Jamie | Founder of J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | Offering Award Winning Private Tours of Hong Kong
The Ladies Market is full of stuff and fun and well worth a visit, visit Stanley and it's iconic market which is one of my favourite places to visit and the double decker bus ride is awesome, the very Elizabeth Taylor 107ct yellow diamond ring in Graff, the awesome black Ferrari with a deadly number plate, the King Yin Lei Mansion on Stubbs Road, the Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship and the Sunday easy riders.
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The Ladies Market in Mongkok
Kind of iconic in a seedy, grubby, comical sort of way and I have to admit I like to pay a visit... I think before people write it off as a tourist trap you should consider that most of the stuff on sale is NOT available in shops and only at markets!
My friend Bill uses the phrase "raw Cantonese street culture" and that kind of applies to the Ladies Market particularly if you visit at night or on weekends, it does have a buzz about it.
Bargaining is a must with a 50% discount being the starting point for frantic negotiating but I do not need to tell you that, most people have a real knack for this... The give and take can be a lot of fun and there is always the same product 3 stalls down if you do not get the price you want.
One of my more amusing observations over the years is observe how all of the stall holders are eating a lunchbox no matter what time of the day you are there!
Oh... and kids love the Ladies Market.
Hong Kong Private Walking Tours
Stanley Market, Stanley
It is located on the South Side of Hong Kong Island and the best way to get there is by bus, the views from the top deck of bus no. 6, 6x and 260 etc are simply magnificent as the bus winds it's way past huge mansions, fancy apartment blocks and some fabulous beaches.
The iconic Stanley Market itself is NOT like the Ladies Market at all, it is a whole lot smaller and a lot less crowded but the stuff on sale is quite similar and the shops owners (shops rather than stalls) are less inclined to barter... but even so it is a pleasant way to spend 30 - 60 minutes!
.....and the reason I chose the image, well it looks like the rather serious Policeman is holding a dog and a handbag in the market.
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Black Ferrari's are not common in Hong Kong and this is the new model 488 but what is really important is the rather interesting deadly number plate HK 444
In Hong Kong 4 simply translates to death ergo HK death, death, death
The young chap driving the car was Chinese but maybe from Shanghai in China where 4 means something quite different and quite positive, it all gets a bit confusing... but it is a wonderful Ferrari though.
Hong Kong Guided Tours
The 107ct yellow diamond ring in Graff in the Peninsula Hotel
I lament the day that Graff sold this wonderful ring in 2014 to a rich Mainland Chinese Gentleman and yes, 107 carats is massive!! think millions of US$!
It was so magnificent and so Elizabeth Taylor that I used to take people into the Hotel just to have a gander, the picture does not do the ring justice and you know what our rich ladies here wear all their bling as no one will rob them in the streets... I do love my diamonds.
If you are in the Peninsula Hotel in TST, Kowloon pop up the famous staircase in the lobby and have a look at the diamonds in Graff, they will blow your mind.
Real Hong Kong Private Tours
King Yin Lei Mansion, Stubbs Road heading up to the Peak
From the late 1930's this house is rather unique in Hong Kong as you can imagine. It used to be a private family home and is now owned by the Hong Kong Government who open it a couple of times a year (by ballot) so the riff raff can pay it a visit.
Given the money the Government spent on restoring the house it should be open to the public every day but lack of parking facilities make it impossible as it is on a very busy main road leading up the the Peak.
Such a shame as it is absolutely magnificent.
Real Hong Kong Walking Tours
The Tiger Balm Gardens, Happy Valley, Hong Kong Island.
.... my good friend Roger sent me these images.
This is Roger and is Mum at the famous Tiger Balm Gardens, long demolished but still remembered by people of a certain age (ie me!) - go to Wikipedia for details of this somewhat wacky place.
Cruise Ship Shore Excursions
The Celebrity Millennium
Seen here docked at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Kowloon, the Millennium is a frequent visitor to Hong Kong and is one of the smaller ships that call into Hong Kong.
I have never quite got the whole logic of Cruise Ships spending just 8 - 12 hours in Hong Kong as it really does not give the passengers much scope to use the services of us Private Tour Guides.... personally I think that they should all dock at 6am and sail at 11pm
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The Tesla with a nod to James Bond
I love this license plate - I also love the Nissan GTR (aka Godzilla) lurking in the background on Duddell Street in Central on Hong Kong Island. Custom license plates like this can cost a whole heap of money as generally you have to get them by auction so he or she who bids the most gets the plate!!
Our most expensive license plate is the one that just says 18 (which means certain wealth here) it sold for roughly US$2,200,000 !
Hong Kong Private Walking Tours
The Easy Riders, the Bikers, the Mid Life Crisis Guys................
Sunday is their day
Hong Kong is not like other major Asian Cities in so far as we are not overrun with motorbikes and scooters.
Motorbikes here for the most part are like cars, the primary function is that it should serve as a status symbol which is why most motorbikes here tend to be Harley Davidson, Ducati and really high end Japanese screamers... which is just fine and dandy by me.
So on the roads on a Sunday sights like this are very common.
Hong Kong Private Tours
Police on the Streets of Hong Kong
This is one of my favourite Police images, it was a pity it was in the days when I had a cheap point and shoot camera!!
Location - Statue Square in Central, Hong Kong Island
Oh my golly gosh, the simply amazing Pagani Hypercar, hand made in Italy
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