We had our first traditional Hong Kong breakfast on the second day at a breakfast place near our hotel. The place was exactly like what we usually see in Hong Kong dramas, where the lead actors and actresses will sip their milk tea (we had that too!) and read the papers in the morning. In fact some of the people we saw in the shop were indeed doing that! Singaporeans usually do not take their time off taking breakfast, unlike HongKongers who are known for their sandwiches and dim sums taken during breakfast. Even though we didn't have dim sum that morning, we had set meals or 營養早餐which consists of 菠蘿包，公仔面 and various other side dishes. Of course, the waitresses there never fails to try and communicate with us and serve us well.



































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We went to the The Peak next.
Our coach had some difficulty going up the slopes up the mountain and it was a really new experience for us all since Singapore do not have terrains as high as that. There are also lots of newly built houses there and according to our tour guide, they can cost up to thousands of dollars! It was really kind of weird as those house we saw on our way up seemed really new and "classy", unlike those we saw in kowloon and the city. Perhaps it is due to the wide income gap in Hong Kong.
The view up at the peak was breathtaking and we could even see the entire Victoria harbor from there, as well as the business district nearby. Hong Kong really lived up to their name of a busy business hub and the trip up was indeed an eye-opener.






































more information on the Peak: http://www.thepeak.com.hk/full/en/index.php
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The peak was known for its tram ride but it was such a pity that we didn't to try on it. It is definitely one of the things that we will try if we ever go back to Hong Kong anytime.

We rushed to 天星碼頭 after that and passed by 金紫荊廣場.



















It was the place where the ceremonies for the handover of Hong Kong from the British were held in July 1997. Hong Kong was known as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after that. According to Sky (our tour guide), a flag-raising ceremony is even held every day at 8:00am. This trip really got us to know Hong Kong better, and not just for her shopping experience, but history as well.
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We boarded a ferry to take us to 尖沙嘴 after that.
















We arrived at the famous 星光大道! We really had a fun time walking the entire walkway, taking pictures and looking out for the stars we know! We had lunch at a typical Hong Kong 酒樓 there after.












































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Sky then brought us to music emporium known as 海星琴行 after lunch. It was great to see a specialized store selling different instruments (both Chinese and Western!) and accessories. We wouldn't be able to find such a store in Singapore, especially one with so many Chinese musical instruments and it is really a pity. Most of us couldn't resist the offer and bought a few accessories, at a price that we wouldn't be happier to pay.



















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We then proceed to Diocesan Boy's School 拔萃男書院 for our exchange! We were warmly welcomed by their CO's executive members once we stepped out of the coach and we were really impressed by that. The school compound was very much the same as schools in Singapore, but perhaps a little smaller due to the smaller school population. The school architecture and atmosphere really displayed their rich culture and history and this is something that really cast a lasting impression on us.

We were led to their school hall where the school's orchestra were already waiting for us. The orchestra welcomed us with a few songs and we can really see that their players were really professional individually, and played well as a whole, something that we should learn from. Their members also showed great discipline, where they listened and followed every instructions their executive members gave them.

We showcased a video introducing Singapore after their performance and we, too, performed a few sectional pieces for them.


































































The 2 schools were supposed to have a combined piece together but were canceled last minute due to last minute changes. We had an opportunity to interact with the students there though and we gave them our school badge as a souvenir. The students there were really friendly and we made great friends through the exchange. Both schools did school cheers after the exchange and it was really a memorable part of the entire trip.
































Some of the members even brought us around the school after the entire programme, even though it was already 8 at night. According to Sky, the students' school day usually ends at 3 in the afternoon even despite that, they volunteered to bring us around, introducing the school to us, and never complaining. Their actions really impressed, and yes, touched us and this is really something that we should also learn from.
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We left the school only at 9plus and rushed to catch a practice by 醫管局中樂團. They are an orchestra made up of doctors and professionals from the medical field, who, despite their busy schedule, made an effort to practice together and perform at different hospitals for patients occasionally. They welcomed us warmly and really made us feel at home. Joey, our chairman were invited to introduce our orchestra in front of everyone and the orchestra were even asked to join in and play with them. We also performed a few pieces for them and they were so ever encouraging and never fails to cheer us on.



















Even though they are adults and some are even professional players, they really friendly as a
whole. The short exchange with them was really a learning experience. It showed us how learning music can be a life-long thing, and can even be used to help others. They taught us what passion is, as they do not have any incentive joining the orchestra and can easily skip practices whenever they want using their packed schedules as an excuse. We were all deeply inspired by them and in fact, the entire practice was a life lesson to each and every single one of us. The motivitation they gave us will definitely push our orchestra further and excel.



















The day ended with the visit and most of us believe that this day was the most enriching of all. It was perhaps the energy that the medical orchestra gave us that made us not even tired though we had a rushed from place to place for the entire day. This day is definitely an experience that we with carry with us and not forget.
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nil sine labore.