Well, i decided to make a blog post about a usual day of myself in school so just in case when i want to reminisce a part of my highschool in the future, i would clearly remember the things that happened at this time. Something like a time capsule for me, every month i would post something that tells my usual day in school until march.
This morning, i woke up at around 6 AM in my Japanese futon bed with a very heavy and sleepy head. I struggled to get myself up and walk to the bathroom dizzily as if i've just rode two consecutive rides on the Space Mountain(of Hong Kong Disneyland) and Space Shuttle(of Enchanted Kingdom). Then after brushing my pearly whites, i took a cold bath for 15 minutes until i felt a bit awake. Yeah, i felt awake but it's not enough to keep me going. After putting on my beige and pink gala uniform(and half wished my class and i could wear PE uniforms like the other year levels two times a week too) and sprayed on some Victoria's Secret "My Desire" perfume, i went out of my room, grabbed my school bag and hurriedly ate breakfast of hotdog and sweet rolls. Then after eating breakfast, i went out of the house and hurriedly went to school via a tricycle.
When i arrived at school, i was surprised i was a bit early than ever that i waited for 5 minutes before the bell rang to begin our CBA. Then at CBA, it was the first years who led the prayer, Lupang Hinirang and Panatang Makabayan. After the first years had finished, us fourth years and third years were called by our adviser sir Cris and our discipline officer sir Jojo to teach the students the new excercise. We went onstage and waited for our teachers to finally sort out the cantamixer and then played "Jai Ho" by the Pussycat Dolls- much to the delight of the young'uns. It was a bit exhausting but was very fun to dance especially the part that was often shown in the Pussycat Dolls vid. I agree everyone of us did a very great job in dancing it, haha!!!
After dancing "Jai Ho", we were told to go to our first classes(Oops, Sir Cris forgot to make us sing the march song for the second time around-lol) . In our first class- English- Sir Manto discussed our assignments as well as his anguish at kuya Berto and the new untility staff. In my opinion, kuya Berto is okay especially that he likes to talk about Japanese stuffs. To the other utility staff, i have no comment since we're not that close yet. Then after sir Manto's class, it was Filipino with T. Anna Espadera. T. Anna just made us review for our next period's quiz about Jose Rizal. Then the bell rang and it was recess. I remember eating Siu Mai and sipping coke to alleviate my sluggishness as i scanned over my Rizal notes with Rizelle. After reccess, we proceeded quickly with the Filipino quiz. I admit i had quite a hard time recalling the who's who and the why of the whats of the ways of Rizal, but the good thing was i scored as high as GT, we're both the highest- 36/40. ;-)
Then at math time, sir Ian taught us about an old topic we had discussed when we were in third year- linear functions.
Then lunchtime came and im lunching on Lucky Me Pinoy Chicken mami cup noodles again, i had this yesterday and a few days ago. I was sitting with Hanna, Vannesa(Muje's little sis) , Camille and Kash- talking about schoolmates, school, old memories and what we did last summer- when suddenly Rachaelle came. She noticed that im eating the same lunch again and since she's quite nosy and curious about things-like most Americans i met in person are- she asked me why am i eating the same thing. I told her that it was the only flavor that we had back in our home, then it was okay for her.
After lunch, we went with our afternoon classes: Values, Physics and Economics. Then Economics ended and we had a 15 minute reccess. After reccess, we had computer and then laboratory, when we were dismissed at five in the afternoon.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Virtues of Harmony II
Virtues of Harmony II is a long running sitcom from Hong Kong. It is one of the funniest TV shows that i ever followed even though i never understood a word uttered from their Cantonese mouths. All of what i've observed from the show is that the show follows the life of Yau Nim Chi, her children Kam Nin, Kam Yuet and Kam Yat, Kam Yuet's wife Ah Lo, their aunty Kam Sa Sa(with the mushroom hairstyle), uncle Lau Gam and their friends around the family HK style cafe Tung Mut Yuen, the fashion company Kam Yat and Yuet works for and some parts of TVB. Their problems are mostly misunderstandings, love problems and other kinds of problems that you might want to laugh at. Like there was an episode when a Chinese guy from Texas went to live with the Kams for a while and they mistook him for being the Texas Chainsaw Killer, Lau Gam did an "ala Matrix reloaded" scene, Man Gwai Fei grew a beard and a low voice after consuming some men pills and Kam Sa Sa got a part of an ugly mushroom in TVB(much to the dismay of his old crush 11th Brother). Other than laughs, there are also those romantic moments like Ah Nin and Joey on the airport because Joey wants to leave for England to refreshen her mind because of one love triangle she had been in. Also when Ah Lo decided to divorce Ah Yuet, she was taken hostage in a bank robbery and then when Ah Yuet found that out, he went inside the bank and told the robbers to kill him instead of his wife(but the woman he was pertaining to looks a lot like Ah Lo- with the same clothes and hair) , thus making Ah Lo realize how much Ah Yuet loves him. After the robbery, they got together but unfortunately to the Ah Lo lookalike, her husband mistook Ah Yuet to be her lover-thus they got into a fight. And then there was an episode when Man Gwai Fei decided to marry Lau Gam because she is superstisious and the half-day god told her to marry Lau Gam but half day god turns out to be a fake so Gwai Fei was so disappointed.
Overall, this is the kind of sitcom that you would love to watch to get your pressure and problems out for a while. Enjoy a bit of good laughs and your sadness and depression disappears after watching an episode. If only i understand Cantonese or even read Chinese characters.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Tokio Hotel on being fashionable against AIDS
Tokio Hotel, along with other awesome artists and celebs like Katy Perry, N.E.R.D-oh Cj, your idol...-, Dita Von Teese, Yoko Ono, Cyndi Lauper and such collaborated with clothing store H&M in a campaign against AIDS called "Fashion against AIDS" by designing shirts, dresses and other clothes. I read from a magazine that artists like Rihanna, MCR and Maroon 5 joined the campaign last year and did the same thing TH and the others did.
All the materials are made of organic cotton and 25% of the profit will go to AIDS/HIV prevention groups. the designs will be on over 1000 H&M stores worldwide on may 28.
Tokio Hotel's collaboration with the store is a tshirt with a skull design with the text "Rock hard... F*** safe"(the asterisks are TH logos)
Thanks to Tokio Hotel America fans club for making me know that....
The next time i'll travel abroad...(or just in Hong Kong)
The next time i'll travel abroad, the dos and the don'ts that i should mind before i'll leave the Philippines, when im not there for a period of time and when im back in the country.
While being there:
-Take a picture of a lot of things. like:
Before:
- The moment you discovered you'll be going out of the country, don't tell everyone that you'll be travelling. if you want to open up to a friend, just tell it to an online friend or someone who is not a pasalubong whore. That way, you don't have to buy souvenirs to friends who would just throw it away. btw, a pasalubong is basically a small gift that someone gives to his family and friends when he come from abroad or somewhere, e.g my sister's Lacoste tshirt that me and dad brought in Hong Kong and my Ed Hardy Love and Luck perfume from my sister who brought it in Osaka, Japan.
