Living in Hong Kong China

Swine Flu H1N1 Confirmed in Hong Kong

2009-05-01T21:47:00.004+08:00

The first confirmed Swine Flu H1N1in Asia is reported in Hong Kong. This was carried from a Mexian visiting Hong Kong on 30Apr and he stayed at Metropark Hotel in Wanchai.

Bad news for us and hope it will not start spreading the flu across Hong Kong and has a wider outbreak.

HSBC Plans to Cut Another 1,000 Jobs

2009-02-08T21:01:00.002+08:00

HSBC is planning to cut another 1000 jobs in Hong Kong this week according to a local newspaper. This is an additional to the 450 jobs cut late last year and just after the Chinese New Year holiday.

HSBC spoke person declines to comment on the report and according to the past redundancy, there may be some truth to this again.

Furthermore, the annual bonus is paid in Apr and there are rumours that no bonus will be paid this year because of the result.

Fire Fox is coming to Hong Kong Ocean Park

2009-01-31T14:28:00.003+08:00

Fire Fox is coming to Ocean Park this April with the opening of a new attraction. Fire Fox (or Red Penda) is yet another national treasure from China. From the news, at least 2 to 4 Fire Fox will be coming soon.

Kung Hai Fa Choy - Year of the Ox

2009-01-26T21:06:00.003+08:00

Hi Friends, today we celebrate the Chinese New Year and Year of the Ox. It is a public holiday for 3 straight days and friends and relatives will be visiting each other to bring luck to each other. Elder will be giving red pocket (Lai See) to children and this will help to spread the luck.

As for the title of my blog (Kung Hai Fa Choy), that is a very common greeting used in Hong Kong to wish each other Fa Choy (rich) in the coming year.

New York Fries in Hong Kong

2009-01-17T12:39:00.002+08:00

For those who misses the famous New York Fries from our food courts, New York Fries has finally arrived Hong Kong.

They have opened the first store in end Dec and people have been swamping the store. There is actually a long queue outside the store almost everyday just get some fries. If you are interested, the store is opened at Harbour City.

Ani Ashekian: A Young Woman Missing in Hong Kong

2008-12-31T18:49:00.005+08:00

I read the news recently that Ani is missing in Hong Kong and I would like to give a hand to spread the words around to find her. Here is the information I extracted from Facebook. If you happens to have any information, please do contact her family.

Ani Ashekian: A Young Woman Missing in Hong Kong

I am writing to you seeking help to find our Daughter, our Sister, our Best Friend.

Ani is a bright, adventurous and vibrant young woman who has a passion for travel. She has traveled the world and is very experienced.

Her most recent trip was to Asia - specifically to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and finally India. Before her departure Ani only had enough time to secure a visa to China and decided she would get the other necessary travel visa's while abroad.

She left the Toronto International airport on Friday, October 24th. She arrived in Beijing on October 25th.

She then flew to Hong Kong on November 9th. On November 10th, she made several withdrawals and sent a text message home. She has not used her Visa card or her bank card since that day.

Ani's plan was to fly home from New Delhi, India on the 15th of December.

Ani was not on that flight.

The fact that Ani did not board her flight home on that day was not a surprise to her friends and family for they already knew something was amiss. Initially, Ani had kept in regular contact with her family and friends during the trip. When the calls and emails abruptly stopped people began to worry.

Her passport indicates that she entered Hong Kong on November 9th but that she has not left Hong Kong.

Foreign Affairs, a private investigator, and the media have been contacted.

A trust fund has been set up to help the Ashekian Family pay for the cost of a private investigator in Hong Kong.
To donate simply visit any TD Canada Trust location and ask to make a deposit to the fund.

It is under SOSSY ASHEKIAN - IN TRUST.

Wenddell@hotmail.com
rashekia@sympatico.ca

Citygate Outlet in Hong Kong

2008-12-28T22:38:00.004+08:00

I visited the Citygate Outlet recently and to my surprise, there are actually a lot of shops in this outlet. The Citygate Outlet is located in Tung Chung and very close to the airport. If you are on an evening flight home, I would suggest to visit this place in the afternoon as a last minute shopping.

