Asia 2014 Day 9: Hong Kong - Zoo & Botanical Garden, Ladies' & Temple St Market

Today was my last day in Hong Kong.  My feet were still in need of some recovery time, so I had a laid back, non rushed morning.  Spent an hour hanging around the water near my cousin's apartment.  Saw more dogs here, and most do not have leashes.  We definitely have more pets in the states.

 

Lunch

After relaxing around the promenade, my cousin and his girlfriend took me to a nearby restaurant for lunch.  Cha sui and soy sauce chicken, veggies, corn soup, another soup, toast, milk tea..never a shortage of food.  It was pretty reasonably priced too, the total being around $30.

 

Next we went to a wet market to pick up some fruits.  The wet markets have been revamped.  They were previously non-ACed, and really wet floors.  Now it was more of a mall.

 

Afterwards, I went off on my own way.  I took the MTR to Central Station so that I could walk east to Admiralty and see the Umbrella Movement's gathering.  Before I reached the center, I saw thousands of Filipinos.  At first I thought they were all prostitutes because they were women, and some were dancing...But turns out it's all the Filipino maids that come out on Sunday, their day off.  They just congregate around the Central area.

 

The crowds around Admiralty had dispersed.  Apparently the night time is when the crowds are at its peak.  I think most ppl who were there were actually just tourists and curious bystanders.

It was incredible to see such a civilized, organized, clean gathering.  All the thousands of flyers depicted positive messages and illustrations.  I particularly liked one part of the freeway, where there were big posters of words of support from different countries' visitors.  All w phrases like "We support Hong Kong" and "democracy for Hong Kong" in different languages.

Such supportive signs on the freeway

Umbrella Movement gathering..Crowds have dispersed

It was incredible how there was a study zone for the students. They made tables and chairs, and students would have their headphones on and just study.  There was also a recycling area.  And a free phone charging station.  A makeshift shower as well.  Really inspirational how the message remains clear and no violence clouds the situation.

 

Study center!

I walked back to the MTR and took the subway back to Central.  I wanted to check out the HK zoological and botanical center, which is right near the terminus of the peak tram.

What an oasis in the middle of the city.  So peaceful and quiet.  And clean.  So impressive that it's close to the city but you feel miles away.  There were a lot of monkeys.  Reptiles and birds too, although I did not go to those sections.  I sat down for a while here to rest my feet.
 

 

Oasis at the zoo & botanical garden 

The last stop of the evening was the ladies market.  I got off at Mong Kok, and right when I exited the subway station...wow.  Busyness and colors galore.  So much activity here.  I don't even know if it was the ladies market I went to, or other markets that were connected and nearby.  Picked up a shirt here, that I think was actually overpriced (100 HKD) and some other small items.

 

Street food!

Ate some street food for dinner.  You pick out four pieces of food you want to be fried in oil.  I chose tofu, a sausage with fish cake, fish ball, and a vegetable of some sort.

 

I was exhausted and really wanted a foot massage...but refrained.  Instead, took the taxi back to my cousin's place.

 



DESSERT

I packed up for my trip to Guangzhou the next morning, and thought I would be sleeping early..but ended up going out to dessert with my cousin.  Soooo good.  It was called Noble.  Had chocolate shaved sorbet w red bean, mochi, banana. I really wish we had a dessert place like this in Seattle...

 

Tomorrow I take the train to GZ at 9:23am.  Hong Kong has been such an eye opener, really a good reminder of the realities of such a large, populated, metropolitan city.