Gosh, buying those pasalubongs for (not so close)friends when im abroad is the most tedious and time consuming of all the things i have to do when im on vacation, even small trips somewhere in the Philippines. If for family and close friends, then the hardships are all worth it and it's easier since you know their preferences and all.
- make a detailed itinenary of the whole trip
- make a checklist of random things in a notebook and see if you can see or experience them in the place you're going.
- make a detailed itinenary of the whole trip
- make a checklist of random things in a notebook and see if you can see or experience them in the place you're going.
- Activate your "roaming mode" a day or two before you leave the country. That way, you'll avoid the hassle of limited communication back home.
- Don't wear headwear in Hong Kong International Airport.
- Learn about the weather of the place you'll be heading to. If you got to know it was rainy there, bring an umbrella and jacket. If sunny, light clothes will do. Surf the internet a few days before leaving to know about the upcoming weather on the next 10 days.
- Bring only necessary things. As much as possible, just travel lightly. Hope that you'll end up in a hotel that got shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, hair dryer, towels, good bed, cable tv, jacuzzi, free Heineken beer, complimentary BVLGARI toiletries, a personal masseuse and a lot of amenities so the only things you'll be bringing are clothes, travel documents and a few chosen things like a book, ipod, psp, cellphone, adaptor and Harry Potter.
- Bring only necessary things. As much as possible, just travel lightly. Hope that you'll end up in a hotel that got shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, hair dryer, towels, good bed, cable tv, jacuzzi, free Heineken beer, complimentary BVLGARI toiletries, a personal masseuse and a lot of amenities so the only things you'll be bringing are clothes, travel documents and a few chosen things like a book, ipod, psp, cellphone, adaptor and Harry Potter.
Things to bring:
- passport
-important travel documents
-Harry Potter
-Harry Potter
- lots of money. tip: exchange your money in where the exchange rates are lower. It was Holy Week back then and there are a lot of Filipinos vacationing there so a Hong Kong dollar costs PHP7.00 while when i exchanged my money in the Philippines before embarking to Hong Kong, a HKD costs PHP 6.30
Last year, i went there on may so there are a fewer Filipinos than it was on an april. In the Philippines a HKD costs PHP5.60 while in Hong Kong, it costs only PHP5.00
- medicine. bonamin chewables for me since the first time i rode an airplane, i felt super dizzy when i got off and that dizziness lasted for three days so it sucks. Then before i left the Philippines, i took a tablet and after i got out of the plane i felt better than last time.
- bring only one book(a travel book about the place is the best)
- a pen and notebook
- your itinenary
- a pen and notebook
- your itinenary
- bring only three gadgets like ipod, cellphone and psp. The only gadget that you can add in the three is a digicam.
- small toilettries like shampoo, soap, bath gel, black nail polish, conditioner and spa salts- all contained in a tight plastic bag.
- chargers of cellphone, ipod and psp( to be put in the luggage along with clothes and toilettries)
reminder: the only things that should be handcarried are your passport, important documents, Harry Potter, money, pen, notebook, gadgets and itinerary. Bring a slightly huge shoulder bag(like the vans bag) and a big luggage.
In the airplane: (both ways)
- put your ipod and psp in your pockets and stow the cellphone away in your hand carried bag.
- take a picture of yourself and your mates before take off.
- nick out the inflight magazines as well as spoons, forks, tissues and such.
While being there:
- visit the recommended "sights"...
-Take a picture of a lot of things. like:
- The streets (like Canton road, Haiphong road, Nathan road, Ashley street, Hankow road in Tsimshatsui) capture the normal scenery of the place
- the recommended pictures. like the Hong Kong skyline at night time (gosh, i wish i brought my camera to take a picture of that!!!! grr...) and the Symphony of lights
- your relatives, if you got the chance to meet them
- the cemetery(especially the thingymagegers)
- Candid photos of yourself, random people, plants, trees, animals and superheros.
- Try a lot of foods. Best place to visit for a quick taster is a supermarket or 7-eleven, you might want to try:
good things to spy:
- ice creams
- affordable fruits (like strawberry, apples and such... whatever's cheap there)
- chips
- cookies, sweets, breads and cakes
- what's common to eat there. Like in Hong Kong, it's a wonderful experience to try Cantonese seafood, Peking duck, dum sum and noodles.
good things to spy:
- A Nokia N series phone
- a guy reading a history book on the subway
- Hersheys Chocolate
- Bill Kaulitz (only applies in: himself or his wax statue= Germany or any other countries he could be in, lookalikes= Russia- in the person of Mike Muller- or commonly Japan- where his style started-. In fact anywhere else in the world except for Nepal, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Dominican Republic)
- A Nimbus 2000 broomstick
- Wasabi flavored ice cream (only applies in Japan)
- A Gangsta ghetto
- An old library
- try to surf the internet as much as possible
- visit a museum or gallery. History or Science museum
- Also, make some candid videos of random stuffs like you walking around the streets dressed up as Bill Kaulitz, kuya RC making news report, some British dudes on the MTR, Aunty Shirley dancing Pokerface, Filipinos roaming around Central, your uncle drinking heineken again, etc. Make it ala documentary- Howie Severino style or news report- Mike Enriquez style. ( like " 'Tangina, kuhang kuha sa video, si uncle Rocky po umiinom nanaman ng Heineken kasama naman si kuya RC!!")
- If given a chance to go on a Theme Park, ride a rollercoaster, go on a few rides that are utterly famous and pick up a nice souvenir or remembrance.
- Also, make some candid videos of random stuffs like you walking around the streets dressed up as Bill Kaulitz, kuya RC making news report, some British dudes on the MTR, Aunty Shirley dancing Pokerface, Filipinos roaming around Central, your uncle drinking heineken again, etc. Make it ala documentary- Howie Severino style or news report- Mike Enriquez style. ( like " 'Tangina, kuhang kuha sa video, si uncle Rocky po umiinom nanaman ng Heineken kasama naman si kuya RC!!")
- If given a chance to go on a Theme Park, ride a rollercoaster, go on a few rides that are utterly famous and pick up a nice souvenir or remembrance.
- tell your relatives "i love you" and hug them... Awww
- tell your crush "i love you"
- tell your crush "i love you"
- shop a lot but buy only reasonable stuffs and make sure you won't reget buying(or not buying) it. When shopping for clothes, find the exact size you want.
- before you'll leave the place, make a video of yourself saying goodbye to that place. and then when you are about to enter the plane, say a heartfelt goodbye to the boarding pass people.
When you got home:
- sleep/rest for one day or half
- upload/print your photos
- don't try to get into a fight with someone whom you're close with
- go to duty free and buy some chocolate for some well chosen and good friends as well as cosmetics, bags and perfume for yourself.
Once upon a time in Hong Kong (part 3)
Tuesday-the fourth day of our trip.
