Arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland on the 20th of December. Edinburgh was amazing! The capital of Scotland is definitely a place I’d love to revisit. Definitely wouldn’t mind living there either. Although, I don’t think I’m pronouncing the name of the city properly. If anyone could teach me how that’d be awesome; I’m guessing it takes on from some sort of Gaelic pronunciation.
If you find this post, either you’re searching on the web for cheap places to eat in Hong Kong, or trying to find out how cheap it really is. In my opinion, I found this comment to be one of the biggest disappointments before arriving in Hong Kong for the first time in the summer of 2009. This isn’t to say you can’t “find” cheap food in Hong Kong, however don’t expect too much, because in the end you get what you pay for. However, I have to say Hong Kong truly is a food paradise. In this article, I’ll try breaking down my foodie experience in Hong Kong.
Hello everyone who’s been visiting this website hoping for new content on a daily basis but isn’t getting it because Christopher Law is a lazy bastard to can’t focus on writing any more because he’s having too much fun or relaxing too hard in Hong Kong. But, thank you all, whoever you may be, for visiting my site! It means a lot to me.
I’ll still be trying my best to report to you what its like being in a different country as a Canadian Born Chinese who has limited Cantonese and even more limited Mandarin. This proved totally true in Singapore where I fail to start conversations with other Chinese people in a strange new land. Let me tell you something, there is absolutely no advantage to looking Chinese and not speaking the language; or otherwise known as being a “Jok Sing” in Cantonese. People always assume you speak Chinese. Granted people in Singapore do speak English but sometimes, they think you’re lying to them over the fact you don’t speak Mandarin. When really, YOU DON’T SPEAK Mandarin. It gets annoying at first, but you get over it really quickly. It was the same in Seoul actually, but it didn’t bug me as much there. It’s probably cause my first experience with it in Singapore was much worst.
The first night I landed, I went out to the nearby mall to eat some dinner in a food court. The menu was TOTALLY in English, but when I went up to order, the girl wouldn’t stop talking to me in Mandarin. At some point in the conversation she asked if I wanted to add something to my meal, I kept on saying no. Eventually I remembered how to say it in Mandarin but that was like after a minute of struggling with her in English. I was so shocked. I didn’t think this wouldn’t happen in Singapore, but then again that’s like wishing people in Hong Kong all spoke English too; that isn’t happening. But, like I said you get over it. This one other lady in the MRT (their metro system) started speaking to me in Mandarin, then Cantonese, then Fu Jian, then finally English. I guess it’s a good thing though. Most people who grow up in Singapore speak more than 2 languages that’s already a lot more than most Canadian raised kids.
I did spend about 5 days in Singapore, but I have to say there really isn’t much special about the place; of course in my opinion. There are nice malls, and restaurants, and even a casino that has a super great view, but I have to say the only thing worth going for is probably trying out all their Hawker centres. Now, you’re probably asking, “What’s a hawker centre?” Basically, they’re the equivalent of “Dai Pai Dong”s in Hong Kong. Don’t know what that is? It’s basically a Chinese food court. Search it on YouTube and you’ll get a visual idea of what I’m talking about.
This was probably my favourite thing about Singapore. Why? Because it was actually darn CHEAP! Some people might tell you that Hong Kong food is cheap. But, honestly, in no way is Hong Kong food actually cheap and even less so compared to Singapore. But, I guess that depends on your definition. Therefore, if Hong Kong is considered cheap, then Singapore is DIRT cheap. Let’s compare a common dish found in Chinese restaurants. Everyone’s favourite Chicken Cutlet with Rice. Now, in Toronto, this might cost you something like $7CAD at a Chinese diner. In Hong Kong it might cost you something like $40HKD or $5CAD. Singapore, well you’ll find it for a measly $2S. In Canadian dollars, that works out to be $1.6CAD. Okay, there has to be a catch right? Seriously, I bought it, ate it, and there really isn’t much difference in the quality at these prices. Compared the usually places I go to in Hong Kong and Toronto, you really can’t say there’s much difference in quality. They all taste the same.
