As most of your realize, the trip from Singapore back to Kentucky or Florida is a rather lengthy one, taking more than a day in travel time. Since we were just back in August, we opted to stay in the eastern hemisphere for Christmas. We decided we didn’t want to stay in Singapore or KL, we wanted to do something awesome! So, we went to visit our dear friends Patrick and Yoshie in Manila, Philippines, and then spent Christmas in Hong Kong!
When booking our flight to Manila, we booked a budget airline that flies into Clark, Manila, not the main Manila airport. Most airports in this part of the world have budget terminals that are separate from their main international terminals so we thought nothing of it. As it turns out, Clark is an old U.S. airbase located about two hours outside of Manila proper. So John and I land and hop on a “direct shuttle bus” not knowing what to expect. The bus took off headed toward the city. Within twenty minutes, we were stopped at a rest area/bus stop combination where vendors boarded the bus and tried to sell their goods.
John with his pie and pork on a stick...
We were like targets sitting together at the back of the bus. We ended up buying a box of mini coconut pies and some pork on a stick. Granted, the pork on a stick may not have been the most intelligent option in the rural Philippines, but we survived.
Three hours later, we were just arriving in Manila. Our bus driver was supposed to drop us off at a mall, but instead we were dropped at a bus stop located on the median of a busy highway. Dragging our suitcases along, we were finally able to find a cab that took us straight to our friends’ apartment. We were so happy to see Yoshie. 🙂 She made our day when she told us she had booked a couples massage for us in the spa in their apartment complex. So, as she went to finish her Chinese lesson, John and I went and had all of the stress of the day massaged away. That night, we went to a wonderful authentic Filipino dinner with Patrick and Yoshie and talked until the early hours for the morning.
Yoshie and me at the diner
The next two days went by so fast–I feel like we saw a lot in Manila! We saw the historic area called “Intermuros” (where Yoshie and I got to see a wedding) and got to eat some wonderful western food. Manila has more western restaurants than any city over here I’ve seen! We went to a diner, a couple of cafes for tapas, to a few markets.
Our last night in Manila had to be the most eventful. We went to a fish market where you bargain for the fish, prawns, crab, etc. then take them to neighboring restaurants to be cooked in any style that you would like! We (Yoshie bargained) picked up some tuna, salmon, prawns, and squid. The locals were most helpful in the choosing of the seafood and they even let me hold a huge fish!!!
The fins were still twitching...
We took them to a restaurant next door where the hostesses are men who are dressed like women. That definitely threw me off. We ordered kalamari (squid) chili prawns, and a couple of types of cooked fish. The food was absolutely incredible! I’ve never had prawns so delicious and the tuna was scrumptious! To top it all off, they had a live band who played my request: “Country Roads” by John Denver.
Our Hungry Husbands
After dinner we headed to the main event of the evening: The Hobbit Bar. The Hobbit Bar claims to have “the smallest waiters in the world.” Walking into this bar is like walking into a hobbit house, complete with a big round door, roots on the ceiling, and pictures of Gandalf and company everywhere. Here’s the kicker–all of the waiters and waitresses were little people. Only in the Philippines would a place like this be possible. Yoshie and I enjoyed a mango margarita while the boys enjoyed a selection of beers from all over the world. John even got a t-shirt.
At the Hobbit Bar in Manila
The best part of the weekend was spending time with our dear friends Patrick and Yoshie. They moved away from Singapore at the end of the summer and we miss them terribly! Manila was a fun city, but being with them made it even better. We’re going to have to have another adventure soon!
The next morning, we all went to the airport. Patrick and Yoshie were off to Korea to spent Christmas with Patrick’s parents and John and I were off to Hong Kong! We arrived late in the evening and after finding our friend’s apartment (thanks, Mark for letting us stay there) we were off to find a bite to eat. We ended up at a Dixieland Jazz bar in the middle of Kowloon (across Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong proper) called Ned’s. We listened to a band sing a mix of Christmas and jazz songs and even joined in with the rest of the Americans in the place for a rendition of Sinatra’s New York, New York. After eating, we walked home on the Avenue of the Stars (Hong Kong’s equivalent to the Walk of Fame in Hollywood) which has a gorgeous view of the Hong Kong skyline. Honestly, it is the most brilliant skyline I’ve ever seen!