We got out of the hotel early to check out the hotel and eat outside in Ashley road for the last time. We got up earlier than usual coz our tourguide will take us early to Disneyland. We ate our free breakfast at Fairwood (Ham and Eggs with coke or coffee). It was kinda packed with people eating breakfast there so it was a nice people watching opportunity at that time. When we got back to the hotel, the concierge told us that our tourguide has just left shortly before we arrived. Oh my gosh, all our efforts to wake up early and hasten our breakfast has been nothing so dad was furious when he called our tourguide Ray. Then the concierge told us that we can either take a bus or taxi to Disneyland. Then me and dad thought about taking the MTR there since taking a bus or taxi from Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon to Disneyland in Lantau Island is expensive so we asked the concierge guy of we can take the MTR there, he said yes so we carried our bags out of Marco Polo Gateway in Canton Road to the Tsim Sha Tsui station in Nathan Road where we took a last step of our dear Tsim Sha Tsui and into one exciting subway train adventure to (as some people say) the Chinese equivalent of the happiest place on earth- Hong Kong Disneyland - awaits us as me and dad swiped our Octopus Cards on the MTR turnstiles.
This is the inside of the MTR train that will take us from Sunny Bay Station to Disneyland... It's full of Mickey Mouse's and other Disney characters' thingymagegers. -lol
When we arrived at Hong Kong Disneyland, we went straight to Hollywood Hotel via Disney shuttle to Hollywood Hotel. When we arrived at Hollywood Hotel, we noticed that our tour guide Ray and the others haven't arrived yet so we checked in for a smoking floor(as always) room to rest and then go to Disneyland to find Mickey Mouse, Frollo, Mulan and such.
After we took a rest, we got out of our hotel room and in the lobby we saw our fellow tourmates checking in the reception. Seems like the MTR is faster than the tourbus- dad thought.
When we arrived at the Disneyland park itself, it was just in time for the Disney characters' parade. I took out my phone and took a lot of pictures of funny Disney characters- like Alice(of Alice in Wonderland) throwing off a "Sig Heil" and the toy soldiers (of Toy Story) walking like crazy. After the Disney parade, me and dad ran off to the Disney train that tours around the whole Hong Kong Disneyland. After that we went off to the Main street shops to buy gifts and things for our relatives and took a picture with my fave Disney Princess Mulan, then at Tomorrow Land to eat some burgers at the Diner while i saw Buzz Lightyear running away from his crazy fans. After that me and dad went to Fantasyland where we rode the "It's a small world after all" ride, where we went around the world in just 6-10 minutes. We even got back to the Philippines for one second(i don't want to go home yet!!!)
Seeing a Bahay Kubo(a traditional Filipino house made of palm fronds and bamboo) and a mutated Tarsier hanging around a bamboo stem.
After going on that boat ride, we went off to the "Golden Mickeys" show which is one of my things to do when im in Disney since my all time fave character Quasimodo was there as well as Mulan(again). Beast's transformation was so spectacular that there are fireworks when he transformed back to a man.
After seeing Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Lilo speak in Cantonese as well as seeing a lot of characters singing the songs they're famous for, we went back to Tomorrowland where dad smoked a bit while i took a ride on the infamous rollercoaster Space Mountain. The last thing i said before the ride began was "I love you Bill Kaulitz....". Good thing no one sat beside me but there are Chinese people in the front and back of me, i have no idea if they understand me or have any idea who Bill Kaulitz was. The ride on the Space Mountain was so unforgettable that it reminds me of one part of the video of "1000 meere" (coz of the stars and such) and i cussed out in Filipino most of the time out of anxiety.
When i got out, i was amazed. Then i rode the Cinderella Carousel on Fantasyland before i went to Sleeping Beauty's castle to watch the very fantabulous Disney on the stars fireworks. Yeah, i never get to watch the Symphony of Lights back in Tsim Sha Tsui or maybe in Hong Kong Island but watching the Disney fireworks was well worth it since i plan not to go back to Hong Kong Disney the next time i go back to Hong Kong.
After the fireworks display, we went back to our hotel and then we slept in our last night in Hong Kong. As i spent my last night there, i took one last bubble bath in the bathroom and while i was soaking up in the bubbles, i told myself "I love Bill... as my crush." randomly.
Fifth day- Der Letzte Tag...
When i woke up from a long slumber, i felt sad and realized that this will be the last day that im here in Hong Kong, when i ride the airplane tonight i'll leave Hong Kong for a while(more than a year later). Dad told me he wants to meet up with tita Cherry-who works in Central- and also he wants to give back "Grandpa lookalike"'s jacket that he wore on the night we went out eating with my relatives and gave Jamie a gift (HK$1000).
After we fixed ourselves, we went to the MTR station of Disneyland and there we took a very long MTR ride all the way to the end of the Tung Chung line: Hong Kong station in Central. Although it was long, i enjoyed it. I hear Bill's voice frequently on the MTR while hangin' out with those Hong Kongers *sings"Der muessen nur noch 1000 meere weit..."* and dad with the British guys who reads business newspapers(in English of course). I remember the time when the MTR stopped in the middle of the ride from Lai King to Nam Cheong. Well it was kinda sudden and pretty weird, with hearing Bill sings at the same time being stuck on a crowded train that stopped for a minute and half.
When we finally arrived in Hong Kong station, it took us more than 30 minutes to realize where tita Cherry was- in the Central station. So we walked from Hong Kong station to Central (thus deducting $3 from our Octopus cards)
When we got to meet tita Cherry, we went out to eat at the Hong Kong version of Jollibee, which is in a small alleyway on Des Voeux street. Wow, we went all the way to Hong Kong just to eat something we always eat back home in the Philippines!!! -lol
After eating breakfast, me and my dad and tita Cherry went to ride on the Island Line of the MTR to Wan Chai- where uncle David works. Tita Cherry told him to meet us on Wan Chai station so he'll receive "Grandpa Lookalike"'s jacket and our gift to Jamie. Well uncle David was kinda in a hurry coz he still got work to do so we never got to hang around much in Wan Chai so we went back to Central and did a little shopping until tita Cherry parted with us and we went on to ride in the Tung Chung line of the MTR to the end of the line- Tung Chung.
This is the inside of the MTR train that will take us from Sunny Bay Station to Disneyland... It's full of Mickey Mouse's and other Disney characters' thingymagegers. -lolWhen we arrived at Hong Kong Disneyland, we went straight to Hollywood Hotel via Disney shuttle to Hollywood Hotel. When we arrived at Hollywood Hotel, we noticed that our tour guide Ray and the others haven't arrived yet so we checked in for a smoking floor(as always) room to rest and then go to Disneyland to find Mickey Mouse, Frollo, Mulan and such.
After we took a rest, we got out of our hotel room and in the lobby we saw our fellow tourmates checking in the reception. Seems like the MTR is faster than the tourbus- dad thought.
