Bird's Nest

Bird's nest is well accepted by Chinese to enhances the immune function and resistance to sickness and disease. If you visit Hong Kong, you can go to Eu Yan Sang and they have some instant Bird's Nest and they are easy to consume.

Bird's nest is extramely rich in proteins and minerals. Taken regularly, it helps to maintain a yourthful and glowing complexion, stimulates teh appetie, speeds recovery from illness, invigorates teh lungs, boots immunity and improves the body's overall metabolic functions.

It is also highly recommended for pregnant women, children and for whom it enhances the immune function and resistance to sickness and disease - the aged, and for anyone experiencing a general sense of weakness or lack of vigour.

Top 10 Information when Visiting Hong Kong

1. Service Charge
   Most restaurants will levy a 10 per cent service charge but waiters will expect to be given some loose change.
   
   
2. Drinking Water
   Don't drink the tap water and buy bottled water instead.
   
   
3. Electrial Voltage
   The standard electrical voltage in HK is 220 volts AC, 50HZ, so you will need an adaptor for your 100-volt appliances and electrical equipment.The majority of electrical outlets in Hong Kong take a three-pronged plug.
   
   
4. Map
   Buy a map, the street and signs in Hong Kong are not easy to find.
   
   
5. Octopus Card
   Get an Octopus card for your transportaion need (from MTR stations or in the Airport).
   
   
6. Shopping Centre Opening Hours
   Most shopping centres open every day throughout the year and they generally opens from 10am - 9:30pm.
   
   
7. Convenience Stores
   There are many 7-Eleven and OK convenience stores around the city. As in US and Canada, 7-Eleven is open 24 hours a day and you can buy food, beer and drinks on your way back to the hotel. For supermarket, there are ParknShop and Wellcome.
   
   
8. Spoken Language
   English is widely spoken and there is no problem in communicating iwth people in most hotels, restaurants and even some taxis.
   
   
9. Traffic
   Traffics drives on the left side of the road. So if you are coming from US or Canada, make sure you look both ways.
   
   
10. Emergency Service
    The emergency service telephone number (Police, Fire, Ambulance) is 999.

Hong Kong Shopping - Sport Shoes Street

When you visit Hong Kong, you may want to visit Mongkok and one of the place you must go is Fa Yuen Street (which is also known as Sport Shoes Street).

In this street (a long street I would add), there are close to 50 stores that sells sports shoes and sports accessories.

You will find brands such as Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Converse and even Crocs.

There are many shoes models and some are even rare or special editions from different places are available here.

Some snapshots of the shops are below:

Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and this year, it falls on 25Sep.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a historical festival rather than a religious one. In the 14th century, during the Yuan dynasty, the Mongolians ruled the Chinese. Rebel Chinese used mooncakes to coordinate a rebellion without being discovered. Hidden inside each mooncake were special messages containing information which was distributed widely. Lanterns were also used at night as signals from higher grounds as warning. The foreign government was successfully driven out and the Ming Dynasty was established. The mooncake festival also commemorates this proud moment in Chinese history. Hence, to commemorate and this proud moment of Chinese History, people started to make and eat the sweet cakes or mooncakes on that night every year.

In Hong Kong, there are a lot of celebrations and you can obtain more information from DiscoverHongKong.

At the same time, you can also purchase mooncake online through Kee Wah (which I have written earlier).

Chinese Cake as Souvenir

When you come to Hong Kong, other than visiting Disneyland, Ocean Park, the Peak, etc, you may want to buy some souvenirs back to your friends.

You may want to consider to buy some Chinese assorted cakes.

One of the famous shop in Hong Kong is the Kee Wah Bakery and you can find their website as here.

Kee Wah Bakery was established in 1938, it is a prestige bakery that plays a significant role in food culture of Hong Kong. Now, Kee Wah introduces the "Hong Kong Kee Gift" series. The series include a variety of traditional Hong Kong pastries and snacks, Chinese bridal pastries and mookcakes. The set looks as follow:

Web Surfing Everywhere???

Hong Kong people like to surf the web anytime. There are a number of service available to allow people to connect to the web through 3G, WiFi or broadband.

However, recently there are new signs around Hong Kong that allow people to connect through PCCW WiFi. You can see that the many telephone booth have this new signage that said Wi-Fi Available Here.

Furthermore, PCCW has a new plan that allow you can buy and this new device allows the connection to Wi-Fi, 3G and HSDPA. So, basically, you are covered everywhere and you can surf anywhere.

Hong Kong Shopping - Kwai Chung Plaza

When you come to Hong Kong, one of the most important thing to do is shopping. You may go to Causeway Bay or Tsim Sha Tsui to shop at those expensive shops. You may also go to Temple Street or MongKok to shop for cheaper goods. However, I suggest to go to Kwai Chung Plaza in Kwai Fong (next to the MTR station in Tsuen Wan line).