The Venetian in Macao
The next morning, we woke up and headed to Macao, China–the Las Vegas of the East! Macao is only an hour ferry-ride from Hong Kong and since Las Vegas is near and dear to our hearts (we were engaged there), we had to go! We stayed at Hotel Lisboa, one of the classic Macoa hotels. It’s the equivalent of the Flamingo on the Las Vegas strip. The night, we ventured over to the Venetian (the second largest building in the world–large enough for every NFL team to play consecutively inside) to see the new Cirque de Soleil show. We ended up getting first row seats which made for a fantastic show!!! Before the show, we had an Italian dinner date night where we enjoyed a similar restaurant to where we got engaged (John proposed at an Italian restaurant at the Venetian in Las Vegas). After dinner and the show, we wandered around a bit before heading to our hotel for the night.
The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and started to explore the city a bit more. We visited the Wynn and MGM and were impressed by what we saw. The MGM had some Chihuly blown glass and the Wynn had a delightful cafe. In fact, we sat poolside for a few hours and just talked. Finally, we caught a ferry back to Hong Kong to do a bit more exploring. That night, we walked around Kowloon (part of Hong Kong, but across the harbour from the main skyline). We went to the women’s market where we found tons of purses, belts, shoes, etc. ready for bargaining. Too bad we don’t speak Cantonese, or our bargaining probably would have gone better. We then took the subway over the Hong Kong side and went to a few bars before calling it a night.
John and the Wynn in Macao
In the morning, we set out to really explore Hong Kong! It was Christmas Eve and we were determined to see as much of the city as we could! First, we ate some excellent dim sum (Chinese appetizers) and then explored a local produce market. Next, we went for a ride on the world’s longest escalator/travelator that went up the hillside with a plethora or restaurants flanking each side. Once we reached the top, we headed to Victoria’s Peak for the most spectacular view of a skyline I’ve ever seen. It was here we ate our Christmas Eve dinner (thanks, Robin!).
View from our Christmas Eve Dinner
We ate at a steakhouse next to a window overlooking a spectacular view of the city. I couldn’t believe it–it felt like we were spending Christmas Eve on top of the world. It was beautiful. Following a Christmas Eve church service, we went back to the apartment and went to sleep. We had a big day the next day, not only was it Christmas Day, but were were off to….
Hong Kong Disneyland!!!! We decided to spend Christmas at a place where we knew Christmas would be done right. And, let’s face it, Disney’s got it down. We rode the train out there and got there around 11:00 in the morning. We spent the entire day riding rides (including Space Mountain, the Jungle Cruise, the Philharmagic show, etc.) and enjoying being around something so familiar. The highlight of the experience, however, was Canto-Mickey.
My husband, Buzz Lightyear!
It’s true. Mickey and his whole gang didn’t speak English–they spoke Cantonese (a dialect of Chinese). We also saw Merlin trying to pull the sword out of the stone and yelling at it in Cantonese. Bottom line: it was hilarious. We’ll try to get the videos on You Tube before too long. Don’t worry–we have proof of Canto-Mickey!
The Disney experience was as perfect as it is in the States. The only different was the language and the food offerings. We were hard pressed to find a pizza and a favorite snack seemed to be squid on a stick. We ended the day watching the “Let it Snow” parade, playing in the fake snow on Main Street, USA (yep, they had one of those) and putting on our 3-D glasses to check out the lighting effects in the trees.
Definitely two Disney kids...
That night, we returned to the apartment and called our families to wish them a Merry Christmas.
The next morning we took off from Hong Kong–such an incredible city. It would definitely be a fun place to live. Who knows–we may end up there one day… 🙂
John and CB's Most Excellent Adventure 