Saturday 31 January 2009

FuFu Travel - Guangzhou, China
Saturday - 27 . December . 2008


FuFu with his ticket in front of CRH 1.

Alright, after the awesome Christmas celebration in Hongkong, i was ready for the New Year countdown in mainland China. As usual, every time i go to Hongkong, i would definitely meet up Yip Sui Sum, my housemate (when we were studying in Osaka, Japan). This time we planned to spend two nights in his hometown, Guangzhou, before continued our journey to Foshan (佛山) and Zhaoqing (肇慶).


Jodie with her ticket in front of CRH 1.

When i told Jodie that i would going to Guangzhou as well before i flew off, she told me that she was interested to travel with me and meet up Sum as well. The itinerary was set, the day has come, we met up at the MTR station, and headed off to Shenzhen. From Shenzhen, we took CRH 1 (和諧號 1型), a high speed emulator trains to Guangzhou. It is serving between Guangzhou and Shenzhen that makes our journey pretty much comfortable and convenient.


Beverages and snacks or even rice and noodles are sold.


The tickets and the packets of snacks we had finished.

Probably it's commenced on 1st July 2007, everything (the cleanliness, services, punctuality,etc) was fine. I have so far no complaint but enjoyed the 52mins quiet yet fast and smooth journey while chatting with Jodie and reading the magazine provided on the train. Very soon, i guess the Chinese high-speed emulator train could stand as tall as Japanese bullet train and German magnetic train.


Damn, it was damn so clean!


Ok, transportation in China has changed pretty much!


CRH 1 subscribes cool magazines.


Guangzhou East Station welcomes you.

After the 52mins journey from Shenzhen, we finally arrived safely at Guangzhou East station. Sum picked us up and brought us to the hotel before heading for dinner. It was so good to see my buddy again! Those memories we had together in Japan instantly popped up once he had shown up. We used to chatted on the roof top of our apartment...



Jodie knew Sum through FuFu in July, 2007.


We took subway back to the downtown.


This is the double bed room for FuFu and Jodie.

Jodie and FuFu settled down at a budget hotel in Sum's neighbourhood as his relatives visited him as well (we were suppose to stay at his place). The accommodation was actually arranged by him. A double bed room, RMB 200 (US30) for a night is a great deal by the way.


FuFu + camera + friend + mirror = camwhoring


This is a nice budget hotel.


The bathroom is so spacious~


Incredibly we found no dusk on the mirror.


Our room has a balcony - the view is not bad.


Both Sum and Jodie purposely took their time off to accompany me.


We appreciate every second we have together.


The Pearl River at dusk.


We chose Lan Gui Fang to have our first dinner in Guangzhou.


Boss of the day.


We are VIGs - very important guests.


The ambience of the restaurant is so great!


The crispy roasted pigeon.


The yummy fried rice.


The fresh stir-fried vegetable.


The spicy seafood curry.

Jodie desired to pay Shamian Islet (沙面島) a visit, hence we had our dinner there. It is located at the joint of 3 rivers at Pearl river a gazetted historical area that serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial European period. We walked around the quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep after dinner.


Happy New Year from the famous White Swan Hotel.


You could find Western-style buildings at every corner on the island.


Some turned into tourist shops selling curios and souvenirs.


Some became restaurant and hotels.


While the rest turned into bar and pub.


Sum is checking out the Western-style architecture.


Jodie and the statues on Shamian Islet.


We walked back to the Pearl River again.


The buildings along side the river.

Near Shamian Islet, there's a well known street - Shang Xia Jiu pedestrian street (上下九步行街) . It is a 24-hour pedestrian sections and the longest pedestrian commercial street in Guangdong Province. There, you find a long row of shophouses selling apparels, shoes, and gourmet Cantonese foods.


The street is brilliantly lit by neon lights at night.


It's especially crowded by teenagers.

This shopping area is also a showcase of traditional Cantonese architecture, especially pretty at night when it's lit up. Prices here are generally lower than anywhere, yet prepare to bargain a fair bit. We had lots of fun at the street shopping, sightseeing its unique architecture, enjoying famous Guangzhou snack foods at the gourmet corner and even having a closer look of local residents' daily night lives.


Jodie never miss out the snacks food.


Everyone is busy getting new clothes for new year.


I like the colourful neon signs so much.


There are many tea houses with hundred years of experience as well.





FuFu and Sum at the centre of the street.


Wonder what this person is selling.


In front of a reputable shop famous for its biscuits.


We are finally back to our hotel - the view from the balcony.


Lavender moisturizing mask.

It was dry in mainland China thus Jodie brought mosturizing masks along. I was given one lavender scented mask. Honestly speaking, that was my first time putting on the facial mask. It's a fun way anyhow to keep my skin cool and moisturized.


