It’s a wrap! The memorable four-day trip to Hong Kong of Rhickie Mae Mendoza, the lucky winner of Star Cinema's 30th Anniversary Hong Kong Flyaway Promo, has come to a joyful close.
Together with her brother Mark Angelo, Rhickie Mae had the best time exploring the beauty and culture of Hong Kong last August 2 to 5. And if there’s one word that would best describe the place for Rhickie Mae, she said it would definitely be “spectacular”!
As it turned out, Hong Kong truly lived up to the expectations of Rhickie Mae and her brother, who both are first-time visitors in this exciting destination. Initially, they both expected Hong Kong to be a “beautiful city that has a lot of attractions, restaurants, and shops,” all of which proved to be right, leaving them simply overwhelmed by their whole experience.
ADVENTURE AND ATTRACTIONS
Among the attractions and spots Rhickie Mae and her brother visited were: Aqua Luna, Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and Hong Kong Disneyland which she was most excited about even prior to setting foot in Hong Kong.
Rhickie Mae described her Aqua Luna and Victoria Harbour experience as "very relaxing and calming.”
She had the chance to ride a cruise and the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, from where she saw the stunning cityscape and skyline from the top.
A self-confessed Disney fan, it was also a dream come true for Rhickie Mae to visit Hong Kong Disneyland, clearly a “magical and memorable” highlight for her and her brother.
“I [grew] up watching Disney so the most enjoyable part of this trip is me and my brother healing our inner child by strolling, riding around, and reminiscing about our favorite Disney shows and characters,” she recalled. “The Momentous Nighttime Spectacular made me cry and feel emotional because my childhood flashed back before my eyes as I was watching the show and fireworks.”
CULINARY AND SHOPPING PARADISE
A trip to Hong Kong wouldn't be complete without trying out its local cuisine and going shopping! Among the places Rhickie Mae and her brother went to is a dessert shop called Kai Kai, which serves sweet soup with a variety of flavors. They also visited a traditional Hong Kong restaurant named Australian Dairy Company which offers breakfast meals and drinks.
“The place was very busy, and people were lining up to eat there. The serving time was so good because it was served right away, and the food was very appetizing,” Rhickie Mae noted.
The two also went shopping in Mong Kok, known as one of the busiest places in Hong Kong. Here, they bought some souvenirs and different kinds of pasalubong.
THE ‘HELLO, LOVE, GOODBYE’ EXPERIENCE
Just like Joy (Kathryn Bernardo) and Ethan (Alden Richards) in the record-breaking blockbuster hit “Hello, Love, Goodbye”, Rhickie Mae and her brother had the opportunity to mingle with some of our kababayans in Hong Kong. Rhickie Mae recalled that some of the establishments they visited had Filipino employees.
“We would casually speak Tagalog and walk into a restaurant or establishment and it's so interesting to find an OFW working there and serving for us, so it feels like home,” she said. “They were such inspirations because they are really working hard to provide for their [families] in the Philippines.”
While Rhickie Mae admittedly feels “bitin” for her trip, she definitely plans on going back to Hong Kong, so she may enjoy it all over again, this time with the rest of her family.
"Bitin po but I was very satisfied," she gushed. "My first Hong Kong Trip is very memorable because it was an opportunity for me. I will surely come back to see more attractions from Hong Kong, like Lantau Island and more. I will visit Disneyland again.”
And if Hong Kong were a person, Rhickie Mae would gratefully say to it, "Thank you for welcoming me!"
Star Cinema's 30th Anniversary Hong Kong Flyaway Promo is supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
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Meet the lucky winner of Star Cinema's 30th Anniversary Hong Kong Flyaway Promo!