Friday, October 16, 2009
Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps. And if you are given only 24 hours to tour the city, then you should never sleep to accomplish it. Of course you'd want a longer one but sometimes time doesn't permit. Your Hong Kong travel will then be rewarded with impressive experiences, stories and images that will last a lifetime.
8:00am or earlier: The earlier you get up from bed, the more opportunity you’ll get to notice how Hong Kong prepares for a typical day. You can visit the busy wet markets scattered in the city, parks littered with tai chi enthusiasts. Or you can have breakfast at local dim sum houses filled with early birds sipping tea and reading the freshest news of the day.
9:00am: At this time, expect to see the real fast-paced Hong Kong at its best. Office workers rush to bus stops and train stations. But this shouldn’t deter you from making your first trip to Hong Kong’s top attractions. Take the Star Ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central and capture Victoria Harbour’s iconic skyline from both ends of the harbour.
10:00am: Catch bus #15 to The Peak just outside Star Ferry’s Central terminal. While waiting for the bus to arrive, you can take a morning photo of Hong Kong’s tallest building (at least until its cousin on Kowloon side is finished). On the way to the Peak, you’ll pass by Admiralty, Wan Chai and Mid-levels East section and notice the diverse way of people’s life along the way.
11:30am: After exploring The Peak’s views (we fervently hope the sky’s clear while you’re around) and attractions like Madam Tussauds, it’s time to go down back to Central. This time, take the landmark Peak Tram on your way down. You’ll be able to spend the rest of the morning exploring other views of Central such as HSBC and Bank of China towers or explore one of the world’s longest outdoor escalator system. Afterwards, you’ll be able to grab sumptuous lunch at café bars within Mid-levels area. Be aware that office break time takes place around 12:30 – 2pm so it will be good to get ahead of the crowd; it is normal to notice people standing behind you waiting for you to finish your bowl.
1:00pm: Take the bus 260, 6,6X or 66 at bus terminal at Exchange Square and head off to Stanley Market, a good 20- to 30-minute ride to Hong Kong Island’s southern coast. Grab some souvenir items while you can. There are also relaxing cafes and pubs in the area if you want a midday break. You can spend an hour here before heading back to Central. Take the same bus but alight at Admiralty, just in front of the luxury mall called Pacific Place. Take a short tram ride your way to Western Market. If you fail to do so, you’ll not get the chance when you are in Kowloon.
2:30pm: At the Central MTR station, take the MTR going to Mong Kok. In a hot and humid afternoon, the last thing you’d like to do is get lost in a new city. MTR is clean, efficient, fast and affordable. More importantly, it takes you directly to your desired destination without much hassle. Take the Tsuen Wan line and get off at Mong Kok. You can continue your splurge for exotic items (Chinese ornamentals, shirts or fake jade accessories) or simply wander around the busy Ladies Market.
4:30pm: Time passes quickly when you’re in Hong Kong as there are simply lots of things to do. But it does not prevent you from making the most of your 24-hour stay in the city. As sunset approaches, walking around Tsim Sha Tsui becomes easier (includes dealing with taunts offering various products). Visit an Eprit outlet at Hankow Street or explore shows at Hong Kong Cultural Center (prior booking recommended).
6:30pm: It’s time to gear up for the night’s affair with light cocktail drinks at bars located on top of IFC mall. Watch the day end with one of grandest views of the city without spending too much.
8:00pm: Be prepared to watch the Symphony of Lights that feature Hong Kong and Kowloon’s buildings as props of light and music spectacle. Best places to secure best views include Tsim Sha Tsui’s promenade. But you don’t have to leave your cozy cocktail seat to enjoy the 15-minute show.
9:00pm: Head to Lan Kwai Fong for dinner or continue your bar-hopping experience. The place becomes alive with revelers, after work party goers and fellow tourists. You may extend your reach by visiting pubs in Wan Chai area as the night gets deeper.
As you head to your cozy Hong Kong hotel, you’d be pleased to realize that you have conquered Hong Kong in less than 24 hours. And with photos and memories secured, you’ll be ready to be a storyteller to everyone back home.