You will see alot of interesting and cheap goods in this plaza (the style is very close to MBK in Bangkok). You will see fashion, shoes, computer, phone, books, etc in this plaza. There are also a few restaurant too.


Most shops will only open in the afternoon and there are lots of people during the weekend. If possible, do visit during weekdays in the afternoon.





Fashion shops



Asscessories


Computer products



Phone


Video games


Food

Horse Racing

Horse racing starts again tomorrow and it is the most favorite past time for people living in Hong Kong.

Horse racing in Hong Kong commenced in 1841 with the arrival of the British, who immediately set about draining a malarial swamp to form a racetrack at Happy Valley. With the exception of a few years during World War II, the track has been non-stop action ever since. The Hong Kong Jockey Club was founded in 1884 and changed from an amateur to a professional organisation in 1971. A second racecourse was opened at Sha Tin in 1978.

The growth of the sport's popularity was attended by an increase in illegal bookmaking. In 1973, the Government authorised the Club to operate off-course betting branches to tackle illegal gambling head-on. Since then, the Mark Six lottery and regulated football betting have also been introduced to combat illegal gambling.

The Club has a long tradition of donating to charitable causes, but it was in the 1950s, as Hong Kong struggled to cope with post-war reconstruction and a massive influx of immigrants, that this role became integral to its operation. In 1955 the Club formally decided to devote its surplus each year to charity and community projects.

During the race season, many race fans in Hong Kong can be seen burying their heads in newspapers at teahouses studying the odds for their favorable horses.

Horse racing days are held in two racecourses at Happy Valley and Sha Tin on most Wednesdays and weekends from September to June, attracting about 1.2 million race goers each racing day, according to the Jockey Club's statistics.

The club's betting turnover has already exceeded 16.3 billion HK dollars (2.1 billion U.S. dollars) every fiscal year, contributing 1.3 percent to Hong Kong's gross domestic product and10 percent of the special administrative region government's tax revenue.

As one of Hong Kong's top 10 employers, the Jockey Club currently employs more than 5,000 full-time workers and 20,000 part-time staff on race days.

A major entertainer for Hong Kong people, the Jockey club also serves as the city's largest charity organization with its charity donation exceeding 10 billion HK dollars (1.3 billion U.S. dollars) during the past years.

On placing bets, there are several types:

Single-Race Bets

Pool Name - Dividend Qualification

• Win (獨贏) - 1st in a race.
• Place (位置) - 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a race with 7 or more declared starters or 1st, 2nd in a race with 4, 5, 6 declared starters.
• Quinella (連贏) - 1st and 2nd in either order in the race.
• Quinella Place (位置Q) - Any two of the first three placed horses in any finishing order in the race.
• Trio (單T) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in the race.
• Tierce (三重彩) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in correct order in the race.
• First Four (四連環) - 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in any order in the race.

As of September 2006, all Win, Place, Quinella, and Quinella Place bets (including All Up bets) of a value of at least 10,000 Hong Kong Dollars are eligible for a 10% rebate if the bet or betline loses.

Multiple-Race Bets

Pool Name - Dividend Qualification - Consolation [if any]

• Double (孖寶) - 1st in two nominated races - 1st in 1st leg and 2nd in 2nd leg.
• Treble (三寶) - 1st in three nominated races - 1st in first two legs and 2nd in third leg. Now discontinued in favor of the First Four bet type.
• Double Trio (孖T) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in both legs.
• Triple Trio (三T) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in three legs - 1st, 2nd and 3rd in any order in any two Triple Trio legs.
• Six Up (六環彩) - 1st or 2nd in each of the legs nominated to comprise the Six Up - 1st or 2nd in each of the legs nominated to comprise the Six Up.

Chinese Ghost Festival

Just as the West has Halloween for ghost and souls, the Chinese have a holiday to fete the departed spirits of the underworld. The Hungry Ghost Festival falls on the 14th night of the seventh lunar month. It is a popular occasion celebrated throughout China on that very night and the day that follows.

Hotel reservations in Hong Kong

The Origin of Hungry Ghost Festival
The Hungry Ghost Festival has its roots in the Buddhist festival Ullambana, and also in Daoist culture. In the Tang Dynasty, the Buddhist festival Ullambana and its traditional festivities were mixed and celebrated on one day. Thus, the Ghost Festival has a special meaning for all Buddhists.




The Chinese believe that the dead become ghosts who roam between Heaven and Earth on the day of their death. Spirits without descendants to make offerings to them are fed during the ghost festival, so that they may not cause trouble to the living. This custom, an extension of the traditional Chinese notion of 'universal love', was started after the legend "Mulien Saving his Mother from Hades", giving Ghost festival a dimension of filial piety.




