Cela roams around

One day I've went to Victoria's Peak, I mean a took Peak Tram to the top and made a nice 1h walk around the peak, with stunning views over HK and over Victoria Harbour. It was really beautiful up there. And chilling as not too many ppl was walking there.

Admirality - on the way to Victoria Peak

On the Peak Tram

Frog on the Victoria Peak

View from Victoria Peak over HK Island and Kowloon

Malysian Rubber Tree on the Victoria Peak

Peak Tram

Same day in the evening quite accidentaly with Aussie that I was hanging around, we've landed at the Ladie's Market. Honestly, I hate shopping, but this time it was kind of fun, especially bargaining. Any time we were taking a look at something saleswoman was coming and telling her price (e.g. 600) and there was my part. Tell riducolously low price (e.g. 150) and observe their reaction. It was so funny to see how touched they are that I wan to pay only that little. And making those funny pffffff sounds. After that, was my turn again: "So how much do you want?". "500". "What? Never. 200". "OK missy, only for you, best price. 350.". "No, no. Thank you." So now we were going away. "Wait, wait, 300." "No, it's not about the price, I'm just not sure if I want it." "Only for you. Best price. 250" "Well, OK."
This is more or less how it looks like, I never liked to bargain but there it wasd so hilarous and funny that I was enjoying that most of all the shopping. Of cours, there were some variations, like we pay that much when we take 2 or 3 pieces or when they were trying to explain us that, that piece on the display is without logo, but piece which we'll buy will have correct logo. It was more or less like that: "No look. No. No look. No good. Very good copy." And than she was showing us that faked bag with the correct logo, which she has taken out from one of the hidden boxes.
It was pretty similar with watches and LV bags. First they show you catalogue, where you can pick what you want to see and next they bring it from somewhere. But honestly, those watches were of really poor quality.
Overall, I've spent too much and bought too much and I'll have to ship everything from Vietnam. Maybe I'll do some more shopping in Hanoi and I'll post it.

Mao Watches on the Antique Market

The next day I've went to Macau, one of my must see in HK. It was last Portugese colony and I've wanted to see Portugese elements there, so I took TurboJet to Macau. It takes about 1h to get there andit's worth going there, even though you are not going to gamble. I even did not enter any of the casinos. And in fact I've thaught that Mcau will be more similar to Las Vegas, but it was not. It's not like in LV, that there is one street full of casinos. In Macau, there is one casino here, one there. They are scattered all around the city.
And what about Portugese remainings, there are tiles in many places, street plates are are also tailed. Some pavements are paved with white-black coble stone. Some of the buildings are of Portugese style. And of course ruins of St. Paul's church. Those look so cool. Only entrance wall remained after great fire that took place in XIX century.
As I was ready with sightseeing earlier than I've thaught I'll be, I went to the pier to check if I can change my ticket and take earlier katamaran to HK. I was surprised when they told me just to go to the gate and board. But that was good.
This trip to Macau made me have six additional stamps in my pass, as when you go there you need to go through customs, fill in arrival form and go through pass control. And one more thing that I was not quite aware of. There is also separate currency.

Macau city centre. White and black cobble stones.

St. Dominic's Church

Ronald Adolfonald

St. Paul's Cathedral ruins

Blue and yellow tiles

No securing gate

Some more tiles

Red light district

Actually it used to be red light district, at least this is what they say in guide book...

... apparently, it still is

Green and pink

Grand Lisboa

TurboJet catamaran

I love HK. I could spend here more time, move here for a little while and enjoy.
The difference between HK and Shanghai is as big as difference between Beijing and Shanghai. Here they even have Pret, which has the best porrige and soups ever. It feels here like in London. Even tube is designed in the same way. Wall joins with the ceiling in the same curvy way and notice boards indicating stops are the same.
From the same beginning I've been enjoying the city and having a lot of fun. Already on Friday (so the day when I've come from Shanghai after 18h ride on the train) I went to see light and sound show on the bank of the sea/canal which separate HK Island from Kowloon. We've (with friend who I've first met in Xi'an) watched it from Kowloon side, music synchronised with lights on the skycrapers. Nice experience. And after that we went to Lan Kwai Fong (party street in L shape, street's name comes from that shape). Street were closed for the cars and people were basicaly drinking on the road, and waitresses serving there. I guess it's not always like that, but they've organised it for the Halloween Party which was suposed to be on Sat.
It's so cool to go out, sip your gin'n'tonic on the street and chat to ppl passing by.

