Hong Kong...and the Take Away Lesson!

I made another trip to Hong Kong recently. 

Somehow this trip feel better. Services were a lot better though they were still loud at most places. The colleague whom I travelled with brought me to Soho. I been there once many years ago and we had a dinner there. The food was alright, but the ambience was really good. 

The long long escalator (on the right)

Checky photo-bomber!

I found out on this trip that eating at restaurants and going to cafes like Starbucks make a lot more sense in Hong Kong than going to their Cha Chan Ting (eateries). The prices seem to be lower by about 20% to 30%? 

We went to Tim Ho Wan en route to the airport. We ordered six dim sums, including a huge chicken glutinous rice, which was fabulous by the way! I think the bill was less than SGD30. I have no idea if this was cheap as compared to the Tim Ho Wan in Singapore though. But do not linger around after you finish, they need the table back quickly... 

The purpose of this trip was to check out the gift and premium trade show. Both for work and for myself. I love craft and lifestyle items, and there was a craft that I saw in a recent trip which I really like. I found out the vendor would be at the fair hence I wanted to be at the fair. And there were things that I needed to source for work so off I went!

The fair took place at Hong Kong convention and exhibition center (HKCEC), and we stayed at Cosmopolitan Hotel. I stayed at the same hotel last month when I was in Hong Kong for work. I like this hotel because there is a FOC shuttle that would send guest to HKCEC and back to the hotel. We could walk to the convention center, but who would give up a bus ride? We took the same shuttle to IFC where we took the express train to the airport. The hotel is about 10 minutes walk to Causeway Bay shopping district which is great. Plenty of food along the way. We got a free upgrade 'cos Cosmopolitan Hotel had the record that we were there last month! Yea! 

View outside our room; The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Traffic at about 12pm on a Sunday, view from our room

Empty road at 1030pm on Monday night

I have never been to a gift and premium fair before. The fair occupied five floors of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Cente. We had to be very selective in terms of what we were looking for, since the fair was really huge. It is not possible to stop at every booth, but then again that would not be necessary since some of the gifts'  quality was really bad and some was totally unrelated. Guess what was one of the most common items in the trade show?! Umbrellas! Haha! There are hundreds and hundreds of booths, selling all sort of things. From wrapping papers, toys, electronic products to furniture, lifestyle products such as exquisite tea pot set, and beautiful musical boxes. 

We were in Hong Kong for two nights. On the second night, I roamed the streets when my colleague went to meet her Hong Kong friends. As I walked back to Cosmopolitan Hotel from Causeway Bay, I found a wet market accidentally. Nothing was housed under one roof; the stalls were lined along the sides of the road. Lots of shouting went on at the same time. Do it fast, no slowing down. I bought a punnet of strawberries, without a word. Took my berries, paid and went off. 

There were quiet places that I like; unlike the last trip, there was not a single place that I felt was peaceful. I love the first photo below; the entire atmosphere was so "In the Mood for Love". At least the photos look rather peaceful, haha!

Though the experience was much better this time, still two days later, I was pretty happy to head home. Hence airport is still my favourite place in Hong Kong!

Pleasant surprise on the plane!

The biggest take away from this trip was from the fair - no matter which part of the world you are from, how successful you are, how small you are, innovation is always the king. Creativity always attract, always win. In such a big fair, it is not easy to be noticed, unless your product really stands out. The same would perhaps apply in our work, the grey cells need to start working in the right direction, and out of the box!