I’d say the average price of most outdoor Hawker centres is probably around $2 to $5 Singaporean. For a big developed city like Singapore I find it really weird that food can possibly be this cheap. I will say however, not all the outdoor hawker centres are very clean. Before I left for Singapore, people gave me this impression that Singapore is this SUPER clean city that won’t have a speck of dust on the floor but prepare yourself. Singapore’s hawker centres are as dirty as Dai Pai Dongs in Hong Kong. Although, I have to say I rather eat in Singapore than the Dai Pai Dongs in Hong Kong. You can find Hawker centres that are indoor and have air conditioning but you pay a premium for that. The average price ends up being more like $4 to $8 Singaporean, which is closer to the average prices in Hong Kong. Just try them, you won’t be disappointed. It’s hard not to bump into them, they’re quite literally everywhere and really stand out.
The last thing I want to really note about Singapore is the multicultural community. The way I see it, there are two kinds of multicultural communities. Ones that mix and ones that don’t. What I mean by don’t mix is, is when cultures immigrate somewhere and create their own exclusive communities. A city might be filled with China Town, Little Italy, Little India, and Greek Town but their communities end up being exclusive almost. I find it an issue in Toronto. In Singapore however, the place is so small they’re almost forced to mix. I think it’s a good thing since that way people get more exposure to other cultures other than their own. I had a grandmother in Toronto who lived there for 50 years and didn’t learn a word of English. Now, that isn’t right. But, that’s another store for another post. It was nice having different culture foods that weren’t all cooked by Chinese people all the time. Singapore does have a China Town though, as you can see in the photos below. But, to me it wasn’t anything special. Reminds me of what old China Town in Toronto looked like 15 years ago. Since, now in Toronto its no longer China Town but China City!
Personally, I don’t know if I’ll ever make a trip as long as I did in Singapore but if I’m in the area again (Asia) I might make a weekend trip there with some friends. Definitely having a friend who speaks Mandarin would be a big plus but it isn’t all that necessary. Even with Asian features, you simply need to try a little harder than the rest. I really did enjoy my time in Singapore, it was refreshing to say the least. The overall culture is totally different from Hong Kong but still enough similarities in the Chinese community to not feel too alienated. I know I didn’t really explain all the photos you’ll see below but if you have any questions feel free to shoot me a message on facebook or via any other messaging system! I’ll do some quick posts about Hong Kong pretty soon. I managed to pull some photos off my camera! Until next time chaps!
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I know this post is way overdue. Terribly sorry for the lack of posting lately, just having way too much fun in Hong Kong. But, I didn’t forget about my blog. I still have a bunch of photos from my last day in Seoul. Wanted to show you guys the awesome Olympic Park in Seoul. It could definitely become a favourite photography site for those who are really into macro shooting as well. There’s a really nice garden in the centre of the park and a lot of different types of flowers to look at, if you’re into that kind of stuff.
The park has a set out trail you can follow which will take you on for a walk for about 2.5 km or longer if you decide to get lost in the forest like I did. So definitely, be sure to keep hydrated throughout the walk. It’s not a crazy hike but doing the walk in 35+ weather leaves room for craziness to happen. I actually walked around the park for about 4 hours, taking photos and stopping along the way. But it was too hot for me, so I ended up passing out for an hour under a tree. Not exactly the smartest thing to do with a Canon 60D sitting around my neck. The park itself has some really funky statues and art and I mean really funky. Like look at this piece, it’s a giant thumb. Dogs are actually allowed in this park so it’s definitely a good place to take your pet for a walk. Actually, if you skip over the ropes that serve as borders on the trail, you can actually find some nice spots inside the forest and lay back on the ground and stare up. It’s like a roof top of leaves and branches with sunlight barely breaking through. I think you get what I mean.
Probably my favourite bit of the park is the vending machines like usual. I love Milkis! It’s definitely my second favourite drink in Seoul after Soju of course. Mixing the two together isn’t a bad idea either.
Aside from the awesome scenery, you also see some Ajummas (Aunties) cleaning or gardening around the area. Much different from the usual guys I see tending to the plants in other parks, like I saw at Guanghwamun. And there were these funky pumpkins that looked really tasty! You can take a look at the photo at the bottom of this post.
Check out this building too! At the end of my walk, I saw this church across the street from the park. Looks like some church of the future! It’s like completely glass and it looks like there’s office buildings inside too! Not sure what the deal is with this building but definitely won’t find a church like this anywhere in the western world.
