My Trip to Hong Kong with Gushcloud!

Hey Everyone!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I got back from Hong Kong just a couple of days ago and I had an amazing time so I thought I would share my experiences with you here! I went with Gushcloud and a few other  really cool bloggers who I got the privilege of getting to know more and we had a jam packed itinerary that you can for sure follow the next time you’re in Hong Kong.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We flew to Hong Kong via a very comfortable flight on Cathay Pacific! It’s just three hours and I passed time watching movies on the plane. Let’s see, I watched Anchorman 2 and half of Saving Mr. Banks and they were so good. Before we knew it, we landed in Hong Kong. I really love how short the flight is to Hong Kong from Singapore!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

When we landed, we took a mini bus to our hotel at Tsim Tsa Tsui! It’s about a 45 minute journey so be prepared to take a snooze. Hong Kong in fact holds a special place in my heart – I used to live here when I was 2 years old till bout 5 (I know it’s way back) – but I visit very often with my family and it’s such a place that you can’t forget. Hong Kong is unique in every single way.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We finally got to our hotel! It’s the Marco Polo Hotel at Tsim Tsa Tsui that is connected to the huge mall – Harbour City! It was a seriously amazing location since it’s very central and hello – we are smack in the middle of a giant mall! Tsim Tsa Tsui or the area we were staying in is very much like Marina Bay Sands in Singapore because of the number of brand names that are around you like Gucci, Chanel and Hermes.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The rooms were really spacious and nicely decorated. It was a great place to return to at the end of a busy day and I really appreciated how comfy and soft the beds were.

hk6

Probably the best part of the room was the view! It’s the Hong Kong skyline right in front of you. It was so amazing to see this at night as well. So gorgeous.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

After resting for a while, we came back together again and went out to find a bite to eat. We were all going to The Peak and Madame Tussads later on so we needed to have dinner first.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We wanted to eat at this famous ramen place called Ichiran but the line was probably a mile long just to get in. We settled for a pretty random Hong Kong cafe. I was so hungry or rather hangry that I could eat anything at this moment in time so I didn’t mind. I even forgot the name of this place but my food was pretty good. I had katsu curry – you can’t fail with this stuff.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

After dinner, we hopped on the MTR which is the public transport in Hong Kong. It’s really fast and efficient and the locals say it’s much faster than cabbing or driving. We had to agree because it was so much more convenient to take the MTR to go anywhere we wanted to.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

When we reached The Peak and look at the queue. It’s one of the hot spots in Hong Kong because you can see an aerial view of Hong Kong – the buildings, harbours and everything. You have to take this electric tram up though which has a very steep incline. Thankfully, they put us up in front so we didn’t have to wait too long.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

On the way up you can already get a glimpse of the view! You can also see how steep we were going. Our backs were against the chairs but I reckon it would be more fun during the daytime and if it was less crowded. There were really a lot of people.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

When we got to The Peak, it’s basically a small mall and entertainment centre including the very famous Madame Tussauds. I’ve been wanting to go here for ages but never got to. You get to meet wax statues of your favourite celebrities and political figures. Even sports figures too!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The details are so amazingly real – from the height, the outfit to even the lashes. This is what it must really feel like to stand beside Nicole Kidman! I mean it’s pretty cool.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

See them close-up! You can see how much detail they put into the hair and eyes. Even the skin is not monotone but a series of pigments which makes it even more life-like. Hello Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Possibly my favourite is this picture which is also up on instagram! President Obama and I. Hey, I feel suddenly really important! I had really a lot of fun here and I totally recommend Madame Tussauds. It’s really fun being surrounded by all the people you see on TV and on the news.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Here’s a selfie of Reiee, Jingsi and me after Madame Tussauds. We were the first ones out so we decided to take a picture! We all then went upstairs to see The Peak view and unfortunately it was all misty and very cloudy. We could even see the clouds roll past above us. That’s how high we were! We could make out faint lights in the distance but it was a bit shrouded to see. Nonetheless, it was pretty fun to go up there and apparently you can take pictures with the view and they’ll edit the clouds out!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

After that, some of us went to explore MongKok for late night shopping. I mean really late too! I captured this around 11PM and you can see it’s still really busy! That concludes Day 1 of Hong Kong! Overall, it was really quite fun!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Day 2 was Disneyland day! Oh my gosh, I could seriously live at Disneyland. I love it so much! I was really excited to go but first I woke up early to have breakfast at Cafe Marco at the Marco Polo Hotel. I really loved the selection, there are so many different types of food going on – from Japanese, to Dim Sum, to western, to even gluten free cupcakes and muffins!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Eating breakfast here was one of the highlights of my trip. I mean waking up to this every morning is a foodie’s dream. There’s even free-flow yakult and strawberry smoothies. I loved their siew mai from their dim sum collection and I’ll never forget that Organic Pecorino cheese in the gluten free section! Yum! I think I’ll have to get myself some of that!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then it was off to the land of Disney! Disneyland Hong Kong! We all got into a cab  to go there. It’s near the airport so you’re looking at a 30 to 40 minute cab ride there. It was not too long cabbing with these lovely people though!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

