Frannywanny

Hong Kong remains to be one of my favorite destinations in Asia. Aside from the fact that it's just an hour and 50 minutes away from Manila, entering Hong Kong does not require a visa and while I've been there so many times since I was 7 that I know the country by heart, each visit still surprises me with new discoveries and finds that I get to take home and remember forever. For those who are planning a trip to Hong Kong , here's my easy travel guide to help you make the most of your stay in this amazing Asian food and shopping destination: First and foremost, a little 101 on Hong Kong -- how to get there and how to navigate your way around. When looking for a place to stay, I highly recommend Cosmo Kowloon Hotel for its reasonable rates and strategic location. I also love Butterfly on Prat which is located right at the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon as well. However, if you're traveling with kids, why not spend the night at the enchanting Hong Kong Disn

It’s so cute, and you can eat it! This was what’s on my mind the entire time Paul and I were enjoying our late lunch at Crystal Lotus . Located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel , we were treated to a special six-course lunch set by our wonderful hosts. Scanning the menu, the items sounded pretty normal but what we didn’t know was that this meal was not only a treat for our taste buds but truly a feast for our eyes too. It all began with the Roasted Suckling Pig with Cucumber and Sweetened Paste in Steamed Piggy Mask Buns . We were each given a rectangular white plate with a mini steam basket and two slices of suckling pig. I clapped in glee as I saw the two adorable looking piggy buns. How can I eat something as cute as this? Yet, the mouthwatering suckling pig skin was just too delicious to ignore and so with one eye open, I place the suckling pig skin and meat into one piggy bun and popped the entire thing into my mouth. I love how crunchy the skin was and the meat was trul

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!!! (angpao tue lai!) :) As we celebrate the Chinese New Year, let me continue my wonderful food adventures in cosmopolitan Hong Kong. Let me start with these two food outlets that you should not miss when visiting Hong Kong Disneyland . After all the fun that you’ll surely experience inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort , it’s time to focus on the different dining options that you can avail of in and around the Park. Just like any theme park, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has a lot of food kiosks in almost every corner. Here you can enjoy Mickey Mouse waffles, sausages and huge turkey legs. Since we were pressed for time, we made sure that dinner was memorable and so we headed to Plaza Inn an hour before the fireworks was scheduled to start to avail of our dinner that was prepared for us by our gracious hosts. This will give us ample time to enjoy our dinner and later on, head out to Cinderella’s castle to enjoy the evening display of fireworks. The organi

Here you leave Today and enter the world of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy… This message caught me by surprise and it basically prepares all visitors entering the wonderful world of Disney. Meet Leona, she was our tour guide on the day we visited Hong Kong Disneyland . Her happy disposition was very contagious that you’d end up smiling and waving as you move on with the tour. We met her at the Guest Relations Office and moved on to Main Street USA where we met cute Santa’s elves holding giant candy canes and were game enough to pose for a photo op. This section reminds us of photos of old New York with brick houses housing bakeries and photo shops for customers to visit. I love the Emporium where we found these coin pressing machines! Just put in a HKD $10 coin and out comes a flat oval coin bearing the image of a Disney character. We were later told that there are a lot of coin pressing machines scattered around the park but due to time constraints we contend ourselves wit

“A dream is a wish your heart makes…” Welcome to the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel . This was the first stop of the shuttle bus that goes around the park and the two Disney hotels. At first glance, I fell instantly in love with the old Victorian look of the hotel. It looks so grand and majestic, something that reminds me of a scene out of Beauty and the Beast. We got the Sea View with Balcony room (HK$ 2,400) which has two queen size beds perfect for a family of four. Since, it was just Paul and me that night; we surely had a grand time enjoying our enormous beds! I love our pretty bathroom which was decorated with the faces of Snow White and the seven dwarfs. Even the boxes of our toiletries bare the faces of these cute lovable characters. Taking a peek outside our balcony, we saw the ever famous garden maze that our friend Chel has been telling us about. This is a fun place for friends and family to play. Going up and down the hotel, I enjoyed riding the elevator that has

Disney has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a matter of fact, twenty years ago, Papa would read my favorite storybook about Donald Duck and his three mischievous nephews Huey, Duey and Louie whom he has officially renamed “Ping”, “Pong” and “Pang” for faster and easier recall before tucking me in bed. For years, I have grown to know them for the names my dad has created only to find out from my best friend T that “Ping”, “Pong” and “Pang” does not exist. Nonetheless, this funny memory reminds me of my early childhood bonding with my dad. Moving on to my pre-school years, I have always been chosen to play Snow White who later was instructed to act dead after taking a bite from the “rotten” apple. For once, my classmate saw a chubbier, Asian version of Snow White. I hope that didn’t ruin their beautiful image of faired-skin princess. Disney continues to play a magical part in our lives; no matter how old I am now I still enjoy listening to all the Disney so