going here from
time to time. Absolute cheap finds costing only for as low as $10-$20 HKD!
Plenty of varied items to choose from such as clothing apparels, gadgets,
fashion accessories, you name it! I usually go to the street market in Sham Shui Po, just 3 train stops via MTR
Tsuen Wan Lane from Mei Foo because it is nearer Delia English Primary School
where my two kids went to school.
Hong Kong as Tourist Destination
 |
| Disneyland |
Transportation
For the
locals, commuting is
part of their everyday lives. I was a usual commuter from Tuen Mun to Mei Foo
while sending and fetching my kids to and from school - a 30-45 minutes ride by
bus. In the entire time that I stayed there I could only say good things about
the KMB bus drivers in HK. Based on my experience, the transportation is
reliable and safe.
I’ll
miss the convenience of the Octopus Card too which I topped up with
credits in Circle K, 7 eleven or in the MTR customer service station which I
had used to pay for my fare and buying grocery in convenience store
partners of octopus cards. All you do is
to tap it on the card reader and it will automatically deduct the price to your
remaining load. Simple and hassle free!
So this
blog post is a way for me to say thank you to a place that has been good to me
and my family. My experience in Hong Kong was one of the most memorable chapters
in my life.
