Remembering HONG KONG

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Hi, Dear friends Hivean

It has been a very long time since my last post but we don't always have the time to do what we want and sometimes other things at work, in life or project make you unavailable for some time. But here I am and having time now to post.

This post is about Hong Kong a city I really love for many reasons. I ve been traveling to Hong Kong and its sister Macao since the year 1991 and I have been a witness of the evolution of both cities. I have been very sad in 1997 during the handover from the United Kingdom to China as I was seeing it as a potential threat to the freedom of the Hong Kong people. Today, with all the events that have happened since the first umbrella movement back in 2014 and the last "Revolution of our time" I can say now that back in 1997 my feeling was right and China hasn't respected the treaty they've signed with the UK giving the security of independence for HK for the next 50 years until 2047. But with the hand of China over the HK elections and the new security law, there is no more one country two systems but only one system. I have no ideas why China has been acting that way but I feel that some of the protesters have been pushing the fight to high by the uses of violence, vandalism. In every country in the world if you start using bows and arrows, petrol bombs and destroying everything it will trigger a hard response from every government in the world as they will feel that the national union and the law have been broken, just look at what happened in France with the yellow vests it is the same thing in accordance with each country ideology. All this to say I miss Hong Kong, Hong Kong I know for so long. Here I find brief things I have written in the past and want to share it with you.

First of all, if you are going there try to get a window seat in the plane, and just before landing admire some of the islands of Hong Kong S.A.R. (special administrative region) you will also see on both side a marvel of technology, the new Hong Kong, Zhuhai to Macau Bridge of 31 miles long (50 kilometers) above the sea with a 5 kilometer part that goes under the sea. The bridge will open at the end of 2017, this gigantic project start in 2010 for a total cost of around 20 Billion US$. From the windows of the plane you can see the bridge disappear at the horizon and not so far from the airport you see the bridge going down into a human-made island and into an underwater tunnel. Some of the precast tunnel segment weight 5000 tonnes, heavy as 27 Boeing 747 planes put together. After seeing the bridge, as the plane land take a look at the airport and how big it is and also is one of the biggest in the world. This airport named Chek Lap Kok is in service since 2001 to replace the old airport of Kai Tak which was one of the most dangerous airports in the world and requires a special license to land. To build this beautiful airport the technicians have used all the technology available, as the all airport is built on the water with only a little part on the tiny island of Chek Lap Kok. They move more than 500 million tonnes of sand and rock to make the new island. It was one of the world's biggest projects with the connection to Hong Kong island they build the world's longest suspended double-decker bridge, a speed train, a 35-kilometer highway with land expansion, a 6 line under the sea tunnel. The most amazing is the all airport is sinking into the sea so they have to build a system with a single handle to enhance the airport at its normal level. Part of all those constructions can be seen from the Bus Airport to HK.

So as we arrive in Hong Kong by the Kowloon peninsula. When I stay in HK I like to take a hotel in Kowloon as most of the population of HK live there. Always when i am in HK I have the feeling to be in the movie Blade Runner, it is like a jump in the future. There is light everywhere, screens, and other video panels. At night especially in Kowloon, all the streets are filled by peoples, it is one of the most crowded towns in the world, but it is also one of the rare towns where you can feel good energy all around. Many peoples always ask me if HK is a polluted city because they have this feeling when looking at the picture but the truth is HK is very conservative about the green area, 95% of all the territory of HK is a green and national park. In the middle of the town you can see some very old trees with crazy roots going out of the ground but the government of HK takes special care of nature and it makes the place a nice spot. You can be in the middle of the financial district and 15 min after being in the middle of green tropical mountains and this is a big plus in the HK life.