When we arrived at the Disneyland park itself, it was just in time for the Disney characters' parade. I took out my phone and took a lot of pictures of funny Disney characters- like Alice(of Alice in Wonderland) throwing off a "Sig Heil" and the toy soldiers (of Toy Story) walking like crazy. After the Disney parade, me and dad ran off to the Disney train that tours around the whole Hong Kong Disneyland. After that we went off to the Main street shops to buy gifts and things for our relatives and took a picture with my fave Disney Princess Mulan, then at Tomorrow Land to eat some burgers at the Diner while i saw Buzz Lightyear running away from his crazy fans. After that me and dad went to Fantasyland where we rode the "It's a small world after all" ride, where we went around the world in just 6-10 minutes. We even got back to the Philippines for one second(i don't want to go home yet!!!)
Seeing a Bahay Kubo(a traditional Filipino house made of palm fronds and bamboo) and a mutated Tarsier hanging around a bamboo stem.
After going on that boat ride, we went off to the "Golden Mickeys" show which is one of my things to do when im in Disney since my all time fave character Quasimodo was there as well as Mulan(again). Beast's transformation was so spectacular that there are fireworks when he transformed back to a man.
After seeing Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Lilo speak in Cantonese as well as seeing a lot of characters singing the songs they're famous for, we went back to Tomorrowland where dad smoked a bit while i took a ride on the infamous rollercoaster Space Mountain. The last thing i said before the ride began was "I love you Bill Kaulitz....". Good thing no one sat beside me but there are Chinese people in the front and back of me, i have no idea if they understand me or have any idea who Bill Kaulitz was. The ride on the Space Mountain was so unforgettable that it reminds me of one part of the video of "1000 meere" (coz of the stars and such) and i cussed out in Filipino most of the time out of anxiety.
When i got out, i was amazed. Then i rode the Cinderella Carousel on Fantasyland before i went to Sleeping Beauty's castle to watch the very fantabulous Disney on the stars fireworks. Yeah, i never get to watch the Symphony of Lights back in Tsim Sha Tsui or maybe in Hong Kong Island but watching the Disney fireworks was well worth it since i plan not to go back to Hong Kong Disney the next time i go back to Hong Kong.
After the fireworks display, we went back to our hotel and then we slept in our last night in Hong Kong. As i spent my last night there, i took one last bubble bath in the bathroom and while i was soaking up in the bubbles, i told myself "I love Bill... as my crush." randomly.
Fifth day- Der Letzte Tag...
When i woke up from a long slumber, i felt sad and realized that this will be the last day that im here in Hong Kong, when i ride the airplane tonight i'll leave Hong Kong for a while(more than a year later). Dad told me he wants to meet up with tita Cherry-who works in Central- and also he wants to give back "Grandpa lookalike"'s jacket that he wore on the night we went out eating with my relatives and gave Jamie a gift (HK$1000).
After we fixed ourselves, we went to the MTR station of Disneyland and there we took a very long MTR ride all the way to the end of the Tung Chung line: Hong Kong station in Central. Although it was long, i enjoyed it. I hear Bill's voice frequently on the MTR while hangin' out with those Hong Kongers *sings"Der muessen nur noch 1000 meere weit..."* and dad with the British guys who reads business newspapers(in English of course). I remember the time when the MTR stopped in the middle of the ride from Lai King to Nam Cheong. Well it was kinda sudden and pretty weird, with hearing Bill sings at the same time being stuck on a crowded train that stopped for a minute and half.
When we finally arrived in Hong Kong station, it took us more than 30 minutes to realize where tita Cherry was- in the Central station. So we walked from Hong Kong station to Central (thus deducting $3 from our Octopus cards)
When we got to meet tita Cherry, we went out to eat at the Hong Kong version of Jollibee, which is in a small alleyway on Des Voeux street. Wow, we went all the way to Hong Kong just to eat something we always eat back home in the Philippines!!! -lol
After eating breakfast, me and my dad and tita Cherry went to ride on the Island Line of the MTR to Wan Chai- where uncle David works. Tita Cherry told him to meet us on Wan Chai station so he'll receive "Grandpa Lookalike"'s jacket and our gift to Jamie. Well uncle David was kinda in a hurry coz he still got work to do so we never got to hang around much in Wan Chai so we went back to Central and did a little shopping until tita Cherry parted with us and we went on to ride in the Tung Chung line of the MTR to the end of the line- Tung Chung.
Then we ate lunch (backgammon ham and cheese sandwich with coke) in Delifrance in the mall near Ngong Ping 360-the place we're heading after lunch.- After lunch we went off to Tung Chung and was shocked at the sudden price hike of the 2-way journey of the cable car ride there. The last time i went there, a 2 way ride was for HK$ 88. Now it went up to the super insane price of HK$158!!! Imagine that, it was almost a year's difference(the last time i went there in Tung Chung was may 21,2008 and it was april 8,2009 when i came back)...
so me and dad thought of going back to our hotel to take a rest before we go to the airport and say bye-bye to Hong Kong.
When i rode the MTR to Sunnybay, i took a moment of reflecting all about what happened during the whole trip- all the good things i brought, all the fun shenanigans i did, all the bad things that happened and most of all, all of the people i met there particularly my Chinese relatives whom i really wanted to meet ever since i was a kid. And i never expected that my relatives would be so impressed with me knowing my way around in Hong Kong. What they didn't know was that it was all because of the last time i went there that they didn't know. I enjoyed my last trip a little but not so much and i was full of regret of all what happened. Well for starters i was so depressed back then and i don't know much about Hong Kong. I wasn't aware of all the fun things to do there and the interesting stuffs to see. After i got over my depression months later back in the Philippines, i read my sister's Hong Kong book and was amazed at all the sights and things to see and do there- most are things i never got to do or see. So i felt guilty and regretted my depression but how can i get over about it just for one minute? How would you feel if people you love and have lots of faith on betrayed you? and you found out that the reason you never got to go to places like Hong Kong was because of those so called "loving relatives" who gives you false security and companionship all for money?? and what's worse they claim they love mom very much but when she was younger and poor back then they treat her very badly and like a worthless scum worth beating up most of the time. But she still loves them though. and then when she got rich, they leech her off all the time and they poison out our minds so we never get to go out and indulge because of them who can't indulge because they're poor. those "relatives" i refer to was my mom's mom, brothers, sisters and other maternal relatives. They're not worth my love anyway so i would rather lose them than keep them because they would just ruin my life and make it more miserable like what they did to mom when she was still alive.
