ABBEY: This must-visit place in Hongkong is a 20-minute walk from Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station. It is also along the harbor where you can see Hongkong's skyline and the venue of Chinese New Year's fireworks. Golden stars were scattered and each has a name of an artist or celebrity. I think I only recognized Jackie Chan from the stars. Bronze statues of people filming, lights, and clapper were erected.
WILL: Asia's World City pay attention to their film stars. Thus, this Avenue of Stars is a must-see for every foreigner visiting Hong Kong. This is located at Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. Here you can see all the glittering stars' hand marks carefully graved. This is free. Tourist will have no reason why they will not check this out. ;)
ABBEY: One random day Wilma asked what chocolate would I want as a gift. I replied "Any type, any toppings would do". She joined a contest to create your own chocolate. She told me she even put a message on the bar. She was excited to see it delivered to our mailbox. It was covered with a bubble wrap then a silver-colored wrapper with cushion. What a way to protect the precious delight. It was a white chocolate bar topped with almond, macadamia nuts and floss. There's a message "I love you" which is also edible. Its not too sweet, just enough to enjoy it and appreciate as this was done by my wife :)
WILL: The most beautiful thing that you can give as a gift to your loved ones is not a box load of ready made commodity in a market, but was things that done by your own hands. Time really pushes all our creativeness on edges, and so am I. Haha. Went to Vivo... while walking, while checking each store, there is no great idea that popped-up right before my eyes. I went home, frustrated. Nada! No gift for my Abbey for hearts' day. Checking every facebook fanpage that posts their products for Valentines, I came with Cocoa B that was holding a giveaway that time. With great passion and love for my husband, I poured my emotion while creating my own chocolate. Here is my entry:
I roamed around VivoCity last night and got home almost 9pm with empty hands. Nowhere to find, nowhere to go, no great gift idea for my husband on heart's day.
Until this morning I read a message in facebook about Cocoa B, bulb of imagination lit and swore when I got home, I wil be creating my OWN chocolate flavor and design.
So here it is, white chocolate (symbolizes my pure love unto him), nuts (how nutty I am when I am with my hubby), I Love You Plaque (three words combined to be a powerful sentence), & Chicken Floss (his favorite).
I will never know this when I read iisjong.blogspot.com.
Hoping to win this, by the power summoned by LOVE! ;)
Upon checking the facebook when we came back here in Singapore, I saw that I won the contest. As I cannot hide my gladness, I asked my husband to see my entry to this contest. After he read it, he squeezed me tight. The day came, chocolate was delivered by the postman, we unwrap, we took photo, we ate and our amazement can see through in our eyes when we took every bite on that whitey chocolate. Very delicious indeed when powdered with floss. Thanks Cocoa B. please visit their website and surprise your loved ones with it.
ABBEY: I was very excited to go to this park. As a child, me and my neighbors dreamed of going to Disneyland. We got the ticket for a discounted price of HD$390 courtesy of Hop Inn. We were there at 7:30 AM. Yes its seems early but its an advantage as you can strike you pose and take snaps to Disneyland's Welcome arch. And we also have the chance to check their port for guests that will visit via ferry. A ceremony was held before the opening where a family was chosen to meet and greet with Mickey and Minnie to open the park for the day. As we enter the park at 9, we were given golden coins as souvenir. Wilma ran to the park's garden where flowers were arranged to depict Mickey's face and told me to take pictures. We also have snaps with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Cinderella, and Rapunzel. At the end of the Main Boulevard, we saw the Sleeping Beauty's magnificent castle. It was smaller compared to Shrek's Far Far Away in USS, but its very detailed. We went first to Tarzan's tree house. We got scared when the tiger roared :) After that we journeyed to the jungle via River Cruise. Then we went to the newest attraction in HK Disneyland: Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway mine cars. We were less than 10 pax for the first batch to ride. Prepare to be push and pulled back as you enter the dark mines. Its kind of scary and funny. After that we went to Toy Story land. We rode the Toy Soldier Parachute drop and my