Also from Kowloon side it is good to go to Victoria Harbour and take a look at Hong Kong skyline, for me the most impressive and beautiful skyline. It is really nice to go early morning at the Victoria harbour, the best is at sunrise time you will have the feeling of having the whole Hong Kong town only for you, for the photograph it is a place to take some of the most beautiful shot of the skyline, you can also go on the harbour everyday at 8pm for the Symphony of Lights a sound and lights show on the skyline of Hong Kong island, it must be seen from the Kowloon side of the harbour. Another nice way to see the skyline is from above, in kowloon, Tsim Tsa Shui district head to the International Commerce Center tower enter the tower from the Ritz-Carlton entrance and take the lift to the 103 floor and from there change elevator and go up to 118th floor at the Ozone bar the highest bar in the world. From there you can see Hong Kong skyline and drink a cocktail with your friends. Make sure to get a reservation before going there, the best time is at sunset time. other peoples will prefer to go up to Victoria Peak on Hong Kong island and take a look at the view from the top of the peak terrace but for me the view is much better from Kowloon side but the peak is another great thing to do early morning around 7 am, take the peak cable-tram not far behind the bank of china tower and get the ride from the skyscraper to the green vegetation of the mountain (about 15 min.) For those prefer to walk go to the MTR station of Central and Admiralty follow the signs Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens and take the Old Peak road at the beginning there is a little traffic but after 500 meters it is just a walkway, don't forget to take a bottle of water especially in the hot season. From the top of Victoria's peak, you can go up the peak tower and get a nice view of Hong Kong and Kowloon as the town waking up.

All the transportation in HK is very effective and quite cheap, for those planning to spend 4 to 5 days there it is good to buy an Octopus card it gives you access to all kind of transportation in all of HK territory and also you can use this card to pay things in 7/11 or other shops, you just need to top up some cash into it, very useful in HK. There is plenty of things to see in Hong Kong one the place I love the most is Aberdeen Harbour, or like we use to call it 20 some years ago the floating city. This is the place where most of the fishermen from HK are living on their boats. You can take a sampan (small Chinese boat) and visit the harbor you will also see a lot of yachts as today all the rich peoples from HK put their boat here. Another thing to see and to try is the Jumbo and Tai Pak floating restaurant, at night the jumbo restaurant is enlightened with more than 20 000 light, the diner at those two places can be expensive but worth a try.

Every day at noon on the Hong Kong island in Causeway Bay district, in a land owned by the Jardine Matheson multinational, a Jardine employee fire a cannon just after the national anthem. This tradition comes from the English time when a newly arrived Naval officer from England gets annoyed at the ritual of the Jardine employees to fire a gunshot at every time the head of the company sailed into port. For English gun salute was reserved for military commanders only. To punish them they require Jardine employee to fire one cannon shot every day at noon and for perpetuity. Today English is gone but the tradition still here and it is now part of the Hong Kong tradition. To go there from causeway bay MTR exit D1 go to Jaffe road and to the World Trade Center and take the tunnel in front of it. Also in Hong Kong island, a fun thing to do is to ride the "Ting-ting" a double-decker tramway, this is a nice way to visit HK. But if you are a group and would like to do something special you can rent a Party Ting-ting and get food served on it as well as a band playing music for your party.

Hong Kong food is renowned all around the world and there is plenty of restaurants all around as well as western food. There is also some market to see like the Jordan market, the lady market in Mongkok district, and the flea market in Sham Shui Po all in Kowloon. As well as the antique market on Cat street, the wet market (food market) on Chun Yeung Street, and the dried seafood and tonic food on Des Voeux Road West in Sheung Wan all in Hong Kong island.
For those who like to buy a photo or video equipment Jordan road in Hong Kong is a good place but also Tsim Tsa Shui district and Mongkok and Sham Shui Po all in Kowloon. Try to avoid all the shop with a sign Duty-Free because all Hong Kong is a duty-free zone. Also when you buy don't be afraid to bargain to get the best price and don't be a shame to leave a shop as there is plenty of those shop all around.

For the computer go to Sham Shui Po Golden Computer Arcade, it's a labyrinth of the little shop. Also Mongkok Computer Center is a good one and Wan Chai Computer Center. For the Musicians, I recommend the Tom Lee Main Shop in 1-9 Cameron Lane, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon a very big music shop with the best prices. Hong Kong is like a big shopping town and the price is very good due to a no-tax policy.

Also for many of us, Hong Kong is a good place to make an offshore company. It takes about two days to get a company register and cost a few hundreds of dollars if you do it by yourself. But many peoples prefer to use a lawyer company to set their company but the price still nice. Whatever benefice your company will do you will not get taxes only if you sell things in Hong Kong you will get some tax. Hong Kong is a nice place for digital nomads to set their companies.

I have so many things to say about Hong Kong and/or Macao but I leave some for next time.

Love and Happiness and a very special thought for all Hong Kong people and never forget that behind the storm is the sunshine.

@ricko66

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