Photo credit: Mark Austria
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Another shot at MTR stations and places where staircases are placed in parallel with each other. Have you noticed that even when escalators are a bit out of the way on MTR stations, people usually won't mind getting that extra step just to be able to use them? The obvious reason is that escalators require less effort for passengers to get to the upper floor.
The MTR has posted the "Step Your Way To Health" as an incentive to people who ditch escalators and take the stairs. Yet, people can take the escalator and walk and end up at the MTR turnstile or favorite Midlevels dining place faster.
So how do we get people to use the staircase instead of the escalator. Make the steps resemble as piano keys so that every step you make, a sound will be produced. With the rush hour crowd, and many people rush to use both escalators and staircases I bet the piano tune's gonna be like the Flight of the Bumblebee.
Here's How Volkswagen did it in Stockholm, Sweden.
Photo credit: jparise
Think about it, when you're at the MTR all the announcements on broadcast are predictable. Sometimes they are annoying that they're no longer effective the more you hear them. Unlike airport announcements that have real purpose (delayed flights, changed baggage claims, lost passengers), MTR announcements are out there to
Your attention please, eating or drinking is not allowed on trains or on paid areas of stations
Yes, we know there is no eating. Certainly 99% of passengers can read the signs. Even if the broadcast announcements are for obvious boneheads, the upright ones find them irritating.
Please stand back from the door
Totototototot if I may add. This is more applicable when the train is fully packed during rush hours. But on late night travelers, this will surely keep them from falling asleep and missing their stations.
Please hold the handrail
This announcement is intended to remind passengers to keep holding the handrail when using the escalator to avoid accidents. However, in this video you see the announcement runs even when there are no people in the escalator area. It is just noisy.
An advertising idea is to promote MTR brand by using these ubiquitous signs and announcements outdoors (example: malls controlled by MTR) using the very same voice over lady and people will easily make a connection with this off-MTR experience with the real one.
Of course, these and other announcements are essential to sight impaired passengers, but at least when broadcast, can they be announced less frequently?
Photo credit: stephenk1977
A news story at CNN on teenage prostitution sounds shocking to some, but in Hong Kong this news is often heard on TV newscast or read in newspapers. It is a growing phenomenon about teenage girls involved in prostitution and using the money they earn to buy luxury items like luxury shoes or bags.
Prostitution is outlawed in Hong Kong so the perpetrators of this activity (vendors and clients) use the term "compensated dating" to describe what they do. Girls don't call themselves prostitutes because they can easily quit if they want to. Basically it's like finding a date and paying for her. Except that sex is almost always part of the equation. And when money's involved it's sometimes difficult to put it aside.
Some girls get hooked into this practice because their friends are doing it. And they see obviously what their friends get for doing so. These friends who are involved in compensated dating wear designer clothing or cosmetics. As teenagers who are unable to find work and can't ask for more allowance beyond school expenses, they have little or no way to go to get those desired things.
Or maybe it's one's way to rebel out of a problematic family as social workers notice that these girls belong to a wide spectrum of society; some are from poor families while others belong to rich ones.
Enter a sexually-deprived, well-to-do man in his 40s. He's lonely, maybe unmarried (or married but has a very busy wife) and has lots of money to spend on almost anything. The girl arranges a date, the location, sets the money involved and all date and bed rules. After the transaction, money changes hands and both go on separate ways.
They may also be teenagers who are not good enough to become pseudo models and have their own reasons of getting involved in compensated dating. One admitted to trying it out when she lost her phone, and when the amount paid to her wasn't enough she had to agree on another date.
Government measures of cracking down on these activities is not a long term solution. Care from family is the basic requirement in order for these girls to avoid engaging in this practice. Social workers are there but that's already when these teenagers are already hooked and can't find their way out.
Photo credit: dhun8881
Monday, October 12, 2009
If someone asks you how do you describe Dony and Ami, the official mascots of the East Asian Games Hong Kong, what comes to your mind first?
White vegetables? Octopuses? A pair of hairy teeth? If you find it difficult to determine, you're not alone. And it's not only that. Even if you guessed it right (it's actually lion and fire), that's not helping sales of these mascots. Shops have reported disappointing sales figures that paled in comparison with sales of Beijing Olympics merchandise.