When we finally reached, we ate again! Ok, we ate a lot on this trip you’ll see but seriously, I did not mind at all. We had a character dim sum planned at the Crystal Lotus restaurant at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel (which is gorgeous by the way). This is a group picture! I spent three days at Hong Kong Disneyland last year so if you want to read more about it, you can do so right here.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

How cute were these little paus. The little piggy is char siew and the toy story alien is actually a spinach and pork bun. It was so cute to eat and I really love the effort they put into all of this.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Here’s me and the lovely and gorgeous Freda! Thank you for bringing me onboard Gushcloud. It’s been about one year already!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Dessert was an amazing Mickey Mouse Mango Pudding. I love mango pudding and this one is absolutely delicious. I also really liked the Chinese soup that they had for us towards the start of the meal!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

After a yummy lunch, it was off to the park! We had a guided tour so we got to ride the rides without having to wait! I can never get tired of Disneyland! I just feel like I’m being transported back to this amazing place and I love how not all the rides are so thrilling because to be honest, I’m kind of scared of them. Doesn’t Sleeping Beauty’s castle look amazing from here? This is Main St. which greets you when you enter the themepark – it’s a mix of shops and restaurants.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We first took a walk to Grizzly Gulch which is this land that is very reminiscent of Cowboy America – it’s a mining land that was taken over by grizzly bears! The main attraction is one of my favourite rides at Hong Kong Disneyland – the Grizzly Gulch Runaway Mine Cars! This is a really fun roller coaster (without the loops) and it just goes super fast. It’s not too scary but it’s for sure a thriller!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then we took a trip to Mystic Point where the Mystic Manor ride was! This ride is very similar to the Haunted Mansion ride in L.A but it’s not that eerie halloween. It’s about this amazing collector who has traveled the globe and has put all his findings in this mansion. He has a mischievous little monkey who likes to get into trouble and one day “accidentally” opens a magical music box. The rides sends you whirling and spinning through the entire mansion while all the artwork and artefacts come to life. It’s really fun!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We also got to witness the special Hong Kong Disneyland Flights of Fantasy Parade. The songs are super catchy and the floats are super duper amazing. It’s so beautiful and you get to see your favourite characters waving at you and coming to life. I love the Toy Story float, Lilo & Stich as well as the Disney Princess float!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Toy Story Land is my ultimate favourite place in  Hong Kong Disneyland! You really feel like you’ve been shrunken down into a little toy and admist all the toys you used to play with when you were little! So cute.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Dinner was at Corner Cafe, one of my favourite places to eat in Hong Kong Disneyland. They have a wide selection of food and they’re all really yummy!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I got the Surf & Turf which is half a lobster and steak! It was really tasty and also my chocolate milkshake. Oops, quite a lot to eat but I was really hungry.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I suggest you stay at Hong Kong Disneyland the entire day (not like that’s very hard to do) but if you don’t, you’ll miss the amazing fireworks show at 9PM that they have every single day! This was just a little preview of how gorgeous the fireworks are. It’s the perfect ending to a perfect day!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The next day, we toured Harbour City which is this gigantic mall in Hong Kong. It is an extremely popular place to eat, shop and just have a fun day out. It was very kind of them to provide our accommodation during the trip at Marco Polo Hotel so here’s a sneek peek at what you can find at Harbour City!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Of course, first things first, we explored the beauty department at Harbour City. You can find all your major department store brands like Chanel, Dior, Benefit and more. Plus, it was such a surprise to find Neal’s Yard Covent Garden there. It’s their first shop or counter in Hong Kong and it’s very new to the Hong Kong beauty scene! I know this brand because I stayed in London for a while and it’s also super pops in Japan.  Neal’s Yard is known for providing organic, essential oil based creams, lotions, cleansers and skincare products. They are very effective and very natural and kind to your skin.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

After an extensive beauty tour, we went to have lunch! Finally we got some dim sum in our system. How can you not have dim sum while you’re in Hong Kong right? We had our fill at Canton Deli with Hong Kong delicacies like char siew pau and yam bites. I absolutely loved the porridge. Canton Deli at Harbour City does dim sum very well!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Probably a huge highlight of the entire trip is seeing this – 3CE Make-up!! Oh my gosh I’ve been wanting to get my hands on more of them for a long time! And what was even better was seeing the actual counter!! I was pretty excited. You can find 3CE at Stylenanda in HarbourCity. I reminded myself to control so I only got a couple of items. You can see my haul here.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