Customs of the Hungry Ghost Festival
Traditionally, ancestor worship was an important part of the festivals. with activities including preparing ritualistic offerings of food, and burning ghost money and bags containing cloth to please the visiting ghosts and spirits of one's ancestors, as well as other deities. Other activities include, burying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns in rivers, which signifies "giving directions to the lost ghosts and spirits of the ancestors and other deities." A very solemn festival of ancestor worship, it nevertheless represents a connection between ancestors and their descendants, the living and the dead, earth and heaven, as well as body and soul.






Taboos in the Ghost Month
In Chinese tradition, the seventh month in the Chinese calendar is called the Ghost Month, in which ghosts and spirits, including those of deceased ancestors, come out from the underground world to visit earth. The Hungry Ghost Festival is the climax of a series of the Ghost Month celebrations. It is said that the ghosts would wander on the streets at night, so people are advised not to go out at night. There are also many other taboos: moving a house, opening a business, and holding a wedding ceremony should all be avoided, swimming and other water sports are also shunned. If a child is born on this day, their birth date would usually be changed when registered or celebrated to remove any doubt that they might be in contact with a ghost. If someone dies on this day it would upset the family, as it is believed that the deceased would leave with the ghosts.

Although the romantic festival of Chinese Valentine's Day falls in the same month, the ghosts still make a strong impression on people's minds. It is said that you will meet the ghosts when you go out during the night, and if you don't believe it, someone will tell you that they have seen ghosts with their own eyes. To some, the lunar seventh month is more scary than romantic.

(Source: 51766.com / Translated by Women of China)

Chinese and the number 8

8 The number "8" is the favorite number for Chinese as it is pronounced as "Fai"發. 發 means rich in Chinese and a lot of people would like to be rich.

That's why you will see that:

• they prefer to live on the 8th floor
• they use the phone number with a lot of number 8
• the license template will have the number 8
  

Chinese Feng Shui

Chinese Feng Shui 風水 is an ancient Chinese philosophy of understanding the energy that surrounds us and it deals with using positive 'chi' 氣 or energy to improve a person's good fortune and success. In the Chinese language each character can be translated and interpreted differently.

Feng Shui (pronounced as Fung Shwey) is translated as "the way of wind and water" or "the natural forces of the universe." According to Feng Shui these natural forces influence everything in the world. The ancient Chinese lead their lives according to these natural forces. Thousands of years ago the Chinese used the principles of Feng Shui to construct building. As the land was such that it was prone to strong mountain winds and the plains were prone to flooding, before construction wind and water considerations had to be made. Therefore the name, wind and water.

In Europe a similar science was known as geomancy. Native Americans and Hawaiians have their own form of this science. We are oblivious of the fact that we are being affected by different energies everyday. These energies or electromagnetic fields we can neither see nor feel. Without even being conscious we are ourselves creating everything that affects our lives. Using the principles of Feng Shui, we can control our actions and our lives and attain our goals. You can notice the science of Feng Shui in everything we see and touch everyday. Feng Shui uses the Ba-qua chart or eight-sided shape that is associated with the eight aspects of life: prosperity, relationships, helpful people, new knowledge, family, children and career. Feng Shui was introduced to the Americans during the California gold rush in the 1840s, when people from all over the world including China, came to America seeking wealth. Today America is using a simple Western version of Feng Shui.

Feng Shui manipulates 'chi' by evaluating natural and artificial environments. 'Chi' is the dragon's celestial breath and the ancient Chinese used this word to name the life force that governs our world. 'Chi' brings happiness, prosperity, luck and long life. Though chi is present everywhere, it is concentrated in some areas which are very sacred in Feng Shui. Feng Shui looks for areas where 'chi' is concentrated so that there is a lot of happiness, luck, prosperity etc. Ancient Chinese classified 'chi' is classified into five types or elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Feng Shui studies the distribution of 'chi' and the quality of 'chi' is determined by time, position and location. Feng Shui also guides you on how to place objects so that it brings harmony in to the environment.

Hong Kong Transportation

Hong Kong, with a land area of only 1,099 square kilometres of which about 17 per cent is built-up, has a population of more than six million.

Every day, over 11 million passenger journeys are made on a public transport system which includes two high capacity railways, trams, buses, minibuses, taxis and ferries.
There are about 275 licensed vehicles for every kilometre of road, and the topography makes it increasingly difficult to provide additional road capacity in the heavily built-up areas.

