A great way to feel at home in Hong Kong is by checking out the local events and activities. The Hong Kong Flower Show is a yearly event organised by the Leisure and Culture Services Department and takes place at Victoria Park.
Victoria Park is a public park in Causeway Bay, Wan Chai District, Hong Kong. Lots of public activities are held in this huge urban green space so it’s always worth visiting. When you are there you find families playing, sports matches such as basketball and tennis, joggers on their daily runs, and the elderly practicing Tai Chi.
Hong Kong Flower Show 2023
Our favourite displays
Bees, Butterfly and Ferris Wheel
Whales
Whales
Beach lounger fun garden
Floral display in a competition
Modern minimalists display
Having only been to UK-based flower shows, I was surprised by the variety of unusual flowers displayed. Also, the displays were much more ‘fun’ using cartoon-like characters and animals to create huge floral sculptures. What I also enjoyed about the Hong Kong Flower Show was that it wasn’t overly commercialised. In UK flower shows, the majority of the space is taken up by stalls trying to sell overpriced goods like barbeque sets!
The flower show from afar
Pheonix display
It is an incredibly popular activity, so be prepared for crowds and patiently wait for your turn to take a photo. This year, the theme was “Bliss in Bloom”, with the impressive Hydrangea as the theme flower.
Admission Fee: Adults rate HKD 14 (£1.40) or Concessionary rate HKD 7 (0.70 pence) and get tickets at the kiosk or tap in with your Octopus Card.
Our Top FiveTips
Take some water and light snacks with you. There are a few stalls inside the show but they mostly sell packaged food souvenirs rather than street snacks.
There are lots of very cheap flowers to purchase. I saw many people buying huge orchids for HKD 10 (that’s £1!!!)
There are not many places to sit and rest or get shade, so be prepared on very hot days. We were lucky as it was overcast when we went.
Visit at quieter times, it is open from 9 am to 9 pm. Weekends are the busiest and try to go early morning or before sunset.
There is a daily timetable of activities including talks, performances, children’s games, and competitions. The timetable can be found at the entrance.
Planning a weekend getaway to Cartmel Village in Cumbria? This is my guide to the top things to do, where to stay, and where to eat in Cartmel.
The Medieval village of Cartmel has a rich heritage, activities for visitors, and a thriving food scene to enjoy. Whether you’re planning a weekend or overnight stay, I share my best finds and practical tips for a memorable trip!
40th Birthday Celebrations!
This overnight break in Cumbria, just outside the Lake District National Park, was a surprise trip for my big birthday! My amazing cousin organised and planned the whole weekend, and managed to keep it all a huge secret right until the morning we set off. A few weeks before, I received a cryptic invitation card in the post telling me to ‘pack for all weather and something smart/casual for dinner’. So if that doesn’t ignite your curiosity, whatever will?!!
I absolutely loved the whole weekend so the list below is in no way a ranking, but a personal list of highlights and treasured memories…
1. Where we stayed
L’Enclume – famous for its three Michelin-starred restaurants also has lovely bed and breakfast accommodation in Cartmel Village within short walking distance of their restaurant. They have the option of double rooms or suites, which breakfast at their one Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant Rogan & Co. in the morning, and you are guaranteed a table at L’Enclume in the evening. They also have the option for a ‘stay and dine’ at Rogan & Co.
The room was beautifully decorated, understated, and classic. Special attention was paid to preserving original features and spotlighting local crafts from the woodwork to the furniture and the toiletries.
Breakfast at Rogan & Co
2. L’Enclume
We dined at the three Michelin-starred restaurant headed by Simon Rogan, and what an experience it was! I don’t regularly dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, but if I could more often then I would. I am totally here for the experience and to savor every bite.
I’m going to write another post specifically for L’Enclume so I won’t say too much here. But what I do want to share with you is that it is worth it! For me, it was a special birthday treat and truly a memorable experience that I will talk about with fellow foodies for years to come. In the meantime here are the desserts described on the menu as ‘Marigold, sack, verbena, mint stones’.
Desserts at L’Enclume
3. Cartmel Village and The Priory
Cartmel village is very easily walkable and there is a variety of activities and places to spend time depending on what floats your boat.
We arrived mid-morning so stopped into a cute tea room to get a brunch of homemade scones and tea. There are several cafes and pubs in the village to choose from, each with their unique menus showcasing British classic foods.
Our post-brunch wander around the village took us to the cute Cartmel Village Hall where a craft market was taking place. The stalls were a mixture of handmade cards from upcycling old materials to traditional wooden children’s games and hand-thrown pottery. I picked up a deck of playing cards in the theme of the Fungi Kingdom (I’m obsessed!) and then it was time for check-in!
Cartmel Village, Cumbria
Another highlight on our village walks that weekend included a gander around the famous Cartmel Priory.
People from all around the world make pilgrimages to the Priory for prayer and worship. Unfortunately, the church had closed to the public when we were there so we couldn’t go inside but we did have to look at all the old tombstones in the surrounding cemetery and try to find the oldest one. A place of legends, myths, and stories, the Priory has a history and heritage dating back 680 AD and is a fine example of stunning architecture with renovations taking place over the centuries.
Cartmel Priory
4. Massage
After checking in to our accommodation, we headed to Park Lane Cartmel, a day spa and beauty salon, for a relaxing massage. The therapists were so friendly and professional and gave wonderful massages tailored to our little niggles and knots. No photos to share but I would highly recommend visiting the salon if you are looking for a way to wind down in an instant!
