After the vacation, I have to admit it is hard to get back to the routine. Bryan and I still haven’t gone back to the gym. We should do that tomorrow. I am also catching up with my recipe testing. It should be almost there. At least, we finally got the Hong Kong trip pictures ready. Woo hoo!
Riding on tram through Admiralty.
Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Chinese Lantern Festival! Traditionally, Chinese Lantern Festival is to celebrate the first full moon of the lunar new year. Children play with their lanterns and solve riddles on lanterns in park. People would eat glutinous rice balls and enjoy the family time together. In modern days, it is considered to be the Chinese Valentine’s Day, but people don’t do much to celebrate. Anyhow, enjoy a sweet day with your loved one. Bryan and I don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day, so we didn’t have any plan. We are more looking forward to the long weekend. 🙂
And yes, I have been back in town for a week. Sadly, Bryan and I are still recovering from our jet lag. We have been feeling sleepy in the morning, afternoon and night-time. Every time when I almost fall asleep on the couch, Bryan would poke my arm with his finger to keep me awake. By now, I think there are many bruises on my arm. Haha! I think we will be back to normal early next week.
Before arriving in Hong Kong, we also stayed in Tokyo for 5 days. The main goal to Hong Kong was to visit family and friends, and check out Chinese New Year. On the other side, going to Japan was all for sightseeing. We had amazing times in both Hong Kong and Tokyo. With two thousand pictures, Bryan can only go through the Japan ones for now. I will update you all about the Hong Kong trip next time.
Let’s talk about Tokyo. This was Bryan’s first time to Japan. I have only been to Japan when I was a kid, so I didn’t remember anything. Japan is a very beautiful place with very nice and polite people. We felt welcomed. Tokyo is crowded, but everyone follows rules and we always feel safe. It is no doubt a great place for tourists. As a foodie, Tokyo is heaven. There are so many different kinds of food, like sushi, tonkatsu, kaiseki, and teppanyaki. There are always something new every meal. No repeat. And for snacks, wow….. They are really everywhere, especially in train/subway stations. You will never go hungry!
Sensoji Temple
I think every little kids dream about going to McDonald’s to eat the crispy french fries and get their cute little fun toys. It was the same for me. I don’t remember how many toys I have collected from McDonald’s. In Hong Kong, the collective toys are not only for children. Adults love to collect them too. Haha… Yes, we love toys. Hong Kong McDonald’s has pushed out many amazing collection sets over the years.
One year, it was about Snoopy. A hard plastic Snoopy dressed up in different countries outfits. There were about 30 of them. People were lining up overnight to collect them. Of course, they were not free. You have to buy a meal and pay extra money to get one. But, the Snoopy were really cute. They were sold out in a day or two. I collected many of them too.
Other than the toys, Hong Kong McDonald’s also pushed out many unique flavors over the years. For example, taro pie, apple pie a la mode, pasta soups, flavored french fries, teriyaki pork burger and pineapple sundae.
This year, Hong Kong McDonald’s has introduced some exciting flavors along with a Hello Kitty plush toy collection. I wish I can be in Hong Kong right now! They just sounds awesome! Let me show you some pictures.
The Ugly Duckling Hello Kitty, Creme Brulee McFlurry, Honey Mustard Sauce
The Frog Prince Hello Kitty, Green Tea Red Bean Sundae, Wasabi Flavored Sauce
Wizard of Oz Hello Kitty, Pineapple Punch, Chili Pomodoro Sauce
Little Red Riding Hood Hello Kitty, Grape McFloat, Chipotle BBQ Sauce
The Singing Bone Hello Kitty, Black Sesame Sundae, Creamy Ranch Sauce
Don’t you want to fly to Hong Kong to try the food and get a Hello Kitty now? I think I am most excited about the black sesame sundae, chipotle BBQ sauce, and the creme brulee Mcflurry. And of course, I wish I can get one of these unique Hello Kitty plush toys!
Picture source: Read
The Missing Lokness 