David Leung Pak-keung, who designed the mascots, defended his work. "The mascots are lion and fire," he said. "The idea might be abstract, but they represent the spirit of Hong Kong people clearly."
Many people who were asked what do Dony and Ami stand for have various descriptions that stuck with common finding that they don't represent Hong Kong at all; heck, some are unable to distinguish who is the boy and who is the girl!
It's indeed unfair to pin the blame to the "ugly" mascots for low sales turnout at shops or even sales of tickets (I have a post at SEO Hong Kong related to this). SCMP reported on 30 Sep that "nearly 60 per cent of the 330,000 tickets for the East Asian Games have been sold, two months before the opening ceremony". Another reason could be that there has been lack of promotion in the part of organizers. The East Asian Games in December may have been marred lack of publicity (schools and taxis have now been deployed) so I posted things to do to help promote it in the city in April.
While it is too late to replace the official mascots, it's not too late to generate sales as the Games is still about two months away. There are ways that can be done to prevent further disappointment in the cash registers.
Photo credit: RJ Prescott
Sunday, October 11, 2009
I know it's sometimes a pain to take the MTR with all the noise, crowding, peeping toms, toilets (or lack thereof) and other things that can be improved in our opinion. But while we see these flaws presented to us during our rush hour or late-night trips, we should still consider ourselves blessed with an efficient, on-time and clean subway station.
Okay, there may be unforgettable experiences like these:
But look elsewhere and you'll see other more objectionable acts.
Okay, there may be unforgettable experiences like these:
But look elsewhere and you'll see other more objectionable acts.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
CNNGo, a shopping, travel and lifestyle guide for Asia conducted an informal online survey asking the public which city is the greatest in the world.
I guess the poll closed yesterday and so far Hong Kong was the choice for 19% of voters while 13% voted for Singapore. Bangkok had 9% and New York had 8%. In this kind of online survey nobody's declared a winner. If I live in Oslo or Pretoria and loved the city very much, such city is the greatest for me no matter which one is proclaimed greatest city on any survey.
There may be a lot of reasons behind why Hong Kong is on top of this fun survey. Among them:
1) More people based in Hong Kong were aware of the poll. It gives personal pride to live in the so-called Greatest City, so a vote cast for the host city is almost automatic.
2) CNNGo is more Asia-exposed and that respondents from Americas or Europe may not be the targeted ones in the survey. Hence the apparent lack of vote from those regions.
3) The lead image of the survey portrays Hong Kong's skyline at night time. Not a mosaic of top landmarks of contending cities. A good hint to choose Hong Kong as the greatest?
Does Greatest City mean happiest residents? Past surveys doesn't show Hong Kong has among the happiest people in the world. Maybe freest, but that title has also been questioned.
While nobody should take the survey seriously (no medals are at stake or no monetary awards given), it's given me inspiration to write more about this unofficial greatest city in the world.
To some it sounds fair, but to others it's a loophole in the law. Illegal immigrants in Hong Kong seeking asylum in Hong Kong are free to work in the city without getting jailed. The Court of First Instance affirmed last March that any illegal immigrant seeking asylum in Hong Kong are allowed to find job while waiting for the outcome of their application.
That means if you are an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong, you have to file your application for asylum immediately and you're free to find work. That's the easier part. The harder part is to reach Hong Kong without proper documentation. In other words, Hong Kong authorities are cracking down hard on those who plan to take advantage of this alleged loophole in the law.
But this doesn't seem to deter illegal immigrants from crossing the boundary. Eight illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Africa were intercepted Thursday as they crossed Hong Kong from Mainland China. Yesterday, another 13 from Pakistan were nabbed in the same area. Getting hints from the latest human smuggling route, authorities have better idea where to look at.
"We are waiting for you. Once we catch you, you will be prosecuted with the full weight of Hong Kong law," Superintendent John Cameron said.
Some 1,064 non-Chinese illegal immigrants, mostly South Asians, have been arrested so far this year, up from 964 in the whole of last year, according to South China Morning Post reports.