And then there's Bill Kaulitz... whom i heard from a certain "tokiohotelmistress" some days before i embarked for Hong Kong that Bill isn't like who he was when he's on stage, got a lot of personal problems, hates his fans, is with an ugly looking bitch(THmistress)-Bill, you're so tasteless...never mind- and many more depressing stuffs that made me cry most of the time. I was so upset and angry at him and Tom(for hooking up with her in the first place) that i never got to enjoy my first trip abroad much. But when things got clear and Audrie saved me from hell, i finally forgave them coz if Audrie never told me the truth, i would never forgive Tokio Hotel for all the things they made me done for them that i thought would let me know that there are people too who understands what i feel about my current life- like instead of listening to the current hits here in the Philippines, i listen to German songs, and singing in German, etc...- but instead not only i get nothing for being their fan, i was being deceived into thinking Bill understands and had been through what i've felt but what's worse was that secretly i was stabbed in the back by humiliating me and all their faithful fans by laughing at all our "naiveness" about them.
So i was miserable on my first trip there. But exactly a month later, Bill talked to a certain Hong Konger who tipped off his cousin about THmistress and her lies. He thanked the Hong Kongian for telling that to his cousin. Then a month afterwards, ate Gie walked out and left us for good. I still love her for being a sister but it was she who pressurize and make things heavy for the family. After that, i begin to hear some bad news about my maternal cousins, titos, titas and lola Minday. All made me quite happy and light, but how would i make up for the spoiled Hong Kong trip? It could have been a trip of a lifetime and i don't know if i can make up for it so i feel so bad. But when ate Gie left us, she left me not only the responsibilities that i now manage and liable of but also the benefits she could have got when she was still staying with us. A month after we went to Hong Kong, dad told ate Gie to go to Hong Kong next year with kuya Rex and Robbie. But she left last july and then her supposed Hong Kong trip was to become mine. Time to redeem myself... i thought, but how?
I just thought, if im so familiarized about Hong Kong, then i would have still enjoyed myself there even if im heartbroken. So i read a lot, studied and asked. in the process, got hooked with that modern and wonderful city that i got so excited when im about to come back there. Even though Bill never broke my heart after that, it was all fun and well worth the troubles i've been since not only i was so happy being there but also i made a good and lasting impression with my Chinese relatives.
It was all well.
So i was miserable on my first trip there. But exactly a month later, Bill talked to a certain Hong Konger who tipped off his cousin about THmistress and her lies. He thanked the Hong Kongian for telling that to his cousin. Then a month afterwards, ate Gie walked out and left us for good. I still love her for being a sister but it was she who pressurize and make things heavy for the family. After that, i begin to hear some bad news about my maternal cousins, titos, titas and lola Minday. All made me quite happy and light, but how would i make up for the spoiled Hong Kong trip? It could have been a trip of a lifetime and i don't know if i can make up for it so i feel so bad. But when ate Gie left us, she left me not only the responsibilities that i now manage and liable of but also the benefits she could have got when she was still staying with us. A month after we went to Hong Kong, dad told ate Gie to go to Hong Kong next year with kuya Rex and Robbie. But she left last july and then her supposed Hong Kong trip was to become mine. Time to redeem myself... i thought, but how?
I just thought, if im so familiarized about Hong Kong, then i would have still enjoyed myself there even if im heartbroken. So i read a lot, studied and asked. in the process, got hooked with that modern and wonderful city that i got so excited when im about to come back there. Even though Bill never broke my heart after that, it was all fun and well worth the troubles i've been since not only i was so happy being there but also i made a good and lasting impression with my Chinese relatives.
It was all well.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Once upon a time in Hong Kong (part 2)
The next day, we woke up very early and i remember the thing i promised to myself that i would buy myself an MTR train model and an MTR keychain as well so we went back to Admiralty station to buy those awesome knicknacks that now decorates my room and my schoolbag-lol. After failing to look for my sister's Lacoste tshirt that she really wanted to have in the Pacific Place in Admiralty, we went back to Tsimshatsui where we went to the Avenue of the Stars where we took a break from our quest in finding that Lacoste shirt by admiring and camwhoring harbour views of Hong Kong island and handprints of famous Hong Kong celebs like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung and Bruce Lee. after that, we went back to the hotel where my dad slept for some hours while i was asked to go around Harbour City to look for the much coveted and magical Lacoste tshirt. I had fun walking around that i found out from the sales people of Lane Crawford that the Lacoste shirt that i am looking for can only be found and brought in the Lacoste shop in the Park Lane in Kowloon Park in Nathan Road. So i felt this opportunity to do something i wanted to do(which is to experience walking around the streets of Hong Kong alone, as if im just a local) so i quickly went out of Harbour City, crossed the very fashionable, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada and such laden street of Canton road and into Haiphong Road, which is near Nathan Road.
In Haiphong, i looked around the street with wonder seeing locals and some foreigners do their thing. When i was walking around, i see tourists drinking out or having lunch in restos, students and business attire clad people dash out to the bus stop or MTR station in Nathan Road, while i was walking around, i never felt this kind of belongingness before. As if im just a local girl there while in the Philippines, most people discriminate me for having Chinese blood but the sad part is, im just a fellow Filipino just like them. But in Hong Kong, i may not be a China girl or a girl with a British Overseas citizenship but they considered me like i live there.
All in all, i felt the sense of great excitement, curiousity, freedom, independence and security merged together, forming some very excited but weird state in me.
When i reached Park Lane, i sprinted out to Lacoste where i quickly found the exact polo that my sister wanted but it costs the very expensive price of (buh-nah-nah-nuh...) HK$ 750 but my dad just gave me a pocket money of HK$500 to buy it so i went out and back to Haiphong Road where i walked around, took a turn in Hankow Road, Ashley road, Langham place and exited out the Sun Arcade and back to Canton road. where i quickly sprinted back to Harbour City in case Aunty Shirley will call, then i ran off to Gateway and back to the hotel room, where my dad have no clue about my crazed shenanigans against his rule about going out of Harbour City. I just told him that i went around Harbour City and discovered from a saleslady in Lane Crawford that there's a Lacoste shop in Kowloon park and the polo shirt might cost HK$750 so he just nodded merely as i watch mythbusters on TV while waiting for Aunty Shirley's call.
"Wei... can i speak to Yue?" Aunty Shirley called from my phone. Aunty must've have known the phone isn't dad's so i quickly gave the phone to dad, who talked to her in English and some Fujian Chinese. After they called, dad told me that she's already in the Tsimshatsui Station of the MTR and she thought that we are staying in Marco Polo Hong Kong, but we are really staying in Gateway.
In Haiphong, i looked around the street with wonder seeing locals and some foreigners do their thing. When i was walking around, i see tourists drinking out or having lunch in restos, students and business attire clad people dash out to the bus stop or MTR station in Nathan Road, while i was walking around, i never felt this kind of belongingness before. As if im just a local girl there while in the Philippines, most people discriminate me for having Chinese blood but the sad part is, im just a fellow Filipino just like them. But in Hong Kong, i may not be a China girl or a girl with a British Overseas citizenship but they considered me like i live there.
All in all, i felt the sense of great excitement, curiousity, freedom, independence and security merged together, forming some very excited but weird state in me.