There are a number of brand names outlet here and they are:

Bally
A/X
Calvin Klein
LANVIN
Polo
Roots

Hong Kong Computer Festival 2008 – I.T. Show

2008-12-04T07:53:00.005+08:00

For those visiting HK and wishes to visit to buy latest electroic / computer items, there is a Hong Kong Computer Festival 2008 - I.T. Show this weekend in Sham Shui Po District (enclosed the map for reference).

The exact location is Shum Shui Po

Fuk Wah Street
Kweilin Street
Fuk Wing Street

and the opening hours are:

5th Dec, 2008 (Fri) – From 11 am to 10 pm

6th Dec, 2008 (Sat) – From 10 am to 10 pm

7th Dec, 2008 (Sun) – From 10 am to 10 pm

8th Dec, 2008 (Mon) – From 10 am to 9 pm

For details, you can visit the following website:

http://www.hkccfexpo.com/hkccfexpo08/index_en.asp

Ngong Ping 360 Sky-Ride & Game Pass at $178

2008-11-16T20:41:00.002+08:00

While I was waiting for the MTR, I saw an ad which has a very good Ngong Ping 360 offer. For HKD178, you will enjoy:

Ngong Ping 360 - 1 round trip cable car ticket
4D Extreme Screen Cinema - 1 4D movie ticket
Aviation Discovery Centre -1 Free SkyDeck visit
iSports – Interactive Sports Game - 8 tokens
AsiaHollywood – Movie-Themed Interactive Exhibition - Free admission and 2 free games

The offer is until 31Jan2009 and you can get tickets get the following locations:

Ticketing offices at Ngong Ping 360 Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal
Asia Hollywood at Skyplaza, Terminal 2, Hong Kong International Airport

I will definitely visit them during my vacation in December and will give an update after that.

Free WiFi offered by HSBC Hong Kong?

2008-09-16T22:44:00.005+08:00

When I was logging in to my HSBC internet banking, I found that HSBC is now offering complimentary WiFi access in their HSBC Premier Centre in Hong Kong.

So when you are traveling in Hong Kong and would like to have access to your emails, you now have another choice (other than the free WiFi Service in McDonalds).

Better yet, if you are a HSBC Premier customer (no matter which country, you should be recognised), you can even take a seat and have a cup of coffee while relaxing in their centre and enjoying their free service.

A Hot Mid-Autumn Festival

2008-09-14T14:23:00.003+08:00

Well, it is the Mid-Autumn festival again but it does not feel like Autumn here in Hong Kong.

Due to the Typhoon in Taiwan, it is estimated the temperature will be around 33c and it will be the hottest since the recording setting in 1969. It is forecasted that there will be periodic rain too but it won't hurt the chances to enjoy the moon and Fire Dragon dance at TaiHang.

BTW, to allow people to enjoy the moon all night, public transportation such as MTR and buses will be running all night. So do enjoy the moon tonight.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong

2008-08-02T23:01:00.002+08:00

We are only 6 days away from the Beijing 2008 Olympics and we can always see the excitment overall Hong Kong.

Not only it is the first time that the Olympics is held in China, it is also because Olympics Equestrain events are also held in Hong Kong.

The Olympic Equestrian Events comprise 3 disciplines - Dressage, Jumping and Eventing - with individual and team competition in each.

For the official websit to the Equestrian events, you can visit the following:

http://www.equestrian2008.org/eng/front.aspx

Adidas also Predicted that Lakers would win instead of the Celtics?

2008-07-27T10:50:00.003+08:00

This may be a bit out of topic. However, remember my post earlier that I bought the Celtics Championship T-Shirt last week in Hong Kong. When I open the package and wear it to work yesterday, I found the tags/labels that come with the T-Shirt.

In that label, it says that the colour of my t-shirt is WHITE/PURPLE. However, my t-shirt is GREY/GREEN. I do believe that WHITE/PURPLE represents the Lakers.

This makes me think that Adidas has made the Lakers Championship t-shirt and the labels before the finals are over. They are so cheap that they reuse those labels even though Celtics finally won the championship. What do you think?