5. Segway Tour
Lakeland Segway
There is a choice of outdoor activities in Cartmel, from easy walking trails along the river to Segway with Lakeland Segway. I cannot tell you how much fun this was as I’d never tried this before. The company is based at the village car park where there is a practice area so you can learn the basic maneuvers and build your confidence before your group goes off into the surrounding fields and woodlands to enjoy the village sites in tandem.
Full training is given by the experienced group leaders and is very suited to beginners of a nervous disposition! This was a totally new experience for me but within minutes I was going backward at pace (they tell you not to do that!)
6. L’Enclume Farm
We almost missed out on this experience, so make sure you don’t! A visit to L’Enclume’s Farm. Our Farm, located 1 mile away from the village and is a real highlight of this Cartmel weekend. It’s an option for anyone who dines in the restaurant and you get a farm tour with the passionate Farm Manager, John, who works cosley with Simon Rogan to plan the growing seasons with the restaurant in mind. As someone that has worked on an urban farm and is passionate about growing, I cannot tell you how special this experience was for me.
Our Farm’s concept is to “strengthen the link between our food, its development and the environment, and to further develop the relationship between cooking and growing”. Exactly the ethos behind the community food-growing projects we find across the UK.
Their year-round growing methods allow them the flexibility and productivity needed to ensure that their restaurant kitchens have locally produced and easily accessible produce that the chefs also take part in farming themselves. John explained to us that by growing everything themselves, they have better more control over the ingredients they use and are less vulnerable to any supply chain issue.
For anyone interested in growing food, this is a must-do activity. I also left with a little piece of the farm to take home when I plucked up the courage to ask John for some of their homegrown Japanese mint to grow in my garden! A souvenir that money can’t buy and one enjoyed for many years to come…
Our Farm Manager John packing Japanese Mint for me to take home
7. Where to Park
Parking was easy and very close to the center of the village. Parking in the village can be found by several bays directly outside the Priory, and by a large serviced pay and display car park on the edge of the Racecourse.
Finals words
If quaint English villages with good food and fun activities are your thing, go to Cartmel! Combine it with a longer visit to the neighbouring Lake District National Park or for a short break. There is still plenty more to explore that I haven’t written about in this post but that just means you need to go and see it for yourself. Last tip I’m going to leave you with, don’t forget to pick up a sticky toffee pudding from the village shop before you leave. You’re welcome!
Yilan, Taiwan is known for its hot spring hotels, which draw their soothing waters from local thermal springs. This is our review of our 1-night stay at the luxury Wellspring by Silk, Yilan, a 5-star Japanese-style hot spring hotel resort just a 5-minute walk from Yilan’s Jiaoxi train station.
Yilan County, also known as I-Lan, is a county in northeastern Taiwan. Visitors enjoy the renowned hot and cold springs, mountain hikes, and serene beaches. We did none of these things and stayed at our hotel for the majority of our stay! Who can blame us when we have such a luxury to enjoy and are short on time? But we will most definitely be back to see the sights.
The Hotel Room
Wellspring by Silks Hotel Room
In-Room Robes
Onsen Bath On The Room Balcony
Our room was the Hollywood Deluxe Suite. We stayed for 1 night on a bed and breakfast basis and added an evening meal in the hotel restaurant as their hotpot was also highly recommended.
As budget travelers we don’t often splash out on luxury 5-star hotels, but we were recommended this hotel for its location we had been staying in budget hotels and hostels throughout our trip to Taiwan so this was a special treat to help soothe our tired muscles from all the walking.
The Hotel Amenities
The hotel lobby had snacks available 24 hours, and a free ‘happy hour’ between 5-6 pm where free alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks were also available to guests. We didn’t partake in this as we were busy enjoying the hotel rooftop pools.
The rooftop has 3 outdoor swimming pools, hot spring baths, changing rooms, and a rooftop bar. Guests can also enjoy the open-air cinema on the rooftop, but due to the poor weather conditions that evening this wasn’t available. Free WiFi is available in all public areas but we had a local SIM card so didn’t use it.
There was a lot more on offer but we didn’t make use of them, so couldn’t comment on the experience. See below for the full list.
Wellspring by Silks Hotel Amenities card
The Hotel Food
The hotel restaurant has an option of ‘Hot Pot’ or ‘Barbeque’. Both of these include a lot of meat, seafood, and vegetables for you to either slow simmer or grill yourself. The staff are on hand to help if you’re not familiar with this style of eating. We chose the hotpot, which also comes with a choice of meat so we went for pork and beef. Everyone gets this bowl of super fresh seafood as standard!
Hot Pot Seafood Bowl
Salad bar
Häagen-Daz Ice cream Counter
All diners have unlimited access to the salad bar and Häagen-Daz Ice-Cream Counter. The salad was fresh and plentiful, and it was nice to have more Western-style options after weeks of only Asian food. I’m not a big fan of Häagen-Daz Icecream but I tried as many flavors because I could!
Breakfast buffet
Their breakfast buffet spread was immense! Lots of Japanese-style small dishes, I particularly enjoyed the Onsen eggs, there was even a Congee station! As well as the Japanese and Taiwanese offerings, there were plenty of Western-style breakfast dishes, pastries, and again a huge salad bar. Taiwan is famous for its pineapple so make sure you don’t leave without trying it!
Location: 8/10 (the view from the rooftop infinity pool in the daytime wasn’t great!)
Cleanliness: 10/10
Service: 9/10
Value: 9/10 (We stayed in low-season so the price was more affordable)
Last tip: Make sure you take the in-room slippers with you. They are really good quality and can be used as regular flip-flops outside. We bought a few pairs to take back with us!
