HONG KONG DIARIES II: Wandering Around the City+Shopping Tips

Hello guys! This is part 2 of my Hong Kong diaries. In here, I'll take you on a picture tour around the city, and I'll dish out where to get the best deals for fashion, beauty, and gadgets!

The Pinoy in me: Since it's my first- time, it is imperative that I pose in front of the HK Airport. :D

It's huge! I even had to take the airport train (Yes! The HK airport has its own train) from the Arrival gate to the Giorgio Armani Cosmetics/ Duty Free area inside the airport!

There's also free WiFi all over the airport.

Click READ MORE for more HK pics and shopping tips!

NATHAN ROAD- The City

When I got to the city, I immediately felt a sudden rush of excitement because it's so alive, colorful, and busy! Being the city girl that I am, right after leaving my bags in our hotel room, I just changed my clothes and went outside to experience the city! Boy, there was so much to discover and three days were so insufficient! :D

They say it's cheaper to ride the MTR than to ride a cab. IT'S VERY TRUE! We had to pay 100HKD from Nathan Road to Mongkok, and that's P600.00+ for a 15- minute ride. It's like I had to pay that much from Fort Bonifacio to Eastwood City.

The MTR is a bit complicated, but it always pays to ask around!

TIP TO BARGAIN HUNTERS: Travel to Mongkok, the home of the Ladies Market. It's not called Ladies Market for nothing! LM is like a mile- long stretch of tianges. And don't forget to haggle, haggle, haggle!

TIP TO PARTY PARROTS: Wanna party, Hong Kong style? Travel to Lan Kwai Fong, the city's party destination.

The Peninsula Hotel. You should visit their shopping arcade if you want to buy luxury bags like Hermes, Chanel, Prada, and Goyard (I will go back for you soon Goyard!)

NATHAN ROAD- Malls

Inside CKE Mansion at Nathan Road- Tiange, anyone? Unfortunately, the stuff in this tiange are quite expensive for a tiange, if you know what I mean.

TIP FOR NAIL SPA ADDICTS: Need a manicure or pedicure break? Visit CKE Mansion. There are dozens of nail salon stalls inside!

This is Peking One. It's to the East of ISquare mall, and beside Langham Hotel and DFS Galleria. This is one of the upscale shopping locations of the place. Look closely at the pic and check out the huge black letter C on a background with white light. That's a huuuuuge Chanel store!

Nathan Road at night- It's so well- lit. Indeed, Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps.

TIP TO MAKEUP HUNTERS: Sasa, Bonjour, and Colour Mixx are everywhere! Enjoy!

NATHAN ROAD- A shopping capital

Nathan Road is located at the Kowloon area. It's where luxurious and cheap stuff collide. From Hermes, to Chanel, to tianges, Nathan Road has it! I wanted to go to Harvey Nichols at Queen's Road Central, one of the upscale malls of the country but unfortunately, I was pressed for time. It's the first on my must- visit list in my next trip to Hong Kong!

Camera shops are everywhere! And there's a sweet old man posing with me in this pic. Hello Mister! :D

TIP TO PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CAMERA SAVVIES: You'll love it here in Nathan Road. They sell brand new and pre- owned cameras, and some of the stores even say "TAX FREE" on their signs. My brother got a Nissin flash from Tin Cheung Cameras at K11 mall, which is apparently one of the cheapest camera stores in the area. Tin Cheung Cameras also has branches around Mody Road.

ISquare is the mall right across our hotel. It also connects to the MTR's Tsim Shat Shui station.

TIP TO MAKEUP HUNTERS: There's a Missha store and Kiss Beauty (a nail polish store) at the basement!

K11 is Mody Road's art- oriented mall. It's a gem hidden behind Nathan Road!

In here, HK art aficionados gather every month (?) to hold art lessons, music festivals, and the likes. Too bad, the music festival ended on the day of our arrival. But there's always a next time!

This is Mr. Tuxedo. (Or is it Tuxedo Man?)

Toasted art! This marvelous mosaic of toasted bread and cookies is located right inside the mall.

TIP FOR FOOD LOVERS: Super awesome Yogurt alert inside the mall! Look for SMILE: Yogurt and Desserts! And Tsui Wah restaurant is around the vicinity of the mall. Visit the restaurant for awesome and affordable authentic Chinese meals!

HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

Of course, I didn't miss the chance to visit Disneyland while I was in Hong Kong. In fact, it's the sole reason why I wanted to go to the city! LOL! This trip is definitely one of the best graduation gifts because finally, one of my childhood dreams came true! Before, my classmates in high school would always muse about their Disneyland trips, and I just listen carefully to their marvelous stories. Too bad, I wasn't born rich, so my mother can't afford to bring me and my brother to Disneyland back then. But passion, hard work, and a solid relationship with God has brought me and my family to a better life and Disneyland! :D

Okay enough of the drama. :D

Disneyland is a dreamland! Hahha. Seriously, it's like you're in a happy vintage town. The model houses are so pretty! FYI, the model houses are actually novelty stores. If you want to refrain from spending and shopping, don't go inside the houses! LOL! But if you can control your spending, it's really worth going inside those houses because the interiors are just too damn cute!

Inside one of the model houses: That's Mr. Lots-O-Huggin' Bear from Toy Story 2 on my head!

Look! I met Rapunzel!

This huge castle is Disneyland's gateway to the theme park's rides.

Inside the castle: Tomorrow land!

TIP TO DISNEYLAND VISITORS: Since it's the rainy season, make it a point to bring an umbrella with you, or else, you'll end up spending on expensive souvenir umbrellas! But the umbrellas are dayum cute so it's worth it anyway.

There you have it! For the last installment of my Hong Kong Diaries, I'll show you the various brands to see around the city!