most-feared ride that day, the RC Racer. It was a curved U-shaped RC track. The car was in the middle and once you're settled, it will be pulled and then be released. You will swing along the track as the momentum dies down. I felt I was gonna fall off my sit it it weren't with my safety bar. Wilma caught my lips shaking and she laughed hard as she saw me like that. That day I conquered my fear of not-that-extreme ride :) As we wait for the adrenaline rush to settle down we lined up for Mickey's Philar Magic 3d show. We also watch Golden Mickey; Mickey's version of Golden globe awards and their wonderful parade. They were good and entertaining. We also got a change to defeat Emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blaster; though Wilma for more points than me. We also visited "Its a small world" that displays dolls that sing and dance. Space mountain is having technical problem that day. But we met Stitch have fun interacting with him. The fireworks were much anticipated. People flock in front of the castle as early as 6Pm whereas the show starts at 8:30PM. It was worth the wait as the exhibition is magical. It will definitely bring out the child in you. Wear light dress and hydrate yourself. Few points to improve though: -Use the fans in queue. I know its 14degrees and its cold. But it will be hot and suffocating when a lot of people flocked on attraction entrances and the fans are off. Turning them on will give more ventilation to the guests. -The entrance is narrow causing bottleneck so its a mess. As it is Chinese New Year, HK Disneyland should expect for a huge guest turnout. They should have put more rope division for proper queue. -Some staff cannot speak english. It would be better to train them to speak the universal language since not all guests speak Mandarin. -Announcements for the attractions are not clear enough. Its as if the staff will catch a plane going to "i don't know" and gonna be late. Make sure the staff clearly speaks the information so the people will attend to it.
WILL: Am I wrong I will tell that every child especially the girls has a dream to step in to the magical place of DisneyLand.
Ever since I am a child, I always ask my mom when she will bring me to DisneyLand, she never answered me "NO" on every requests but this, she answered "soon", but she never did. Ha!Ha! Well, I forgot about that dream but when DisneyLand build its home to Hong Kong, that dream rebuild its way to my heart.
After my college, I really want to go there, have money but I do not have time, I am busy in building my career. When my name have somehow small roots in my field and that dream faded again, again lack of time.
But when Abbey told me that he wants to go to Korea and upon checking, there are so many obstacles for us to got there, we ended up and going to Hong Kong and excitedly plan to see Mickey's friends and land.
Abbey and I woke up as early as 530AM, took our breakfast at the nearest cafe in our hotel then rode the MTR to Disneyland Resort Station. The train from Sunny Bay station is a special one, decorated in the name of Mickey and Friends.
My smile is from ear to ear once I saw the train. Arrived there around 7AM, and the park opened at 9, so we are only 20 visitors then. So we had the chance to take a lot of photos at the "Welcome" sign. We even managed to check out the port for the park's visitors.
We planned to go for counterclockwise but when we saw people ran to that side, we decided to go for the clockwise direction,
We are the first visitor at the tree house of Tarzan. Then we are the second batch of Grizzly Gulch runaway mine cars, exciting! We were toured via Jungle River Cruise. After a boat ride, we decided to go to Toy Story Land and test Abbey's courage. We fist tried Toy Soldier Parachute Drop and Abbey told me that it is amazing. Now, it is the time to test if he can stretch that courage in a U-shaped metal. While on line, I keep on encouraging Abbey that I know he can make it. It is a success that he went in RC Racer and finished it without fainting, but his jaws were shaking after.. Ha!ha! Great experience indeed.
After that ride, we ran to take the queue to the shows, and the most amazing is the Lion King, after seeing that, I am so sad and frustrated again to myself why I let the Lion KIng passed my way when they visited Singapore.
The parade is nice!, but the most amazing, most nerve racking show was the fireworks. Goosebumps and all I can do is hold my husband's hands while watching the glimmering sky of different colors. It feels like I am back to my childhood, feels like I am Disney Princess with my Prince.
This is a blessing and I am thankful that I went here with my lovable husband.A dream come true!
