I have just returned from a trip with work to Taiwan and China, also stayed a few days in Hong Kong for a mini break to do some sightseeing!
After a long flight (which involved some funny sleeping activities, the ability not being able to speak and thirsty zombie arms!) from London to Hong Kong we flew onto Taiwan.
The stay in Taipei, Taiwan was great but too short! It's a great place. If you ever get the chance to go watc
h out for the scooters, they are everywhere and pedestrians don't have the right of way!
After a long day working till about 11pm we went for HotPot (photo on the left) which is a meal where you cook your food yourself on the table and you can pick how spicy you would like the sauce which is like a soup. We chose medium spicy and wow! It's a spice that creeps up on you and gradually gets hotter and hotter.
Next day we went to the Taiwan 101 Building for our lunch which is a lovely building with some fantastic shops and places to eat inside.
That night we flew back to Hong Kong and drove into China, to get into China you have to go through the China Border where your identity and health is checked, particularly your temperature to see if you are or getting sick.
First stay was in Dongguan, China. Chinese Dim Sum restrauant for breakfast is definitely an experience as you walk to your table you pass the live fish which are waiting to be cooked (i'm not really sure if it is necessary to see what you are going to eat before it's cooked), once seated your cup is constantly filled with Jasmine Tea which is lovely and a great pick me up. So many times i have been to Chinese Restaurants in Manchester and ordered Green Tea then bought myself some at the supermarket to have at home and it never tastes the same. I now know it's Jasmine Tea they serve you, not Green Tea. I recommend it!! Sorry back to the breakfast experience, our Dim Sums start arriving in the centre of the table some of which look edible and some are questionable especially the Chicken Feet! I was still 'waking up' so not very talkative unlike everyone else in the restrauant who were talking and shouting non-stop!! Not the place to go for a peaceful breakfast.. After breakfast it was straight to work.
Late Afternoon we were taken to visit the Beach and then to a Seafood Restaurant where again you can see the live fish and you get to pick which you would like to eat. When the food was served it was actually well presented and tasted really nice but the restaurant was disgusting. It was very dirty including the tanks where the fish were kept, the thought of the restaurant for a few days after made me feel a bit queazy even though i was never ill from the food.
At the end of the week when we had finished working and meeting with suppliers we drove back to Hong Kong for a few days break and sightseeing.
I absolutely loved Hong Kong and can't wait to go back some day!
A Typhoon had just passed, the next day they had a monsoon it was constantly raining and very windy but it didn't stop us sightseeing.
My friend Janet met us and showed us around, we went to Stanley which is at the very bottom of Hong Kong, it has fanta
stic views and scenery. It was very lush! Janet took us around the Markets in Stanley, i was on the hunt for a painting to take back with me as i love the style of Chinese Painting 'Ink and Wash' and thought there is no better place to get one. I eventually found a beautiful original painting which is now hanging in my Living Room.
We then travelled back up to Kowloon across the harbor in the Star Ferry, we walked passed the clock tower and the avenue of stars.
We also visited the Ladies Market for street snacks (see the photo on the right) and more shopping! We found a great boutique shop where they made gorgeous one-off dresses in lovely fabric but only in one size which luckily fit me!
After a busy day we had a well deserved bottle of Red Wine in the famous Ned Kelly's live jazz bar which was fantastic! Great atmosphere!
The next day was spent doing some more walking and sightseeing, we walked around the local Kowloon Park which was very close to our Hotel and in the evening we enjoyed the Harbor Light show before catching our flight home!
It was a fantastic trip, i am extremely lucky to experience the culture in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. I could keep on writing as there is much much more to say, so many more stories but i wanted to keep it reasonably short. Thank you for reading!