Red Cliff @ The Grand Cinema in The Elements

2008-07-19T22:33:00.002+08:00

Watched this awesome movie at the Grand Cinema last week. To tell you the truth, I don't have much clue about the Three Kingdoms Dynasty but this movie has extracted me to find out more about that era of the Chinese History.

From what I read from a lot of sites, the Battle of Red Cliff is the one of the most impressive battle where a much smaller troops won against the fierce army of Cao Cao. In Asia, this movie comes in 2 parts and I can't wait for the 2nd part of the movie at the end of this year.

Boston Celtics Fans in Hong Kong

2008-07-19T21:49:00.003+08:00

Although I am from Canada, I have been a big Celtics fans since the Larry Bird era. I was so happy that the Celtics finally wins banner 17 this year with the new big 3.

When I find that there are so many championship mechanise this year, I can't waiting for those to arrive Hong Kong. Today when I was in Harbour City, I found the Celtics 2008 Championship DVD in Hong Kong Records with a price tag of HKD217 and I wasted little time to purchase it. Later, I also found 2 championship T-Shirts in the NBA Adidas Shop too. So you know where to find those must have championship gears for all your die-hard Celtics fans.

iPhone 3G arrived Hong Kong

2008-07-12T14:08:00.002+08:00

iPhone 3G arrived Hong Kong yesterday and 1,500 lucky winners got their new phone yesterday.

From 3 Hong Kong, there are more than 60,000 customers reserved the iPhone 3G and Apple will be shipping more than 60,000 units to Hong Kong within a month.

There are rumors that those received their units yesterday can resell them with a price tag at HKD18,000 and that is a big return consider that the unit together with the plan is only costing around HKD8,000.

How luck those winners are.

Apple iPhone 3G in Hong Kong

2008-07-06T19:29:00.004+08:00

Apple has announced the worldwide release of iPhone 3G on 11Jul and 3 Hong Kong has also announced their service plan recently in Hong Kong. See below:

In all plans, they will provide you with 500MB of data and I am not sure whether that will be sufficient for a 3G iPhone. Nonetheless, when you compare the 4 plans, I do believe the best available plan is $328. What's your view on this?

Hottest Day in Hong Kong this Year - 33.4C

2008-06-22T10:58:00.005+08:00

After heavy rains in the past 2 weeks, we finally have sunshine during this weekend. It is also the first time this year that the Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning iand it is now in force.

The highest temperature measured yesterday is 33.4C which is the highest this year and seems like it is going to last for a few days.

HSBC Commits To Match Public Donations For Earthquake Victims

2008-05-18T11:32:00.004+08:00

Please help those earthquake victims to rebuild their lives..... HSBC will match dollar to dollar donation from the public upto RMB4 million. So if you plan to donate to those victims, they will benefit more through HSBC.

Please find part of their announcement below or you can visit their official website:

The Hongkong Bank Foundation, HSBC's charitable arm is committing an additional RMB4 million to match donations from the public wishing to support recovery work in mainland China following the recent earthquake. The RMB4 million commitment from HSBC is in addition to the RMB10 million in funds donated by the Bank already.

The Bank has established a dedicated account to take donations from its employees, customers and the general public. Donations can be made at any HSBC or Hang Seng Bank ATM, at www.hsbc.com.hk or through any of the Bank's branches using the HSBC China Earthquake Relief account number 808-459085-001. The account will be open for donation collections until 31 May 2008.

HSBC Admitted the Lost of a Server in Hong Kong

2008-05-10T10:31:00.004+08:00

You always wonder how a bank keep track of customer data and how secure those information are. Now you see that one of the biggest bank in the world just lost a server from a branch and almost 160,000 customer personal details may be exposed.

The following is from Hong Kong Standard Post:

On Wednesday, HSBC admitted it lost track of the server during renovations at its Kwun Tong branch on April 26.

Police said they are investigating the loss as a case of theft.

Data on the server includes account numbers, customer names, transaction amounts and transaction types, but no passwords or personal identification numbers.

"The server is protected by multiple layers of security. The risk of data leakage and fraudulent transactions resulting from the loss of the server is deemed very low," Cheng said. "HSBC will cover losses for customers but no compensation claims have been requested so far."

