Thursday, April 4, 2013

HK Day 2: Ocean Park

From Disneyland the day before, our second day in Hong Kong was devoted to Ocean Park. That's two straight days of amusement park! I was super excited for this more than anything else since it's a chance for me to see pandas in person for the first time! I'm not really sure when this panda obsession of mine started but for a long time now I've been delighted with them which eventually led to a big, random collection of anything panda. So to finally see them in person brought such anticipation!!!! Before heading out, we toured our hotel first. We stayed at the Disney Hollywood Hotel. It's more contemporary and has a different feel compared to the Disneyland Hotel that we stayed in last time but it was beautiful as well! 

The theme of their garden was the movie Cars! 
Transportation is very convenient in Hong Kong. You can practically reach any destination by train. After taking the train, we rode the bus that that will take us to Ocean Park. I love double deck busses! It've ridden one before but this time was the first time I got to sit at the front most part of the deck! Whenever we passed by bridges, I would duck cause I keep feeling like we're gonna hit! Haha :))

Finally here!!!! :)
Our first stop was the Grand Aquarium! 

I find this really beautiful! It's tall cylinder full of fish! 
Sharks swimming above.
They provided an effect to the jellyfish's aquarium! The lights change to different colors which makes it seem like the jellyfish also changes their own color. 
Then finally it was time to see Pandas!!!!!
Outside the Jockey Club! Took so much pictures here because there were so many people but I wanted a solo picture with them! Haha


AND TADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   
ACTUAL PANDASSSSSSSSSSS AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I hope you get even just a bit of my emotions by the number of exclamation points I used! Haha they're basically the laziest mammals on earth. They just spend their day lounging around, chewing their bamboos in a cold, air conditioned room! No wonder I like them, that's so me! Hahaha
Ocean Park is Panda Heaven! Well, aside from having real pandas, they have tons of panda merchandise! 
The red panda! It's cute but.. original pandas still has my heart!!! This just looks an orange skunk to me. Haha not criticising though, it is a panda afterall. :))
Then we rode the cable car to get to the other side! It was my first cable car ride and I was actually in a state of panic the whole time. It was such a looooooooooooooong ride!
 Ocean Park Tower!
Thrill Mountain! This is where all the crazy and wild rides are! 
Hair Raiser! I really, really, really wanted to ride this roller coaster but I just do not have the courage to go alone. People have always asked me the greatest disadvantage of being and only child and up until now, I didn't have an answer to give. Now ask me and I'd say that we have no one to ride the roller coaster with! :))
Flash! This ride I don't regret because even if I have a hundred friends to ride this with, I wouldn't dare. :))
Penguin! Didn't know they were so cute too! When we first entered, I actually thought they were statues since they were so immobile. 
So faaaaaat! Haha
After lunch, we went to see the dolphin show! 
Dolphins are so intelligent, seriously! I am amazed at their learning capacity!
Now that I can put a check mark on seeing pandas in my list of wishes, I'm adding a new wish: to swim with the dolphins! Ahhhh someday, someday! In Hawaii, maybe? 
These sea lions came to play as well!
After riding the longest escalator ride of my life, this is what we see! 
Abyss! I was so close to riding this ride alone since it's pretty much like EK's Ekstreme but I chickened out the very last moment. :)) After walking around some more, we ended our Ocean Park adventure and headed back to the city to have dinner!
Hong Kong at night! 
Saw this man/horse at the station! 
And at every train station, they have Okashi Land aka Japanese snacks heaven. I loooooooooooooove Japanese snacks so much! Meiji, Lotte you name it! But my ultimate favorite snack is Pocky. Although we have it here in Manila, it's different ours is imported from Thailand and the one from Japan taste so much different! 
I was so happy being surrounded by Japanese snacks that my mom actually said it's like I did grocery shopping! Haha my Pocky loot and all its different flavors is keeping me happy until now! 

Then we were back to our hotel and called it a day! Day 3 up next! :)

Love, Paola xx

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