Spontaneous Tourists

-
In another blog I logged tips on what I learned this second trip to Hong Kong with kids under 10.  One of the lessons I learned was to be adventurous - well, here are some of these adventure points we visited:

a)  Apliu Street - electronics street market.  Around there there is an entire street that sells beading and another one that sells fabric and ribbons.  there is also a street around there will a lot of stationary and toys






b)  The Science Museum - we were in Jordan and walked to this museum.  On our way we found interesting things too.  I wanted to check the Heritage museum too but it was closed that day.





c)  Yee Shum Milk Company - we didn't plan on stopping here but were glad when we walked by one of their stores across the city!  Definitely highly recommended!


d)  Disneyland - I hear so many complaints about Disneyland Hong Kong but I never understood why, especially if you are traveling with young kids.  I actually happen to like the smaller size of this Disney and we never feel like there isn't anything to do.  This Disney is perfect for a one day trip - we really enjoyed it this time too because we went on a Wednesday AND on exam week - that meant absolutely no one - in Hong Kong terms - in the park and no waiting needed for rides!


e)  Harbour City - if you like Japanese stuff - we experienced a little bit of Japan away from Japan:
     e.1)  Donguri Republic - all things Totoro


     e.2) Moomin Cafe - Cute place .  Dishes are decorated with the theme.





At the top of Harbour City (parking) there is a great view of the city - FREE :D



e.3)  The Star Ferry - from Harbour City we took the kids across on the Star Ferry - it was a frugal adventure for them :D




e.4)  On our way there we saw something interesting so after getting off we walked towards it.  Remember, we had NO PLANS :D  It was the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre




e.5)  Find out if there are special exhibits when you get there.  There was a flower show.  We were in the area - we stopped by just to visit

e.6)  Stop by parks!!! Sounds weird to go to a park in Hong Kong but if you have kids they will love it.  My kids wanted to go to the park every day!  It doesn't have to be a fancy or interesting park - anyone will do!


e.7)  Fa Yuen Street - more street markets.  This time we went to the shops around here to find headpieces for my girl and for more stationary - this street sells a lot of things in bulk too (e.g. birthday party loot bags)



e.8)  Go to malls (but not for shopping) - we met people at restaurants in many of the Western Malls in Hong Kong now.  At almost every stop we saw interesting things in the public galeria areas.  Again, GO WITH THE FLOW!

A lot of malls have member incentives now - you purchase things in their shops and collect points.  Afterwards you may be able to redeem for gifts.  My cousin was generous enough to share her points with my kids and got them Gundum stuff and signed my son up for a workshop!










e.9)  Food!!!  If you know friends and family in Hong Kong, you will be taken to a lot of places to eat, but they probably won't take you to the street eats you want.  We used MORNINGS as our time to venture out; as well as midafternoon tea times.  Usually, due to jet lag, we would not be really hungry during meal times so breakfast and tea was actually great times to try food!


Read more:  lessons-second-time-around, Food, Kids and Allergies

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The little boy and his sister

-
Image
Once upon a time there was a little boy and his sister.  They loved to watch TV and play games.  One day the little boy decided to ask mommy if she could help them do a lemonade stand.  But his mommy at first said no...and then said yes but never really got to it.  So the boy kept asking and asking until one day, his mommy said "yes". Then his mommy asked the boy and his sister what they would do with the money they earned.  The boy had not thought about that so he had no answer.  So his mom suggested they consider raising money to help the kids in Niger they had been hearing about at church. They had heard that there was a country called Niger, in Africa...it was supposed to be far far away.   People had shown them pictures of people who lived there and they had even met a missionary whose family was living there now, helping the people there gain skills so that they can have the means to take care of themselves.  The boy remembered also hearing that many people in N
Read more

Just do it ... and bring along your kids

-
Image
"Mission is risky.  It involves putting ourselves out of our comfort zones and dealing with people we ordinarily might not engage with" - Right Here Right Now Lately I've been learning more about missions.  I have been challenged to rethink my beliefs on what God considers as His mission, where I fit into that picture, how motherhood fits into this calling, and what missional living really means. It has been a great year of stretching my mind, of paradigm shifts, of challenging me to make changes in my life and my family's life. But one thing kept on bugging me.... Jesus was a rebel in his times.  He never set up a church building or assigned people to start different programs or ministries.  He simply lived with the everyday people of his time.  He simply went to where 'they' were.  He met prostitutes, tax collectors, sinners.... How about me?  For as much as I talk about missions and how we ought to be 'missional' here (as opposed to just s
Read more

Fear and Worry

-
Image
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31: 6 (NKJV) I have, potentially, a lot of time to blog for the next 6 weeks to 3 months. I just came out of surgery today. As my brain and body wakes up a little, I'm taking the chance to eat a little and to share with you. Ever since I found out that my foot pain was not due to just tiredness but due to a tear and that it may not heal on its own I have been filled slowly with a fear and worry I haven't had for years. The last time I felt this fear and worry was perhaps on my first day of graduate studies.... It's a crippling fear that can cause you to fret.  It is very deep.  It is hard to accept because accepting it, in your mind, defines you.  It says to you you are weak.  It says to you you should trust God.  It says to you it's not the end of the world and wonders and mocks
Read more