Having lunch and a splash with SpongeBob SquarePants at Ocean Park
The annual Summer Splash just launched at Ocean Park. YP junior reporters had a cartoon-themed lunch and then dived straight in to enjoy the fun
Junior reporters (from left) Abbie Leung, Kelly Sze and Vivian Chan found a way to keep cool! First, lunch with SpongeBob
I think SpongeBob SquarePants is actually a kind of marine animal. He never eats his “friends” who live in the sea with him. This may be the reason why the Ocean Park SpongeBob menu is vegetarian.
Miyake with truffle egg mayo, an appetiser in the shape of SpongeBob’s face, was served with garden vegetables in lemon dressing, which was not too sweet but very juicy. The vegetables were very fresh. It was a good idea for the chef to use lemon dressing as it is good for the appetite to start with something sour.
The appetiser was followed by sweetcorn cream soup garnished with a piece of SpongeBob toast. It was really creamy. And the SpongeBob toast was as crisp as a well baked biscuit.
The mixed grilled vegetables with portobello mushroom tower, the main course, was the most memorable dish for me. It looked like a burger, but instead of using two buns, the chef was clever enough to use mushrooms. Between them, there was a large sweetcorn croquette, not too oily and not too tough. The mashed potato was so smooth.
Vivian Chan
Dining underwater
The dim blue lighting in Neptune’s Restaurant made us feel like we were eating under the sea. We sat just in front of the Grand Aquarium’s main tank, watching hundreds of large and small fish swimming past. This was a cool experience!
We had “Pineapple House” with our lunch. This is not the house of SpongeBob but it looks like it. The special drink is a mix of pineapple juice, orange juice and Sprite. It is served with chewy coconut jellies and ice cubes. The SpongeBob stirrer with an LED light bulb inside cheered me up as it shone in the dark environment. For me, this iced drink is the best choice for summer.
For dessert, we chose mango mousse with vanilla ice cream and fresh fruits. The mousse is made to look like SpongeBob. It is soft and creamy, with a mild mango flavour. Sand-like biscuits and candies on the top reminded me of a beautiful beach. How creative!
Kelly Sze
Freezing fun
Was it hot? It was 32 degrees! What I wanted most was to be splashed with ice-cold water. The more the merrier. That’s why Mega Gush is the perfect place to hang out in the summer. There’s a huge water bucket suspended high above, with water spilling into it continuously. When the bucket is full, it swings forward and its entire load is splashed onto the people standing below.
I was desperately longing to cool down, so I stood near the bucket and waited for it to fill. It was tipping forward, just a bit more… Come on...
Splash! “OMIGOSH!” It’s freezing cold. And I was soaked, from head to toe. But it was really amazing. Although the huge amount of icy water shocked me, it’s the greatest cooling sensation I’ve ever had. I’m now longing for another splash, just for fun.
Abbie Leung
Jumbo bubbles
I made a beeline for Jumbo Bubble Playground, a wonderful pool of people-sized bubbles, and I wasn’t the only one. Dim lights made the pool even more beautiful. This fulfilled my dream of bathing like a princess in a pool full of bubbles.
Vivian Chan
Attack of the water balloons
Super Splash Battle is a war zone with intense water battles. The warriors are separated and each given five water balloons. And when each warrior has found the best position for launching balloons at their enemies, they can start the war.
I stood behind my protection line and tried to find the best position to attack my enemy. I knelt down and pulled back the thick rubber band attached to a basket holding the water balloon. Quietly and stealthily, I released the water balloon at my target.
A deafening scream and… she’s soaked. Exactly what I wanted! Just when I was enjoying my success, BOOM! A deafening scream and… I’m soaked. Not what I was expecting. But then again, it’s war. When we both surrendered, even our hair was dripping and water was being squeezed from our clothes.
Still, it’s better than being drenched in sweat on a hot summer’s day. And it’s fun to see others screaming and yelling for revenge.
Abbie Leung