Hong Kong

Two words to describe - "Shopping & Food". Yes, I know it's a cliché that has stuck over many years, but it's a city that never stops on these two fronts and the two things I spent most time doing. The food was amazing and the shopping literally got to a stage where you got a bit tired of walking to the next shopping complex. So, amidst all this, what I thought I'd do for all you budding travellers out there is to point out exactly where I went to pick up some great bargains and to try out those wonderful cuisine's.

First stop - Ladies Market in Mong Kok. Starting at about 1pm and running till past midnight (every night), it's a street market where you can buy everything that you thought of (and those things that you probably didn't even think of)! From watches to CD's to clothes and even to custom-made jeans and suits, you can get it all here. Close by in Tsim Sha Tsui is Temple Street, which sells similar sorts of items to Ladies Market. However, what you notice here is that there is a bit more to offer, especially for the tourist. If you're game, there are side stalls set up with fortune tellers, ready to explain your past, present and future simply by looking at your face and the palm of your hand. And don't worry if you can't understand Chinese, they speak very good English themselves so you'll understand everything they say. If you're lucky you'll even see a performance of some Chinese Opera where you'll be amazed at the costumes and make up as well as the pitch of their voices (even if you don't understand what they're saying).

Of course, apart from the street markets, there are a number of large shopping complexes as well. Near every MTR (underground train) station there is a shopping complex nearby. If you're looking for the latest up-market fashion at a reasonable price, you can't go past Times Square at Causeway Bay. You'll probably need to spend a good 2-3 days there to get through all the shopping. It's 7 floors full of shopping and the good thing is that each floor is it's own category. Men's fashion on level 2, Women's fashion on level 3, and Sporting Goods on level 6....you get the picture. (Being the stylish one myself, I picked up 2 suits here as well as a new pair of shoes)! And it doesn't stop there, because there's a cinema in the same building to see the latest Hollywood flicks as well as up to 5 floors of restaurants and food outlets as well (more on this later). But you can see why I said you need to spend a good deal of time at Times Square to see it all.

One last word on shopping - where is the best place to buy electronics? The appeal of Hong Kong is that technology gadgets and devices follow closely to that of Japan, so you're sure to pick up the odd PDA or DVD player that hasn't even been released in Australia yet. When you walk along the streets of Hong Kong you'll literally find hundreds of stores selling electronic devices, cameras and computers. To ensure you get quality products with warranties attached, I can't go past recommending the two leading chain stores in Hong Kong - Broadway and Fortress. You can't go wrong with these two as they are both large chain stores offering the leading brand names and the newest products.

OK, time to move on to the food front. Whatever cuisine you are after you can probably find it in Hong Kong. Going back to Times Square, those 5 floors of restaurants and food outlets are quiet unique with cuisine's ranging from traditional Chinese, to Westernized Chinese, and of course Western food as well. You're bound to see some exotic dishes on the menu which is what I tried out whilst I was there. Crab-powdered fried rice, drunken chicken, and steamed egg pudding are just some of the things I got my taste buds around.

Another place to visit to taste the wonders of Chinese Cuisine is the Food Plaza at Whampoa Gardens. This is a plaza that is dedicated to housing number of restaurants serving different styles of Chinese food. Some of the foods that you should definitely try out is the steamed dumpling as well as the sweet and sour soup, delicacies enjoyed by many. And whilst you are there, be sure to try out the Hong Kong style noodles ("Chae Jay Mein"). Basically you select the noodle type as well as the dishes that go with the noodles. The cook will then boil it all up for you to make one big noodle soup bowl. Deciding on which dishes go with your noodles will be the hard part.

If that's not enough, there always the traditional McDonalds and KFC on hand in Hong Kong. However, you'll still notice a Chinese feel to it. When I was there McDonalds offered Hong Kong style Iced Coffee and Iced Tea. Sooner or later they'll probably start offering noodles there as well...

Victor