When i reached Park Lane, i sprinted out to Lacoste where i quickly found the exact polo that my sister wanted but it costs the very expensive price of (buh-nah-nah-nuh...) HK$ 750 but my dad just gave me a pocket money of HK$500 to buy it so i went out and back to Haiphong Road where i walked around, took a turn in Hankow Road, Ashley road, Langham place and exited out the Sun Arcade and back to Canton road. where i quickly sprinted back to Harbour City in case Aunty Shirley will call, then i ran off to Gateway and back to the hotel room, where my dad have no clue about my crazed shenanigans against his rule about going out of Harbour City. I just told him that i went around Harbour City and discovered from a saleslady in Lane Crawford that there's a Lacoste shop in Kowloon park and the polo shirt might cost HK$750 so he just nodded merely as i watch mythbusters on TV while waiting for Aunty Shirley's call.
"Wei... can i speak to Yue?" Aunty Shirley called from my phone. Aunty must've have known the phone isn't dad's so i quickly gave the phone to dad, who talked to her in English and some Fujian Chinese. After they called, dad told me that she's already in the Tsimshatsui Station of the MTR and she thought that we are staying in Marco Polo Hong Kong, but we are really staying in Gateway.
15 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I sprinted from my bed to the door. The moment i opened the door, i saw a Chinese woman with wavy hair and small stature. I finally met a foreign relative for the first time in my 15 years living on earth. Dad introduced me to her and she was my Aunty Shirley-who was calling us since yesterday. Then we went out of the hotel and into Nathan Road where we waited for a bus that will take us to Laguna City(Laguna? are we going home AT THIS VERY MOMENT?? No!!!!!) in Hung Hom. At first i thought that we're going to her home(or her mom's home) since dad told me they live in Hung Hom but we were wrong. As Aunty and dad were talking happily in Chinese and some English, i looked around the road-listening to my ipod(mostly Tokio Hotel and German songs).
When we finally reached Laguna City, we went to a fruit store where we brought some apples, grapes, oranges and pears for Aunty Shirley's dad who's now dead. I noticed most fruits are bigger than their counterparts at home like strawberries and oranges but the apples took the cake. Some are very huge(roughly the size of a melon here in the Philippines) and my aunt said they're imported from Japan where there are a lot of those- proved by my sister some weeks later after she came home from Japan. And i also noticed that the sales lady was very kind that when she noticed some bad apples from what we picked, she quickly replaced them with better ones. It was a kind of attitude which will never be found here in the Philippines.
After buying fruits, we took a taxi where we went up the Wilson Trail in Tseung Kwan O where the Chinese Permanent Cemetery is. My grand uncle must've been buried there.
We arrived at the cemetery and there i got to meet my other uncles Rocky and the one who looks like dad's dad(which i forgot his name) and my grand aunt who is their mum. We walked a great distance before we reached the columbarium where my grand uncle's remains are. From the moment i saw the whole cemetery, i noticed it looked so neat and organized-especially the
columbarium. But the flaw is that i never seen a cemetery so crowded before. It was so elbow-to-elbow compared to San Pablo Public Cemetery and Manila North Cemetery combined. And when we reached the Columbarium, i noticed some vending machines at one corner and you can use your Octopus card to pay your coke, sprite or some Chinese fruit juice on the vendo. It's so amazing how convenient the Octopus card is, you can use it on the MTR, Mcdonald's, 7-eleven, Wellcome(i think...) and some more stores. When we arrived at my grand uncle's niche, i noticed that it got some little toys placed on the niche- and not only his niche but also all of the other niches of all dead people there have toys. I admit that it was a very fascinating experience being in a Chinese cemetery. Then we offered on my grand uncle's grave the fruits we brought and some food that my grand aunt and my uncles brought, burned some incense, some money that hell issues (It says "Hell bank notes" with a picture of some Chinese empreror guy on it-lol) and the golden papers that my Chinese side of the family burns every All Saints' Day for my dead granps.
Then after the offerings and burning of things, we ate some of the food and talked a bit and then left to go to my grand aunt and uncle Ah-Pong's family's (another uncle, auntie Shirley's eldest brother) pad which was near the old Kai Tak airport, where i met my cousins Lily (14 years old, uncle Ah Pong's daughter) and Jamie Wong(2 years old, aunty Shirley's son). It was kind of a shock for me that my fan fic character Jamie coincidentally shares the same name(and surname!!) with my cousin of second degree. I never told my aunt about it, she might get angry- writing things about my cousin being a Germanized 16 year old Chinese girl who was a witch; a far cry from the real Jamie Wong, a two year old boy who goes to school at a very early age and had a Kowloon Motor Bus toy.
When we finally reached Laguna City, we went to a fruit store where we brought some apples, grapes, oranges and pears for Aunty Shirley's dad who's now dead. I noticed most fruits are bigger than their counterparts at home like strawberries and oranges but the apples took the cake. Some are very huge(roughly the size of a melon here in the Philippines) and my aunt said they're imported from Japan where there are a lot of those- proved by my sister some weeks later after she came home from Japan. And i also noticed that the sales lady was very kind that when she noticed some bad apples from what we picked, she quickly replaced them with better ones. It was a kind of attitude which will never be found here in the Philippines.
After buying fruits, we took a taxi where we went up the Wilson Trail in Tseung Kwan O where the Chinese Permanent Cemetery is. My grand uncle must've been buried there.
We arrived at the cemetery and there i got to meet my other uncles Rocky and the one who looks like dad's dad(which i forgot his name) and my grand aunt who is their mum. We walked a great distance before we reached the columbarium where my grand uncle's remains are. From the moment i saw the whole cemetery, i noticed it looked so neat and organized-especially the
columbarium. But the flaw is that i never seen a cemetery so crowded before. It was so elbow-to-elbow compared to San Pablo Public Cemetery and Manila North Cemetery combined. And when we reached the Columbarium, i noticed some vending machines at one corner and you can use your Octopus card to pay your coke, sprite or some Chinese fruit juice on the vendo. It's so amazing how convenient the Octopus card is, you can use it on the MTR, Mcdonald's, 7-eleven, Wellcome(i think...) and some more stores. When we arrived at my grand uncle's niche, i noticed that it got some little toys placed on the niche- and not only his niche but also all of the other niches of all dead people there have toys. I admit that it was a very fascinating experience being in a Chinese cemetery. Then we offered on my grand uncle's grave the fruits we brought and some food that my grand aunt and my uncles brought, burned some incense, some money that hell issues (It says "Hell bank notes" with a picture of some Chinese empreror guy on it-lol) and the golden papers that my Chinese side of the family burns every All Saints' Day for my dead granps.
Then after the offerings and burning of things, we ate some of the food and talked a bit and then left to go to my grand aunt and uncle Ah-Pong's family's (another uncle, auntie Shirley's eldest brother) pad which was near the old Kai Tak airport, where i met my cousins Lily (14 years old, uncle Ah Pong's daughter) and Jamie Wong(2 years old, aunty Shirley's son). It was kind of a shock for me that my fan fic character Jamie coincidentally shares the same name(and surname!!) with my cousin of second degree. I never told my aunt about it, she might get angry- writing things about my cousin being a Germanized 16 year old Chinese girl who was a witch; a far cry from the real Jamie Wong, a two year old boy who goes to school at a very early age and had a Kowloon Motor Bus toy.
