2008 March 30 to April 4 Hong Kong Trip

Just came back with Jeff and Racquel from a trip to Hong Kong for a seminar by Adobe on InDesign CS3 development, Flex development, and a preview of the upcoming InDesign CS4.

The seminar was conducted by a bunch of soft-spoken Europeans (Ferdinand, Emanuele, Andreas, and Roger) and a fast-speaking Hong Konger named Sunny (or maybe Sony for “So!” his favorite expression). The attendees were a bunch of Filipinos (that’s us), Thais, Indians, Koreans, a Hong Konger, and an Australian. Quite an international mix.

The material was a pretty interesting (though I couldn’t resist getting drowsy every right about after lunch). InDesign CS3 and Flex development were cool but the InDesign CS4 preview almost blew me away (almost, we try to be unflappable) but I’m on an NDA so I can tell you but then I’ll have to kill you :P A lot of material was covered so we we’re pretty occupied. We did get to go around the city on the first day and at night after the seminar sessions.

Day 1

Right after checking in to the L’Hotel Causeway Bay Harbour View (now that’s a mouthful) at Causeway Bay, we took the MTR to the Night Market at Temple Street on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. However, the stalls were still just being set up so we instead went window shopping down Nathan Street and finally ended up at the Avenue of the Stars. It was foggy and even starting to drizzle so we didn’t wait for the Symphony of Light anymore. Since we were already near the Star Ferry terminal, we took the ferry across the harbor.

On the way from the Hong Kong-side ferry terminal to the MTR station, we passed through a mall and I spotted a small Oregon Scientific shop. You don’t find Oregon Scientific in too many places so I went in, looked around, and ended up buying an ATC2K, a rugged, waterproof (up to a depth of 5m), helmet-mountable video camera.

After the short detour, we continued to the MTR station and took the MTR back to Causeway Bay, ate at some small side street restaurant, then went back to the hotel.

Day 2

We were still tired and the weather still wasn’t so good so it was back to the hotel for some rest, a quick foray for dinner at Happy Kitchen, another small side street eatery, then back to the hotel to sleep.

Day 3

We went to Mongkok for shopping. I was looking for this outdoors equipment shop called Chamonix at Shanghai St. but found out it had moved. So we went to area of Sai Yeung Choi St. and Tung Choi St. to check out the electronic goods and Ladies’ Market. But not before we had dinner at yet another side street eatery.

While going through the Ladies’ Market, I spotted Chamonix at the corner of Tung Choi Street and Nelson Street. I excitedly went inside and browsed but ended up only buying two Nalgene Wide Mouth 1L Polycarbonate Bottles.

As we were about to leave, I also spotted the Mongkok Computer Center just across the street from Chamonix. Unfortunately, by then it was already late and the shops were either closing or closed already so we left and went to Temple St. which was, unlike when we first went, now bustling with activity. Finally, it was back to the hotel by taxi.

Day 4

I went up Victoria Peak. I took the MTR to Central then walked to the Peak Tram lower terminal to catch a ride up the steep road to the peak. The ride ended at the Peak Tram’s upper terminal at the Peak Tower, a small mall near the top. The Tower has viewing decks for viewing the harbor and the city. However, the fog was so thick that I couldn’t even see much outside the Tower. It looked like any moment, monster insects will start flying out of the fog and banging down the windows ala The Mist.

Since viewing is out of the question, I had early dinner at Bubba Gump then checked out the shops. While doing so, I caught a glimpse of what looked like a park through the heavy fog. I looked for an exit and went out to explore it. I saw a road that I supposed leads to the peak but it was so foggy that after a hundred meter or two, I decided to go back down. I explored the park further and saw across the park the Peak Galleria, another mall at the top. I promptly headed over and went in.

I was walking around the mall and found an exit to the Peak Terrace and stepped out into a different world. There was nobody around and it was so quiet and tranquil. I just sat there taking it all in. And then a bunch of noisy Korean tourists came out and broke the spell. More than slightly irked, I went back inside the mall. Someday I’ll come back with the one, the love of my life (yech mush haha).

Pretty much satisfied and with nothing left to do I crossed back over to the Peak Tower and took the Peak Tram back down then a city tram back to the hotel.

Day 5

Finally, the sun came out! Since it was the last day of the seminar, Adobe treated us to a special lunch of try all the dim sum we can handle. We couldn’t handle it and we ended up having to take out quite a lot of dim sum.

After the seminar, we quickly checked out Victoria Park which is near the hotel before rushing back to catch the airport transfer service and the flight back.