MTR is an underground railway network with seven lines and 53 stations. Operated by the MTR Corporation Limited, each line was built in stages with the first passenger train starting operation in October 1979. Tseung Kwan O Line and Disneyland Resort Line came into service in August 2002 and August 2005 respectively. The total route length of Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Tung Chung Line, Disneyland Resort Line and Airport Express Line is 91 kilometres. Single adult fares range from $4 to $26, and $60 to $100 for Airport Express Line.

Playing one of the key roles in Hong Kong public transport, taxi provides a convenient personalized point-to-point transport service. At present there are 18,138 taxis in Hong Kong, of which 15,250 are urban taxis, 2,838 are NT taxis and 50 are Lantau taxis. The average daily taxi patronage is about 1 million.

Urban taxis operate throughout Hong Kong including the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland, (except Tung Chung Road and roads in south Lantau). NT taxis are fundamentally confined to rural areas in the New Territories, the airport, Hong Kong Disneyland and are permitted to several certain locations in the urban area through specified routes. Lantau taxis operate only on Lantau Island (including the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland).

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is made up of over 230 islands and a small piece of peninsula, and is the gateway to China. The four main areas of Hong Kong are Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. Shopping is a hugely popular activity for visitors to Hong Kong, and you can find good quality tailoring at low prices. Other traditional things to do while in Hong Kong are to visit a fortune teller at the Wong Tai Sin temple, try your hand at Tai Chi, and sample the Chinese tea ceremony.

Population Hong Kong's population has increased steadily over the past decade, reaching about 6.9 million by 2004. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with an overall density of some 6,380 people per square kilometer. Cantonese, the official Chinese language in Hong Kong, is spoken by most of the population. English, also an official language, is widely understood. It is spoken by more than one-third of the population. Population (2004): 6.975 million. Population growth rate (2004): 1.0%. Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%; other 5%.

Weather The weather in Hong Kong varies substantially. Basically though it depends where you are arriving from as to how you view the weather. Hong Kong weather is considered sub-tropical . For about half of the year, the climate is sub tropical - hot, wet and humid coming up from the equator, but for the winter half of the year, due to the massive Asian land mass to the north and the frozen winds blowing off of it, the temperature is classified as temperate! Temperatures range between 10°C in January and February with not much rain, to 26 34°C from July through to September. The monsoon months are around June and July, and Hong Kong is most likely to be hit by Typhoons in September time.

Employers According to a government study, 43,360 jobs are be created in Hong Kong between 1999 and 2005. Finance, insurance, real estate, and business services will grow the fastest, increasing manpower by an average annual rate of 5.6 percent. Other industries experiencing high growth rates include transport, storage, communications, community services, wholesale, retail, import/export, and restaurants and hotels. Knowledge-based industries, such as computer equipment, telecommunications, and Internet services, will also see a rapid rate of growth. In near future, there will be a shift in demand in favor of high-skill, well educated, more experienced workers. On average, demand for managers, administrators, and professionals will grow at an average rate of 5.6 percent. The total number of IT personnel is expected to almost double.

Who’s hiring? Import/ export trade – aggressively hiring Amusement and recreation services – aggressively hiring Business services – aggressively hiring IT (functional consultants, system programmers) – selectively hiring Strategy consulting and banking – conservatively hiring Real estate and retail – conservatively hiring

Cost of living Hong Kong is a city where you can spend as much or as little as you want. Rent is the biggest outlay, but transport and utility costs are much lower than at home. Food can be very cheap or very expensive- if you’re happy to eat in local restaurants rather than the Peninsula, you’ll be fine!. There are plenty of good buys available through careful shopping and a little bargaining in Cantonese.

Chinese Dim Sum

The famous Chinese food in Hong Kong has to be Dim Sum and all visitor should try this in order to understand what Dim Sum is.

Dim sum means snacks in Cantonese. People in Hong Kong like to go to dim sum restaurants especially for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. In some restaurants, dim sum are loaded in carts and pushed around for patrons to order, while in others, you check what you want on a dim sum sheet and place the order with the waiter.

Some typical "dim sum" to order include:

• spring rolls ("chun guen") - crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, much better than what you find in Chinese restaurant buffets in the U.S.! A little dish of vinegar usually comes with it.
• shrimp dumplings ("ha gau") - usually contain just shrimps inside; usually come in fours
• broth-filled dumplings ("goon tong gau") - come in ones or fours, the single ones usually have shark's fin in it
• pork dumplings ("siu my") - usually come in fours
• beef / shrimp / roast pork pasta ("cheung fun") - usually comes in three 6-inch long pieces
• roast pork bun ("cha siu bao") - usually come in threes or twos
• roast pork pie ("cha siu so") - usually come in threes
• water-chestnut cake ("ma tai go") - usually come in threes, slightly sweet
• egg tart ("daan tard") - usually come in threes, slightly sweet