Olympic torch is coming to Hong Kong on 2May

2008-04-25T23:47:00.003+08:00

When I was watching the late night news, I watch that the government is preparing for the Beijing Olympic flame in the coming week.

The Beijing Olympic flame is scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong on April 30 and the torch relay will be conducted on May 2.

The torch will be relayed in different forms and modes, including running and via vehicle, dragon boat and ferry. There will be 120 torchbearers selected from the sport, community and other sectors, plus students and volunteers.

The Hong Kong Torch Relay will last 8 hours. The Olympic flame will be carried by 120 torchbearers to places throughout the territory on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories to spread the Olympic spirit by running or by using various modes of transportation such as cars, dragon boat and launch. The route will pass through major landmarks and scenic spots of Hong Kong to showcase Hong Kong’s unique charisma and beautiful scenery to the world.

Since it will be a public holiday in Hong Kong on May 1st, I believe many people will also be taking May 2 off to take part in this event.

Earliest Tropical Storm Since World War II

2008-04-19T21:56:00.003+08:00

Tropical Storm Neoguri just visited Hong Kong. Neoguri is the earliest tropical storm visited Hong Kong since World War II. Neoguri also caused the first Black Rain Warning in 2008.

At 10 p.m. Hong Kong time, Tropical Storm Neoguri was estimated to be
about 150 kilometres west-northwest of Hong Kong (near 23.1
degrees north 113.0 degrees east) and is forecast to move
northeast at about 18 kilometres per hour moving into
inland Guangdong.

GovWiFi - Free WiFi from Hong Kong Government

2008-04-06T11:12:00.005+08:00

Back in end 2007, Hong Kong Government has been offering free Wifi service to people through the GovWiFi programme. On 27Mar2008, the service was started officially and Hong Kong Government plans to provide free WiFi service to over 100 locations by mid 2008 and up to 350 locations by mid 2009.

Most of the locations are located in Government buildings, Libraries, Community Centres, Parks, etc. People can connect to this service 1 hour each time and after that limit, you will need to reconnect.

For more information on the programme and the service locations, you may want to visit:
http://www.gov.hk/en/theme/wifi/program/index.htm

Hong Kong Sevens 2008

2008-03-25T22:27:00.002+08:00

Hong Kong Sevens 2008 is coming this weekend again and information is as follow:

Date: March 28 - 30, 2008 (Friday to Sunday)
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium

Time:
March 28 (Friday)
04:30 pm - 9:15 pm

March 29 (Saturday)
10:30 am - 7:15 pm

March 30 (Sunday)
09:45 am - 6:40 pm

You may want to visit the official website: http://www.hksevens.com/index.html

For those who are not familiar with Hong Kong Sevens, I have include ibackground nformation below:

The world's premier Rugby Sevens Tournament was born over pre-luncheon drinks at the venerable old Hong Kong Club on a misty spring day in 1975. The Chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, an amiable South African entrepreneur, A.D.C. "Tokkie" Smith, was talking with tobacco company executive Ian Gow. It was Gow's idea, as Promotions Manager for his firm, to sponsor a Rugby Tournament with top teams from throughout the world competing.
On March 28, 1976, less than a year after Tokkie Smith and Ian Gow shared a glass, clubs from Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Japan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Fiji participated in the first Hong Kong Sevens Tournament. It was an astonishing accomplishment; in less than 12 months, a team of talented, dedicated volunteers had created a sporting event that was to tackle the imagination of the rugby world.

As the Tournament grew throughout the 70's and 80's in both supporter popularity and the number of participating teams, which had now progressed from club sides to representative teams, the Tournament moved from its original home in the Hong Kong Football Club to the Hong Kong Government Stadium. By the beginning of the 90's, with demand for tickets having outstretched the capacity of the Stadium for over five years, it was time for a larger facility. The Stadium that had been the Tournament's home for 12 years was re-built in 1994 and a 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium is now its current venue.

In 1993 the first Rugby World Cup Sevens Tournament was held in Scotland, where the game of Sevens had originated. Hong Kong was awarded the prestige of hosting the 2nd Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1997, which was a huge success in a memorable year for Hong Kong as it was handed back to China and became a Special Administrative Region.