If you are an asylum seeker at home, you probably favor this ruling. As a newcomer in the city with basically know nobody and get no support from the government, you try to find work so you'll survive. But in the eyes of many people, this is a something that's open to abuse and much easier than finding someone to sponsor your visa and wait for seven years to get right of abode.
I feel sorry for some of the immigrants who spent a lot of money to get away from their troubled countries and to enter Hong Kong. But some are simply not too prepared for it. One of them was from Pampanga in the Philippines who visited Hong Kong and applied for asylum. Asked what's the reason why he sought refuge in the city, he said he's being harassed by the fugitive Abu Sayyaf group. Pampanga is a province in Luzon island and it's quite far from the Abu Sayyaf lair so his case needs a little more convincing.
Photo credit: SydneyWalker
Thursday, October 08, 2009
No, this doesn't refer to my first bet at Mark Six.
Upon winning a Web Award for a luxury property agency, I got invited to a race day buffet dinner at Hong Kong Jockey Club with Belle and the rest of BeansBox. That's the time I got a closer look at the city's horseracing industry for the first time in nearly nine years. One of the world's biggest and one of Hong Kong's oldest, Hong Kong Jockey Club hosts about 700 races a year on its Shatin and Happy Valley racecourses.
As guests we were required to stick a badge within the dining premises. The buffet venue offers spectacular views and very close to the finish line mark. As the only non-Chinese in a round table of about 15, it's reasonably easy to feel awkward, not to mention that this is my first time to visit this place. But the feeling of warmth of getting invited into this members-only-are-allowed club is just great.
In between races, I can imagine that horseracing has been in the blood of Hong Kong people for decades. The club was established in 1884 and have probably witnessed the ups and downs of Hong Kong throughout the years. Local people treat this as twofold: enjoy the game with the company of friends and family as well as potential to earn big bucks.
Race day is a big deal to many Hong Kong people. There are TV channels devoted to horseracing and motorists have to deal with perpetual traffic rearrangements to accommodate race day patrons.
HKJC's presence is a big help to many. While seen as a mere gambling outfit, with interests in horse racing and football betting, it contributes a lot to Hong Kong economy and its people. It is Hong Kong's biggest taxpayer, with contributions of HK$13.1 billion in 2007-08. It is also one of Hong Kong's biggest employers, with 4,800 full-time and 20,200 part-time staff. And its charity contribution benefits a diverse group of recipients. HKJC contributes HK$1 billion a year on education and training, community services, medical and health and sports, culture and recreational causes.
If you see people outside betting stations armed with horse racing guides and tips, sitting in their dozens, waiting for an apparently good combination, go inside and place their bets. Others place bets on the phone, an intricate procedure I am still trying to find out.
I joked with my colleague Pippen that bettors on a race day is like children on an exam day. Both groups study hard, and outcomes are strikingly similar. If you study well, you get good results.
At the end of the day, some of us placed bets on both favored and unfavored horses. With high probability of losing than winning, nobody won any. A lesson that I long keep in mind was affirmed. It's not No bets, no glory. No bets, no worry.
Photo credit: Michael McDunough
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Filipinos in Hong Kong were able to donate more tan 50 boxes of relief goods as donation to victims of typhoon Ondoy that killed more than 240 people, destroyed billions worth of properties, created a stir online on insensivity and prompted international aid from agencies and various country (US, Japan, China, Australia and Czech Republic to name a few).
However, despite the good intention of the Hong Kong group to create awareness, gather clothes, cash and food, and even successfully convince air forwarders to waive their costs, it's the Philippine government that sometimes plays hard to get when it comes to accommodating help from non-government groups.
I read with great dismay a story at The Standard that a levy of 120,000 Philippine pesos (HK$19,770) was being asked by the Philippine customs in order for the 50 plus boxes to reach their intended recipients.
Also, deputy consul general Kira Danganan-Azucena at the Philippine consulate said that if the intended beneficiary is the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), an agency that mainly handles the relief operation for typhoon victims, then the donations will be given free pass without the levy.
It makes me wonder why we should pick a government agency that probably has a lot of things to do already over the very eager volunteers of Ayala Foundation, Red Cross, Kapuso Foundation and others. Does the government through DSWD want to get the credit from efforts of others that is why it imposes this donation tax to other donors? Why make it hard for Hong Kong donations to pass through?
