Hong Kong/Macau 2008 - Avenue of Stars & Symphony of Light

After a refreshing nap back at Dragon Hostel in Mong Kok, we departed to Tsim Sha Tsui for an early dinner, followed by a leisure stroll along the Avenue of Stars (where you get to see & touch REAL palm prints of current and former stars), and capped off with the dazzling synchronised laser and light display aptly named, the "Symphony of Lights".

Tsim Sha Tsui

Taking the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) trains from Mong Kok to Tsim Sha Tsui is a rather short trip, separated only by 2 stations wedged in between. (HKD4.40/RM2).

The YMCA Building @ Tsim Sha Tsui

Various skyscrapers around Tsim Sha Tsui, most notably The Peninsula (bottom pics), an award-winning hotel that has been operating since 1928.

MACAU Restaurant @ Shop A & B, G/F, Lokville Comm Building, 25-27 Lock Road, Tsim Sha TSui, Kowloon.

Though it was barely 5pm, we were ready for an early dinner, as late dinners in Hong Kong = Seats-grabbing fiesta, and Patience-testing ordeal. Macau Restaurant (http://www.macaurestaurant.hk/) has a few branches in Hong Kong, serving authentic Macanese cuisine, catering to those who missed trying some in Macau, or couldn't be bothered to travel all the way for a taste of such in Macau.

Clockwise from top left : Baked Rice with Seafood, Spinach Noodles with Prawns & Mushrooms in Tomato Sauce, Beef & Fish Balls Noodles, Milk Tea, Portuguese Egg Tart, and Macau Crispy Bun with Corned Beef and Cheese

My Baked Rice with Seafood in Lobster Sauce (HKD36/RM16.20) sounded promising, but failed to deliver. Diluted tomato sauce, with a faint hint of lobster (or rather, fishy essence) drowned the lightly fried rice with eggs. But the mussels, squids, and prawns made up for the minuses. The rest of the meal proved to be rather bland, the Macau crispy bun with corned beef and cheese (HKD19/RM8.55) was too dainty to be of substance. But the Portuguese egg tart (HKD7/RM3.20) was GOOD, creamy & milky egg custard, with flaky pastry. Total damage? HKD124/RM55.80 for a moderate affair.

Wing Wah Bakery @ Tsim Sha Tsui

A few shops away is this simple, plain old bakery manned by a Chinese old man. Still longing for more to fill that vacuum in our stomach, I picked a golden yellow egg tart, and a wife cake (lou por peng), while the others bought fluffy egg cake, etc. Forgot the price, but egg tarts should be around HKD4/RM1.80 per pc.

MY HKFA?!!! *_* (I can dream, can't I?)

A short walk to Tsim Sha Tsui's Waterfront, we reached the Avenue of Stars, where people gather and hangout by the strait separating Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. Resembling Hollywood Walk of Fame, the waterfront not only serves as a cool hangout for couples and families, but also popular with avid photographers.

Quirky structures abound at the waterfront

You'll see Bruce Lee's statue immortalized in that famous pose of his, and various other statues/structures for camwhoring purposes

Of course, coming here on a breezy evening is definitely more ideal, comparing to us suffocating in the smog, and tormented by the heat and stagnant air. Directly opposite the waterfront you'll be able to see Victoria Harbour, and the amazing skyline of Central on Hong Kong Island. But clouded by the haze, the beautiful view was somewhat obstructed. Sigh ....

Victoria Harbour and Central

Some STARS on the pathway

The magnificient night view on Hong Kong Island. Can you spot the famous Bank of China tower?

Every night, at 8pm sharp, the Symphony of Lights show will start, and lasts for approximately 10 mins, promising an unforgettable multimedia experience

44 Buildings, Five themes - Awakening, Energy, Heritage, Partnership & Celebration

You'll be able to view the dazzling performance every night, either from the Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon side, OR from the other side at Wan Chai's Golden Bauhinia Square, on Hong Kong island. Narration in different languages on different days, with English on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while Mandarin narration's on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Only on Sunday will you be able to listen to the explanation in Cantonese.

A splendid shot? (Credits to TallGal)

After hanging around the waterfront, and cooled ourselves down at a nearby shopping complex, we were on our way back to Mong Kok

Aberdeen Fishball and Noodles Restaurant

We had our compulsory (ahem) supper at Aberdeen Fishball & Noodles Restaurant, with four branches in Mong Kok alone. We were attracted to this outlet as the menu was extensive, the place looks clean and unpretentious, and the food is reasonably-priced.

For an additional HKD7/RM3.20, you'll get a drink of your choice to complement your meal

You probably would've heard the Hong Kong actors ordering "Tung Ling Cha" (Iced Lemon Tea) in the movies/dramas quite often. Wanna know what's the difference between the version in HK and Msia? In Hong Kong, they do not skimp on the lemon wedges, as evident from the pic above. First you 'mash' the lemon wedges in your drink to fully extract the tangy juices, and relish your cold, refreshing glass of cooling concoction. Lovely. My perennial favourite Milk Tea however, conquered all, and remained my #1 choice throughout my stay. =)

Braised Fatty Beef and Enoki Mushrooms with Rice (HKD30/RM13.50 per set, with a complimentary drink)

Pork Cheeks with Satay Sauce (HKD38/RM17.10)

The Braised Fatty Beef (trust them when they mention FATTY !!) and Enoki Mushrooms was nothing special, but not to say it was bad. But the star of the meal had to be the utterly delicious, PORK CHEEKS. Actually pork neck in Chinese, the thinly sliced pieces of meat were roasted to perfection, with the outer layer crispy, and the tender yet chewy meat intact with the natural juices of the meat. Oh how I miss those! Give the accompanying Satay sauce a miss though, as it was way too salty.

Location : #1 (148, Sai Yeung Choi St) #2 (139, Tung Choi St) #3 (Flat 2, G/F, Fa Yeun St) and #4 (G/F, 20, Nullah Road). All in Mongkok, Kowloon.

** Be warned though, service's NOT that satisfactory, and the pork cheeks took a good 20 mins to arrive. But well worth the wait, IMO. **

Next Day's Itinerary : Dim Sum @ Central, Golden Bauhinia Square, Times Square, and The PEAK.