During the years after the Rugby World Cup Sevens it was apparent how important the game of Sevens rugby had become in the development of good rugby players. Players such as Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen, George Gregan to name a few first demonstrated their speed and agility in the Hong Kong Sevens. The iRB, recognising the value of the game of Sevens, launched its inaugural World Sevens Series in 2000 - the 25th year of Sevens Rugby in Hong Kong - to enable more players to benefit from Sevens competitions. A core of 10 to 12 of the world's top teams now participate in tournaments in Dubai, South Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Asia.

The Hong Kong Sevens Tournament itself has a wonderful history. It is now considered the iRB's "Jewel in the Crown" in the Series and still continues to grow in popularity with players and spectators. Rugby World Cup Sevens 2005 was the second time Hong Kong has hosted RWC Sevens and this year marks 32 years of sevens rugby in Hong Kong - a remarkable achievement.

School Suspected because of Flu

2008-03-13T22:39:00.003+08:00

Everyone has to be careful now due to the wide spread of influenza.

Health chief York Chow Yat-ngok announced late last night after meeting health and education officials that all primary schools, special schools, nurseries and kindergartens will be closed for two weeks until after the Easter Holidays.

There were 20 suspected outbreaks of flue as of yesterday. The three confirmed outbreaks involved primary schools. On a list of suspected outbreaks are two secondary schools, 11 primary schools and seven kindergarten/child-care centers.

Beckham is coming to Hong Kong

2008-03-02T12:54:00.003+08:00

L.A galaxy football team has been invited to come to hongkong for an amazing football exhibition match, head coach of the team Rudd guilt, main player David Beckham and the other famous players are all very exited about the HK tour.

Just recently Galaxy team’s new Zealand and Australia Sydney tours were more than the means of successes, everywhere they went they light up the whole city’s football passion. It’s not hard to imaging how much of football frenzy this tour will stir up in china and even the whole Asia.

Tickets will be sold to public from 6 March at Hong Kong Stadium.

Date: 9 March, 2008
Kick Off: 15:00
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium
Match: HK SCAA Invitation Team vs LA Galaxy
Ticket Sales: 6 March 2008
Ticket Outlets: Hong Kong Stadium

Address: 55 Eastern Hospital Road, So Kon Po, Hong Kong

Time: 10:00 - 18:00

Ticket Price:
HK$980, HK$380, HK$200, HK$120 (for Students & Senior Citizens)
Special Ticket Promotion:
1 complimentary ticket of 2008 AFC Cup –
SCAA vs Home United (Singapore) (6 March 2008) for every purchase of a Ticket.
(Only for first 2,500 Ticket, while stock last)

http://www.hkfa.com/includes_files/board_details.php?news_id=5670

Party at Hong Kong Lan Kwai Fong and Soho

2008-02-22T22:58:00.003+08:00

Lan Kwai Fong / SoHo is the place to indulge your palate and satisfy your cravings. An abundance of tempting restaurants and bars make the choices plentiful. Options range from sexy bars and open-front restraunts all the way to sophisticated fine dining. Every whim is catered to on this street of International delights.

Set lunch, afternoon coffee, after-work drink, romantic dinner, dancing till dawn - you can find it al at Lan Kwai Fong. Join the craziness of the crowd or find a window table in one of the many bars & restraurants with a view and watch the party take-off.

For information, you can visit http://www.lkfe.com/

Free Wi-Fi in Hong Kong

2008-02-17T12:21:00.002+08:00

When visiting Hong Kong, there will be time when you would like to check your email or post on your blog. There are a number of places you can access free Wi-Fi but there is no better place than McDonald's.

McDonald's has been offering 20 minutes free WiFi for all customers in there 24 hours locations since Mar2007. This program is offered in conjunction with Y5Zone and you can access the service through the Y5Zone SSID. Once connected, you can just click on the image "20 minutes FREE WiFi everyday" to start surfing. To continue to surf after the first 20 minutes, you can also pay for the extra service and the cost is HKD15 for unlimited use for 1 day, HKD39 for unlimited use for 5 days or HKD128 for unlimited use for 30 days.

Other than 24 hours McDonald's, PCCW is also offering free WiFi to passengers in Hong Kong International Airport. This service is provided through the SSID Free WiFi.