The election is coming next year and this case of typhoon Ondoy may well give everyone a hint at who are the leaders we should choose. With the goods in DSWD's hands, it's possible that it will be repacked under one label that says it comes from a politician's name or from the government. It's sad that even at these unfortunate events, government bureaucracy still exist. People are willing to help but some government agencies (or outdated laws) promote their trademark snail-paced service. The government should streamline handling of aid to facilitate efficient and effective delivery of help to those who need them.
The need is urgent. What matters most is that help reaches the victims properly and in timely fashion regardless of who gives it to them. Someone above sees who is helping and who is pretending to do so.
Photo credit: Sir Mervs
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Hong Kong doesn't just say that it's a world city; it also does it. And when I say do it, it's not just advertise on buses with big faces of seven young happy people. It's also permanently etched on our street markers.
Photo credits: Yeowatzup, John SY Lee, manu_hk, bronney, eastecho, purplespace, kevincrumbs, harolddeparold
Saturday, October 03, 2009
1. You choose between LBC, AFreight, Genex and Focus as your official door-to-door balikbayan box.
2. You ask your newly found friend what's her phone network; if you share the same one, you are both in for extended "heart-to-heart" phone conversations.
3. You tell your friends to meet up at Central MTR, Worldwide House or Blackman on Sundays.
4. You are sometimes confused between the so-called Alley-alley 1 (Li Yuen Street East) and Alley-alley 2 (Li Yuen Street West) in Central.
5. You often ask how much is today's exchange rate between Hong Kong dollars and Philippine peso.
6. You find creative ways to have fun in a crowded park (Statue Square, Chater Garden, Kowloon Park, Discovery Park).
7. You find time to go to your favorite Filipino products shop to buy
8. If you don't have an Internet connection at home, you often head to your neighborhood Filipino cyber cafe.
9. You ask your friends if they were able to grab the latest copy of The Sun and Hongkong News.
10. You find yourself engrossed reading your favorite Tagalog pocketbook in the tram, bus or at the market. You rent three pocketbooks for HK$5 a week.
11. You are on a lookout for concerts in Central featuring artists from the Philippines.
12. You choose between Ocean Park, The Peak, Hongkong Disneyland or Noah's Ark to spend a week with the family.
13. You join Filipino basketball leagues in Wan Chai.
14. You try hard to join auditions for beauty pageants like Smartone Barkadahan, Mutya ng Mindanao, Runway, Agusan HK Society, Miss Bicolana, Miss Luzon, etc.
15. You find videoke bars at Filipino shops and are not afraid to be heard singing songs of Regine Velazquez, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Sarah Geronimo, Celine Dion or Imelda Papin.
16. You head to Laguna, Neptune, Boracay, New Makati disco houses in Wan Chai.
17. You are told by many non-Filipino friends that you sing well during karaoke sessions in Neway or Red Box.
18. You know Cinta J and Mang Ambo restaurants and visit them once in a while.
19. You belong to certain religious organizations such as Couples for Christ, Jesus is Lord or El Shaddai and civic organizations like United Ilocanos, Mindanao Alliance or UNIFIL.
20. You buy your electronics goods from RFC or Owtel on lay away terms.
21. You bring out your Filipino costume and perform ethnic dance during Philippine Independence Day celebration.
22. You learn cooking, karate and computer lessons at short-term courses at Bayanihan Centre.
23. You spend your weekend following up your application to go to Canada.
24. You buy tabloids like Abante and Bulgar on a daily basis at ParkNShop or your nearby newspaper dealers.
25. You find it hard to look for reference when applying for financial loans at JCG-Public Finance or Prime Credit.
26. You have friends selling glutathione, Vital C, High Desert and other health supplements.
27. You can easily find Filipina manicure, pedicure, massage and fortune tellers at Chater Garden.
28. You enjoy chicken joy or palabok at Jollibee Hong Kong.
Photo credit: adbrown1967
For people who make business of every commemorative issue of stamp, toys, ticket, paper bill or anything that qualifies as collectible, the recent experience with the overhyped first 150 dollar bill in the world from Standard Chartered Bank should teach a valuable lesson: not everything collectible always translates to profits.