After my trek for 4 hours, I went back to my friend’s and started packing. I was leaving the next day to head back to Hong Kong; my landing pad in Asia. If you’re ever planning on flying from Hong Kong to Korea, I definitely suggest taking Jeju Air. Probably one of the best airlines I’ve been on and it’s cheaper than the other bigger ones. Spent my last night having dinner with my friend’s co-workers. They were having a going away party for one of them. Sweet Korean Grill Again! Overall, I have to say I loved Seoul. Favourite things here were definitely the Saunas, the Grills, the Parks, and most of all the Magic Number. I’ll have to explain in another post what the Magic Number is. But, in short it’s a free number you can call that has an English interpreter on the other line. The possibilities with this number are ENDLESS. Definitely another Travel Tip worth talking about. So, look out for it soon.
For now I take my leave, and hopefully you’ll enjoy this new set of photos. I’ll be gone for Singapore pretty soon, so I’ll probably be posting while I’m there. In terms of Hong Kong posting, I’ll be doing something a little different compared to my other posts. I’ve been to Hong Kong before, so I might do a sort of comparison to what’s changed and how it compares to Toronto. Granted not everyone agrees with my opinions but then again it’s MY OPINION and you’re not obligated to agree.
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Usually the first thing people think about before heading to Europe is purchasing a Eurail Pass. In my honest opinion, I think this pass is a HUGE waste of money. Not only that, it doesn’t even give any more convenience than buying tickets at the train stations in European countries. The solution? Purchase your tickets online or at the station. I’ll explain the options you have for purchasing tickets in mostly central Europe since that’s where I have the most experience, however, this should also apply for other countries in Europe as well.
Purchasing Online
Generally purchasing tickets online is only required if you can get a discount on the tickets if purchased in advance. This is usually the case for non-IC train lines like Thalys and Eurostar.
http://www.thalys.com/
http://www.eurostar.com/
Thalys – This is a high-speed rail that goes at 300 km/h and is for travel in between Benelux (Belgium/Luxembourg/Netherlands), Germany, and France. I took this train from Schiphol (Amsterdam Airport) to Paris and only took 3 hours instead of the usual 5 hours if you take a normal train. I also took it from Paris to Cologne. Check the website for all their routes. My tickets only cost me 35€ each. It was purchased 30 days in advance and you get a seat reservation as well so you don’t have to fight for one when you get on. I find it better to take this train and then connect to a local train if going to other cities in the country. In general, it’s cheap to travel from point-to-point within the same country. For example, it’s cheaper to take Thalys to Cologne from Paris and then once in Cologne buy a ticket there to go to Frankfurt, instead of buying a ticket from Paris to Frankfurt.
Eurostar – This line is generally the same as Thalys, same speed and they share tracks as well. However, this rail goes into England and stops at multiple spots in France and Belgium. The earlier you book the ticket the cheaper it gets. You can get a ticket from London to Paris for £38 if purchased early.
Other Sites that Are Handy
TGV – http://tgv.com/
You can purchase train tickets for travelling in or out of France. Even Thalys tickets can be purchased on this site as well and the prices aren’t any different than the official site. Just sign up for the site pick your times, go through the ordering process, and make sure you type in your home address properly. Your tickets will be mailed to you via regular post and should arrive within a week or so. Very convenient for those planning ahead.
Bahn – http://bahn.com/
Basically the same thing as TGV but for Germany.
Point-to-Point Train Station Purchase
This is by far the best way to do it. The reason I opt not for the Eurail pass is for two reasons. One, it usually works out to be more expensive or roughly the same depending on how much travelling you’re doing. Also, even with a Eurail pass it isn’t any more convenient. You still need to go to a train station and either look at the timetable or ask a ticket attendant for an itinerary to your destination. If travelling from city to city within a country, just head to a train station and purchase your ticket and ask for an itinerary to your destination. The ticket is usually fairly cheap. Like I travelled from the most northern point of the Netherlands to Amsterdam for a mere 23€. Keep in mind, all regular trains like IC and ICE DO NOT fluctuate in price, therefore it’s okay to purchase them last minute at a station.
How to Check Time Schedules On-Line
Rail Europe – http://www.raileurope.ca
Use this website to figure out possible routes to your destination. Comes in really handy if you don’t want to talk to people at the station. Just punch in your destination info like you would if you were buying a ticket and it’ll generate a list of possible routes you can take. It’ll tell you where you need to switch trains and what train numbers as well.
Basically I found that purchasing a Eurail pass really isn’t worth it unless you plan on visiting 2 countries in one day which definitely isn’t happening. For my trip, the Eurail pass would’ve cost me roughly around $380 after taxes for the cheapest Eurail pass that gets you 3 countries for 5 days. I spent in total about $240 Canadian and I was in 5 different cities. Definitely a big saving for me.