Oh my gosh, so cute. XD

We called it a day after the mask.

Thursday 29 January 2009

FuFu Travel - Wanchai and the Christmas Eve
Wednesday - 24 . December . 2008


Most of the apartments already turned to budget hostels.

The main purpose i went to Hongkong was to celebrate Christmas there. So it finally came to the eve. I met up Ivan at Wanchai first for a quick Canon 450DSLR lesson since he is good at photography and his camera is 400D as well.


This street was damn quiet.


Is he finally decided to go back home?


We were back to the 60's.


One good place to shout off your stress and complaints.


Star Ferry - still the important mode of transport to Tsim Sha Tsui.


View of Kowloon side from Hongkong Island.


The Central Business District of Hongkong.

As the sky was about getting dark, i quickly started my second mission of the day. It was great to see and take pictures with the famous Christmas lighting deco on a office tower in a relatively close distance. Once the tripod was set, the three of us were busy for shooting. =)


Merry Christmas from SH Office Tower.


Testing one, two, three.


The Lost FuFu.


Tempting Heart - take one.


Tempting Heart - take two.


Tempting Heart - take three.


Tempting Heart - happy ending.

Got a call from Zoe. We decided to have our dinner at a Taiwanese restaurant, 8 Happiness. Through German, i knew Ivan and Zoe three years ago. We had a great time exploring Macao together at that time. It was actually our reunion dinner to meet and catch up with each other. Glad we could all gather together again.


The 8 Happiness Restaurant.


The interior of the restaurant.


Zoe and her boyfriend, Mark.


FuFu and his 3-year-old-online-buddies, German.


Sesame stuffed (pork) bun.


Fried dumpling (Yaki gyoza ).


Grilled mackerel (Yaki Saba).


Tonkotsu Ramen (Pork soft bone soup noodle)


Yu Yuan (kind of Taiwanese dessert)


FuFu was caught!!!


The food was so so, but we enjoyed our precious time there.


Ding Ding (the tram that only running on Hongkong Island).

After filling up our stomachs, we took 'Ding Ding' to Central, another mode of transport must not miss once you stepped your foot on Hongkong Island.


Towers of Bank of China, Standard Chartered, HSBC, etc.


The giant Christmas tree in Central.

Thanks god our matching composition of elements always leave us batch of sweet memories to reminisce. The formula of FuFu + Camera + Friends would always give endless surprises + special enjoyments. (FuFu + Camera + Friends = endless surprises + special enjoyments)


Not In The Mood For Love.


The latest Cantonese version of Twilight.

We once temporary blocked a lane for our own street fashion show. A Christmas Eve ended up like this was, honestly speaking, a damn superb special day for me as we only planned to see the Christmas tree in Central and go for countdown in Lan Kwai Fong. Pictures paint thousand of words and feelings, here they go :


We are gearing up for the fashion show.


We are model-wanna-be.


Nope, we are all Top Models.


The next FuFu's Spring Collection.


We had our fashion show in between Chanel and Coach.


Like the effect!




Damn too good!


Shining out in the midst of the crowd.


Central Tempting Heart - Ivan, FuFu & German.


FuFu - the checked style.


German - taste of the typical OL.


Zoe - the Harajuku feel.


Ginny - the very MK style.


Alvin - the casual look.


Natalie and Ivan - combination of cute and funky.

We rushed to Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) for the countdown as only half an hour left. It was jammed with people until we were asked to use another access to LKF for countdown. For your information, LKF is well known for its Christmas countdown as it gathers numerous of foreigners every year.


It's over crowded yet we managed to take this good.


Merry Christmas~

We actually wished to have a drinks there after the countdown. Due to the crowd, we changed our plan then heading to International Finance Centre (IFC) for its Christmas decoration.


At the bridge that links you to IFC.


Ginny - my new friend of the day.


We have instant chemistry - eye to eye interaction.


IFC Mall.


The instant chemistry - the insidious feeling culmination.


FuFu and his Bond girls.


IFC Tempting Heart.


Survivors of the day!


Ivan and Natalie - what a sweet couple.


German, you are one of my best friends in Hong Kong.


It's time for light supper.


Alvin - he looks like Juno Mak, the HK singer!


German - she is still single, man what you waiting for?


Ivan - one true nice friend.


Ginny - a charming girl who could pose well.


Natalie - a makeup stylist, my new friend of the day too.


FuFu - a hungry man is an angry man.


My favourite Hongkong milk tea.


Toasted bun with butter and condensed milk.


Literally, the Hongkong office sandwiches.

It was a fruitful Christmas Eve i had ever had. Here, i would like to thanks Ivan, German, Zoe, Mark, Alvin, Ginny and Natalie for coming out and spending the eve with me. Heart you guys so much. =D