After diving into 3CE make-up, we went on a sweet tour. First it was to Laduree. I’m sure many of you are familiar with this amazing macaron place as its in Singapore too! I love the gorgeous Parisian interior and they have a wide assortment of macarons, jams, books, and even candles. I want the Laduree make-up so badly but I think that it’s only in Japan.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This macaron is Marie Antonette which is a tea flavored macaron! They also have gingerbread and my favourite is the rose macaron!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Possibly the best surprise that Pierre Herme is at HarbourCity too! Oh my gosh, these are the best macarons ever!!! I love these because they aren’t too sweet and you feel like you can finish the whole thing. It’s absolutely delicious!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We got to try any macaron in the store which was really very fun! Seriously, I will fly to Hong Kong just for these macarons. You really need to try them at HarbourCity the next time you’re here too!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then it was time for tea. Gosh, I know, it’s a lot of food! We had tea at Dalloyau which happens to be a 300 year old cafe from Paris. It was started by the masterchef of King Louis XIV at the Court of Versailles and they were actually the ones who created the well-known Opera cake! The cakes were really worth trying and the ambience is very lux. We even met Gigi Leung who is an international celeb!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

After an amazing day at Harbour City, we decided to see the light show of the Hong Kong skyline on the star ferry! The ferry terminal is literally two steps away from Harbour City so it was really convenient. The light show was really pretty despite the sudden downpour. It’s ok because this is literally my view from my hotel room!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then, it was off to dinner at Cucina which is an italian restaurant located in the Marco Polo Hotel! It offers amazing views and amazing food as well! We had the lobster linguine and even salt-baked fish. It was my first time with the fish and it was yum.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The next day we made a visit to Hotel Panorama where we had lunch at the AVA Restaurant. The restaurant also offers stunning views at the 38th floor and these cute beavers in horse costumes came to greet us at the table. We were just busy taking photos of the view because it was so gorgeous. The floor to ceiling windows are very good.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We had an assortment of food too! This is the steak and I had the mushroom risotto made by Hotel Panorama’s master italian chef. It was really good! We also had a tour of the rooms and they offer the same amazing views. They are for sure an accommodation choice here in Hong Kong and the lunch menu which is a semi-buffet is great value for money.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

One of the main reasons why we went to Hong Kong was to attend the gala premiere of Tap Dogs! Here they are doing their thing at the media call in front of photographers. It’s a thrilling tap dancing show and I was really excited to watch it.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Here’s the Gushcloud crew at the gala premiere! Overall the show really gave me a whole new perspective on tap dancing and it was so fun to watch and not boring at all. I don’t want to spoil it for you since they’re coming to Singapore on may 27th, but there’s fire, sparks, water and amazing lights involved! I can imagine how many years they must have trained to do the show and it’s an art that should really continue!

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

After the show, we also got a little backstage tour! The manager said it is one of the most dangerous set ups he’s done because the stars are really tap dancing on dangerous ground. They really do make it look so effortless though and you should for sure watch them! You might want to take advantage of this promotion!

TAP DOGS are currently taking the world by storm with their unprecedented tap show that combines the strength and power of workmen with the precision and talent of tap dancing. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtClyJdepQc&list=PLOn-Q6emYkWn06dWQRTxabD8Jr3ISB7zA

Base Entertainment Asia is currently extending a VERY special offer:  Get 2 tickets for the price of 1!!!

Details
*Applicable to all res. Book by 1 June 2014. Valid for all shows from 27 May to 1 June 2014.
*Buy 2 VIP tickets at $135 + $3 booking fee + $3 booking fee
*Buy 2 A res tickets at $120 + $3 booking fee + $3 booking fee
*Buy 2 B res tickets at $95 + $3 booking fee + $3 booking fee
*Buy 2 C res tickets at $65 + $3 booking fee + $3 booking fee

Via dedicated link only: http://bit.ly/tapdogssg

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Overall, I had a really great trip to Hong Kong! Hong Kong really never disappoints – whether it’s food, shopping or disneyland. Obviously disneyland is a reason by itself. Here’s us flying back on Cathay Pacific!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

For those of you interested, Cathay Pacific has an eNewsletter called CXpecials! Subscribe and you’ll get monthly exclusive and special fares, holiday packages, news and other promotions emailed right to you! And if you do so by 30th June, you could be 1 of 2 lucky winners to win an economy class round-ticket to HK! You can click HERE for your CXpecials subscription!:) With 9 daily flights to Hong Kong, you get to choose the perfect timing. Book your tickets on cathaypacific.com/sg.

Thanks so much Cathay Pacific, Gushcloud, Tap Dogs and HarbourCity for having us in Hong Kong!! Till we meet again! I hope this post gave you some more ideas if you are visiting Hong Kong anytime soon! If you want to find out more about Hong Kong, you can click here.

Love,
Roseanne