Hong Kong. A bustling port city that was once ceded to the British before its return to China in 1997 has always been a place I’ve romanticised in my head. Especially with the amount of movies that have used it as a backdrop. Then, of course, there was Sleeping Dogs, a video game where one played as Wei Shen, undercover cop, and was able to run around a digital version of Hong Kong for several hours on end.

Originally a farming and fishing village, the Hong Kong we know now is one of the most significant financial centres and commercial ports in the whole world. While some of its lustre has since faded, it still stands as a symbol of all that came before.

After an exhausting day out in Hong Kong Disneyland, followed by us scrambling to reach the accommodation we booked, the day before, my mother and I woke late. Though we would be decamping from Hong Kong and be returning to Shenzhen by late evening, there was still plenty of time for us to explore the city that had once captured my imagination like no other (besides, Shenzhen was only a short fifteen minute ride via high speed train).

Of course, wishing to start the morning on the right foot, and with no breakfast included for our hotel stay, the two of us headed to a nearby cafe called NOC Whampoa Garden. I ordered a hot chocolate and a pulled pork sando. My mother, on the other hand, went with a ham and cheese sando and a cappucino with one sugar.

But what amused me was the fact the menu did not sport an Americano but rather offered Long Black. It made me wonder if the owner, or chef, was Australian or had visited Australia. While reddit would have me believe there are slight differences, I, as someone who is not a coffee afficionado believe they’re the same thing. After all, I’m not tempted to get one either way.

Hot chocolate every day, all day. As my friends would know.

Once we’d finished up, we returned to the the Harbour Grand Kowloon to finish our usual morning ablutions before checking out, our overnight bags slung over our shoulders.

Before heading out, though, we exchanged some renminbi my mother had into Hong Kong dollars. Then it was off to Whampoa metro station. But not before we paid a brief visit to one of my favourite stores in the entire world. I mean, who can forget the catchy tune? I know bleachpanda would never. Not with me constantly singing it during our trip to Japan.

Yes, that’s right. DON QUIJOTE! Or, I suppose: Don Don: Donki!

After my mother picked up a few five-toed socks, and I had a glance at what they in stock, we headed to the station proper and set out for our first actual tourist site of the day: Victoria Harbour. Separating the island of Hong Kong from the Kowloon Peninsula, Victoria is both a major trading hub and a tourist attraction for those in Hong Kong.

My mother and I started off at the Avenue of Stars – taking our time to meander along the waterfront and taking photos of both the island of Hong Kong on the opposite shore and taking a peek at the handprints set, not on the footpath, but rather the handrail. There was even a facsimile of Bruce Lee – an icon in kungfu films of old.

From the Avenue of Stars, we walked past the Hong Kong Space Museum and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre before rounding the bend to take pictures of the Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower. As the Ocean Terminal shopping centre was close by, I also took a gander at the Pop Mart within (purchasing two more Digimon fridge magnets along with two of Monster x One Piece blind boxes).

Yes. Despite all my protestations, I, too, have fallen into the trap that is the blind box market. And no, it’s not gambling addiction. I can stop. I have stopped.

Well, unless there are Disney Lorcana cards. But that’s neither here nor there. And booster packs AREN’T blind boxes. Yes, I can’t see what cards I’ll get but…

Hey. Wait. Where are you taking me?

Unhand me you buffoons!

Sorry. Where was I? Ah, yes. That’s right. Hong Kong.

Once I’d indulged my proclivity for not-gambling, my mother and I took a taxi over to Hong Kong so we could a tram up towards Victoria Peak (or as close as we could. Alas, we did not get to frolic in the garden). Up the funicular railway climbed. And if I thought I’d managed to escape the insidious influence of Disney, I would have been sorely disappointed for the tram itself had Mickey and the gang both at the stations as well as within the tram itself.

And what a sight it was to see the funicular climb up t the mountain until it reached The Peak Tower | Sky Terrace 428. Given we’d bought the combo ticket, my mother and I took a gander up on the roof – snapping photos left, right and centre as we looked out over Hong Kong and back over Kowloon.

We had lunch in the nearby shopping complex: The Peak Galleria. Or, it should be rightly said, I had lunch. Mother wasn’t feeling all that hungry. Worse, she was terse to the staff at Asam Chicken Rice because they had no free wifi. I tried to calm her down but to no avail. Instead, I quietly finished off my lunch before offering my apologies to the staff when I paid them later.

Then it was back down the mountain.

Before we did, however, I paid a visit to the local Messina. Unlike the stores in Australia, it had a location specific: Egg Tart flavour. Knowing it wouldn’t meet my lofty expectations abut not wanting to miss this opportunity to try something a little bit different, I went and bought a scoop to try – sharing it with my mother.

Back down the funicular we went.

As we wandered towards the central business district of Hong Kong, my mother wanted to take a ride on the unique trams found only in Hong Kong. Narrow and featuring double decks, it was certainly an experience to ride on them. We didn’t stay long, on them, however, as we quickly disembarked about three stops along the ride (not that we could have ridden them too far if we wanted to keep within reach of key tourist sites).

Off we hopped, right in the centre of Hong Kong, before speeding over to visit a bustling shopping street known commonly as Stone Slabs Street for the uneven granite stone steps it has. Lined with cheap market stalls, we took a quick look before heading further along Pottinger Street and then taking a right turn onto Hollywood Road to visit Man Mo temple.

The temple was built approximately between 1847 and 1862 by wealthy Chinese merchants to worship the God of Literature and the God of Martial Arts. Its structure is a two-hall-three-bay fronted by two granite drum platforms. Following traditional architecture layout, the rear hall housing the altars of the deities is also higher than the front hall, which are separated by a courtyard.

In 1908, the temple was officially entrusted to Tung Wah Hospital. Every ear, the Board of Directors congregate for the Autumn Sacrificial rites to pay homage to the gods as well as pay for prosperity. And, in 2010, the Man Mo Temple compound was declared a monument under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.

Or so said the plaque out front that I took a picture of while there.

It wasn’t long before the two of us were heading back to the metro station, passing a supposedly famous fortune teller in a side street, as we did so.

Before too long, we arrived at Hong Kong-Kowloon station. One high speed rail ticket to Shenzhen later, along with passing through immigration and having our bags all scanned, we were back in mainland China.

My sojourn to the mother country was finally coming to an end.