The Oscars at The Grand Hong Kong

2008-02-09T16:27:00.000+08:00

I was at The Grand (at the Elements) yesterday to watch Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and found that they have a special on 9 of the Oscar Nominated Pictures. I have extracted the information below:

From February 4 to March 2, The Grand will screen 9 of the Oscar Nominated Pictures. Just produce a regular priced ticket stub from any screening in this promotion, and you can watch a second movie from the list of 9 at only HK$40. Watch all 9 and see if you can pick which film deserves to be the best of the year. The movies are:

Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Opens 31Jan)

There will be Blood (Opens 14Feb)

Michael Clayton (Opens 14Feb)

No Country For Old Men (Opens 21Feb)

Elizerbeth (Now Showing)

Juno (Opens 21Feb)

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (Opens 7Feb)

Atonement (Now Showing)

La Vie en Rose (Opens 14Feb)

Chinese New Year in Hong Kong

2008-02-02T21:23:00.001+08:00

This year, Chinese New Year falls on the 7Feb. This is the year of the Rats and the public will have 4 days of holidays. This weekend, although it is extremely cool, there are lots of people in the malls to get prepare for the new year. This photo is the Lion Dance taken in the Elements and there are other Chinese decoration in other malls as well.

During the first few days of the new year, Chinese love to visit other family members and they will be bringing small presents to them. In return, they will be giving red pockets to the children. Family members will also gather for a family reunion before the new year.

Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha Statue

2008-01-12T16:17:00.001+08:00

Well, I have been talking about the resume of the Ngong Ping 360 earlier and people have been asking me what are the nearby attractions. I have been telling them to visit Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha Statue after their cable car ride.

Some background on the this attraction:

Po Lin Monastery is a Buddhist sacred site with rich collection of Buddhish manuscripts in Hong Kong. A revered giant Buddha status, adjacent to the Monastery is the world's tallest seated outdoor bronze Buddha statue. Unveiled in 1993, the statue has become a major tourist attraction. You can ride the Ngong Ping 360 spanning from Tung Chung to the Tian Tan Buddha statue and Po Lin Monastery are located.

Longest Suspension Bridge - Tsing Ma Bridge

2008-01-05T19:21:00.000+08:00

For those of you who have visited Hong Kong, you may know that the beautiful picture on the top of my blog is the Tsing Ma Bridge. Let me give you some introduction of the bridge.

The Tsing Ma Bridge is the world's longest span suspension bridge carrying both road and railway traffic. A major landmark in Hong Kong. It is the vital link between the city and the Hong Kong International Airport. The western section of the bridge spans between the hills of the Ma Wan Island and a manmade island opposite to Ma Wan and connects to Ma Wan Viaduct and Kap Shui Mun Bridge. The area just below the Tsing Ma Bridge is Ma Wan which has been developed into a private residential complex (Park Island) and a private bridge completed with water leisure facilities and tranquil environment.

Passengers wait Four Hours for Free Ride on Lantau Cable Car in Hong Kong

2007-12-26T22:16:00.000+08:00

Before the resume of the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car on 31Dec, the cable car company arranged their employees and relatives for a free trial.

On the fourth day (on Christmas day), more than 10,000 people took a ride on the Lantau cable car and the management would like to test the new system's ability to handle heavy crowds. During the day, people have to wait for over 4 hours to get on the cable car and lots of people complain on the arrangement. There are elderly people who cannot wait for such long period and have to return without taking part in the trial. There were also cases where the staff told passengers to return in the afternoon to avoid the long queue but only to know that the cable car company decided to stop the queue at 3:30pm. Those poor passengers have to return without taking this free ride.

Also, there are still stoppages (for a few minutes each time) during the operation. The cable car management advised that it is normal and have nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, I suggest to let the operation runs smooth first before taking part if you are interested.

Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car to Resume on 31Dec in Hong Kong

2007-12-23T23:02:00.000+08:00

Ngong Ping 360 cable car is planning to resume operation on 31Dec07. Since the fall of a cable car a few months agao (note that it is after operation and no person is in the cable car), the cable car management team has been replaced by the MTR management team.

