Simple Happiness

One of the things we did in Hong Kong before we went to the Philippines during our vacation in May 2009 was dining the Chinese way called Yum Cha at the Federal Palace.

Literally Yum Cha in Cantonese means “drinking tea” but it actually refers to the entire dining experience, drinking tea and eating dim sum dishes.

Federal Palace was part of Federal Restaurants Group. Federal Palace was located at Shop 226, Level 2, Citygate, 20 Tat Tung Road, Tung Chung, Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

Yum Cha at Federal Palace in Tung Chung was really excellent. There was a Chinese family near our table who were so friendly who talked to us and even told us that Federal Palace in Tung Chung was one of the best places to have Yum Cha.

The tea was served first and then the dim sum dishes. The dim sum dishes were served in small portions inside a native container and placed layer by layer.

Yum Cha is one thing that I highly recommend to you. If you are fond of eating dim sum dishes, you should try Yum Cha.

Tung Chung was one of the places where we frequented in Hong Kong before we went to the Philippines during our vacation in May 2009. When we went back to Hong Kong, we again frequented Tung Chung for shopping and eating.

Tung Chung is a new town in Lantau Island which was formerly a rural and fishing village around Tung Chung Wan. Tung Chung was developed as part of the Hong Kong Airport Core Programme when the Chek Lap Kok Hong Kong International Airport was built.

Tung Chung was just about ten minutes traveling time from Chek Lap Kok Hong Kong International Airport and about thirty minutes from Kowloon and Hong Kong Island via MTR from MTR Tung Chung Station. Traveling time with the bus took a little bit longer though.

There were a lot of things to do in Tung Chung but we had limited time in Hong Kong as it was just a stopover. But we did not forget to visit Ngong Ping Village to see the Big Buddha, and when it comes to food, we definitely did not forget Yum Cha.

On May 28, 2009, it was time again to leave the Philippines. We flew back from Manila to Hong Kong with Cebu Pacific Air.

We had a lot of time before our flight, so we decided to look around Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

We decided to have our late lunch at 360 Bar which was also a restaurant. 360 Bar served meals like tapsilog among others.

We found 360 Bar a cozy place to hang-out while waiting at the airport. 360 Bar was right at the center of the building of the Terminal 3 just like the other establishments.

We went to Cafe Breton and had some crepes for breakfast with some friends.

Cafe Breton was located at the Westgate Center in Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Definitely a good place for breakfast if you love crepes.

After our morning chat and breakfast, we went to Makati. We went to Landmark, then Shangri-la Hotel, and then Greenbelt, then back to ATC Alabang.

What a schedule! 🙂

We had our dinner at the Shabu-Shabu Healthy Eating Restaurant and that was really good.

Shabu-Shabu Healthy Eating Restaurant was located at the Alabang Town Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

The next day, we flew back to Hong Kong and stayed for another three nights there before flying back to Switzerland.