These folks are characterized as those who try to be the first in line to grab that limited edition giveaways that aren't free by the way. They camp outside paying booths, stadiums, banks, ticketing offices or just about any place you can name. They defy the weather, and even taunts from other people. This is business they insist as they fire back at antagonists.
Beijing Olympics offered one last year and for those who grabbed them, it was a money making bonanza. This time, as Standard Chartered Bank celebrated 150 years of operation locally, it has released 150 dollar bills to the public. Although this is a legal tender, many are involved in trading them for prices higher than their face value. Single HK$150 bills were obtained by the bank for HK$280 so that's already an investment in itself. I know it's not just about the face value but traders still want to make more money out of this.
Chan Wing-fai, who runs two coin and stamp shops in Mong Kok and Lam Tin, said the small rise in value was unexpected. "The increase is very small, and I am disappointed," Chan said.
He said the market value of "four-in-one uncut" notes only climbed 38 percent from HK$1,888 to HK$2,600, while the "35-in- one uncut" notes saw only a 16 percent rise from HK$18,888 to HK$22,000.
I was not expecting that profits from this commemorative bill will grow higher than what the market wants. Apart from the obviously declared face value, I think this trading of HK$150 bills is only significant in Hong Kong, whereas the Olympic event last year had a wider scope and therefore more people were interested in having those commemorative notes.
Photo credit: cki719
If staring at giant quarter pounder photos in buses make you feel like rushing to a nearest McDonald's outlet, then this is bad news for you.
Price of McDonald's menu items will rise by about 50 cents max in a few weeks time. Sounds reasonable now that the consumer price index for beef products, main ingredients of hamburgers, chicken and sugar have increased recently. But this price hike happens for the second time in just five months; McDonald's already raised prices last June by about 20 to 30 cents. For example, McFlurry, which now costs HK$9.30, used to be HK$8.
If only McDonald's saves its energy usage by turning of neon lights during day time instead of passing costs to consumers.
Just imagine if you add a few more cents, you'll have beef noodles or dumplings from a cha chan teng that's enough to cover a meal.
Photo critic: Fast Food Critic
Thursday, October 01, 2009
How many letters do you receive from your mail box on a daily or weekly basis? Do I hear two daily? Seventeen weekly? How many of them are deemed essential and how many are unnecessary (otherwise known as spam in email lingo)?
In the past, receiving letters bring excitement. Receiving letter from pen pals (I used to have dozens from US, Japan, Peru, Israel, Malaysia and Finland) with photos and handwritten message was a great experience. Or relatives who kept in touch. Those letters arrived several days or even a few weeks after they were mailed. Too slow, eh? But they're worth waiting for.
When the Internet took over and sending messages became very convenient, we were naturally happy. But new problems also emerged. People we don't know send us email messages that mattered very little to us. We first ignored them, but they were persistent. We started to get irritated, then annoyed and asked if there is a way this message mayhem can be stopped.
Alas, the practice spilled out from our email inboxes an into our mailboxes. Opening the lock of our inboxes wasn't as pleasant as before. Pre-enrolled Citibank loan offers and HSBC's dining discount coupons are easily among the most annoying. Peoples, my wife's mobile phone network sends her letters in Indonesian language; she's a Filipina by the way. Or PCCW sends bulky Yellow Pages books that I hardly touch.
Thank goodness Hong Kong Post is trying to take care of this. It will complete within three months a review of an opt-out scheme that makes it easier for people to block junk mail.
Many businesses use circular mail service provided bt Hong Kong Post. Since postmen are seen as legitimate message bearers, they are often the only ones allowed inside residential buildings; others (apart from known companies such as DHL or UPS) may need special arrangements to deliver mails.
There is this Mandatory Opt Out Scheme introduced by Hongkong Post that requires recipients to instruct each and every sender to stop sending circular mails. But the method was found to be impractical and unrealistic.
It's good that there is an existing review of the process. Hopefully, we won't be inundated with nearly worthless trash piled on our inboxes if we can practically unsubscribe -- say no to future deliveries of these nuisance messages/promotions.
Photo credit: ferrous