Yesterday, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development was there for the pre-run and although there is some minor operation issue, everything seems to be smooth. So if you are planning to visit Hong Kong end this year or early next year, you can now plan to take the cable car to Ngong Ping.

http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/front/index.asp

Grand Cinema - Special Offer for Standard Chartered and Manhattan Card Customers

2007-12-22T13:08:00.000+08:00

I just found out recently that The Grand Cinema at Elements is having a special offer for Standard Chartered Platinum card holder, you can enjoy a buy one get one free offer (same show) ticket offer at the Standard Chartered Starsuite on every Wednesday. The ticket is $125 which include a snack and a drink.

Also for Manhattan Cardholder, you can redeem a ticket at the MANHATTAN Galaxy at a special rate of $1 + 1000 Credit card points on every Thursday.

The offers last until 5Nov08, so enjoy the movies.

HSBC backed down to a minimum withdrawal restriction for ATM

2007-12-22T12:48:00.000+08:00

If you have been in Hong Kong, you will know that the queue when visiting the branch or withdrawing month from ATM is extremely long. Recently, HSBC introduced the idea of having a HK$300 minimum withdrawal amount for each account and they have received a lot of complaints from the public.

HSBC has finally decided to cancel this limit after consideration but the negative publicity has already been done. In the public, this move is another measure to drive away the poor customers and to reduce the service provided to them. Furthermore, with classifying the customers (Primer, Powervantage, etc), it seems like they are only interested in wealthy customers.

Monster, Inc @ Maritime Square in Hong Kong

2007-12-03T18:37:00.000+08:00

This year, the malls in Hong Kong are already full of Christmas decorations and getting ready for the spending season.

At Maritime Square in Tsing Yi (just outside Tsing Yi MTR Station), there is a joint promotion between the mall and Disney. The mall is decorated with characters from Monster, Inc.

To get into this Monster, Inc village, no entrance fees is required but you have to donate a small amount to a designated charity organisation. To me, this is a very good idea and gives us something to thing about during the holiday season.

A new generation in Hong Kong Railway - MTR

2007-12-02T18:49:00.000+08:00

Today is the first day which sees the merger between the merger between the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL). The new company will use the MTRCL name and provide all train services to Hong Kong people.

I have attached the latest railway map for reference. After the merger, there will be fare discount on almost all trips. I have extracted some discount schemes below:

(a) The Second Boarding Charge will be abolished, resulting in fare reductions of HK$1 to HK$7 for passengers interchanging between the existing MTR and KCR networks

(b) All fares will be reduced by HK$0.2

(d) For those long distance journeys with fares at or above HK$12 where (a), (b) and (c) do not add up to a 10% saving, a further reduction will be offered to achieve the 10% saving

(e) Medium distance journeys with fares from HK$8.5 to HK$11.9 will be reduced by a minimum of 5%. If (a) and (b) do not add up to a 5% saving, a further reduction will be offered to achieve the 5% reduction

For me personally, seems like I will be saving HK$0.4 per day. Better than nothing right...

The Grand Cinema @ The ELEMENTS

2007-12-01T13:41:00.004+08:00

One of the newest Cinema "The Grand Cinema" is opened at "The ELEMENTS" at the Kowloon MTR Station in Hong Kong.

I was there to watch "The Heartbreak Kid" and the price is very reasonable for new cinema. Also, The Grand Cinema also features two new suites “Standard Chartered Starsuite” and "MANHATTAN Galaxy”. The “Standard Chartered Starsuite” is a VIP suite with a total of 23 seats and the "MANHATTAN Galaxy" has a total of 316 seats that features 3D and digital movies.

Furthermore, The Grand boasts the largest number of screens in Hong Kong (12 in total). Also they feature a ground breaking Infrasonic system that creates a complete new experience for movies with "vibrating" chairs.

Visit Grand Cinema using the following link: Grand Cinema

Goldfish Street in Hong Kong

2007-11-05T22:32:00.000+08:00

In Mongkok, there is a Gold Fish Street where you can find a lot of shops that sells aquariums, gold fish, tropical fish and all kind of other fish. You see that most of the shops are selling fish using a plastic bag and hanging it outside the shop.