I never got to hang out with Lily since she speaks little English and she have to study for her exams. I bet studying in Hong Kong is a very big challenge, i read at wikipedia that students' survival in their educational system is essentially place in heavy Rote Learning- instead of understanding the lesson, just memorizes it.- It's like you're competing on a long declamation contest; only that you don't have to speak in fact you shouldn't speak out the answers or else.
This kind of learning is something not encouraged by Brain Train or the University of the Philippines since they believe that memorization is the lowest form of learning.-lol
While hanging out in my grand aunt's crib, me and my uncles Rocky and "Grandpa lookalike" watch TVB; mostly children show like After School ICU- where there is a weird onion head alien and some students randomly being asked to answer Sudoku on the street-, the Cantonese version of Doraemon- where me and my uncles are howling in laughter watching Nobita mum's guest turning into a frog as a result of eating Transformation biscuits- and some business news saying that the DAX, Dow Jones and Hang Seng went up the stocks while eating some sliced apples and fruits. What was really fascinating about it was that the fact that i was hanging out in a really small Kowloon apartment watching Doraemon with two business attire clad Chinese men and laughing out loud at some parts.- A memory that i wanted to recall again and again.
After hanging around in my grand aunt's crib, we went out to eat in a Chinese resto. It was a short walk from my grand auntie's house so it was okay. While we are waiting for our food, auntie Shirley's husband and Jamie's dad uncle David came from work and a few moments later Lily's dad uncle Ah Pong came from work as well. Then after the kinda reasonable long wait, we finally got to eat. The food that was served to us are (i think) Cantonese cuisine with the exception of Peking duck since most of the food are seafood, kinda steamed or stir fried- the usual Cantonese cuisine description. Uncle Rocky poured our tea in our wine cups-which was kinda weird. And then he and uncle "Grandpa Lookalike" shared a bottle of Heinaken(So now those guys are Bill and Tom Kaulitz respectively.-lol) and they drank together. When my dad left with uncle Ah Pong and "Grandpa Lookalike", uncle Rocky suddenly spoke in English!! it was a miracle... all the time i was with him, he never spoke a word in English even if he reacted with aunty Shirley upon knowing that i know the "MTR song" by Steve James and a lot about Hong Kong back at my grand aunt's house. When we are finished eating, he asked me "want to eat some more?" and i said "im full..." Too bad, dad didn't get to witness that. and much worse uncle Rocky spoke English when we're about to depart, so i didn't get to know more about him-his work, his wife, his daughter and such unlike aunty Shirley!!
When me and my Chinese relatives are about to depart, we shaked hands, bid good bye to them and promised them that when we come back, we will visit them. Definately i would visit them when i get back. ;-)
Sigh, it was one of the most memorable days i ever had. That one whole golden day i spent and lived like a regular Hong Konger and meeting my Chinese relatives for the first time. I've been waiting for that day to come since i was a kid- to meet them. And when i met them, i kinda feel weird at first, as if they are just family friends. I tried to tell myself that not all of my relatives are Filipinos and speak Tagalog, and those Chinese people i hang out with are relatives like Lolo Abong, Esol, Lola Sonia, Frollo and such who happens to be Chinese and don't speak Filipino.
And with me becoming a "Hong Kong expat" with Bill's influence (like ruining my first trip to Hong Kong, ect...), my relatives was impressed with what i know about Hong Kong, especially the MTR song and Steve James with what i said a while ago about aunty Shirley. Dad said that they say i was like him when he was younger; always looking at maps and loves to travel to places.
All the troubles and shenanigans i had are all worth it. I am looking forward on my next visit to my relatives again. this time i'll try talking to uncle Rocky(and maybe get to see his family like aunty Shirley), hang out more with Lily( i hope she'll not rote learn English before i visit her-lol) and meet the other side of those relations who lives in North Point- uncle Simon and his siblings.
After hanging around in my grand aunt's crib, we went out to eat in a Chinese resto. It was a short walk from my grand auntie's house so it was okay. While we are waiting for our food, auntie Shirley's husband and Jamie's dad uncle David came from work and a few moments later Lily's dad uncle Ah Pong came from work as well. Then after the kinda reasonable long wait, we finally got to eat. The food that was served to us are (i think) Cantonese cuisine with the exception of Peking duck since most of the food are seafood, kinda steamed or stir fried- the usual Cantonese cuisine description. Uncle Rocky poured our tea in our wine cups-which was kinda weird. And then he and uncle "Grandpa Lookalike" shared a bottle of Heinaken(So now those guys are Bill and Tom Kaulitz respectively.-lol) and they drank together. When my dad left with uncle Ah Pong and "Grandpa Lookalike", uncle Rocky suddenly spoke in English!! it was a miracle... all the time i was with him, he never spoke a word in English even if he reacted with aunty Shirley upon knowing that i know the "MTR song" by Steve James and a lot about Hong Kong back at my grand aunt's house. When we are finished eating, he asked me "want to eat some more?" and i said "im full..." Too bad, dad didn't get to witness that. and much worse uncle Rocky spoke English when we're about to depart, so i didn't get to know more about him-his work, his wife, his daughter and such unlike aunty Shirley!!
When me and my Chinese relatives are about to depart, we shaked hands, bid good bye to them and promised them that when we come back, we will visit them. Definately i would visit them when i get back. ;-)
Sigh, it was one of the most memorable days i ever had. That one whole golden day i spent and lived like a regular Hong Konger and meeting my Chinese relatives for the first time. I've been waiting for that day to come since i was a kid- to meet them. And when i met them, i kinda feel weird at first, as if they are just family friends. I tried to tell myself that not all of my relatives are Filipinos and speak Tagalog, and those Chinese people i hang out with are relatives like Lolo Abong, Esol, Lola Sonia, Frollo and such who happens to be Chinese and don't speak Filipino.
And with me becoming a "Hong Kong expat" with Bill's influence (like ruining my first trip to Hong Kong, ect...), my relatives was impressed with what i know about Hong Kong, especially the MTR song and Steve James with what i said a while ago about aunty Shirley. Dad said that they say i was like him when he was younger; always looking at maps and loves to travel to places.
All the troubles and shenanigans i had are all worth it. I am looking forward on my next visit to my relatives again. this time i'll try talking to uncle Rocky(and maybe get to see his family like aunty Shirley), hang out more with Lily( i hope she'll not rote learn English before i visit her-lol) and meet the other side of those relations who lives in North Point- uncle Simon and his siblings.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Once upon a time in Hong Kong...(part 1)
It was a cloudy saturday morning when i was in the very shabby looking Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport waiting for a Cathay Pacific plane to come and whisk us off to Hong Kong. Damn, the roaming request that i sent to Globe some two minutes ago didn't work and it was an hour to go before i have to board CX 906. I guess my phone isn't tri-band at all and i have to suffer the consenquence of having limited communication here in the Philippines, unless i have a chance to surf the internet there.
