There's a bus that goes directly to Ocean Park and it's just behind our hotel! I know I sound like a broken record, but our hotel is freaking awesome or what? It's an express bus so it takes the tunnel and we reached our destination in only 3 stops! What.. I've never taken a bus to Ocean Park before so this was new to me. Felt like a local taking a bus with the kids to the amusement park.
There was a slight drizzle but it stopped by the time we got there. Besides, we've gotten used to the rain by now. We're here!
Activate our selfie stick!
One thing about Ocean Park is that it's so big and all the attractions were all spread out over the whole mountain. Since no one was hungry yet, we took our time and checked out their Aqua City section. Besides, once it stops raining, IT WAS FREAKING HOT! With no more clouds to protect us from the fury of the sun, it felt like our skin was sizzling and it was so bright it hurts our eyes. So we quickly headed inside the aquarium and enjoyed the aircon and dim lights. Watching the fishes was so therapeutic, but I've got the Singapore pride in me, I felt that our S.E.A Aquarium is better! haha..
Next up we visited the Pandas! We were lucky enough that one of the Pandas was having lunch and sitting in a nice pose for everyone to see!
Everybody was so excited seeing the Panda awake and up close. Cameras were clicking furiously, kids and adults were cooing, "ooohhs" and "awwws" and "so cuute!". The Panda was charming everyone just by sitting there! Haha.. So cute.
It's lunch time, but the restaurant was at the top of the mountain. And we keep coming across things we want to see, pictures we want to take and rides we have to go!!
It was so hot!Thankfully we got our umbrellas and some great hats I bought from 庙街.
But the time we got to the cable car, there was a huge line. (as expected) The staff said that queuing time was about 45mins! I can't wait that long as it was already lunch time for the kids. So we took the staff's suggestion to take the Ocean Express up the mountain. Within minutes, we were on top of the mountain!
We quickly headed to the restaurant there and ate our lunch. As usual, the portions were crazily huge. I only need to order one plate of food for the kids to share and even then they couldn't finish it. I love the view from the restaurant though.
After lunch we headed out for more fun, but Jayden just KO-ed shortly after we put him in his stroller. We wanted to see the view from the Ocean Park tower, but the stroller wouldn't fit inside, so Cobby offered to stay with Jay while Jo and I go for the ride. OMG I forgot how obnoxious the Chinese tourists were! While queuing, we experienced the ugliness of it all.
Tour group A was screaming at people from tour group B for cutting queue.
Tour group B was trying explain that it's OK for people to cut queue as long as they know each other.
Ocean Park staff screaming at people from B.
Me and Jo right in the middle of these 3 groups of screaming people. STFU!!!!!
Anyway... Although the queuing was hot, sweaty and a little traumatic, the view was really something.
Jayden was still sleeping by the time we got out. I wanted to find an air conditioned place to hide Jayden like we did at Disneyland, but unfortunately there weren't many indoor places at Ocean Park. Finally we found this Shark Mystic.
But the staff say strollers not allowed inside! WTF! Oh well, what to do? Once again one of us had to stay with Jay outside while the other took Jo inside the attraction. Thankfully it was nice and breezy under the tree shade and not many loud PRC tourists around to disturb my little Prince's slumber.
There were many fantastic looking rides at Ocean Park but not many were suitable for young children. When Jay woke up we rode the Ferris wheel together and I was glad we could have fun as a family for once.
Because of all the steep hills and long distance between each areas, we were tired out very soon. I insisted on riding the cable car, because to me, it was the main attraction of the whole place. We know the cable car queue was going to be long, so we left early in order to be back in Kowloon in time for dinner. Just as expected, the queue took forever!!! I think we queued for almost an hour before getting to the cable cars, but it was worth it! I love riding cable cars. :)
We decided that the bus was the most straightforward form of transport back, but after missing just one bus, we waited SO LONG for another bus to come! It probably wasn't that long, but we were tired, sweaty and sticky with no place to sit. It was getting dark, it was hot and humid and mosquitoes were feasting on us while we queue. On top of that, the kids were cranky from exhaustion and hunger. I almost cried when we couldn't get on one of the buses as it was too crowded. T_T
When we finally got on the bus, it was like heaven.. Air conditioned, bright and clean heaven. Some more got a kind soul offered his seat so that I can seat together with Jayden. T_T
By the time we dropped off it was already 8 plus at night. Haiz, just thinking of walking some more to find food makes me very sianz. Was almost contemplating the horrible 翠华 or even MacDonald's when suddenly, I saw some lights in the dark alley!
Upon further investigation we found a restaurant tucked away from the main street.
There was actually a queue outside, so that is surely a good sign right? When we got in, which didn't take long, we were pleasantly surprised. The name of the place is called Tai Ping Koon Restaurant and I know we have struck gold when we stepped inside.
The inside of the restaurant is very retro and it was filled with local customers! The staff were all pretty old and everyone was dressed in suit and tie. Kind of reminds me of shashlik restaurant in Singapore. The food was a fusion of East and West because the original Chinese chef worked for the English and had mixed the 2 cuisines together.
We were so tired and hungry, we quickly ordered. The food was so yummy!!! Cobby ordered baked ox tail in port wine. We were so excited we forgot to take a picture. Got this from the web, but it looks exactly like this. The meat was so tender and the flavour was phenomenal! T_T
I ordered this baked chicken with rice for the kids. Usually we eat baked rice the rice is under the chicken. But they only baked the chicken and the rice comes separately. The chicken was so tender and moist, baked with a creamy and delicious gravy. It was so good..
The highlight was their signature dish, swiss chicken wing.
This is a common Hong Kong dish but they say that THEY INVENTED THE DISH. 真的吗???? I don't care who invented it, I only know that it was the MOST DELICIOUS STEWED CHICKEN WINGS I HAVE EVER EATEN. I think it's the sauce? I don't know. It's sweet, it's savoury, it's tender. It's delicious!
Everything dish we ordered was so delicious!!! Except for mine, which was only ok.. I can't help myself. I have yet to have a satisfactory plate of stir fry beef horfun in Hong Kong, so I was kind of obsessed with ordering it everywhere I went.
My so-so beef hor fun..
I was so proud that I was the one that found the restaurant! If it wasn't for my keen eye, we wouldn't have known such a wonderful piece of history! *PROUD*
After a satisfying meal, we walked across the road back to our hotel. What a day! Full of ups and down. Thankfully it ended with a wonderful dinner!