The Goldfish street is located between Tung Choi Street and Bute Street (Prince Edward MTR exit B2).

Hong Kong People and the Stock Market

2007-11-05T22:24:00.001+08:00

This is a common scene in-front of Banks in recent months. There are tones of people looking at the screens to check on the stock market. You can see that no matter they are old or young people, they are all investing in stock market.

On this particular day, there is a big drop in the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index where there is a drop of over 5% or 1,526.02 points.

Monday's plunge came after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said over the weekend that four conditions need to be met before Chinese individuals will be allowed to invest directly in the Hong Kong market. The conditions include a law to regulate fund outflows to avoid a shock to the mainland market and studying the possible negative consequences for the Hong Kong stock market. His comments raised doubts about when the scheme to allow direct investment from the mainland, known locally as the 'through-train,' will be launched. Hong Kong shares had risen more than 30% since August.

Halloween Bash @ Ocean Park

2007-10-27T11:47:00.000+08:00

In recent years, Hong Kong Ocean Park has been arranging a Halloween Bash to attract tourist. You can find more information from the Ocean Park website.

I have also extracted the highlights below:

Come to Ocean Park for an all-new mix of spooky fun and creepy thrills in one of the world's biggest Halloween Bash! There are 40 new Halloween attractions throughout every dark corner of the park.

Fulfill your frightful fantasies at the 7 never-seen-before haunted houses and 3 new scary zones - each set to different frightening themes and characters from all-around the Nether World. Assault your senses with the spellbinding and whacky SCAREmonies 07 and spectacular shows featuring the largest ever cast of 250 ghosts!

Be prepared for amazing night action that will leave you breathless!

You can purchase tickets online through the link I listed above.

Newest Shopping Mall - ELEMENTS

2007-10-13T22:26:00.000+08:00

Elements is the newest shopping mall in Hong Kong. It is located above Kowloon Station in Tsim Sha Tsui. The mall is designed based on the 5 Chinese elements and they are: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth.

The mall is extremely big (as compare to other malls in HK) and there are a lots of famous brands. They include:

A/X
COACH
DAKS
DKNY
Dunhill
H&M
PRADA
Zara
Armani
Tiffany & Co
and a lot more....

You can find there website for more information.

I have also included some photos I took today below.

National Day

2007-10-01T19:20:00.000+08:00

1st Oct is the national day of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The PRC was found in 1949 and this year we celebrate the 56th anniversary . In Hong Kong, we have a day of holiday and it is call a Golden Week since lots of Chinese from China will be visiting Hong Kong this week to shop or just to visit.

As usual, there is fireworks at night and this year's fireworks display is "Unity" and "Joyfulness", which carries a strong message to encourage local people to contribute to the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong.

There are a total of 12 scenes and will last 23 minutes, including the 9th scene "One World One Dream", wishing the Beijing Olympic Games a great success and the last scene "Love our Motherland", wishing all the bests to the home country and Hong Kong.

Bird's Nest

2007-09-23T11:17:00.001+08:00

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

2007-09-17T22:02:00.000+08:00

Service Charge
Most restaurants will levy a 10 per cent service charge but waiters will expect to be given some loose change.
Drinking Water
Don't drink the tap water and buy bottled water instead.
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.
Map
Buy a map, the street and signs in Hong Kong are not easy to find.
Octopus Card
Get an Octopus card for your transportaion need (from MTR stations or in the Airport).
Shopping Centre Opening Hours
Most shopping centres open every day throughout the year and they generally opens from 10am - 9:30pm.
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.
Spoken Language
English is widely spoken and there is no problem in communicating iwth people in most hotels, restaurants and even some taxis.
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.
Emergency Service
The emergency service telephone number (Police, Fire, Ambulance) is 999.

Hong Kong Shopping - Sport Shoes Street

2007-09-16T22:40:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-15T13:22:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-13T21:08:00.001+08:00

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???

2007-09-11T22:42:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-09T20:26:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-08T21:45:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-08T14:43:00.004+08:00

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

2007-09-06T21:23:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-03T22:19:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-02T23:09:00.001+08:00

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

2007-09-02T16:43:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-02T16:00:00.001+08:00

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