At 11 Am, me and dad boarded the plane where the flight attendants are mostly Hong Kongers who reminded me very much about Hong Kong that the Cantonese accent i aquired the last time i went there got back. For an hour and three fourths, i never turned on my ipod since i was too amazed with the tvs on every seat that i watched Kimora Lee Simmon's life on the fab lane and Discovery Channel instead. Sigh, so much of hearing Bill's voice on Cathay. Speaking of Bill, everytime i see the Hong Konger flight attendants i always think of him, coz he thinks that im like them- a Hong Konger.
Then at around 1 PM, we arrived in Chek Lap Kok airport aka Hong Kong International Airport or HKG- meaning Hong Kong Gulay??- in my boarding pass. According to my English teacher sir Manto, it was one of the best airports ever. Beat that LAX...lol
"Well, welcome back to Hong Kong." i told myself as i look around while i was waiting in the very bongacious arrival hall. Loads of people from around the world- British, Germans, Japanese, Turks, Czechs, ect...- inside the very modern architecture of the airport, the airport express and the Hong Kongers themselves took my breath away.
For three nights, we stayed at Marco Polo Gateway-sorry, no Jimmy the bumbay bellboy, just Zakal, the "....uh, Persian?" bellboy - where there is a huge mall within it called Harbour City.
While dad just slept away in the hotel room, i went down to Harbour city which is a lift away.
At 11 Am, me and dad boarded the plane where the flight attendants are mostly Hong Kongers who reminded me very much about Hong Kong that the Cantonese accent i aquired the last time i went there got back. For an hour and three fourths, i never turned on my ipod since i was too amazed with the tvs on every seat that i watched Kimora Lee Simmon's life on the fab lane and Discovery Channel instead. Sigh, so much of hearing Bill's voice on Cathay. Speaking of Bill, everytime i see the Hong Konger flight attendants i always think of him, coz he thinks that im like them- a Hong Konger.
Then at around 1 PM, we arrived in Chek Lap Kok airport aka Hong Kong International Airport or HKG- meaning Hong Kong Gulay??- in my boarding pass. According to my English teacher sir Manto, it was one of the best airports ever. Beat that LAX...lol
"Well, welcome back to Hong Kong." i told myself as i look around while i was waiting in the very bongacious arrival hall. Loads of people from around the world- British, Germans, Japanese, Turks, Czechs, ect...- inside the very modern architecture of the airport, the airport express and the Hong Kongers themselves took my breath away.
For three nights, we stayed at Marco Polo Gateway-sorry, no Jimmy the bumbay bellboy, just Zakal, the "....uh, Persian?" bellboy - where there is a huge mall within it called Harbour City.
While dad just slept away in the hotel room, i went down to Harbour city which is a lift away.
I went to Christian Audigier/Ed Hardy, Hong Kong records, French Connection, Lane Crawford, and some other shops. In Christian Audigier, they don't have the Ed Hardy perfume nor the Ed Hardy wallet i am looking for so i didn't buy anything there but i took a picture of myself fitting out the most awesomest (but kinda expensive) tshirt that my body touched upon on. Strangly, Audrie was responsible for making Bill think i live in Hong Kong but every Hong Konger i see really reminds me of Bill. Here and there and everywhere, up the stairs or even underground. I see what those people live like and i think "Maybe if Bill knows how a Hong Konger lives, he would assume i live like that...."
While i was walking around the Harbour City, i first felt culture shocked upon seeing my supposed look alikes until i realized they're the kind of people Bill thinks i belong to. Then i passed by a Lingerie shop that reminded me of Audrie-for seeing her looking like a stripper in myyearbook.com some days before- when i turned my heads on the crowd walking around, Bill suddenly went back to my mind.
While i was walking around the Harbour City, i first felt culture shocked upon seeing my supposed look alikes until i realized they're the kind of people Bill thinks i belong to. Then i passed by a Lingerie shop that reminded me of Audrie-for seeing her looking like a stripper in myyearbook.com some days before- when i turned my heads on the crowd walking around, Bill suddenly went back to my mind.
Then on our second day of the trip, we had our half-day city tour which was okay. It's the same itinerary that i had last time i've been there, and not to mention my old tourguide/photographer Yen was there but our tourguide is new- Ray is his name. first, on To Kwa Wan where there is that Jewelry shop where there is a Chinese boss who knows how to speak Tagalog with Chinese accent. Then on HKCEC in Wan Chai where that place reminded me much about many things, from my melancholic breakdown there last year to Bill Kaulitz and to that Hong Kong comedy show called Virtues of Harmony 2 on Channel 55 (TVBS-G i think) where the sequence before and after a commercial involves the main characters dancing around there.-lol
Then after Wan Chai, we went off to Aberdeen where there are boats to ride but i didn't ride a boat coz i already took a ride the last time. After some 30 minutes of sitting around Aberdeen, we went to our final destination which is the Peak where we took picturesque pictures of Hong Kong island and some parts of Kowloon ala HSBC $HK 20 bill on the back. Then our tourguide Ray dropped us off near Marco Polo Prince after we brought those picture plate souvenirs that Yen sells for HK$150 each.
Then after Wan Chai, we went off to Aberdeen where there are boats to ride but i didn't ride a boat coz i already took a ride the last time. After some 30 minutes of sitting around Aberdeen, we went to our final destination which is the Peak where we took picturesque pictures of Hong Kong island and some parts of Kowloon ala HSBC $HK 20 bill on the back. Then our tourguide Ray dropped us off near Marco Polo Prince after we brought those picture plate souvenirs that Yen sells for HK$150 each.
After that, i got to surf the internet for the first time ever abroad in the hotel!! I took the chance to do all the most important things as well as to read Bill's message for me last year that he thought would reach Hong Kong but actually, i got to read it again in Hong Kong. It was the last thing on the internet that i saw before i signed out and went off to the nearest MTR(Mass Transit Railways) station in Tsimshatsui to buy an octopus card and then off to Admiralty, our first stop in Hong Kong island.
In Admiralty, i took the opportunity to get near and take pictures of the famed Bank of China tower. Then off we go to Central to go to Exchange Square where the bus going to Stanley Village is stopping. Along the way, we saw an alleyway full of Filipinos in Des Voeux road. There is even a Jollibee hanging around there.-lol
After an hour of shopping for souvenirs for us and for friends in Stanley Village, we went back to Tsim Sha Tsui where we rested, ate dinner in Cameron Road and then shopped a little bit in Harbour City. Then at around 10 PM, my tita Cherry called from our hotel and we asked her Auntie Shirley's number and she gave it to us. then we called Auntie Shirley on my phone and she agreed that she'll meet us tomorrow.
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