Tai Koo Shing Shopping Centre

Yes, another of the many mega shopping centres in Hong Kong, this time it's City Plaza, which is all well and good.

So, the question is, what makes this one special and worthy of a dedicated visitor experience?

In this case, it is convenient, as this centre has its own MTR station and is home to two large department stores which, to me anyway, are aimed more at locals than tourists. In other words, good prices and a wide selection of products.

What this means is that if you are not comfortable in the heat, you can go shopping without the need to venture outside.

Plus, you have a selection of the usual international shops, the two department stores I talked about earlier, and even an ice rink, yes, really, this shopping centre has its own rink.

Now, this is far from the only ice rink I have seen in a shopping centre, but in Hong Kong, it's a first.

Judging by the number of people, especially kids, having fun on the ice, it's a big hit, and no doubt a people magnet.

Before anyone asks, no, I did not strap on ice skates, as given my track record, this would not be a good move, as the last time I tried it, I spent most of the time on the ice, really on the ice, and no, we are not talking about skating, more falling.

And yes, the health care in Hong Kong may be excellent, but I have a long flight to look forward to, so bruises or other injuries are not something to risk.

Maybe next visit, I will check my travel insurance and take my life in my hands and strap on the skates. ⛸️

The Ice Rink at Cityplaza top

Heading past the ice rink, the first thing I noted was a very familiar store, Marks and Spencer, yes, really, the same store I used to visit all the time in the UK, and also more recently in Singapore.

And this store was the "Food" one, which, knowing how good their bakery is, and it being close enough to lunch, I headed in to fuel up. 🍞

Yes, I did spend some time wandering around, but the usual international shops are nothing special for me; however, remember the two department stores I mentioned earlier?

Well, they are of interest, as I am a sucker for large department stores. 😀

Apita and Aeon Style Department Stores top

The first is Apita, which starts on the ground floor and extends into the sublevel.

From my research, it appears that this one was established with the intention of offering customers the Japanese department store experience, featuring high-quality products and exceptional service levels. As for me, having spent time in Japan, plus visiting Japanese department stores all over Asia, let me be the judge of how well they did.

Getting off the escalator and heading in, the first thing that caught my attention was the crowd; it was packed to the point where taking any photos would be impossible. Not that I will ever let crowds put me off, I headed in anyway.

Wandering around, I was getting those Japanese vibes; the food department was just like the Isetan store in KL, which I used to buy breakfast, although I did not see the same sort of bakery, but that could be down to the crowds.

Heading out of the food area and into the homewares department, those Japanese vibes continue, but this time closer to Sogo in Causeway bay, than Isetan.

Before moving on to the other department store, it's time to answer the question: What's Apita like? Did they succeed in giving that Japanese experience?

Well, yes, they did succeed with the Japanese experience and in general, it's worth a visit, just watch out for the crowds.

Time to head for the other store, but as this one is not "really" in the city plaza centre, it's back to the MTR, but not for the train, but for a different exit, which brings you up right at the entrance.

Yes, outside in the heat, but not for long.

Aeon Style is an interesting store, and one I have visited many, many times. It's essentially a large department store attached to a large housing complex.

This one has a large supermarket on the lower level, which, from personal experience, has a good to killer grade bakery, and yes, I have already tried this many times. The only downside is my waistline hates me, and yes, I hate it back. 🥐

One thing to note is to allow plenty of time to go bargain hunting on the upper levels of this store, that's where the bargains can be found. And no, a bargain does not mean bad quality. I made a few purchases of clothes which are as good, if not better, than some I have bought locally in Sydney.

To me, the Aeon Style store is a must-visit location for each time I am in Hong Kong, yes, it's a little out of the way, and can be even more crowded than Apita in the City Plaza centre, but still, go check it out.

Right now, and this being my last day in Hong Kong for this trip, it was time to head on to my next stop, but I will be back.

According to the step count on my watch, I have walked a little under 20km for the day so far. Never know, I could actually get some sleep on the plane back home.