Hong Kong by night from Kowloon

I think that my room mates in the hostel wanted to kill me when I've come back at 3 a.m. and than got up at 7.45 to meet my HK friend - Carol, who invited me for hiking trip with her friends from University. We went to Sai Kung to make a small part of MacLehose Trail. It leads you along the coast and water reservoir for HK and than later on up the hills, through sandy beaches and unexpectidly warm water in the bay. What a pity that I did not have my bikini with me and I could not get into the sea.

Sai Kung sweet water reservior

Carol, Catherine and I

Hiking crew

Sai Kung - rock that cracked

Beach

Bare feet

Octagonal rocks in Sai Kung

Fish market in Sai Kung

Sai Kung - sea food restaurant

By the time we got back I was completly shuttered, so I took 1h nap, drunk RedBull and got ready for a party, where I've went with one guy who I've met in hostel. This time it was real Halloween Party. And it seems true what everyone says about China, Chinese ppl are crazy about this holiday. It was crazy what was going on on the streets, on the Lan Kwai Fong especially. They've made them one way pedestrian streets, so whenever you wanted to go back somewhere you had to make the whole round of about 3x3 blocks. People were dressed up, party everywhere, photos, drinks. Fun, fun, fun!
Unfortunately or maybe fortunately I've lost my friend from the hostel, but I've met some other ppl, and one of them showed me another place to go. Wan Chai is another party district in HK. Bars with live music and clubs. We went to Dusk till Dawn and of course, I've lost him too. It was not intended at all, but he just disappeared somewhere and I had to make new friends again. But practice makes perfect, three times luck and this time I did not lost anyone who I've met, but had a lot of fun. Recently I have luck to meet guys working for Lufthansa, either flying cargo or private planes. I've always thought they have really nice jobs. Why am I doing consulting? I should have been aircraft pilot, wear cool suit, spend every evening in different city staying in posh hotel, cause from what I've seen Marriott here is pretty posh, with outdoor swimming pool, fully equiped bathroom (tooth brush, tooth paset, comb) unlike in all European hotels where you don't get it at all.
When I was coming back to hostel on Sunday I saw guy on the escalator with bag and some papers prolly trying to figure out where YesInn hostel is. I thought that I may help him and ask if he goes there and lead him there cause anyway I was going there too. And in fact I hit the jack pot. Right place, right time. Wallaby.
Later on he went with me to buy my notebook (Asus Eee PC, 1GB RAM, 250 HD, 10", Intel Atom N450 inside, 1,66 GHz, Windows 7, webcam, 3 USB slots, SD Card reader for 2400 HKD) which I'm jusing just now to write this note, but unfortunatelly I cannot connect to wireless in the hostel. I've tried other places and it works, but not here, and I have no clue what's that, especially that here I have Windows 7 which is brand new for me and I even dunno how to set or access different services or settings. So no idea when I'm going to post this note and update previous one with some photos. SO I gave up and we went for a dinner and to visit Temple Night Market.

Knick-knacks

Training chopsticks - I should have gotten some before coming to Asia

Luckbringingcatswavingtheirpaws

The Pennisula hotel and shopping centre

Hong Kong Island

And today we went to Disneyland. It was big luck. One of the Carol's friends who I met on Sat works there and she could let us in, so as I've never been to Disneyland I went there and even better that there was someone to share this experience with me. It was ok, but nothing special. If I'd have to pay 350 HKD for that I'd be disappointed, especially thas some attractions were closed after Halloween (to take off all Halloween ornaments) like the biggest attraction - rollercoaster. But I'm happy that I've finally been to Disneyland ;-)